Getting to the Radio in an S1

[dglotusltd]

After 2 months with my S1 I am finally fed up with its radio. Its a great system and probably cost the PO a pretty penny 15 years ago. Alpine head routed to an Alpine equalizer to an Alpine Amp and on to a special crossover netowrk and a set of 6 inch speaker in the doors and a set of tweeters.

Besides haveing no bass to speak of, the damn thing get exactly one station in my driveway (New York) while my daily driver gets hundreds.

And the question....how do I get to the radio? There dosen't seem to be an obvious way to get to it and remove it.

Any hints out there?????

DomG

PS Yes the sound of the engine if preferable when tooling around but on some long hauls (and I plan many) I need something else.

[WayneB]

Is the one station it gets WPXY? We pick that station up here Your reception problem is more down to the antenna (aerial) than the reciever. I have a 89 Alpine CD in my Esprit and can get tons of stations. Check to see your Antenna is grounded properly to the frame, and the cable is hooked up. You still wont have the bass though, but that is bad for your long term hearing

Edited August 6, 2005 by WayneB

[USAndretti42]

One way to check the antenna is to touch the aerial with the radio on and see if the signal gets stronger, radio gets louder.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Incidentally.... it's the top end that damages your hearing, not the bass!

[dglotusltd]

Ok.....antenna is grounded perfectly an touching its tip produces no change......

....and so I need to get to the back of the radio....which leads me back to my original question.....

Anybody know how to get at the radio? What the magic first step?

If I had to guess from experience I'd say "Remove front suspension...."

DomG

[WayneB]

If its an Alpine unit(not a pull out) to get the radio out of its frame carrier you will need to insert a removal tool key into the 4 small holes(2 either end) of the units faceplate. This will release the radio and allow it to be pulled out of dash. Let me know if this wont work(different radio fascia plate) Post a photo of unit so we can take a look.

Edited August 6, 2005 by WayneB

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

^^^^^ You can get the tool from Halfords for about

[WayneB]

Fishy, dont think Halfords have opened a store in New York State yet!

He could try Autozone , U.A.P.or Pep-Boys though

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

<whistles discretely to self!>

[Paul C]

As an electrician, i'm occasionally asked to fit/butcher stereos into/out of

peoples cars. Now i'm no auto electrician (and the through crimps on my SE

give this away), but when i get a head unit that wants to stay put...

I get two hacksaw blades, snap em in half.

Slide em in, two each side (top and bottom).

Regardless of the pin/hole arrangement that releases

the clips in the side of the unit, this method will most

of the time dis-engage any retaining clips that are there.

With blades still slid in, pull the unit out.

*

Some units actually only engage these clips by solenoid when

the ingnition is turned off, old sony units used to work like this

for 'anti theft'. If all else fails, any passing street urchin will get

the unit out in seconds for a bag of weed, but wreck the dash!

[gpz900r]

You can in fact get your finger up through the side of the cover from where the material meets the where your leg would be if your driving, I could just push the stereo out from beind on my s1 but it didnt have the 4 holes keeping it in

[WayneB]

PaulC, that bent car stereo you sold me is playing up, can I have my money back?

[USAndretti42]

I think the radio in my S2 was fitted when the car was new as it goes in from behind. (No Graham Norton jokes.) To remove the centre console, I pulled off the armrest top which is held on by clips. 2 self-tapping screws hold on the small console containing the window switches and choke lever. The gear knob has to come off next. Mine has 3 grub screws which you release with an allen key but these were hidden by a cover which was held in place with RTV. A previous owner had loosened that for me. WHen the grub screws are loose, unscrew the gear knob and then remove 2 more self-taping screws that were hidden by the console holding the window switches.

Pull off the radio knobs and undo the 2 knobs holding the faceplate. I think there are 2 more self-tappers on the front of the console above the radio. (I'm not near the car right now.) When all the screws are put lift up the console at the rear end and pul rearwards. I found it a bit of a struggle to get it up of the gear lever but it does just do it. Pull the console back far enough to get to the radio.

Note that if you do pull the centre console out like this, you will pull the hoses to the air vents off the heater so that when you refit it you have to adopt the Lotus position, upside-down in the footwell re-connecting them once it's almost back in.

[WayneB]

............Guess Dom got the answers he wanted

[dglotusltd]

Sorry not to report back but work got a bit crazy and I haven't been able to work on the S1. I do know that there are no forward facing openings for the "hacksaw" approach.

Looks like my options are limited but I did notice that I can get my hand up behind the dress panel where my knee would be while driving.

I'll need to assume the Lotus position this weekend to see if I can feel anything like a bolt through a rear strap that may be holding it in. I can also remove the shifter plate via allen screws to see if that exposes anything.

However my next assignment is to rebalance my Dellortos ..... then back tot he radio.

Domg