Stereo install.

[Phils67]

Decided to finally give in and cut my dash. Bought a Kenwood marine grade deck. My question is, who here has cut there dash to do a single din install? What did you use to cut it? Any advice? I am insanely nervous about cutting into my dash (ironically ill cut anything else without hesitation) since the dash is the first thing you see when youre in my truck and i spent 5 days getting it where i want it. That champagne pearl paint is just too pretty to screw up. Any feedback/advice/pics is appreciated. The thought of cutting if has my anxiety through the roof but i know it has to be done at this point.

20180404_192722.jpg

[Phils67]

And yes i know this is really an extremely simple thing and im most likely overthinking it. Ive had this stereo two days and literally spent probably 5 hours out of the last two days sitting in the cab in the driveway staring at it cringing just thinking about it haha still hard to bring myself to cutting it though

[66stepside]

RetroSound makes a modern stereo that fits into the factory slot. It has all the modern stuff- blue tooth, aux, etc., so you don’t need to cut into the dash. We used their deck on his 62, the LED display will match your instrument cluster readout, too.

But if you’re still cutting, the the stereo usually provides a template for the housing that the deck slides into, or you make a template based upon the provided housing they send with the install kit.

I don’t remember which unit RestroSound we used, but we even used the factory chrome bezel.

[MadMax78]

I wouldn’t cut it. I’d do what 66stepside did. My dash was already cut when I bought my Cherokee. It was a hack job at best. There is no support for the back of the radio so I used a thin wire to hold the back of the radio up. It connects to the dash in the speaker hole. I ended up making a small console under the dash and put the radio there but didn’t like it so I put it back in the dash. If you do cut it take your time. Good luck

[Phils67]

I looked at the retrosound units for months contemplating it. I hear they are great units. Ive just gotten to a point where i know im going to go overkill with the electronics and modern ammenties in the interior so part of me felt the need to go single din. Now that i actually have the deck and no use for it in my other 3 vehicles, it kinda feels like a waste not using it. I am eventually going to muster up the courage to cut it, i just havent decided on my weapon of choice to do the job. I want to utiliaze the metal i cut to bend inward for additional support material. Also, what speaker hole are you referring to as far as suspending it from wire? The only speaker hole i have is on the passenger side of the dash face

[Phils67]

Also according to the dimensions retrosound gave me of their units i would still have to trim slightly for the face, hence why i opted to go single din. Figure if im gonna cut i may as well make a cut that common replacements will fit into

[66stepside]

Also according to the dimensions retrosound gave me of their units i would still have to trim slightly for the face, hence why i opted to go single din. Figure if im gonna cut i may as well make a cut that common replacements will fit into

This is what we ordered- we did not need the bezel:



If it were me, I would’ve also ordered the amp.

[Fast Eddie]

I installed a Retro Sound unit in my J20, NO CUTTING to fit!! You can get various models adding upgrades, but they all have the same head unit!! VERY easy to install, they give you a brace for rear of the unit and all wiring is clearly marked!! DO NOT CUT! That new radio can be sold, ebay or craigslist !!

[Fast Eddie]

OR, what about this? Make a custom mount behind the glove box door?? Find a radio delete plate for the dash and you got best of radio and looks on the dash!!!! NOW radio delete is not going to easy (or CHEAP) but another way to save that dash and get your tunes!!

NOW if you must a have CD player, then you have to go with the new radio you just purchased!! So you have choices!!!

[will e]

Cut a bit smaller than you think you need. Then expand it a bit. Lots of options for cutting. I would use a dremel for the fine tuning. it will be time consuming but give a nice look. You've got the digital gauges so it won't look out of place. I do like the combo retro/modern look of your interior.

[MadMax78]

There is a center dash speaker in my 78. The speaker cover in the dash pad was partially missing so I cut the rest out to make it look better. I connected a wire to the back of the radio and used the old speaker mount to connect the wire to. So far so good.

[letank]

As said above , do not cut

[Phils67]

There is a center dash speaker in my 78. The speaker cover in the dash pad was partially missing so I cut the rest out to make it look better. I connected a wire to the back of the radio and used the old speaker mount to connect the wire to. So far so good.

Mine doesnt have a center dash speaker. Maybe i can make a support that comes down to the glovebox.

I understand why everyone keeps saying not to cut the dash but its not about keeping it original to me. This truck will never be original and it will never be for sale so retail value isnt a concern either. My main concern is doing it clean to where it looks like thats how it should have been. Im all for modifocations as long as theyre tasteful. If you looked under the hood you would think that 4.0 was installed by Kaiser. It looks right and is done clean so as far as the interior goes its not really a question of IF im going to cut it, the question really was more about what to use to get a perfect cut. Obviously i dont want to damage the paint or cook any wires back there so my plasma cutter is out of the question, a cutoff wheel and a steady hand could do the long cuts but not the verticle cuts and it may be a little too rough anyways, i dont own a dremel or a jigsaw but i would be willing to buy one just for this, or maybe i need to buy a body saw? Its going to end up cut, i just need to muster the courage and patience. If anyone has pics of theirs post-cut id love to see them. Thanks for all the feedback guys

[fulsizjeep]

Decided to finally give in and cut my dash. Bought a Kenwood marine grade deck. My question is, who here has cut there dash to do a single din install? What did you use to cut it? Any advice? I am insanely nervous about cutting into my dash (ironically ill cut anything else without hesitation) since the dash is the first thing you see when youre in my truck and i spent 5 days getting it where i want it. That champagne pearl paint is just too pretty to screw up. Any feedback/advice/pics is appreciated. The thought of cutting if has my anxiety through the roof but i know it has to be done at this point. 20180404_192722.jpg

Looks to me like the radio hole has already been opened up for another type of radio. Maybe I am wrong but the center area looks larger. We have a Retrosound radio in my wife's 77 Wag and like it.

You might want to check this out:
http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/wagoneer/stereo.html

We have 76 Wag that someone previously butchered the radio mount for a DIN style. It severely weakened the glove box latch area to the point that the sheet metal broke in the center and we had to take the glove box door off because there was nothing left to latch to. That sucked.

FYI... I needed this measurement once. This is a 76 Cherokee dash and should be similar to yours.

76_radio_opening.jpg

Not sure what else to say on this. Measure twice, cut once.

[SJTD]

I'd buy the Dremel and a couple tubes of the .04" thick cutoff wheels. The .02" wheels are too fragile for this. It's what I used to these holes. Material is thinner but I used it to cut out the original material behind this panel and the side AC vents.

http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthre ... 564&page=7

Maybe the bigger fiber reinforced wheels would work well but I've never tried them on my 40 year old tool with worn bearings.

[Phils67]

Decided to finally give in and cut my dash. Bought a Kenwood marine grade deck. My question is, who here has cut there dash to do a single din install? What did you use to cut it? Any advice? I am insanely nervous about cutting into my dash (ironically ill cut anything else without hesitation) since the dash is the first thing you see when youre in my truck and i spent 5 days getting it where i want it. That champagne pearl paint is just too pretty to screw up. Any feedback/advice/pics is appreciated. The thought of cutting if has my anxiety through the roof but i know it has to be done at this point. 20180404_192722.jpg

Looks to me like the radio hole has already been opened up for another type of radio. Maybe I am wrong but the center area looks larger. We have a Retrosound radio in my wife's 77 Wag and like it.

You might want to check this out:
http://www.jedi.com/obiwan/jeep/wagoneer/stereo.html

We have 76 Wag that someone previously butchered the radio mount for a DIN style. It severely weakened the glove box latch area to the point that the sheet metal broke in the center and we had to take the glove box door off because there was nothing left to latch to. That sucked.

FYI... I needed this measurement once. This is a 76 Cherokee dash and should be similar to yours.
76_radio_opening.jpg

Not sure what else to say on this. Measure twice, cut once.

Its the original opening. First generation dashes actually had a smaller face opening than the second generation dash. At least from my experience. I tried a post mount in the past from a 70s jeep and it wouldnt fit the face opening so i sold it. I took the original AM radio out prior to taking that picture.

[Phils67]

Later dashes were 1 3/4 x 4 1/8 if i remember correct. Mine is the size in your pic though.

[weeegoneeer]

I made up a template from the housing that holds the radio in, and used a dremel. After I got the rough shape in, I very slowly and carefully opened it up until the housing would slide in.

There is no support for the radio back there and was concerned about the weight of the radio banding the metal over time (you don't have much left after cutting it). So I took a piece of metal and bent it at an angle, then screwed one end into the plastic HVAC connector right behind the radio, and put industrial strength velcro on the other to support the underside of the deck. Actually pretty sturdy!

One spot to watch though is the radio bezel that may snap over the face. I barely had enough room to snap it in without breaking the mounting tabs because of the overhang of the dash pad. If the hole was just a little bit higher I'd need to get creative.

Here's a photo:

[SJTD]

On my '84 there's a bracket attached to a nut plate that I think supported the back of the radio. There's still a strap attached but the radio is long gone. If you feel along the top of the dash at the back with you're fingertips touching the gasket you should feel the nut plate about 4" right of center.

Also on mine there're two studs on the underside of the dash. I fink they are rear supports for the ash trays. Maybe use those to support the rear of your radio.

[jake250k]

I'd cut it for a single din. You've aleady got digital gauges anyway. I used the basket from my new radio to trace the outline onto the dash, then jigsawed it out. I have zero experience with retrosound but they seem kinda cheesy to me.

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