Retro Sound Radio install 69-2000

[dbrick]

After a procession of car stereos that fit nicely but sounded bad, I finally bit the bullet and bought a radio made in THIS century. It's made by Retro Sound and will be here next week in time to install for the Glen. I'll post install pics.

I already have a decent quality 200 watt amp and Boston acoustics speakers in the car but couldn't find a head unit that would give a clean input to the amp. I wired in a Sony DIN size radio through the preamp outputs, it sounded GREAT, so time to just do it right. The DIN radios won't fit the car without cutting a slot in the transmission hump, so it's not an option. The Retro sound has a factory size "nose" 1.5"x 3.5" and the knobs are free floating, so it will fit any car. It's not cheap, $279.00 at Crutchfield, ( I got an open box for $250.00, a bit less painful, but I drive the car for enjoyment, and the stock radio in my Dodge pickup sounds better, so it's time. I got the black, chrome is available, but kind of too much for the 69 console.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_068RSM1BG3 ... Black.html
http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/category/id/1

I'll be posting all the other radios, which are fine without an amp, as soon as I get this one in. Anyone wants one at the Glen, let me know

[K1200 GT]

Very kool Dave...pricy but kool. Like the way it will fit just about anything.

Richard

[project_timemachine]

Sweet! Looking forward to the installation pics, Dave!

[23yrRebuild]

Awesome, Dave!
....Always buy the best you can afford

[Alvin]

that is really cool
will it be installed right side up?

[duff me]

I've looked at those several times - I'll be interested to see and hear how it goes.

[greydog]

That's great Dave, you're gonna love it.
I've got a JVC head unit in my 300Zx that has a USB slot in it. I can put over 8 hours of music on a 2 gig thumbdrive, set it to shuffle and drive all day. I took out my cd changer and keep 3 thumb drives in the car.
I'm glad they don't make one with a vertical scale for our '69 'cause I'd be very tempted.
Dan

[dbrick]

OK, verdict is in. Fits well, but needed to modify a faceplate to trim the opening. If I could get a simple chrome frame for the rectangle hole, it would be perfect. Sounds GREAT. Running full bore around Watkins Glen's old course and could hear just fine. Although the remote seems silly, it is safer to use than fiddling with knobs in front of the shifter. Left it sitting on the ashtray.
The MP3 works well, My wife was using the Aux in with her IPad, also grabbed the remote and enjoyed having full control. Threw in a 4 GB thumb drive and just let it play, lasted all weekend. Very few FM stations in the area, but the ones we found on the way up sounded fine. The USB/SD only plays MP3, wouldn't read I-tunes format,(MPG4, I think. there's probably a converter program out there.) Sound was much better after all the crap( sorry, I meant important luggage we had to bring) was out from in front of the speakers.

Lows and mids are fine, a little short on the higher frequencys, but I have some minor tweaking to do on the amp input levels and have to verify speaker polarity from all the previous playing around, which requires a mirror and some contortionist moves. I didn't try it directly into the speakers without the amp, it's rated 50w per channel IIRC, and would probably sound fine.

It's well worth the price, especially if it's the first one you buy. I'll get pics ASAP

[shifty]

Dave, where are your speakers located?

[project_timemachine]

That's great, Dave! Looking forward to the photos! What kind of speakers do you have on the roadster (brand, three way or two way, watts)?

[dbrick]

Speakers are 6.5" Boston Acoustics, The amp is a Jensen 200watt, so probably a bit optimistic on the output. They are mounted in the middle hole in the quarters, just above the package shelf below the top pivot. I figured it required the least modification and is close to the occupants ears. I wonder if using some foam in the quarter panels to "box in" the speakers might help?

I still need to set the input voltage and maybe the high/low pass filters, but this requires a mirror, short screw driver and at least 4 Advil afterwards. I should have had Nathan look at it.
If you are wondering, the shifter is cut down a few inches, and seats are for/from a Jeep. I would have done it without the faceplate if I could have found or made a chrome surround for the radio face.

Link to photo album http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii24 ... o%20sound/

[duff me]

Looks great, Dave. I'll have to check it out sometime. I still haven't seen that car.

[Natones]

Wow Dave... can't believe I missed this at the Glen... guess my mind was focused on that 2 goats cream ale! ... I still have dreams about that stuff.

The only thing i can add to this discussion is that there are some speakers that use kevlar and other materials instead of paper cones. The big advantage is if they get wet they won't degrade much, and you can seriously abuse them.

This is a hasty post... I could not find the exact right match but this is kind of close... http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=264-820" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just don't know how practical these would be to mount... plus the sound is mostly just midrange.

I need to do SOMETHING on my car soon... like soon, when I do the interior. I'd love to cannibalize that whole radio mount and modify the faceplate. I just hat the idea of wires. Sounds like a rainy day project!

Anyone know if the power amp will tuck under one of the seats? Its not like they move much!

[dbrick]

Nathan, If you remind me, I can bring the box of spare radios and faceplates to the Brewery, you can use what you need. The amp fits in the pass footwell, stays dry and safe.

[brea]

Dave, I did this same install of a Retrosound radio after reading your post.

I removed the PO's old stereo system and the nonworking OEM radio but used a Retrosound Model Two version in it's place. It all worked out well and I am very happy with both the visual and audio results of the new system.