Early style dashboard radio install
 

Hello, I have a lovely 1979 245GL
Trouble is I would like to fit a radio with touchscreen for sat nav etc.
The location of the original radio is far to low to be looking at driving directions.

Looking at the dashboard I cannot see anywhere to do this.

The only possible place would be where the air vents and clock is.

However I cannot work out how to get this metal panel out, which I intent to cut to fit a single DIN radio with fold out screen there.

Does anyone know how this panel comes out or have any suggestions of where to fit a radio with screen when you have an older style dashboard.

Thanks

I am totally lost re the technicalities of this.

If you go ahead. PLEASE. PLEASE. Find obtain or preferably fabricate a spare panel to cut. Keep the original intact for any future owner. PLEASE.

.

Hi,

the technicalities of this are that apart from the original location of the radio which is far far too low to use properly and responsibly I need to move the radio up further and this seems to be the only feasible location.

Therefore I need to know how to remove this metal plate piece of the dash so that I can install a radio here.

Thanks

You work the standard radio by feel and with preset buttons so don't have to look at anything :-)
I think you are going to ruin the integrity and appeal of the car by hacking that around , The later dash from 1981 and later has been re worked to fit the radio up there .

Either use a standalone GPS or do a dash swap for the later one which has provision.

That plate is part of the dash structure, so you'll have to take the whole thing out anyway.

Butchering an early dash for a flip screen single DIN to get a sat nav in is a bizarre route to end up on.

This is coming from someone who fitted a gauge where the clock used to be on a 1979 245.

Humm, ok so could I fit a later dashboard then?

Now thinking of making brackets to attach and come out like 'arms' to hold a small touch screen and hence not needing to cut anything about.

You would probably have to change the steering column too as the steering lock is different .. heater demist hoses are different probably other things too .

Do you need anything that a phone can't provide if it is properly set up? It can provide radio and canned music via an amp, and gps. There is no space for a double din unit.

I am very happy with using a phone but Big Brother Government says I am not allowed to touch my phone whilst driving but I can touch a radio that 'mirrors' it's screen; hence my desire for one.

Hi
I would say it's your car, you do what you want to it.
Personally I prefer the old school look which is why I still have the original radio in mine.
I would check regarding weakening the dash with what ever you cut out - maybe weld some bits on to strengthen it again.
I'm not familar with that dash, though I have cut the later one around. I got a spare dash & cut that (a lot easier when not in the car & less down time). I wanted to move the radio down to where yours is & mount 5 gauges where it used to be.
The later dash has a central radio speaker hole towards the windscreen - could you have the screen coming up from that area?
By the way, my radio is linked to a samsung tablet located in a super sneaky ninja secret location, which keeps the stock look but is readily available.
If you think about what you want from this, what devices are available that would provide what you want & use a bit of imagination on siting said devices, you could retain the stock look without upsetting people & make it more theft proof too.
Tim