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After lots of searching for the right period correct deck..... I now have what I was looking for in my 87 Iroc convertible.
This mint Alpine 7903 CD/tuner pull out has the exact look and feel I was going for. Next up I am installing a period correct A/D/S 6 channel amp. I am going with modern speakers in the dash and rear panels as well as a modern neodymium sub though.
I don't claim to "hate" much in life. But I do hate the controls on almost all modern single DIN radios. The older radios were just much more user friendly, IMO.
I don't claim to "hate" much in life. But I do hate the controls on almost all modern single DIN radios. The older radios were just much more user friendly, IMO.
I agree 100% - I need a rotary volume ****...
Funny... I was just looking through your thread the other day to see how you routed the power wire through the firewall. I will do something similar for my trunk amp.
Modern decks just look out of place. Nice install!
I agree with DynoDave regarding modern single DIN decks. The buttons are too small and the controls are just too cumbersome.
I'm still listening to the Pioneer DEH-760 CD/AM/FM and EQ-4000 equalizer, Pioneer 4x6's and 6x9's and Crutchfield amp I installed back in '92. The deck has skipped horribly since day one. I even sent it in for service twice with no resolution. I spent years playing with the mounting in an effort to eliminate or reduce the skipping; never happened.
I'm now looking for a period correct, Pioneer cassette that matches the EQ.
I had a Kenwood cassette pull out in mine, Boston Acoustics speakers in the dash, Alpine 6x9 in the sail panels. Two Harmon Kardon amps powering the setup - little one for the front & the big one for the backs - still have those & they will be going back in - need to find the Kenwood head unit or just put the delete plate on & go bluetooth.
I had a Kenwood cassette pull out in mine, Boston Acoustics speakers in the dash, Alpine 6x9 in the sail panels. Two Harmon Kardon amps powering the setup - little one for the front & the big one for the backs - still have those & they will be going back in - need to find the Kenwood head unit or just put the delete plate on & go bluetooth.
Alpine looks real good!
I have used that series of HK amps before as well - really nice!
Very nice! Alpine's 2x3 green buttons really identify the era.
Here's my Nak head unit. I, too, have a 6 channel a/d/s/ amp from back in the day. Also have a Kenwood 2-channel for the sub.
That looks great - I will also be running an eq under the deck like that shortly. I have an Alphasonik (1989) that is similar to yours but it does not have a sub out. It does have an auxiliary input though so I can plug in my phone for mp3's. I may install it for now till I find the perfect Alpine.
I was going to run a single 8" sub off a bridged channel on the A/D/S to start but I am thinking I may need to run a separate more powerful amp to get the results I want? I have not used this amp yet so a little unsure of actual output.
Nakamichi. There's a name I have not heard in a while.
In my '91 RS, I ran a Realistic EQ under the Pioneer head unit that looked very much like that one. Ah, memories...still have that setup in the garage.
I recently picked up this NOS Alpine amp that I may run bridged to the sub (80w x 1). Not a ton of power but a quality unit and I am not looking to build a SPL monster.
These look pretty good in these cars, especially compared to the usual (imo tacky) head units they sell these days. I've always wished a company would come around and make a 1.5 unit for these cars that have all the modern features but with original styling.
Looks great! I picked this up in 2008. Pioneer sells a patch cord that plugs in the back that I use with my MP3 player. Not too fancy and fills the hole.
In addition to these I have actually acquired a fair bit of car audio over the years and I think I have a good idea what to do with the excess stuff now.... I am going to build a car audio demo board to use in my garage as the garage stereo. Kind of like this one. Pretty easy project and will be fun.
Not necessarily old school, but I WAS shooting for a relatively period correct aftermarket look with the single din and the .5 din 7 band eq. FWIW the Clarion EQ sounds amazing. Right now I'm running the four corners off a Rockford Fosgate amp, but nothing crazy really. When I get the whole system done, I'll post up details in another thread.
I got the system all hooked up...and sounded "OK'....but the A/D/S and the Alpine both were a little lacking when driving the sub - even when bridged.
Next up I tried a bridged 2x100 Alphasonik that I got from a friend of mine and it was night and day better. The 8" in the small sealed box sounded great! Unfortunately the Alphasonik is a bit too ratty in the cosmetics deptartment for me so I started looking around for something better (more power) to use.
I ended up buying this very cool old school 100w mono Zapco sub amp on ebay. I have high hopes for it as it is rated @ 100w @ 4ohm, 200w @ 2ohm and 300w @ 1ohm!
Alright.... I think I have the rest of the system sorted out now. I bought a second 3522 Alpine 2 channel to run the dash speakers from - the other 3522 will run the rears. The Zapco when it arrives will run the sub.
I will replace the Alphasonik eq with a nice old Alpine ere-g180 eq I bought as well. So the majority of the system will be old school Alpine.
Box is carpeted and installed in the lower well area. All amps are screwed to the box and the the whole assembly can be removed pretty easily. The power and grounds to all amps are connected to separate distribution blocks so I can just undo the feed lines, pull the rca's and speaker plugs and out it comes. Not ideal from a theft perspective mind you...
The rear speakers and the sub are connected currently - I am waiting for a new power plug for the front amp. Once that arrives I will add the EQ and it will be done.
The single 8" is pretty fantastic now that it has a decent amp driving it. Definitely as much punch and low end as I will need.
...And yes I am about to go and vacuum back there now...
I had my small HK amp installed up under the dash while the larger one for the rears was mounted to the riser portion of the drop well facing the back. The wires were snaked under the carpet and came out of slits just above each connection. When the T-Top bag was in place and empty it would hang down over the amp and hide it perfectly.
Love the vintage stuff! I'm actively looking for an old school Alpine head unit. My 88 GTA was new when I was a senior in high school, and Alpine was "the" stereo to have back then. Since someone along the line got rid of the original stereo and not much chance of finding another one, might as well take out the super blingy aftermarket CD player and make it late 80's "gnarly."
I have a lot of vintage equipment, but no head unit old enough to really look right in an '88. Even a shaft style cassette wouldn't look out of place. The very earliest CD players I think were out in 1990- the Alpine 7800/01.
My backup plan would be Kenwood, I guess. Personally, I had a Yamaha and Proton and those head units are ridiculously priced now.
After lots of searching for the right period correct deck..... I now have what I was looking for in my 87 Iroc convertible.
This mint Alpine 7903 CD/tuner pull out has the exact look and feel I was going for. Next up I am installing a period correct A/D/S 6 channel amp. I am going with modern speakers in the dash and rear panels as well as a modern neodymium sub though.
The pictures of the radio make me feel 18. My cousin had that radio in his 73 Grand Am.
I remember rocking the 7513 in my '81 bird then my '85 Z28 in the mid-late 90s. Couldn't afford a CD so I had to rock them cassettes lol! Wow that brings back some fond memories!
Sorry - just saw this now. The cage and quick release plug turned out to be a little different between the 2 decks so no easy swapping...not sure which to run at this point. Super mint older Alpine gear is getting really hard to find where I am - probably won't sell anything at this point but just add to my display board..... that I haven't built yet.
I also picked up a very rare Alpine EQ with spectrum display. Almost feels like I need 2 cars now The picture with it on is from online to show what it looks like.
Sorry - just saw this now. The cage and quick release plug turned out to be a little different between the 2 decks so no easy swapping...not sure which to run at this point. Super mint older Alpine gear is getting really hard to find where I am - probably won't sell anything at this point but just add to my display board..... that I haven't built yet.
I also picked up a very rare Alpine EQ with spectrum display. Almost feels like I need 2 cars now The picture with it on is from online to show what it looks like.
wow do you have the model number on the alpine EQ? me likey
03-02-2017, 01:47 PM
The picture with it on is from online to show what it looks like. 
