I don't know much about sound stuff, but I want to keep the stock radio cuz I hate how newer ones look in a 22-year-old car. I do plan to throw in a CD changer so I can add subs n **** if I do that right? Will everything work when I'm just listening to the radio too or just when I'm playing a CD. Also, will it make much difference to swap out the stock speakers with new ones that are the same size? I plan to return everything to stock so I don't want to cut stuff up. Thanks for the info.

 

Changing the stock speakers will make a difference, dont know about teh head unit question but you can get the ones now that fit teh stock spot so there is no install kit or little radio in the big area thing.

 

The stock head unit is of such poor quality that upgrading the rest of the audio system is futile without replacing the radio.

There are a lot of ways to tastefully add a newer head unit, especially if you buy one without all of the silly bells and whistles. There are also a couple guys that retro-fitted newer Delco radios out of late model f-bodies and trucks. These head units are actually very good quality and can function well as part of a nice system. Plus, they look stock enough that most people won't notice the difference.

 

how do oyu plan on adding a cd changer to a stock H/U. aNd how would you run the subs to play? im confused

 

well custom audio sound makes a universal thing that has the main unit under your seat or wherever and then a small LCD screen with the buttons n stuff that is small enough to fit in your ashtray. Thinking about doing that, but it says you have to use "their' CD changer which more than doubles the price of the kit. Looks like that's my only option right now, tho.

 

There are many companies that make RF changers. Non of them have the best sound quality. I would look into Pioneer.
This is if you MUST keep the stock stuff. Not what I would do though.

 

you cant add subs to that changer tho... youd have to run an amp that has speaker level inputs which dostort easier

 

well if I do this I definitely want to do it right, so you guys are telling me I just need to find something else that looks good in my car for the best results ? Any ideas as to what models might look good in my 22-year old Trans Am?

 

pioneer DEH-P6600 ... its in my car and looks and works great.

 

Like I said already, the newer delco radios will over the closest to stock appearance that you can get. You can add an aftermarket changer WITHOUT an fm modulator by using an adapter that interfaces with an aftermarket changer. I forget which brand changer the adapter is designed for, but it shouldn't be hard to find with a google search.

Buying a good quality Line Output Converter from http://www.davidnavone.com/ will help you keep the head unit's sound quality, but knock down the output to a line-level that you can use with amplifiers.

Beyond the delco radios, there is an endless sea of aftermarket radios that will work. They all have their own unique appearances, and it's such a subjective issue that regardless of what we suggest, you need to decide for yourself what appearance looks best to you. Personally, I think that the Alpine 9835 or 9855 with the biolite display is the best match to the stock camaro's white illumination. The stock firebird has amber illumination, and almost any brand will have plenty of models with amber illumination.

Clarion's models also tend to be very tasteful in appearance... at least until their new 2005 stuff came out. If you can find something from last year like the 745 or 845, you'll get a great deck that doesn't look like it belongs on the space shuttle.

 

k, thanks for all the info

 

It's not completely impossible to get good sound out of a sound system with the stock head unit. If you like the look of the head unit, you can find a eq that has an optional 2nd input with RCA jacks. Many aftermarket CD changers have provisions to plug into them. That way you can have the stock look but get good sound quality by building a system with new speakers and amps, and have them connect to the eq. The drawback is that you have to adjust volume at the eq. Since space for an eq in a thirdgen is limited, this may be a problem. I've done a similar setup since I wanted the stock look and steering wheel controls. I think it sounds great. Just my opinion

 

or another option would be to get a Cd Changer that uses a FM modulator which would work with the stock headunit. I know Pioneer makes them and then if you decide to upgrade your headunit later you can run it with an IP-BUS cable instead of the FM modulator which would also use the headunit interface instead of the seperate one. Like this http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...etailComponent

 

Also another option if you decide to replace the headunit with an aftermarket unit is to use a "1.5 Din" sized HU. Our cars have a 1.5 Din sized hole in the radio pod. A friend of mine is using pioneer's DEH-P47DH. It doesnt require a "Radio Installation Kit" to use it. With most of the units that are out there they are 1 Din size so you need to buy a Install kit to get it to look good, And even at that some of the 1 Din receivers are long so the kit that you buy ends up sticking out of the radio pod. It's ok but doesnt look the cleanest. Unfortunately that is what i had to do with my HU, it is very long so the kit sticks out. The DEH-P47 or 77 is shallow so it doesnt hit the back area of the radio pod. A great place for prices is www.etronics.com. My radio when i got it retailed for $500 and i got it for $350. They only want $185 for the P47.

http://www.etronics.com/product.asp?...de=pioDEHP47DH

It's a great look for our cars if you dont need/want alot of bells and whistles and with the fact that it doesnt need an install kit so it looks as stock (for aftermarket) as it can get.

 

you should remove the lil steel bar that goes behindd the stock head unit... if you have an aftermarket you dont need it. then you have like a foot of space behind there

 

Well i dont have a little bar, so not sure what that is maybe something specific to the camaro's? I know that the dash/console is a different setup than the 'birds so maybe the internals of the radio pod is different too.

 

The firebirds (85 and newer anyway) have the rear radio support molded into the plastic piece at the back of the console. This piece needs to be cut out if you want to flush mount the radio for better asthetics.

In the camaros, there's a metal bar (except cars that only came with an AM radio) that needs to be unbolted. This will allow you to flush mount the radio instead of having it stick out.

 

fyi: that metal bar is a beast to reach at wtih a socket or wrench but well worth not cutting