Fitting new stereo

[forumadmin]

I have spent the last few days fitting a new stereo. I finally found a unit which looks like it belongs in the NSX, has a USB input. It is a Kenwood 7544. Here is what I did to fit it.

First of all just to remind you, I replaced the speakers a while ago. I removed the amps and BOSE speakers, and made plywood panels to be able to fit some better speakers. The speakers I used were lying around from an old hifi. The subwoofer is still in place and uses a repaired BOSE amp.

[forumadmin]

First step was to tidy up the cutout I has already made in the console to fit a oil gauge. Then I made up a plate from some 6mm MDF. The MDF was glued in from the rear with araldite. A slot was cut out in the plate, which is to be tidied up later.

[forumadmin]

As I have loads of epoxy resin lying around I made up some filler with it and filler powder. The epoxy will dry nice and strong. The filler paste is used to smooth out the front of the console. Though the filler is not of fine quality so some car body filler is used for a final finish. With a router I then made a rounded chamfer to the slot, like the console originally has for the climate control. Then the console was sprayed with plastic primer, after keying the surface.

[forumadmin]

Now I need to line up where the slot lies on the car, so I can position the stereo. I did not want to simply fit the stereo to the front of the console but have it sit flush. I also like to have the stereo fixed in place solidly with some brackets.

First I lined up the slot using tape. By applying the tape, and then cutting out the centre section I have a guide as to where the stero needs to go.

Then I made up a bracket from aluminium. The top of the stereo is held by a bracket, while the lower side attaches to a bar that is fixed to the back of the stereo. This holds the unit very solidly, and allows me to remove the console and yet leave the stereo in place.

[forumadmin]

Here is the unit fitted, with the console sprayed in satin black. There are a couple of marks in the console which will mean I will have to take it out and re-sand / paint, but the job has to be done so it is ready for Le Mans.

The colour of the display can be customised, so I can match the orange. Strangely, the top of the range unit which has bluetooth does not allow the colour to be customised. Mine does not have bluetooth, but the add on module will add this function if I want.

The unit also allows complete control of the crossover for the speakers, and subwoofer volume. This has allowed me to tailor the sound really well. I use the amps in the unit for the door speakers, and the sub is powered by its OEM amp. It sounds great.

The USB cable for an iPod or flash memory runs up into the centre glove box.

The black painted console is not quite the same colour as the vent trim, but the camera shows this up more than you notice in person. After the test fitting with the yellow primer paint, I kind of liked the way it brightened up the interior. I am now thinking of painting the interior the colour I see used in Aston DB9's. It's a sort of champagne kind of colour. It's not silver or aluminium. I may try that as I think it looks classy.

[Sudesh]

Great Job!! really looks well and nice write up!

[Lankstarr]

Nice work:)

I like the ply wood method for lightening the door brackets.

L*

[AR]

Well done Kevin, I've been meaning to do that for ages maybe I will pucker up the courage.

[NSX 2000]

Kevin, that looks really good :), but if I was to be critical and I'm now knit picking I would say the stero should have been equi distance between the air con controls and the ashtray.

So when do you want do mine ;)

Paul.

[forumadmin]

Or maybe I've left space for something else, like a start button? :)

I didn't want to go further down, as that would mean cutting into the plastic. I wanted to keep all the cutting in the mdf so that the thickness is there to be able to produce the rounded chamfer.

[JQD84983]

Great job. Looks good and gets over the weak point of the NSX.

Must have taken a while! :)