Modern Radio In 66 Dart

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Ryan Hoelzer

Ryan Hoelzer

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Has anyone put a modern DIN radio in a 66 Dart or similar? I haven't done any measuring yet but wondering if the faceplate will fit in a decent looking cutout of the trim piece. Thinking about a retrosound but I can get so much more for the same money otherwise. Any pictures would be appreciated.
 
I don't have a '66 dart, but my '67 Barracuda was cut out for a single din stereo when I bought it. I wish they wouldn't have done it after buying the Retrosound I bought for my '71 Chev C10 though. I would have put the same thing in the Barracuda. Yes, the retrosound units cost more, but I like that they fit the factory dash. I bought the Retrosound Hermosa model for the truck, which comes with the Bluetooth for hands free calling and music from my phone, but it also has USB connector to play from a jump drive.

Personally,... I would not cut up my dash to put an aftermarket radio in if I had another option, and these days we do, with Retrosound and the other company. Is it Classic Auto Sound? The thing I didn't like about them is they cost more, and cost extra for things like Bluetooth adapter and USB.
 
Same story here. My pristine survivor 66 Valiant had some idiot saw out the dash for a DIN radio. I put one in since the hole was there, but I'd be WAY happier with an original-looking unit. I know the Retrosound units are more expensive, but you can't get back the stock setup once you saw it out. It's your car to do with as you wish, but think carefully about going down a one-way road before dragging out the Saw-Zall.
 
Yeah I'm on the fence. This was my dad's car and it's not a pure resto by any means. And its going to stay in the family till it's scrap.

When I do the search on what's compatible for retrosound it only shows the Redondo which is $400+. Do you guys know if there are any of the other models that fit? I don't really care about bluetooth, being a convertible I'm not planning on having alot of handsfree conversations..

I also feel like I could save the cut out piece and put it back if anyone ever wanted to, and retrosound makes a repair kit. I can get an extra trim piece just in case too.

My biggest concern with cutting it is just that it doesn't look hacked. Do you guys have any pictures of them?

My other thought was the secretaudio hidden radio. I need to get the measurements of the control panel and see if it would fit and cover the holes on the trim panel.
 
To the men that have their Dash butchered. You can't take those dashes out and repair them?
 
j par said:
To the men that have their Dash butchered. You can't take those dashes out and repair them?
Click to expand...

Yes, I suppose you can. It all depends on what you want. In my case, 50 years of not being screwed with went down the tubes when Mr. Moron cut the dash for the modern radio. There as many opinions on this topic as there are members, so I'm just offering this up as mine. I really, really wish this had not happened. Yes, I could replace the dash, and yes, I could probably cobble something up to return it to a shaft radio setup. But in my mind, the current DIN radio just doesn't look right in Gramma's Grocery Getter, which is my car.

Just my $.02, YMMV.

For the OP, here's a photo of my dash with the hole where the shaft radio was cut out. This was when I bought it.

DSCN1704.JPG


And here's shot of what it looks like when I stuck the DIN radio in, to fill the hole and have some tunes. As far as I'm concerned, this looks like a..........."lady of the night"...........in church.

DSCN5282.JPG
 
halfafish said:
Yes, I suppose you can. It all depends on what you want. In my case, 50 years of not being screwed with went down the tubes when Mr. Moron cut the dash for the modern radio. There as many opinions on this topic as there are members, so I'm just offering this up as mine. I really, really wish this had not happened. Yes, I could replace the dash, and yes, I could probably cobble something up to return it to a shaft radio setup. But in my mind, the current DIN radio just doesn't look right in Gramma's Grocery Getter, which is my car.

Just my $.02, YMMV.

For the OP, here's a photo of my dash with the hole where the shaft radio was cut out. This was when I bought it.

View attachment 1715237713

And here's shot of what it looks like when I stuck the DIN radio in, to fill the hole and have some tunes. As far as I'm concerned, this looks like a..........."lady of the night"...........in church.

View attachment 1715237714
Click to expand...
I reckon color matching would be one of the harder parts of just finding a replacement one. although even if you repaired yours you would probably just want to respray it before you put it back in. I would imagine it would probably take a couple guys about 5 or 6 hours to get it out?
 
As I think here one would have to take the mouldings around from the sides drop the steering column maybe pull the glove box out pull the gauge cluster out and unplug the wires. Take the bolts out by the windshield loosen the ones against the side wall rotate the dash down unplug all the wires and the heater vent controls presto?
 
You can get black plastic under dash mounting box/assemblies from "sonicelectronix", or "crutchfield". They come in single, or double din, and your radio, of what ever brand will fit right in, and look decent, under the dash. You will just have to make some brakets, to mount the box under the dash. Make the brakets from those metal strips you can get at the big box hardware stores metal section.
I have all this set up all ready to put in my 66 B-Cuda. If I didn't have it all stashed away for the winter I would get some pics, but I can't get at the stuff easily, now. I installed a second fuse panel, and replaced my antenna with a power antenna also, while I was setting it up.
Sonic, has a better selection of stereo mounting stuff than Crutchfield. Just look around on the Sonic sight, as I can't remember the correct box name.
I wouldnt cut a nice dash.
Hope this helps.
Dave
 
Actually, in your case I probably would be more hesitant to cut it. In the 66 dart theres a trim piece that would have to be cut too, and replacing that trim piece would cover the repair. But the more I look at it I don't think the trim could be cut and look decent. I'm missing the trim piece so can't measure it myself.

upload_2018-10-20_7-44-7.png




halfafish said:
Yes, I suppose you can. It all depends on what you want. In my case, 50 years of not being screwed with went down the tubes when Mr. Moron cut the dash for the modern radio. There as many opinions on this topic as there are members, so I'm just offering this up as mine. I really, really wish this had not happened. Yes, I could replace the dash, and yes, I could probably cobble something up to return it to a shaft radio setup. But in my mind, the current DIN radio just doesn't look right in Gramma's Grocery Getter, which is my car.

Just my $.02, YMMV.

For the OP, here's a photo of my dash with the hole where the shaft radio was cut out. This was when I bought it.

View attachment 1715237713

And here's shot of what it looks like when I stuck the DIN radio in, to fill the hole and have some tunes. As far as I'm concerned, this looks like a..........."lady of the night"...........in church.

View attachment 1715237714
Click to expand...
 
Music is important to me but not so important that I would carve a dash bezel or hack up a dash frame. I like the retro radios they look like stock and can be outfitted with mini usb's to hook to your phone or storage device. A 16 gigabite usb drive can hold up to 3,500 songs. That's a lot of Beach Boys!
 
My dash was hacked when i got it.
I like my tunes and i will install something to make noise.
I plan to paint dash,so hopefully the black will help it blend in.
 
Ryan Hoelzer said:
Actually, in your case I probably would be more hesitant to cut it. In the 66 dart theres a trim piece that would have to be cut too, and replacing that trim piece would cover the repair. But the more I look at it I don't think the trim could be cut and look decent. I'm missing the trim piece so can't measure it myself.

View attachment 1715237761
Click to expand...
That's a beauty of a non GT bezel. Yours?
 
I found someone selling the Redondo on Ebay for $339 and it actually drop ships from Retrosound. Went ahead and ordered it. That along with some kick panel speakers should do the job..
 
Ryan Hoelzer said:
I found someone selling the Redondo on Ebay for $339 and it actually drop ships from Retrosound. Went ahead and ordered it. That along with some kick panel speakers should do the job..
Click to expand...
Keep us posted I just been looking at them.
Please tell us how it sounds.
 
I don’t like most of what’s on the radio anyway, so a cord from my iPod straight to an amp works perfectly. When the iPod dies, I’ll plug in a Bluetooth receiver in its place.
 
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