Where to mount a radio in a 59?

[RockinKees]

Hi All!

I had this question in the general truck forum, but only got an answer from our very own Ogre
Thank you for that!!
He opted to ask the same question here, for maybe more replays...
So, here it is:

I have a '59 Fleetside in which I want to put an ordinairy (modern) radio, but I don't want to cut up my dash, I have an original radio-delete plate that will go back into it's place.
Under the dash is no room, because I'm going to have some gauges installed there.
So, to make a long story short, do you have any ideas on where to put a radio, out of sight maybe?

I thought of the glovebox, but there's then little room for other things.
Also thought of mounting it at the headliner, which in my case is going to be wood...
It would be nice if I can reach it while driving.

The speakers are going in the cab corners and behind the benchseat, tank isn't there anymore.

If you have a great idea, or allready mounted it somewhere, please post some pics??

Thanks in advance!

Edit: I don't want a centerconsole, because I like the benchseat with the classic look of the cab....

[agnes the dog]

Are you going to listen to the actual radio function on the unit or just music files? If you're going to just use an ipod or your phone, you could get an amp that accepts a USB and forego the entire head unit. Mount the amp under the seat and run the charging wire down to the amp. Tuck the wire out of sight when not in use and you're done.

[RockinKees]

Yes, I want to listen to the radio as well.
I got the same answer from Ogre

Forgot to mention that the radio function is to be used...sorry.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Radio with wired/wireless remote? Mount under the seat.

OR

Buy a Retrosound radio and mount in the stock spot. Has AM/FM and interfaces with iPod/iPad too.

[RockinKees]

Thanks Dan!
I know the Retro Sound radio's, they are very, very expensive overhere....
Remote controlled is a good option.

[BMERDOC]

I am going to use the Rockford Fosgate RFX series radio. Its a marine hide-away unit that has a wired controller (sold separately). It even has dongles for satellite radio and Bluetooth.

[OrrieG]

Nice thing is that now most come with wireless remote, not the case a few years ago. I got a mid range Kenwood deck and mounted it under the passenger seat. 5x9s in the rear corner panels, 5.5" in the front kick panels, works great, remote works from the drivers seat when pointed towards the passenger seat bottom. It is set up for bluetooth, Sirus and has a usb port in the front. It has an output for a subwoofer amp but I don't think I will need it. Keep the radio delete plate and knob closures at the dash.

[roger55]

Retrosound Apache for me.

There's a new model with bluetooth that came out this year. I got mine before the new model was available.

[RockinKees]

That's looking real neat, Roger55!

There's an indoor Hot Rod show coming up in November, with a swapmeet.
Last year they sold Retrosounds there, will look for them...

[Dan in Pasadena]

Save your pennies - or whatever the equivalent of pennies is in The Netherlands!

I'm glad Roger posted this photo. I'm debating how to deal with my dash and the smoothed over ash tray makes a big difference. Thanks Rog!

[RockinKees]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Save your pennies - or whatever the equivalent of pennies is in The Netherlands!

Our pennies are called Euros...
And you need a lot of them to buy a Retrosound

[57chevyman]

i also have the retrosound apache. very happy with it. has usb reader for playing mp3 files. has remote controol. paid $199.95 on ebay and $8.92 shipping. the newer model also has bluetooth.

for a nice full sound, i have a self powered kenwood subwoofer under the seat

[RockinKees]

It sure looks nice and clean, 57Chevyman!

[ptc]

The Marine remote systems are pretty cool and they are real nice. They do have better built internal because of rough use and water obviously. They mount out of the way, under a seat, under a dash area, or anywhere that is the size of a regular box stereo. Then the remote sticks to your dash with a magnet or Velcro! They have so many options to use them, ipod, mp3, cd jukebox input, etc

[1project2many]

Well, I have to get back to it but...

I used an original case and retrofitted the internals from an OE radio from a Beretta into it. It wasn't too difficult to build spacers for the circuit boards and to replace the short wiring harnesses with longer ones to allow me to use the Beretta volume knobs and display. The digital display was not too tricky either as all I really needed to do was mount the board against the '57 faceplate and use black paper around it to clean up the display area. I put the factory bass and treble sliders on the bottom of the case out of sight and everything looked and fit perfectly. Problem was I never tested the yard sale donor radio before I did the conversion.

[marc55]

My dash was hacked so I cut it out and was going to put a pocket in but it was too big. I am experimenting with a drop console. If I don't like that I can unbolt it and go with a under the seat stereo.

[MARTINSR]

Here is an idea, not so much where to mount it but just general idea.

In my daily driver Rambler I put mine in my glove box. Not so much "in" the glove box but under it. You see the Rambler has a drawer for a glove box.

So I made a place for it so it hangs under it.


With it hidden behind a tissue dispenser that is held with velcro.



The stock drawer.



And modified.



Ok, this is where my idea for you comes in. It's hidden under there and not super easy to get to from the drivers seat. Not super hard either but to turn it off every time when someone at a stop light wants to talk about my old Rambler or on my way to work with my daughter I need to turn it off when we take off, that sort of stuff.

I went with an idea of my 18 year old son Nick's and it worked out so damn good! He called me the other day asking about putting a switch in his 63 Falcon to kill the radio like when you turn the ignition off. I thought it was a bad idea and told him so. After we hung up I got to thinking about it and it was brilliant! Both our cars radios are almost out of our reach from the drivers seat, mine under the glove box, his in the glove box. So if we need to turn it off to talk to a cop....the other night for him. Or to talk to someone at a stop light asking about the Rambler, it's a project to turn it off or drop the volume.

I called him back and told him how it was a great idea. And I have a few toggle switches that we can use. Guys, these switches were in my truck when I bought it over 40 years ago! They were the light switches the PO had put when he re-wired the truck. They were mounted on the dash at the stock headlamp location and the choke location right next to the speedometer. You can see them in the photo taken the day I brought it home Dec 1974.

I removed them in the late seventies and they have been in a box ever since! How cool is this, one is now in my Rambler to flip the radio on and off, I love it! It's an odd switch so it really brings back memories. In the truck one was mounted vertically to control the head lamps, the other below it was mounted horizontal to control the park and dash lights. I remember like it was yesterday clicking the bottom one to the right to turn on those lights and in one movement flipping the upper one up to turn on the head lights.

I was going to spend a bunch of time lengthening the piece that goes under the dash of the Rambler for it being I had an extra one. But decided to just mount it in the ash tray being I never open it at all. When I put the car in the Barrett Jackson auction I'll swap ash trays.





I just did this a week or so ago and I really like having that control being able to turn it off and on. This was not just a good idea of my son's, it was a GREAT idea.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

I have had a few hidden radios over the years. This was how I did it in my '65 Gran Sport.







Brian

[MARTINSR]

In my AD I had it behind the stock speaker grille. I put hinges on the bottom of it so the grille and mouldings were the door. The top was held to the dash with magnets. You pulled on the ash tray handle to open. I used an old metal ice tray from a refrigerator to make the recessed mount for the radio as I remember.

Brian

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I have had a few hidden radios over the years. This was how I did it in my '65 Gran Sport.

ah... california living. the only place i've ever had a car broken into

lived in los gatos back in 78; they broke the vent window out of my 57 moredoor to get a $5 radio
totally overlooked my snap-on tool box in my unlockable 59 panel truck parked next to it

[RockinKees]

Some good ideas!!
Brian, yours is excellent in the Ramblr, but won't work for me, only if I use a remote.
The one with the gauges is nice, but I have working gauges planned in that space...

I also thought of the idea Marc55 comes up with, but I think it's going to be too low. I will see when I got the gauges in..

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

ah... california living. the only place i've ever had a car broken into

lived in los gatos back in 78; they broke the vent window out of my 57 moredoor to get a $5 radio
totally overlooked my snap-on tool box in my unlockable 59 panel truck parked next to it

It's not only to protect from theft but also because I don't like the looks of a modern radio in my classic old cars. It really depends on the "theme" of the build. Mine have always been "throw back" sort of builds so a modern radio would be out of place.

Brian

[LEEVON]

Originally Posted by agnes the dog

Are you going to listen to the actual radio function on the unit or just music files? If you're going to just use an ipod or your phone, you could get an amp that accepts a USB and forego the entire head unit. Mount the amp under the seat and run the charging wire down to the amp. Tuck the wire out of sight when not in use and you're done.

Bingo. No need for a head unit these days.

[Cuttin up]

Late to the party, but I've seen cheapo head units hidden in the accessory style swing out chrome tissue box holders that hang under the dash. Like these. Pretty slick.