I know this should probably be in the electrical system, but I figured most people here have pulled the tape deck and put in something a little more modern.

The tape player hole is really small and I was figuring I would have to cut some metal to fit the new one in. I have a CB mounted below already so putting it there is not an option.

I have about 200 USD to spend and need a stereo and speakers.
I am running a 3inch single pipe glasspack muffler, so getting something that can put out some sound is going to be necessary!

Suggestions or advice?

I took my rig to a mom&pop stereo place and got the stereo hole cut bigger to standard DIN size and a new CD/MP3/USB 4x50watt stereo installed for about $110.

For speakers I got some 3ways with plastic cones since my doors leak a little and the previous Realistic paper speakers had molded. The set was maybe $60 tops?

-z

I am also trying to do something creative without cutting the dash. I don't really listen to CD's anymore (radio and iPod) so I've beem toying with the idea of making a block-off plate for the original dash opening, and mounting some sort of remote-controlled radio under the dash with only an iPod jack showing on the plate. The rest of the block-off plate surface could be a mount for foglight switches, gauges, a diesel Tiny-Tach, etc...

There's obviously several ways to skin this particular cat, but I have seen some interesting marine housings for 1-DIN housings for stereos that could be used to mount one under the dash of a truck. A bonus is that it won't get muddy in an "extreme 4x4" application.

I love my "new" crew cab, but as soon as I get my transmission back in, the twin-shaft radio hole will be resized to a big 1-DIN hole for my new CD/MP3 player. Driving down the Interstate at 65 with no radio is starting to get to me :eek: .

The one thing I would like to add is don't put speakers in your doors.
I have some 6x9 speakers behind my seat, and small 3" speakers in my dash and it sounds good for what it is. Good luck. For as simple as these trucks are adding a stereo to your truck is an easy weekend project. good luck, and keep us updated! :)

What do you use for an antenna? I don't want to put one onto the roof because the truck is already pretty high. That leaves installing one in a fender, but I don't know if that's possible ...

lee, does your truck have a stereo? if it does the antenna is in the windshield. if not, they drilled a hole on the top of the passenger fender.

lee, does your truck have a stereo? if it does the antenna is in the windshield. if not, they drilled a hole on the top of the passenger fender.

Yes, it had one, and there seems to be an antenna in the windshield. It's a very good idea, but afaik, the windshield antennas don't work very well for recieveing radio signals. They came up at some time in the eighties and disappeared after only a few years. I remember my parents having a car with such an antenna back then, and it was so bad that they had to install a "normal" antenna to get the radio to work.

Moreover, my windscreen is cracked and damaged and I want to get a new one. That might be easier if it doesn't have to have an antenna.


BTW, same is for the rear view mirrors. At some time in the 80ies, some manufacturers had the brilliant idea to glue the mirror to the windscreen. Exposed to heat (from the sun), these mirrors would either fall off, or the windscreen would crack where the mirror is glued to it. Glass and plastic expand to a different extent when warmed up, so it's inevitable. They stopped glueing the mirrors after a few years ...

My mirror is still glued to the windscreen but cracked it. What do I do with it when I get a new windscreen?

most of the windshield antennas worked not to bad. i had some that were great, some that sucked, probably depended on the windshield. you can get a fender mount one at almost any auto parts store. no broken antenna masts if its a power model or built in the
windshield

Yeah, a power model would be nice. But would they fit on the fender? They usually stick out underneath the mounting surface quite a bit. The inner fender would be in the way ...

they fit at back of fender, close to door. inner fender drops down out of the way quite a bit

Plus it doesn't go towards the inner fender, it should stay between the the two layers of the outer fender...

You guys have the fancy trucks that came with tape players and the like... ):h

ya, i got the fancy delco tape player stereo. the power cuts out when ever it feels like it. touch the buttons the right way to make it come on again

You guys have the fancy trucks that came with tape players and the like... ):h

Do I detect a note of sarcasm here?;)

I'll have you know this was state-of-the-art in the '80's! Look closely in the pic and you might see a 'CrO2' button for the cassette player:p: And what's more, all of it works just as good as it did when it rolled off the dealer's lot.

...That is, except for the dead right rear speaker... and the tape player cutting out when I hit bumps... but the radio's still good...:o:

So I bought a basic stereo- and put it in- had to cut the old harness out, and just match colors, which is not too hard to do, since there are only 4 wires, red, yellow, orange and black- the stereo turns on just fine, but I can't get the speakers to work.

I tried using the original wires, and nothing happened, then I tried hooking the speaker straight up to the stereo using the new wires and nothing happened.

I was under the impression each speaker should be working independent of the other and that a short in one speaker would not cause the others to not work. Am I wrong about this?

Is there something stupid that I am missing? Does the radio antenea ground the stereo somehow?
Feeling dumb...

did you make sure you have the speaker wiring the right way. If you mix up the live and ground you'll cancel out the other speaker. just an idea

anytime i have worked on a stereo you have to hook up an antenna to make them work