i got an '04 rx-8 and im gonna be putting a system in it pretty soon. i got the subs and amp **** worked out. but i wanna get an alpine deck. is there any way to put the deck in the dash, or where the nav should be (i didnt get the nav), but i was also thinkin if there was a way to put it in my center console. im basically just looking for the different possibilities of putting a deck in, cause i definatly dont want to have to put it in the trunk. thank!

 

Search around, there's a couple people who have fitted an aftermarket HU in places like the navi loc and the cit lighter area.

My idea, which I don't know if it would work or not, is to take the faceplate off the new HU and replace the factory CD player with the body. Then wire the faceplate in elsewhere, like they do when they put the faceplate in the visor. It's just a matter of lining up the CD slots, wiring in the faceplate, and having somewhere to put the AC control board.

 

Anything is possible w/ knowledge & ability or money.

 

You have one of two options. I am one of the people that has done this install PROPERLY and also am a highly versed installer / fabricator.

(1) replace the top panel where the factory nav unit sits (if you have the nav or not, that panel is the new cd players home). This is the most price advantageous option for you as it leaves the stock radio and climate controls alone altogether.

(2) replace the factory radio. This encompasses major modifications to the dash panel that cannot be put back to stock, it means relocating a portion of the factory radio as it must be kept intact or you lose your climate controls. Yes it looks good and I will do this for the person that wants it done, but the best option is #1.

 

so do i have to buy the dash with the spot for the nav?

 

No, all you need to do is remove the top panel of the dash. This small panel lies above the radio display. I have a second dashboard here at the store that I use to fabricate this panel from. So I take your panel, attach it to my dash and start cutting and fabricating for a new top panel for you. If you try doing this with the top dash panel not attached to a dash, bad things happen. Thus the reason for me having a second dashboard to work from. Zero chance at damaging the customers dash, zero chance of making a mess in the customers car and a perfect fit and finish.

There is a thread started somewhere with a pic of a top dash panel that I made for a customer of mine. His 8 we did not put the radio up top, but we did install a much larger center channel and gauge pod. Do a search for a pic as posted by True Magellan (sp) as he posted the pics for me. This will give you an idea as to the type of work it is.

 

Forbidden,

being the resident expert on this, what do you think of my idea above?

 

What you are mentioning is basically what I did. As all of the climate control functions etc., IIRC, plugged into the main radio control board, it was one of the boards that needed to be moved and kept. The other board was the one inside of the main radio unit. So there were two boards that needed to be kept. What I did was to take the stock double din unit, remove the unnecessary cd player from the bottom din slot, take the radio from the top din slot (necessary to keep in the circuit) and moved it to the bottom din slot. Below that I cut the dashboard away and remounted the stock radio control board to a piece of abs and mounted it below the bottom section of the double din. This left me with a new empty din slot on the top half of the stock double din bracket. From there it was fabricating a new dash bezel to properly house the new Eclipse dvd / screen.

The problem that I see with your way of doing things is that the factory radio board attached to the bezel has a docking port on either side of the top section of it. This docking port is the data transfer between the climate controls / radio controls and the stock deck. So if you replace the stock deck which has the matching docking port, you are right back to having to move the factory radio control board again. Good idea if it would have worked.

 

I think a wood deck is nice, though the new laminates are pretty versatile. Be sure to plan for enough room to place the BBQ...

 

I am working with a wood laminate right now actually on a Jeep Commander..... no room for the BQ though, it's being taken up by the box and two Focal quad coil 18's and a 26" plasma on the rear liftgate.