Hi all,

I have pretty much finished redoing the interior of my El Camino and i have one last project to go. I need to put a radio/CD Player in the car but i am torn between cutting the dash or instead finding a radio that simply fits the slot and then hiding another working device under the seat. I want to have the radio in the dash so i can see the time/what i am watching/etc., but i really don't want to permanently cut the plastic. What have you guys done, or what would you do?

Chad

I have just replaced a dash that was cut by a previous owner to have a cd. What a PIA all for a stock am radio. I still wanted music as well and decided on not using an actual head unit. I will be using my ipod instead. I ran all of my speaker wires and a rca cable down one side of the car, added a rca to headphone jack plug to connect to ipod. Hooked up rear and front speakers to amp, ran power from battery to amp, ran remote to the ACC swith in fuse box. Wiring done and a "Hidden System" as my ipod sits in the frame for the ashtray unseen. Hope this may help you not cut a dash. Chef

My El Camino dash is cut with a CD player installed. I am not a numbers or correct kinda guy. I build them to enjoy them. The Nova will probably have holes cut for guages where the radio would be. I don't listen to it in the El Camino so I am not even putting one in the Nova. The sound of the sb breathing out through the dual exhaust is music enough for me :)

If your wondering what it would lokk like here is a photo of mine

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/ECstereo.jpg

If your dash is original and in good condition, I wouldn't cut it. Buy a reproduction dash and cut that instead. See my dash swap and stereo projects for how mine turned out.

http://home.comcast.net/~dcabral99/Dash_Swap.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~dcabral99/stereo.htm

Dave

phil, is that a re defog switch for a el camino? jim

Jim it is a rear defog switch. This car was a sweep dash from the factory, I do not know what the SS dash is out of. I haven't been able to think of a use for the switch yet. It has 3 positions, hi-off-lo. I recently pick up a rear defogger for a 4th gen Nova Hatchback. My Nova is a sedan so I am tempted to figure out a way to install it in the El Camino.

Philip: Hook that switch to the power tailgate on the E.C. High & Low should be a pretty good match to Up & Down.

We are pirating Chad's thread so let's help him out with his decision to cut or not cut. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, this one is causing that :D

Jeff you may have stumbled on to a use for it. If I rig up some power cylinders I can use the switch to raise or lower the bed cover.

There's at least one company out there that makes radios to fit in the older dashes without cutting. I think they're Classic Autosound, or something like that. They even look right, just have FM capability with modern electronics inside.

Devin

Thanks for the input. Dont worry about the pirating either, i was just as interested in the defog switch as everyone else. lol. My dash isn't in the best shape, but its not bad either. Its just a little better than mediocre, so i dont know if i want to cut it. Should i just get another sweep dash to sacrifice and keep my own safe?

Chad

Hey Chad one thing to consider. I bet the cd players will be going the way of the 8 track in the near future with all the ipods and stuff. Jim

Do one of the systems that have the control clipped above the visor (hidden, secret or what ever they call it sterio)then leave the stock radio in place!:thumbsup:

Our '65 Elky had one of the Autosound units in the dash. They fit without cutting, but sound is less than spectacular (restrained wording here). I bought a stock AM radio on this forum (Thanks Gary) to fill the hole and will put a real stereo elsewhere. I would not cut the dash if it hasn't been cut yet.
Bruce