OK...I have begun the process of updating the G8 with my aftermarket stereo....
I do things a little differently so please stick in there for the whole ride. I am not done and will be updating this thread as I make progress. so here we go........:driving:

Pics will be loaded here. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3110485


part 1.....NO MORE ATARI>>>>:judge: Here is how I get rid of the ugly guages.....Oh and the center air vents were just casualties of design...no biggie.

center speaker grill will still be there in the end..
cut some strips...and a little tape and CA glue
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_2_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_3_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_4_full.jpg

Then add reinforcement to the backside and wrap in cloth...CA glue the lines...

http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_5_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_6_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_7_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_8_full.jpg




Thats all for now....I made more progress last night after the pics were taken...but you will have to wait til next time...

here it is in relation to the factory radio...doesnt stick out.:)
http://memimage.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/3110000-3110999/3110485_10_full.jpg

What are you using for a deck? Is it THAT much better then the factory unit, to justify swapping it out?

What are you using for a deck? Is it THAT much better then the factory unit, to justify swapping it out?

At this time there is no way to change the factory deck without losing the AC/Heat controls...and my factory unit will not play DVD's or give me the processing capability that I desire....so....the answer is yes.


What is replacing it is as follows

Alpine IVA-D310 head unit

hooked up with optical cable to

Alpine Pxah700 processor......

hooked up to

2- Jlaudio 300/2 amps...to ..boston acoustics z6 components
and
1-JLaudio 1000/1 amp to a single 13w7

There will be a possibility that I may add an 8 inch sub up front for up front bass and listening with my daughter in the car.( I would normally turn the 13w7 off with her in the car)

So as you can see....there will be absolutely no comparrison between the factory stuff and the new stuff.

Is that as far back as it would go?
I wanted to put a flip up screen there for DVD's and keep my stock radio functional.

Is that as far back as it would go?
I wanted to put a flip up screen there for DVD's and keep my stock radio functional.

Pretty much....once I close off the air vent, there is a small amount of space for wires and that is it. It is just enough....But with a traditional head unit, there will be more wires than the 310 has...keep that in mind. I cannot wait to close this chapter in the car. It is the stepping stone to the rest of my build.

Oh I forgot....There are 2 more spots that a flip out could work...
1. the ash tray area....if you remove the air pipes for the rear seat, there is enough space for it to work...but the car would have to be in gear to open the screen and load dvd's...

2. remove the overhead sunglass console and build a new console with a modified area for the screen to swing out into..But I have other plans for the headliner so it would not work.

NDM, you sir, have much bigger balls than I.
I would not have the stomach to tear into my new car like this. But, you're not me, so more power to ya!

mac

Pretty much....once I close off the air vent, there is a small amount of space for wires and that is it. It is just enough....But with a traditional head unit, there will be more wires than the 310 has...keep that in mind. I cannot wait to close this chapter in the car. It is the stepping stone to the rest of my build.

Oh I forgot....There are 2 more spots that a flip out could work...
1. the ash tray area....if you remove the air pipes for the rear seat, there is enough space for it to work...but the car would have to be in gear to open the screen and load dvd's...


That is why I am going to get a flip out Screen and not the DVD/sterio flip out combo. The unit will only be a screen which has alot less wires and also I will have a stand alone DVD player to load the DVD's

NDM, you sir, have much bigger balls than I.
I would not have the stomach to tear into my new car like this. But, you're not me, so more power to ya!

mac

Actually...I am not modifying anything. I am building new parts. I simply removed the dash panels. I have always built things so that they can be returned to factory condition when I trade the car in. It actually is more of a pain In the @zz to do it this way. If the part is cheap, I will modify it but these dash panels are usually not cheap.

I just dont have the stomach to settle for factory equipment. I gotta have my sounds....I drive to springfield Il every month for the military and I hate doing it with no sounds.

That is why I am going to get a flip out Screen and not the DVD/sterio flip out combo. The unit will only be a screen which has alot less wires and also I will have a stand alone DVD player to load the DVD's


Eventually I am going to build a car PC for mine...then there will be a slim dvd drive and a monitor....Much easier to integrate.

Building the car PC would be less than $1500...and would be awesome...but Gotta save up some bucks....

NDM, you sir, have much bigger balls than I.
I would not have the stomach to tear into my new car like this. But, you're not me, so more power to ya!

mac

If I had his talent the big balls would be a given! :wink2:



Actually...I am not modifying anything. I am building new parts. I simply removed the dash panels. I have always built things so that they can be returned to factory condition when I trade the car in. It actually is more of a pain In the @zz to do it this way. If the part is cheap, I will modify it but these dash panels are usually not cheap.

I just dont have the stomach to settle for factory equipment. I gotta have my sounds....I drive to springfield Il every month for the military and I hate doing it with no sounds.

Is this why our military is the best or what?...:wink2:


All jokes aside though, I think I will want to keep the stock radio b\c I believe it can play video signals for a rear backup camera, I usually back into a parking slot since is safer when I’m leaving…I think…And to save $$$! LOL!

Moreover, I may be able to add a hard drive to it for playback, kind of like a DVR. I think there may be some available now but I’m not sure, but if not is just a matter of time before someone offers it as an add-on. Come on aftermarket!

But if I had the talent I would build a straight hood coming from the center speaker so that could mount a removable NAV such as my Tomtom. The hood would keep the glare out of the NAV screen and would push down out of site when parked and pop out when needed. Sort of…kind of…like the Cadillac CTS.
But due the lack of talent, as it stands now, at the rate things are going I’ll probably be driving something else by the time any such aftermarket solution presents itself if ever.

Still there is hope! And it is eternal! LOL!

Oh,,,BTW…Congrats on your big cojones!

Someday I’ll have it all!

I feel it coming!

Cheers.

updates?

bump. did this ever work out?

this is pretty interesting, I'd NEVER ever do that to my car...I remember a few years ago I started tinkering w/ my motorcycle and doing different stuff over the winter, by the time I was done it was in MANY parts on towels in my basement and I ended up not getting back on the road until June because of it.

You obviously have some skills, but what I never understood w/ big builds like this that are clearly done for the comfort/luxury experience of driving the vehicle, and you are saying you drive alot, it seems like by the time you're completely done all the work will have been done for someone else...I mean I put on 25,000+ miles a year. So by the 2nd year of ownership my car would be 1/2 way or 1/3 through its life...is it really worth all that work to have it only for a few years??

ya if u check his sig check out his car domain for the finished product...