Another update of sorts. I managed to get the slot loading unit "repaired"
I then tried the install last week.
notes;
the slot loading player is bigger. It is about 3/4" wider, 1/2" deeper and there is no recess/notch where the harness exits the right rear.
If one wants to get into the nitty gritty, the slot is on the left whereas the cd magazine is on the right.
The cd magazine unit has eccentric mount brackets in that the left bracket is quite a bit wider than the right bracket.
The slot load player brackets are almost identical right/left.
I was able to get the slot loading player mounted and secured without doing any modifications more than a slight bend to the in-dash bracket on the right-hand side.
This is where things stopped because the system did not recognize the unit. It could be any of these things: connector is indeed the same, but a couple of pins in the harness are different, damage inside the unit that isn't easily visible by me. With the original cd magazine unit installed I at least get "no disc in player" message.
With the slot-load unit, I got nothing from the head unit and no lights on the slot load unit itself.
Unconfirmed:
Since the system did not recognize the slot-load unit, I did not reassemble everything and see if the opening in the glove box assembly would let one even load/unload discs. I think it would work due to the opening having to accommodate the sliding door for the cd magazine.
Some one more versed in electronics might be able to get this swap to happen, but for now it is only a maybe. Since I got the slot load unit to my door for $50, I was willing to give it a try,