Need a new radio?

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My radio opening has no holes?

Mine is stock and it's simply a rectangular opening.

In older vehicles that I've done aftermarket radios with the knobs on each side, these radios often allow you to move the knobs nearer to each other so they clear the sides of the stock openings.
 
Radio

I'm having the original radio "restored". Will have AM/FM and jack for MP3 or iPod. Should be back in a week and will look like new original but have more functions.
I'm having the work done by Western Reserve Technology, wrtech@gmail.com in Oxford GA.
Cost a little more than 49.99 though.
 
So I went about installing the aforementioned radio. Problems with the install:
1) The radio doesn't quite fit the hole. It's about 1/4 of an inch wide. Not that much of a problem since you can slide the radio in from the rear.
2) I had to bend the tabs back where the original radio bolts to. This was because the radio was slightly larger. I still am working on an attachment from radio to dash. Not too difficult but I ran out of time/light.
3) On the right side, there is a vent type tube that comes down and slightly blocks the radio. The radio fits in but it is definitely up against the tube and I can foresee wear on the side of the radio from rubbing. Any suggestions? Cut this piece out? I have no need for the vent since I don't have A/C or heating.
4) The antenna wire is a little short. I've stretched it about as far as I can and it just BARELY fits. This is because the antenna port on the radio is on the opposite side than stock.

Overall the radio fits, but a little adjustment is necessary. You don't have to cut the dash at all. You can use the stock radio brackets to hold the radio in, the one in the rear of the radio is what I mean. It really improves the sound quality. I'm getting far less static than before. Basically, I love it. Any questions, then let me know.
Pics:
1) Stock hole opening showing stock bolt hole on right side.
2) Shows how much wider the radio is than the stock hole.
3) Shows the vent tube on the right side that sits against the radio.
4) Shows what the radio looks like installed. I'm holding it up because I didn't bolt it in yet.
I'll get better pics tomorrow. The light was failing. Pics taken with iphone.
img0190nq.jpg

img0192mx.jpg

img0193ox.jpg

img0195ah.jpg
 
still looks way too flash for the pig :P ill have to look for something ssimilar here.
 
So you just slid it in from the back and no cutting? I like...

Where did you put your speakers?
Yep...it takes a little maneuvering to get it in. I had to detach some warm air vent knob thingy from the dash to make room. To mount the radio easier , it may be simpler to cut out the tabs that originally held the radio in and make your own mounting system. I'm not sure yet. I'm trying to see if the DIN mounting is easier to use.
EDIT: Forgot...the speakers are located in the rear side-panels. One in the OEM location and another opposite. The speakers are Kenwood 5x9. They have a different mounting than stock but I'm sure some can be found that will fit the OEM bracket.
 
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EDIT: Forgot...the speakers are located in the rear side-panels. One in the OEM location and another opposite. The speakers are Kenwood 5x9. They have a different mounting than stock but I'm sure some can be found that will fit the OEM bracket.

If you want speakers to fit the OEM location then you need 5"x7" (I think that's the size) with tabs at the ends. That seems to be a standard Toyota size for that era. My old Corolla used that size and the in dash speaker for the '60 is also that size (mounts are there but the speaker is not in North American '60 series models but it's a great place for a HAM/CB speaker). When I did my truck I added an OEM speaker mount to the opposite side since I had another rusted piggy to swipe parts from.
 
Thanks for the tip. The 5x9 are too big for the OEM location. I'm looking at an alternative option since I don't mind modifying the pig a little. Question for everyone: Is it ok for the magnet to be touching metal? I have a location in rear corners of the pig but the speakers touch the metal. I can bring them out a little if need be.
 
When you get a chance, please post up some pics of where you're mounting your speakers and wire routing. It looks good! :beer: ty
Sorry I've been working on my 60 today. I'll get pics soon.
 
Thanks for the tip. The 5x9 are too big for the OEM location. I'm looking at an alternative option since I don't mind modifying the pig a little. Question for everyone: Is it ok for the magnet to be touching metal? I have a location in rear corners of the pig but the speakers touch the metal. I can bring them out a little if need be.

Are you just going to stick them to the D pillar by the rear window using the magnets?

I have thought about that too...
 
Are you just going to stick them to the D pillar by the rear window using the magnets?

I have thought about that too...

Something like that. I was gonna weld brackets to the d pillar for additional security. Seems like it'd work good and I could always move them if I didn't like it.
 
I installed the head unit in my 40 series, and ran into engine noise in the line. Haven't installed it in my 55 as I'm still tearing it apart, but I've got it figured out for when I do install it in my 55. I have the head unit installed as laguna80 described by mounting it from the back, and have it ran to a 2-channel 100 watt amplifier (listed below). I used a short RCA cable with a ground loop noise isolator (also listed below). The power wire to the amplifier and radio are hooked up to a condenser (like the one found on your stock distributor). I got two RCA marine speakers for the rear, 6.5".

Amplifier:
simple cheap 100 watt amplifier, 2-channel. I can't find exactly what I have, but it's similar to these:
53338d1231531226-mini-2ch-100watt-amp-100_0226-small-.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/BOSS-AUDIO-SYSTEMS-100-WATT-POWER-AMPLIFIER_W0QQitemZ110463167699QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCar_Amplifiers?hash=item19b81e2cd3


Ground loop isolator:
flgl400.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Tsunami-FL-GL400-Ground-Loop-Noise-Isolator-Filter_W0QQitemZ360212711199QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item53de59c71f


Speakers:
image.php

http://www.thetwistergroup.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=RC602M%20D40184&source=fr

If you shop around and wait for deals, you can easily outfit your rig with a sound system for under $100 and have a pretty good system.
 
Any speaker like this one Visions Electronics -- will fit in the stock mount in the rear quarter panel. You can see the tabs on the ends. Those are what you need to mount. Not all 5x7 speakers have those tabs.
 
I finally got around to installing the radio properly. I had to grind a bit of the vent tube that's on the side by the glovebox, otherwise it fits perfectly. The antenna is a perfect fit once it's installed. I used the stock bracket thingy in the back and made an extra extension so that it can turn to the side to fit. I can take pics if anyone wants.
 
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