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Install a CD Player into a stock 1968 Radio Bezel

phlegm

Active Member
I'm sure that I am not the first one to do this, my 1968 Mustang Coupe needed better tunes. So on another forum I posted a want ad for a 'minimally damaged' radio bezel and another member sent me one for the price of shipping.

The one he sent me had been hacked for a standard 2-pole radio and painted with some sort of gawd aweful shiny black paint.
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I started with a template measured and cut using the guidelines that came with the new radio, I created it in milimeters because that's what the instructions had.
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I centered it on the face of the bezel, it barely fit, it is actually wedged a little bit, I should have trimmed the radio faceplate a little on the lower right and left corners. But I didn't, and nobody notices..
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I skipped documentation on a few steps.. but first I marked the outline with an awl/scribe. Then I used a 1/8" drill bit to drill about a billion tiny holes just on the inside of the marked line. I followed that by using a coping saw to 'connect the dots'
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I took the blade off the saw, then put it through the hole and then reattached the blade..
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The process worked fairly well for getting the hole to be close to the final size, it wasn't perfect by any means
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Another skipped step not documented.. I used a combination of files, both rat tailed and flat to smooth out the remainder of the surface to get this.
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After a series of fitting attempts and filing, eventually the radio installation bracket fit nicely and I bent the tabs to hold it in place
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Slid the radio into place and here's what the final project looked like.
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Now I have CD player, can play MP3's from CD or DVD, bluetooth and a wireless remote. But I still can't hear a damned thing because I don't have a quiet enough cabin, and I blew out the speakers in the rear deck trying to turn it up loud enough...
 
Essentially what i did and i seldom if ever turn it on.... Isn't a coping saw for wood?

Nice write up and pictures!
 
"Fast68back" said:
Essentially what i did and i seldom if ever turn it on.... Isn't a coping saw for wood?

Nice write up and pictures!
I nice little tool like an oscillating saw would make quick work of that task.
 
Thanks!
"Fast68back" said:
Isn't a coping saw for wood?
Yes, yes it is a coping saw for wood, worked perfectly. My motto is, "Use what you got", and that's what I had.. Chalk it up to a poorly stocked shop, or a poorly planned project, either way.. it got done!
 
"phlegm" said:
Thanks!Yes, yes it is a coping saw for wood, worked perfectly. My motto is, "Use what you got", and that's what I had.. Chalk it up to a poorly stocked shop, or a poorly planned project, either way.. it got done!

+1 for ingenuity. I was thinking the whole time while I was reading/looking, damn my dremel tool would have made quick work of that!
 
I used my dremel to do mine but am horrible at controlling it so my edges were just as wavy, the face plate surround covers it anyway.

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Jon
 
I used an air auto body saw on mine. Then used a file to get it perfect. You did a great job and it turned out awesome!
 
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