Radio Protection

[PSYCHO_OUTLAW]

I will be buying a radio from retro autosound which as most of you know are not cheap. So my question is, how do you guys protect your investments? Yes, my side doors lock but the back does not. Also, I plan on going to a soft top eventually. Which in my opinion is potentially even less secure.

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by PSYCHO_OUTLAW

I will be buying a radio from retro autosound which as most of you know are not cheap. So my question is, how do you guys protect your investments? Yes, my side doors lock but the back does not. Also, I plan on going to a soft top eventually. Which in my opinion is potentially even less secure.

I have my radio in the console, and have the original AM in the dash. If they want to get the radio, make it easy to remove or they will cause more damage than what the radio is worth.
Best thing is not to advertise what you have.

[chevyguy_72]

Originally Posted by hemi43

I have my radio in the console, and have the original AM in the dash. If they want to get the radio, make it easy to remove or they will cause more damage than what the radio is worth.
Best thing is not to advertise what you have.

I did similar other than i did the glove box... and the original AM in the dash...
Not quite as secure as a tuffy console...

[hemi43]

I never listen to the radio anyway, especially with the Softopper on. Too noisy !! Here's where I hid my sub.

[chevyguy_72]

Originally Posted by hemi43

I never listen to the radio anyway, especially with the Softopper on. Too noisy !! Here's where I hid my sub.

Nice... how does it sound? Where are the rest of your speakers? Been contemplating some hiding spots...

[hemi43]

Originally Posted by chevyguy_72

Nice... how does it sound? Where are the rest of your speakers? Been contemplating some hiding spots...

I have 6" diameter speakers in the doors. I wouldn't have put them there, but the holes were cut by a previous owner. The sound is OK, but not perfect. I mainly use it if we go to a drive-in or when the truck is not running.

[PSYCHO_OUTLAW]

Well as of now I have a large hole in my dash. The hole was cut for an aftermarket single din. However, the idiot that cut the hole cut it too large. So I planned on replacing the center section with the reproduction center part, that has the factory holes. This is why I planned on going to a radio like what retro audiosound makes. I do not think, it will be an item that says steal me at a quick glance. But, either way, I planned on making brackets that possible attach to firewall. This will not make it impossible to steal.. would just take a whole lot longer.

[grillzy]

Trust me on this if you put the repo in the hole. Nobody will steal it. One, it looks like an old POS. Second, if they do try and rip it off they will have blood everywhere trying to take it out and will abandon ship. leaving you with a radio and dna.

[Burbnasty]

In our convertible Buick, we never lock it. That is the advice I've always been given, if they want to get in they will just cut the top and cause more damage as stated above.
Also anyone who actually knows what the retro sound is, is probably someone who also knows old cars and trucks.
I like to think that old car and truck people are respectful enough to not steal from each other.
So probably between the OG looking stereo and unlocked door people will just move on.
Best of luck.

[simicrintz]

I have a stock AM radio in my '68 convertible Jeepster (top is never up) that just fills the hole and then have an amp that I hook an old iPhone in for tunes. Never any issue with being messed with.

[Mike C]

Years ago I had an AudioSafe in the Jimmy. It was a faceplate that installed in place of the factory face plate. It then had a cover that went over the whole stereo with a barrel lock in the center that locked it to the faceplate. Pretty slick
, but I couldn't even find a picture of one to show.

After that I went to a pull-out which was cool, you just took it with you. Now removeable face is the in thing. But chances of it being stolen are slim since nobody hardly drives anything that doesn't have a new weirdly sized radio.

Depending on just how oversized your hole is, a surround plate can be created that goes behind the factory faceplate that will hide that if the "fingers" in the sleeve have enough to bite on in the rear.