Converting single din to a double din...

Clutch Cargo

New Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
68
Reaction score
23
I am planning to change my 94 Mustang stereo from single din to a double din. Been doing a lot of research and bought the metra kit as well. Couple of questions for those who have converted or messed around that area of the console.

1. After you had it installed for awhile, did you feel your head unit was a tad too low? I plan to install a unit that has GPS so the higher the better I would think.

2. I have seen a few custom installs where the owner moved the climate control panel from the top to the bottom of the bezel (of course this meant the metra kit is a no go. My question is does anyone know from having their hands in there if the wiring for the climate panel would be long enough to be moved or that would require some "kitbashing" as well.

Thx... very new here (1st post). Plant to post some pics and into myself in a bit. :)
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,387
Reaction score
5,558
Location
Evansville Indiana
I have the metra kit and I have had no complaints about being too low or high. I have not moved the climate controls but I have heard there is more to it than just moving them down 6" and with as much as I have customized my interior it never seemed worth the trouble to move it up 3"

pXJZtnt.jpg
ITs not a bad looking kit imo.
 

07GtS197

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
2,635
Reaction score
996
Location
Fort Myers, Fl
If you have a phone with navigation I’d skip it on the head unit. You’re right it does sit too low for any real use.

How do you guys like the metra kit? I have an 01+ bezel on standby but I don’t like that it’s charcoal instead of black like the other interior bits. And it’s stupid it gets rid of the sliders for the vents.
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,387
Reaction score
5,558
Location
Evansville Indiana
you can see my phone holder on the pass side of the deck. It mounts to the under dash with screws and I trimmed a portion of the kit so it slides along side of it and covers the mount below and makes everything easy. I have not driven far enough to need the gps yet. I would say to go with the kit over the oem dash for nothing more than the mounting brackets that come with it to mount the deck.
 
OP
OP
C

Clutch Cargo

New Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
68
Reaction score
23
Thanks for the quick replies, guys. If I had to prioritize the use of the system it would be 1. GPS, 2. Music 3. Phone. Don't plan to utilize Android Auto. I'll be opening the console shortly to see for myself about the climate control connections. I could always go the metra unit first, try it for awhile and see if it feels too low to properly interact with the GPS.

Any other feedback from fellow "convertors" is most welcomed.
 

TrickVert

Active Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2006
Messages
585
Reaction score
389
Location
Woodland Park, CO
If you don't want to use Android Auto, don't try it at all. If yiu do, you will likely find yourself using it all the time (especially if it's wireless). :)
 

Jposey66

New Member
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
24
Reaction score
8
So, I have the Metra kit and in the process of the swap to double din. I ran ran into the issue of the vents. My 97 vents do not fit into the Metra kit. What vents fit? Called Metra and they were worthless.
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,387
Reaction score
5,558
Location
Evansville Indiana
can you get a pic maybe? If you have never popped them in/out it takes a little time to get use to how much pressure to apply
 

Jposey66

New Member
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
24
Reaction score
8
I have mine out. they are just too small for the Metra kit. Mine have a wheel beside each vent to control the flapper that turns them off. The Metra kit isn't designed for that. It is designed for a larger (longer) non-flapper type vent. They say you need to source longer ones from another vehicle. They have no idea what vehicle.
 
Last edited:

Jposey66

New Member
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
24
Reaction score
8
Not my car but here is what mine looks like. See the thumb wheel flapper control knob on each side of the vents? The Metra kit will not accept those vents.

78544091.jpg
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,387
Reaction score
5,558
Location
Evansville Indiana
that part stays in the original piece and isn't used. just pop out the front. Take a flat head screwdriver and pry gently on either side and they pop right out.
 

b1pig

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2022
Messages
309
Reaction score
322
In case you didn't get the instuctions
pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20190408171700/Manuals/120/120955703B.PDF

Instructions seem to indicate that you only install the vent itself into the Metra vent block that should have come with your kit.
 

cobrajeff96

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2022
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
1,483
Location
Germany
The aftermarket Metra is a lot like the 99+ console....there's no flapper for the center vents because most likely you never disable those in the center. The flapper armature isn't needed like they said above. Should just be able to pop out the vent grates from the back side of the original console. But push on them from the extreme sides, never from the center of the thing you are trying to remove. They have little plastic buttons on the side that snap into plastic detents in the 'frame' of the surrounding console. You want to apply the force as close to those buttons as possible, like right on them.
 

07GtS197

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
2,635
Reaction score
996
Location
Fort Myers, Fl
Fun fact, Ford deleted the adjusters for 2004.

Now I would assume since that was the newest iteration of that part, metra probably took that and made a copy. Anyway, as cobrajeff said they just pop out but can break very easily.
 

badass98svt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
4,114
Reaction score
1,800
If you have a phone with navigation I’d skip it on the head unit. You’re right it does sit too low for any real use.

How do you guys like the metra kit? I have an 01+ bezel on standby but I don’t like that it’s charcoal instead of black like the other interior bits. And it’s stupid it gets rid of the sliders for the vents.

The 01+ OEM piece is much nicer than the Metra kit. The Metra kit doesn't fit right across the top, where it meets the dash.
The 01+ piece just needs a quick spray with some SEM Landau Black.
I made a little shelf for the radio to sit on that attached to the dash frame of the car. This way the radio isnt relying on the trim piece to hold it.
I can attach some pics if anyone needs to see.
 

b1pig

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2022
Messages
309
Reaction score
322
The 01+ OEM piece is much nicer than the Metra kit. The Metra kit doesn't fit right across the top, where it meets the dash.
The 01+ piece just needs a quick spray with some SEM Landau Black.
I made a little shelf for the radio to sit on that attached to the dash frame of the car. This way the radio isnt relying on the trim piece to hold it.
I can attach some pics if anyone needs to see.
Why keep us waiting. :cool:

I don't think I'm going to bother with a DD myself. I DO plan on putting in a newer bluetooth head unit with 6 preouts and maybe carplay integration.
I for one am a huge fan of built in GPS nav instead of relying on cellular networks. Not all programs have downloadable content and rely on a cellular connection to provide accurate directions and road maps. I've been forced to migrate to using Google Maps most of the time.... which I admit I like... but there's not a reasonable way to store that level of data on a phone and still have room for pics of the wife and kids, ya know.
 

badass98svt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
4,114
Reaction score
1,800
I made the little shelf out of 2 angle brackets and the bottom of a DD cage. The radio sits on it to keep it from being bounced around.
IMG_20171026_093129.jpg
IMG_20171026_113101.jpg
 

ttocs

Post Whore
Joined
Oct 9, 2009
Messages
32,387
Reaction score
5,558
Location
Evansville Indiana
that is one advantage of the aftermarket kit is that it comes with brackets to mount the radio easy peasy.
 

Jposey66

New Member
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
24
Reaction score
8
Turns out the kit is correct. I was looking at the large holes in the rear vent piece and was expecting my vents to fill those holes. My original vents fit in them and just have big gaps on each side. When attached to the front facia piece, it fills those huge gaps. I'll try and post some pics, in case someone else runs across this
 

Jposey66

New Member
Joined
May 5, 2022
Messages
24
Reaction score
8
Yeah the kit holds the radio from the sides so should be fairly sturdy
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
77,438
Messages
1,502,142
Members
14,918
Latest member
Diabolic2010

Members online

Top