posted
use that computer wire, or ribbon, whatever they call it. it looks like a ribbon with a bunch of thin wire in it. radio shack has it. i've never done it, but i sure would like to. use that wire to brigde the gap between the brains and the faceplate, however you find fit
Posts: 17 | From: pittsburgh | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
I did a custom install similar to what I think your talking about. A guy had a 79' chevy and he wanted a cd player, in the car, fully visible, but NO CUTTING THE DASH. So...I ended up making a harness from what is like computer cable, ordered it from a company online.
I installed the face plate into the sun visor, similar to those lcd visor installs, and mounted the headunit itself under the seat. It came out beautiful.
-------------------- Ride low, and RIDE FAST! -LOWERED -Tightened Suspension -MSD Ignition -FlowMaster Exhaust -Cold Air Ram Intake -Engine swapped with a '98 4 Runner -Port and Polished heads http://members.cardomain.com/newzboys Posts: 18 | From: South Florida | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
How was the wire fixed to the contacts on the face/main unit? Did you just solder on? That takes some guts....
I suppose you could track down any old unit off eBay or something and fabricate a plug & socket that would clip onto the existing contacts. Many mfrs use the same contact arrangement on different models/brands anyway so it shouldn't be too hard to track one down.
Posts: 44 | From: Lancashire, North West UK. | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I did this with one of my decks, a 5303. Not too terrible, the hardest part was manufacturing a cover to go over the deck that blended in to the trim.
Eh.. It came out looking nice and the deck worked well its all good.
ShadowStar
-------------------- You can't build a reputation for what you're GOING to do.. But you can build one for TALKING about it!
It's all about knowledge, love and respect. Posts: 2578 | From: Somewhere In the Northeast | Registered: May 1999
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If you remove the faceplate mounting surface you'll have access to either the connector cable or the board surface where soldering will be a simple procedure.
Simply extend the necessary wires using a length of computer ribbon cable.
A neat trick for mounting the faceplate in your chosen location, once the extension has been completed, is to order a second mounting surface and use it to actually mount the control unit in it's new position.
posted
i have been very intrested in this but what if the face is motorized? what then? what do i do as far as mounting it?
Posts: 9 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Jan 2003
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Damn I just posted basically the same question. I have the male and female connectors, I just need to know how many contacts need to be on the ribbon cable and how do I connect them...I'm making the connection cable for a CQ-DFX701U (panasonic)...I just don't want to open up the main unit and end up breaking something...!!!
-------------------- Team Pure Pressure / Powerbass / Excessive Amperage / www.southeastspl.com
I pulled the RCA pigtail out of the chassis on the back of the unit and cut a notch big enough for 2 category 5 (cat-5) computer cables. I took the cat-5 up to the backside of the faceplate contacts and soldered them on.
The true pain here was the size of magnifying glass and soldering iron tip I had touse to be able to reliably solder the cat-5 to the back of the contacts without cold solder joints or cross soldering several contacts. If I remember right there were 12 contacts to make.
The Cat-5 was run through the chassis of the radio, through the backwall of the radio with a grommet protecting it from sharp edges. From there I was able to run the cable where I pleased without worrying about the looks from the front of the unit.
The faceplate was a diffrent story. I DID have to solder directly to the back of the faceplate contacts. Opening up the faceplate I did NOT find enough room to make a more cosmetic connection. I DID however fabricate a little cover for the back of the radio with a strain relief for the cat-5 to cover it and keep it looking a little more pleasing out of ABS plastic. Right now I have the faceplate in a fabricated holder that attaches to the factory domelight cluster in the roof.
The A#1 huge problem I ran into was something I hadnt accounted for. Remember that You have to be able to "tell" the radio that the faceplate is no longer attached to the chassis (in most cases anyway) to be able to eject the cd. This usually requires that you break at least one - if not ALL - of the faceplate contacts from the chassis.
I eneded up having to use an old AM/FM switch with 15 contacts... so that I could break the contacts with the flip of a switch. You may want to save yourself trouble and try and find out what contacts (if any) you have to break so that the radio will still eject a cd.
-------------------- This space for rent Posts: 935 | From: Topeka, Ks. (hell, level 10) | Registered: Apr 2000
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