Removing original radio

[CMF_mipcar]

What's involved in pulling out the original issue radios?
I had a bit of a play and got the front console with the switches out but I can see that does not give me access to the radio.
I'm assuming all the side console trim has to come out as well.

What sort of wiring setup does the radio have?

I've been given a cd player/radio and all the wires are marked but there are no plug connections does this mean I'll have to cut and shut all the wires that go to the original radio?

 

[CMF_Geoff W]

Hey Mipcar,

Um it's been a long time since I did this but I my memory serves me correctly, the original radio has two little brakets bolted to the side of the metal cage, which in turn bolt to the metal frame of the console.
To access this I had to take the cigarette lighter, knob on the recirculate/fresh selector and the vent/temp/fan speed knobs off (have a look first maybe not needed to take these off) followed by the little tray under the heater controls. (maybe not? Like I said it's been a while )

Then the two screws from under the hazard/demister switches. Then give the whole console face - including the centre vents - a pull straight out and it'll come out enough to unplug the wiring from the back of the ciggy lighter ( sorry auzillary power socket ) and the hazards/demister etc.

That should expose the two/four screws that hold the radio bracket to the dash frame.

The tricky bit is sometimes mounting the new head unit into the original hole. I swapped the brackets over onto the new unit then discovered that the unit sat too far back in the hole. So I used some longer screws and spaced em out with I think about a 6mm nut. Using a magnet on a stick held the nut against the dash frame and then put bracket and head unit against it while I screwed the longer screw in there.

As for the wiring, I cheated and bought a $30 buck adapter kit to plug into the original radio loom and then soldered the new head unit loom to it. So if need be you can put the original radio back in by plugging the plug on the factory radio straight back in there.

The brand I used was AERPRO I think and got it from repco/auto pro/auto barn or similar.

I hope that helps ya out there and everyone else can feel free to point out the mistakes that I've forgotten over the 5 years or so since I did the job on my car.