80 to GX

[fstbll42]

As for the lights I think I am going to go with the H9 conversion for the lows and call it good. Like I said I have the 4300K HID kit as a back up if need be but would like to try these H9's first.

I am also replacing all of the interior lights and running board lights with a LED kit I got off ebay. Clean white light, I did it already in my 80 and it was an amazing upgrade for very little time and money.

Pics posted once I install them.

 

[GXO]

For a quick and easy hands free the GROM solution works with either head unit and really was quite good for an aftermarket. Parrot as well. GROM was a bit more "integrated" if you wanted something more long term. If you know you will be swapping out to aftermarket an external unit like Parrot works. I also have a BT speaker from BlueAnt that clips to your sun visor and doesn't use the stereo at all (right to phone). It lasts a good while, but if you are a road warrior with conference calls it won't cut it. I use it in my 80 sometimes, but since I chopped the top the wind noise is crazy

 

[fstbll42]

LOL Dan you are cracking me up with your rigs.

I think I will invest in the GROM and use it for a while. I need to save up about 1G to make the transition it sounds like and that's just not in the cards currently. I would like the sound quality to be pretty good. I know that driving and talking over Bluetooth is never the best scenario but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

Do you know what GROM unit you went with since you seemed to like that option for the stock NAV system?

As always I appreciate your input and advice

 

[fstbll42]

Would something like this be a good start to getting rid of the NAV system? I would imagine that I could just plug this one in and get an aftermarket Headunit to do the NAV, Bluetooth and Reverse camera? Am I making it to simplistic? I am not an Electrical guy by any means.

Thanks for letting me bounce ideas off y'all.

 

[SouthernSS]

thats where I was going to start, but I think you'll need to source the bezel around it.

 

[IanB]

The bezel will be a lot more reasonably priced through the dealer than the HVAC unit would be, so if you can find the HVAC used this might be a viable project.

 

[JLee]

I'm really curious to see if that works - hopefully it'll be plug & play with the existing system.

 

[fstbll42]

Unit posted above is $200..... On Fleebay???? Not a bad price I don't think to have the AC controls. As long as we are able to just disconnect the controls from the NAV system and plug it into the non NAV system?

Does anyone know if this is the case?

 

[fstbll42]

Junglerouge - DIY Lexus GX470 Beat Sonic Double Din aftermarket stereo install

Posted this write up. I think that if we took the item I posted above and took the components out of the bezel and put them into the SLA-81 from BeatSonic that this system would work pretty well. The only parts that would be discolored would be the top clock cluster and the ash tray part.

Very interesting.....

 

[fstbll42]

Another option......

 

[fstbll42]

From the video post above:

"It's actually fairly simple and no wiring diagram is needed. It will be time consuming though. The first step is to remove the AC vent and nav shroud/housing to get to the tape deck. Remove the tape deck and the main wire harness that feeds it must be stretched to the glove compartment. It seems like it will not have enough length but there's a large plastic block that's bolted to the frame if you remove the bolt and cut back the tape you can get it to stretch. Then you can mount the tape deck in the glove compartment where the cd changer used to be and get rid of the cd changer. Next is the time consuming part. Because there is no wiring diagram and its a mystery how the speakers are fed by the amp you have to "overlay the system" by running four new speaker wires for each speaker to each door of the vehicle starting from where the head unit will be. I had to replace all my speakers anyway because they were all blown so taking the doors apart was no problem. Then I just ran the wire along the floor board under the plastic and into the doors with the existing wire harness. Then hook up the speakers put the plastic back, splice the wires into the new head units wire harness, and attach the new head unit to the opening for the old tape deck and your done! "

This seems like the best choice to me if anyone can chime in I would appreciate the help...

Pretty sure you could do a single din fold down NAV screen if you really wanted too????

There are so many choices.... lol

 

[IanB]

Another option......

That's very interesting, were you able to find any more info on how they made this happen?

Edit: Nvrmnd, I see you posted again while I was watching the video. So you're moving the factory stereo to the glovebox, and leaving it off, then installing the aftermarket deck in the dash, with no factory harness at all, and bypassing the amp to run the speakers directly off the aftermarket head unit? You'll lose some of the factory speakers doing it this way would you not, and end up with just the door speakers functional?

 

[fstbll42]

IanB - I posted his write up below but have also messaged him on youtube.... which could take forever to get a response but it looks like you just Overlay the system and hook the new and old head units up?

 

[fstbll42]

That's very interesting, were you able to find any more info on how they made this happen?

Edit: Nvrmnd, I see you posted again while I was watching the video. So you're moving the factory stereo to the glovebox, and leaving it off, then installing the aftermarket deck in the dash, with no factory harness at all, and bypassing the amp to run the speakers directly off the aftermarket head unit? You'll lose some of the factory speakers doing it this way would you not, and end up with just the door speakers functional?

Looks to be correct... I am not a sound junkie so this will not effect me as much as some... although I have heard that our Mark systems are not very good compared to others out there and most people switch it all out anyways. I believe if you were to get a head unit with enough speaker connections it would sound just fine.

 

[IanB]

Looks to be correct... I am not a sound junkie so this will not effect me as much as some... although I have heard that our Mark systems are not very good compared to others out there and most people switch it all out anyways. I believe if you were to get a head unit with enough speaker connections it would sound just fine.

I've never seen an aftermarket head unit with more than 4 speaker outputs, you'd need to use additional amps to achieve enough outputs for all the speakers in the ML system, I believe there's 8 channels on the stock amp.

Any aftermarket head unit and a nicely matched component set for the front doors and coax for the rear doors, should sound better than the stock ML setup regardless, just a lot of $$ and work to make it happen.

 

[fstbll42]

LOL looks like I will just be running 4 speakers!!!! lol

 

[GXO]

I have an amp and all aftermarket speakers and yes, you need to size it properly with enough juice. Hence that HO alternator I just put in...but it sounds amazing!

 

[fstbll42]

DanKunz- could you brake down the speakers and amp you are running? I am not very good with sizing but would like to learn.

 

[GXO]

HU: Double DIN touchscreen Alpine IVEW530
Amp: Alpine MRXV70
Front: Focal components w/ 6.5" drivers
Rear: JL Audio 6.5"
Sub: 6.5" JL Sub in stock enclosure/location
PAC SWIRC steering wheel integration kit
iPad integration cable (for the ipadholdr mount)

 

[GXO]

This was a few years ago so I am sure they have new models, etc.