Trying to mount aftermarket radio

[SRT-440]

I'm trying to figure out how to mount my new Pioneer in my B-body dash...it's replacing the old thumb wheel which had all the mounting hardware attached to it.
Did anyone rig up a mounting bracket?

[b5blue]

Here is what I'm working on with my 70. Starting with new radio plate I cut out DIN size opening and fitted the DIN mounting frame. By the time you get done cutting to fit it's a rectangle slot, not a hole. I'll fuss with it more before I'm done but this is close to what you get.

[b5blue]

This SuperTuner is pretty old, I'm going with a Media Player with no CD player to eliminate carrying CD's and have the shorter/lighter deck in the dash. The good thing is once set up for DIN your good to go.

[SRT-440]

So the plastic bezel holds the front of the radio and u have a bracket in the back?

The new decks are awesome...and if they have Bluetooth it will hook up to ur phone to stream ur music without a cord. And they weigh half the weight the original radios. 

[b5blue]

Yes you have several options for a rear support bracket, the brace to the right in my no radio pic is one and another is the stud that holds the dash center speaker. I installed a Sony CD player in my Cherokee with a 1/8th jack and USB port as a test mule. It's worked out so well I'll forgo CD's in the Charger altogether. By using tiny SanDisk Cruzer Fit USB Flash Drives loaded off my laptop I can put 100's of songs on one little bump in the USB port.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandisk-cruzer-fit-8gb-usb-flash-drive/3613558.p?id=1218420240330&skuId=3613558&ref=06&loc=01&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=3613558&extensionType=pla:g&s_kwcid=PTC
They are so small you have to be careful where you leave them.....

[TexasStroker]

Oh snap b5blue, that is the EXACT same deck as my Charger!  Small world...

I didn't install mine, and the radio plate was honestly a no trespassing sign...the "rear support" was a bit better as they used the metal strip Pioneer includes for anti theft to support it a bit.

If I was installing a single DIN from scratch, I would pull the radio plate, mock up the new head unit with the center vents and then work from the dash frame.  You can trim it out in MDF for ease, transfer that to metal, and go to town.

That way you can keep your center piece if you ever go back to the thumbwheel radio.

You won't regret the jump in sound quality from the deck alone....Good luck!

[b5blue]

Small world Tex, the deck is 19 years old and plays well at 120MPH.   

[oldcarnut]

While I'm trying to figure out what to use instead of a radio in the dash,  what does the "DIN" stand for in case I revert back to a player.

[TexasStroker]

Small world Tex, the deck is 19 years old and plays well at 120MPH.   

It was included with my Charger...It does perform quite well thru some questionable 80s style rear deck speakers.  I've primarily played The Eagles and ZZ Top; the Super Bass provides a nice pickup for the windows down at highway speed jaunts, lol.  I'll be upgrading all my stuff on the audio side very soon, hopefully this Winter/Spring.

oldcarnut, DIN is used to refer to Single DIN and Double DIN.  Single DIN is basically a shade over 2" tall and 7" wide if I remember...This is the face plate or install kit you'd get to adapt factory configurations to accept pretty much any standard head unit from the aftermarket.  Double DIN is larger and boasts the 7" screen etc...It is kind of more of your touchscreen/multimedia head units.  For most doing basic upgrades, they just go with a nice single DIN.

Hope that helps...

[b5blue]

  DIN and Double DIN are standard aftermarket stereo mounting hole size. So a "DIN opening" will accept any DIN listed device. You get a frame with various pre cut tabs all around the edge included with any stereo that the unit itself will slide into from the front. Each frame has some type of tabs that lock the unit in place and holds the unit to the frame. To remove the unit from the frame you insert the supplied "key"...sometimes a pair of small bars or round thin rods into holes in the face of the unit or behind a detachable face plate or trim surround. With the "keys in place the unit can slide out for service.
 Double DIN units are used on more newer big screen autos, they are twice as high as a DIN unit. New units can do all kind of things you could only dream of in the 60's, 70's and so on. Interactive with smart phones and steering wheel controls, Bluetooth and even DVD players with touch screen controls and many now come with their own remotes.  
 I had been thinking of getting a radio delete plate and making a kinda second hidden glove box but advancements have made it just too ideal to put a reasonably priced 4X50 watt media player in place. By matching speakers to the 18-22watt RMS output no extra Amp. is really needed by me, it will be plenty loud without sucking extra big amps from the charging system.

[b5blue]

I've been looking into ones like this. With no CD drive it's much shorter and light weight, an 8GB flash drive can hold tons of music and be plugged into the front of the unit. This deck has 22watts RMS with 4 channels and lots of extra features.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KMM108/Kenwood-KMM-108U.html?tp=5684

[JB400]

I'd bolt a metal plate to the dash directly, and slide your head unit into it, instead of just through the trim plate.  With the tabs on the support bracket, they'll have something more solid to lock into and make the unit more secure.  You'll just have to cut out the center of a radio delete plate to trim it out. 

I'm just trying to make it a little harder for thieves.

[b5blue]

Just a note: The standard 70 radio plate is what I cut up. I don't know about other year plates but for 70 the radio plate is cheaper than the delete plate. 

[oldcarnut]

 DIN and Double DIN are standard aftermarket stereo mounting hole size.

Thanks for the explanation B5 and Texas 

[fy469rtse]

If you take that cradle they supplied with the radio, there should be some threaded holes you can use ,
I just did the same , I used some L shaped alloy screwed to the sides of radio, be careful to just have these long enough, you don't want these to go in too deep to radio,
The other face of bracket can be screwed to dash face , this is then covered by bezel
Two screws each side of unit , one hole of each side made like a half moon so you can tilt radio, before you attached rear strap,
Took a bit of trial and error to get depth right so I could fit the surround bezel over factory one

[TexasStroker]

 DIN and Double DIN are standard aftermarket stereo mounting hole size.

Thanks for the explanation B5 and Texas 

Is this for your custom dash, or a different car?  An aftermarket deck would look really good with those Marshall gauges...You can dial in the illumination to match!

[oldcarnut]

Its for my custom dash.  Stamped out a plate for it but still figuring out what I'm going to do in the slot for a radio or outlets.  Different thread  
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,114327.0.html

[TexasStroker]

Its for my custom dash.  Stamped out a plate for it but still figuring out what I'm going to do in the slot for a radio or outlets.  Different thread  
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,114327.0.html

Ah, hadn't seen that thread...too many new parts coming out, lol.

I'm not going to put a deck in my dash, although it could be cut out of the piece.