Double din install

[optionizerSS]

Just bought a 1995 GT convertible that has an aftermarket single din Kenwood. Would like to swap in a double din touchscreen that is apple carplay compatible. Mainly just want it for navigation purposes. Planning on driving this car on a few trips and my eyes aren't good enough to use my phone for nav. Looking for a cheaper easy swap. Saw a few for about $200. Are these decent? Anyone done this and have a ballpark cost? Not looking for a booming stereo. Just enough to play music and use the nav either from the phone or built in nav in the unit.

Thanks

 

[ttocs]

I would not go for the cheapest you can find by any means. There is just a LOT going on in those little packages and a car is a horrible place for electronics when you consider the vibration, dust, temp changes, ect.

I went with a kenwood myself and I have been happy with it.

The mounting options include using a double din stock dash and having to figure out the mounting or there is a kit now that includes mounting brackets.

 

[optionizerSS]

I saw that kit after doing some research but thinking maybe I might just keep it as is and buy a portable Garmin for when we take trips. Read a few stories about the GPS being somewhat useless because it is so low in the dash. Maybe over winter might swap it out cause I do think the double din looks better but no rush to do it right now

 

[ttocs]

no reason you can't just use your phone for gps with a dash mount but I have never had an issue with it being too low in mine

 

[optionizerSS]

no reason you can't just use your phone for gps with a dash mount but I have never had an issue with it being too low in mine

True. Just hate using my phone...lol. Eyesight isn't as good as it used to be but guess if I turn it sideways it's close to as big as a portable Garmin

 

[NmcgrawJ]

I recently installed an Atoto S8 standard in my 95 Cobra. Previous owner installed a harness with an aftermarket pioneer deck that resulted in really poor sounding speakers.

I used the Metra Dash kit https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120955703B/Metra-95-5703B-Dash-Kit-Matte-black.html and the Pac ROEM-FRD1 wiring interface https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541FRD1/PAC-ROEM-FRD1-Wiring-Interface.html .

Install went smoothly and the sound is much improved.


The Atoto S8 has wireless and wired carplay. It won't be as polished as a Kenwood or other major brands but so far it serves its purpose.

 

[ttocs]

I recently installed an Atoto S8 standard in my 95 Cobra. Previous owner installed a harness with an aftermarket pioneer deck that resulted in really poor sounding speakers.

I used the Metra Dash kit https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120955703B/Metra-95-5703B-Dash-Kit-Matte-black.html and the Pac ROEM-FRD1 wiring interface https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541FRD1/PAC-ROEM-FRD1-Wiring-Interface.html .

Install went smoothly and the sound is much improved.


The Atoto S8 has wireless and wired carplay. It won't be as polished as a Kenwood or other major brands but so far it serves its purpose.

your not having battery issues yet from the mach amps?

 

[rio_snek]

I went the hard route and used the 01-04 dash bezel, but I also have a mount to use my phone for GPS since my current head unit isn't android auto compatible. The screen seems like it would be just fine heightwise to run navigation on though. I have a Kenwood DMX4707S in my truck. Its only $300 and works great for android auto/car play.

 

[Flade]

I went the hard route and used the 01-04 dash bezel, but I also have a mount to use my phone for GPS since my current head unit isn't android auto compatible. The screen seems like it would be just fine heightwise to run navigation on though. I have a Kenwood DMX4707S in my truck. Its only $300 and works great for android auto/car play.View attachment 25622
View attachment 25621

I’ve wondered what it would take to put the new edge bezel in Compared to the aftermarket kit. What challenges did it bring?

 

[ttocs]

I’ve wondered what it would take to put the new edge bezel in Compared to the aftermarket kit. What challenges did it bring?

you have to trim a little bit of the underdash no matter which kit you use, the hardest part of using the stock piece is that you have to fab up some way to mount the deck either to the under dash(which is better, but harder) or to the dash piece which still works but that part is not made to handle any weight. The aftermarket deck comes with some brackets that mount the deck using the screws on the bottom of the climate controls nice and solid. The top of the aftermarket dash does not always line up as nice as the stock piece does but the aftermarket kit will probably save you an hour or so from fabbing up the mounts. It comes down to how picky you are and what your time is worth.

 

[rio_snek]

I’ve wondered what it would take to put the new edge bezel in Compared to the aftermarket kit. What challenges did it bring?

Like @ttocs stated, you have to trim the dash a little whichever way you go. I followed a thread from SVT forums and made a little adjustment, but basically I'm using epoxy to connect the scosche install kit to the factory plastic bezel, and then built a shelf out of ABS for the radio to sit on so that the weight of the radio isn't all on the plastic piece that wasn't designed to hold weight. I also made some brackets for the bottom of the plastic bezel to clip into since there isn't holes in the 94-00 dash for it.

 

[rio_snek]

It comes down to how picky you are and what your time is worth.

That's really what it's all about lol. I wanted the functionality of the buttons and a more OEM look I guess, so I went with the factory piece

 

[ttocs]

That's really what it's all about lol. I wanted the functionality of the buttons and a more OEM look I guess, so I went with the factory piece

I used the space on the aftermarket kit to install some usb ports that I needed as well as the controls for my remote radar detector. It is nice to have a cnc.

 

[NmcgrawJ]

your not having battery issues yet from the mach amps?

Bought the car in October and actually haven't driven it much. I had a 95 GT years ago that I bypassed the mach amps and just haven't gotten around to that on this car yet....

But one of the issues I've seen so far is the battery light will come on and turn off randomly so its on my list of things to track down. Not to derail this thread but what battery issues have you seen the mach amps cause?

 

[ttocs]

Bought the car in October and actually haven't driven it much. I had a 95 GT years ago that I bypassed the mach amps and just haven't gotten around to that on this car yet....

But one of the issues I've seen so far is the battery light will come on and turn off randomly so its on my list of things to track down. Not to derail this thread but what battery issues have you seen the mach amps cause?

they generally just do not shut off and then kill the battery so it will not start.

 

[rio_snek]

I used the space on the aftermarket kit to install some usb ports that I needed as well as the controls for my remote radar detector. It is nice to have a cnc.

Yeah I've been keeping up with your build here and on Instagram. Keeps me motivated lol

 

[NmcgrawJ]

they generally just do not shut off and then kill the battery so it will not start.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[shovel]

Read a few stories about the GPS being somewhat useless because it is so low in the dash. Maybe over winter might swap it out cause I do think the double din looks better but no rush to do it right now

I put a nav head unit in my wife's 2002 and didn't like the low position of it. I did this in both my 94 and 96 Mustangs. In the 94 I got one which has a forward dashcam built into it & both are compatible with wireless reversing cams if I wanted to add one.