blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

Some of you are going to call this sacrilege, and it probably is...

It's tough to find a CD player that matches the decor of an '80s F-body. Mainstream aftermarket head units are ridiculous, and even the newer Delco CD players look out of place in my opinion. For about ten years I ran a Nakamichi head unit that complemented the interior very well, but its lack of dimmer control drove me nuts at night.

I've owned several Jeeps and always appreciated the quality and appearance of late-model Chrysler CD players. Considering that the GM and Chrysler radio dimensions are nearly identical, I figured it would be an easy swap into a ThirdGen. I haven't seen this done here before, so I decided to post a few pictures of the install.

The donor radio came from a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but these CD players are found in many different Chrysler products throughout the '90s and early-'00s. Some models, like those found in Dodge Neons, are even more appropriate for a ThirdGen because the buttons are squared off.

Some trimming of the heater vents is required, as shown below. I covered up the holes with aluminized tape to prevent the HVAC system from blowing into radio cavity.





It's a tight fit, but not impossible. The biggest problem I had was finding a place for the wiring harness adapter. I had to remove the climate control system to reach in and position the harness above the radio. I also made new brackets from some scrap aluminum.







After putting the trim pieces back on, the CD player fits perfectly in the dash opening. I suppose you could polish out that Five Star logo and fool just about anyone into thinking the radio came with the car.

As for functionality, it works great. The radio has ample power for my needs in an F-body and the tape deck is a nice added feature. This particular model also has ten radio presets (two per button). Oh, and the dimmer works, too.

AKcamaroAK

That actually looks really good man. I agree, those newer aftermarket headunits look wrong in a third gen.

ellocojorge

iTrader: (1)

very nice. looks much better than any newer delco stereo

chevysquid

iTrader: (7)

Thats pretty nice. Good job.

blue86iroc

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, guys. After driving around with the radio for a few days, I'm really happy with how it all works. The only thing I might do is remove the covers for the backlight bulbs -- I think that ought to make for white illumination, which should match the dash better.

ATX-Iroc

Thats cool i just put one of those stereos in my moms caravan. The whole time I was thinking it looks like it'll fit my camaro. gotta love having such easy access to the fade/balance and Eq.

Skyset

sick man

The_Wraith

I have the same deck in my dodge. Sounds great.

GtoRockz

Thumbs up! I like it better than the $200 JVC I just installed..