Stereo / control swap

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:40 pm

what's behind the wiper dial, hazard button, seatbelt lights? Do you think it would be doable to swap those controls with the stereo. I'd much rather have those things lower and the stereo up above. I guess there is even the potential to fit a 1.5 to dbl DIN stereo in that spot. just haven't pulled that off to look behind it.

spiderrey · Post by **spiderrey** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:49 pm

your heater takes up the whole area behind there

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 5:55 pm

spiderrey wrote:your heater takes up the whole area behind there

Darn, I knew it! I was trying to see what was going on from those pics in my manual, but they are worthless. Thanks anyway. I should have known that anyway, there are vents right up there....

kapman001 · Post by **kapman001** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:26 pm

well it can be done, you just have to lose the vent tunnel that goes from the heating core to the little vents up top. Here is a picture of what it looks like in my car. Now all I need to do if fabricate some sort of cosmetic plate so there isn't a big hole in my dash. Either that or I may move the stereo over to the glove box!

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:38 pm

Definitely something I might be willing to try. Also, that could leave a couple of spots (altough not a great location IMO) for small speakers/tweeters up on the dash too.

kapman001 · Post by **kapman001** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:40 pm

let me know fi you do. I would like to see how someone elses attemt goes. (Esp how you fill in the big hole in the dash it creates

ventura ace · Post by **ventura ace** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:49 pm

Danno,
Did you consider that you may want the defroster vents to help keep the window defogged? Also, the radio may not like all the potential heat it may get from your defrost air.

The spiders were actually designed quite well. It surprises me that you are changing so much of it. You are not alone, there are many others that have made major modifications to their cars.

alvon

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:59 pm

ventura ace wrote:Danno,
Did you consider that you may want the defroster vents to help keep the window defogged? Also, the radio may not like all the potential heat it may get from your defrost air.

The spiders were actually designed quite well. It surprises me that you are changing so much of it. You are not alone, there are many others that have made major modifications to their cars.

alvon

you are being too practical. I'll drive with my head out the window. Besides I'm 6'2" I think I can see over the windshield anyway, lol. IF i do this I'd be sure to use proper insulation where needed.

I know that I seem to be changing a lot of it, it's in my nature. I like to customize to make it an artistic reflection of my personality. If I was looking at a classic restoration I'd probably adhere to original specifications, but just because I can get antique plates for my car doesn't mean I really think it's an antique! (BTW, has anyone actually got "AV" plates on their fiat?)

Bill Pottle · Post by **Bill Pottle** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:32 pm

Hey Danno,

Up here in New England we really need the vents. I can't imagine not having a blower here in Maine. I cruise to campus early in the mornings from the lake and I'd have to hold my head out the window. Nothing beats a foliage ride here in the fall. Nice and cozy when you get the heater levers figured out. Funny this was one feature the Spider has compared to the Triumph TR4A I had years ago that had a very limited blower to clear the windshield you literally had to hold your breath cause it fogged the windshield! Just wanted to let you know it a very valuable feature crippled only by the levers between the seats!

Have you thought about installing an iPod? Now that would be interesting and I'd like to hear from someone who customized the old ashtrays for iPod or a Blackberry holder. I've been tinkering with this idea..

later,
Bill

fiatS2000 · Post by **fiatS2000** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:45 pm

I'm also in the process of modifying my dash so that i can put a custom stereo/computer system into the car.
Im using the top portion of a pininfarina dash without the center part comming out of it. This leaves a perfect location for the 8.5" touchscreen. The slim computer(about 2") is going to go under the glove compartment where the a/c vents are located on cars equiped with a/c. The only part that i haven't fully made up my mind on is the lower center console. At first I was going to try to get a lower console from a coupe with vents in the place where the stereo is on the spider's console. But I might use the spider's console and put either a din sized coin and cup holder out of a Ford Taurus or put a din sized EQ, which will be needed to prosess the signal from the computer to the amps.
This is what it might look like.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:58 pm

i'm currently working on building a carputer for my Aerio, if you are interested in that type of thing check out mp3car.com they have a lot of cool solutions and have worked through a lot of the common problems for you already. I wouldn't bother with such an obtrusive computer (you can get cases much smaller and much cooler looking that can go under seats, in glove boxes, etc etc.... I'm using this one:
http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/category.87/it.A/id.373/.f

actually, that site is a good place to get a lot of stuff.....

I've decided I won't drive the Fiat near enough to bother with something that extravagant, maybe i'll upgrade the aerio some day and have extra stuff, but until then I'm looking at a stereo and 4 3-way speakers and MAYBE an amp for said speakers....

fiatS2000 · Post by **fiatS2000** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:24 pm

I've been lurking on Mp3car.com for about a year now. I already have the computer and monitor.

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:28 pm

fiatS2000 wrote:I've been lurking on Mp3car.com for about a year now. I already have the computer and monitor.

well if you already have it then use what you got! some pretty amazing stuff over there on that forum isn't there?

bandit · Post by **bandit** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:48 am

Hey Danno

I am sure you've thought of this but just in case how about a radio
in the stock location with a remote ? or you could install the radio
any where you desire and use a remote IR to control the system,
Satlite radio is awsome choice i just bought mine Clarion 655 does
MP3s WMP the works .
Will be installing it along with speakers and amp removing the Ant.
since the Sat will be my mine source of music .

Dan

Danno · Post by **Danno** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:51 am

bandit wrote:Hey Danno
I am sure you've thought of this but just in case how about a radio
in the stock location with a remote ? or you could install the radio
any where you desire and use a remote IR to control the system,
Satlite radio is awsome choice i just bought mine Clarion 655 does
MP3s WMP the works .
Will be installing it along with speakers and amp removing the Ant.
since the Sat will be my mine source of music .
Dan

Dan, that is something i considered, but the main reason I would do this is because I don't like how the radio is recessed under the dash. I can reach it easily in both places. At this point I haven't ruled anything out though. One thing I thought would be neat is getting the brushed aluminum dash kit and a brushed aluminum looking stereo, i thought that would look cool on the dash then.