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What Radio Do You Have

Aussie Challenger

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Dec 30, 2012
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Location
Yarra Valley Victoria Australia
My original radio in the '79 Little Red Express has passed on so I was wondering what others are fitting in their pride & joys as I need some inspiration.
I need an AM band, yes it is old hat but my regular station is still down there, and a CD player with a USB port. I am not looking for a "head bashing" sound system, I am already half deaf now.
I have seen advertised many different units, some with DVD, reverse cameras, GPS. I was looking at a one Din unit until I had another look at the original fascia, I haven't pulled the old unit out yet but it looks taller but not as tall as a 2 Din. I have many things on the go with my LRE at the moment so don't want extra parts lying around until I can get to it and complete the job.
Thanks in advance for you responses and suggestions.

David
Aussie Challenger
 
My original radio in the '79 Little Red Express has passed on so I was wondering what others are fitting in their pride & joys as I need some inspiration.
I need an AM band, yes it is old hat but my regular station is still down there, and a CD player with a USB port. I am not looking for a "head bashing" sound system, I am already half deaf now.
I have seen advertised many different units, some with DVD, reverse cameras, GPS. I was looking at a one Din unit until I had another look at the original fascia, I haven't pulled the old unit out yet but it looks taller but not as tall as a 2 Din. I have many things on the go with my LRE at the moment so don't want extra parts lying around until I can get to it and complete the job.
Thanks in advance for you responses and suggestions.

David
Aussie Challenger

For the love of god! Don't get one with a flip out screen. It may last, it may not. One thing I can almost guarantee you, is when it does go bad it will more than likely do so in a position you see or use
 
For the love of god! Don't get one with a flip out screen. It may last, it may not. One thing I can almost guarantee you, is when it does go bad it will more than likely do so in a position you see or use
Thanks for that, with the shape of the dash at the radio panel I think a flip out screen would not work any way. I am just trying to find out what others are using and making sure that they work properly. Cheap usually is just that and wouldn't work in some of the remote areas that I tend to go to, I don't want to spend mega bucks either on a radio with features that I wouldn't use.
My basic criteria is AM/FM radio , CD and USB port. I did mention about the GPS which would then mean having a screen but most of those radios have every other thing which I don't want but would add greatly to its cost.
 
Thanks for that, with the shape of the dash at the radio panel I think a flip out screen would not work any way. I am just trying to find out what others are using and making sure that they work properly. Cheap usually is just that and wouldn't work in some of the remote areas that I tend to go to, I don't want to spend mega bucks either on a radio with features that I wouldn't use.
My basic criteria is AM/FM radio , CD and USB port. I did mention about the GPS which would then mean having a screen but most of those radios have every other thing which I don't want but would add greatly to its cost.

In my experience, alpine, jensen, pioneer (my personal fav), and even Sony are all good brands to look at. Most any big name radio will be good.
 
I agree with Chuckie and what ever you put in there ,"DON'T" cut up your dash panel to put it in . You'll regret it ! Another thing that you probably know already is that a pick up truck is the hardest thing to put a sound system in and still get good sound quality . Here's the one I had in my 79 that I just sold . It was a pioneer with a 400 watt amp under the passenger seat , two 6x9 speakers in the door's , and two 10" sub's in box's behind the seat . With it set up like this it sounded good weather I had the volume down low or cranked to the max when that certain song came on and you just had to crank it . lol IMG_1494.jpg

IMG_1494.jpg
 
I agree with Chuckie and what ever you put in there ,"DON'T" cut up your dash panel to put it in . You'll regret it ! Another thing that you probably know already is that a pick up truck is the hardest thing to put a sound system in and still get good sound quality . Here's the one I had in my 79 that I just sold . It was a pioneer with a 400 watt amp under the passenger seat , two 6x9 speakers in the door's , and two 10" sub's in box's behind the seat . With it set up like this it sounded good weather I had the volume down low or cranked to the max when that certain song came on and you just had to crank it . lol <img src="http://www.fortrucksonly.com/truckforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2112"/>

Definitely DO NOT scimp on the speakers!
 
Thanks both to "bear" and "85Rusty", now speakers are one area that needs a lot of attention especially in a pick-up and the fact I don't have a headlining in the LRE, and NO-Way would I cut up the dash.
 
IMG_1513.jpg This is how I hid the 6x9's in the doors .

IMG_1513.jpg
 
Thanks both to "bear" and "85Rusty", now speakers are one area that needs a lot of attention especially in a pick-up and the fact I don't have a headlining in the LRE, and NO-Way would I cut up the dash.

I would go with kicker for speakers! You can't go wrong! Even the Walmart kickers sound good with the exception of the subwoofers
 
I like the way you hid those speakers, I just have the original ones in the door but cannot tell how they work due to radio N/W, besides the speakers are 34 years old.
I was thinking of putting a 4 speaker system in, 2 in the original position and 2 in the middle of the truck but up high, will have to figure that out, I am not really into high end sound systems due to being half deaf but still want a clear sound.
 
I like the way you hid those speakers, I just have the original ones in the door but cannot tell how they work due to radio N/W, besides the speakers are 34 years old.
I was thinking of putting a 4 speaker system in, 2 in the original position and 2 in the middle of the truck but up high, will have to figure that out, I am not really into high end sound systems due to being half deaf but still want a clear sound.

Clear is what it's all about! :) I don't know how your gabbing skills are, but you could always make a headliner similar to what LMC sells. It holds two 6.5" speakers at an angle positioned in the rear/middle of the headliner. Really cool setup. Your best bet would be to go to a reputable audio shop. Most will be more than happy to serve up a few helpful hints for good quality sound that the whole neighborhood won't have to hear unless you want them too.
 
Personally I like hiding the speakers and amps in my older truck's . Like I said before there a real pain to get good quality sound in them . Weather you like it loud or just soft the they have a tendency to be tinny and the lack of place's to put speakers without being seen can be a real challenge . Here's an idea for you , this is what I did in the LIL RED we use to have and it worked out pretty good . I had to small tweets in the dash under were the factory speaker went ( That was for the high's ) . I had two 6x9's in the lower doors ( For the mid's ) . And I had two 10" box speakers behind the seats ( for the lows ) with a good size amp under the passenger seat to drive them . Now if you don't like the idea of either the amp or the box's then you could use something like a bazooka tube behind the seat on one side . They come with there own amp built in and depending on what size you get , they don't take up a lot of room . That would give you your base .
 
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