fitting of a more modern radio/cassette...just fits

[Clive59]

So, I have been saving this old radio/cassette player for years, couldn't bear to throw it away. Well, I knew it was going to be a close one. Cut out with precision...Dremel to the rescue. ( I reckon better than 0.5mm tolerance!)  and had just enough keep the switch console intact. A bit if filing and the cage fitted perfectly. Then end result looks quite acceptable. Might fill in the gap, but not really noticeable either. Have the cutout bit left to fill in if I feel the need.

Was thinking of fitting a newer style one with USB/Bluetooth, which I may, but at least I have the cutting done. And the older unit looks much more appropriate, as well as sounding pretty good.

Haven't seen anyone else do this, so at least you know it can be done...just.

Clive

[Dunc]

well done - it does look a snug fit. The speaker placement on the cars actually sounds quite good and a bit of acoustical thought has been applied to the original design with the rear speakers venting into the cubby holes.

 

For years I thought my sound quality was poor due to it being a glassfibre car, and the headunit was in gradual decline (had no gain) so I replaced it with a fairly good headunit that I had in my garage (A Becker Mexico) and found I was pleasantly surprised with the resultant sound quality.

 

The console on my car has been swapped around to mount the headunit at the top to avoid faffing behind the gearlever when adjusting the controls. Heater controls are now where the original stereo unit was. It gives a bit more space for a modern unit.

[Clive59]

I was wondering about something like that. Do you have any pics Dunc. I also have a little 3.2" touchscreen I want to put in, to control bits and pieces. Am thinking of making up an inclined bezel to mount just before the handbrake. It would be nicely accessible when leaning hand on handbrake, and not too obtrusive I think. Going to add things like fuel consumption ( I have a nice little fuel flow sensor ) and various other things that come to mind as I go.

 

How did you go with the air vents and did you have to modify the heater controls much?

 

I was poking around one day, and accidentally felt something in the cubby holes, and then realised it was the inner cone of the speaker. Bit easy to damage though. I guess the sound quality is never to be HiFi, especially in a Lotus, to many other noises going on. Mine is definitely not quiet! But as far as I know, no loud bits have been added, or taken away. At least the PO put a stainless exhaust system on.