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Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:15 am

Is there a radio with a CD player that is a direct replacement for the one I have fitted as standard ?
I don't need super quality or any flashy gadgets , just a plain simple radio with CD .
What about connectors ? Will I need to repace them ?

Tue Jul 05, 2005 11:19 am

I have a nice Sony in dash CD player.

I had to buy a standard VW style connector (from most good auto parts stores, or stereo shops) to link into the stock harness.

Beware that any new radio with overpower the old stock speakers, and that in the Vanagon size can be an issue with the radio depth. However this is easy to check with the front ashtray taken out...

Crutchfield is a good place to look, however they are very strict on saying what will fit, acording to them mine does not, but it does....

Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:13 pm

I put a Pioneer CD deck into my Westy a few months ago (and I also put in four 3-way Sony Xplod speakers) and the system sounds really good! I purchased the Pioneer deck at Wal-Mart for $110. I also purchased the speakers at Wal-Mart. I put 6.5" in the front doors and 5.25" on the back closet. My friend said it's the best $200 system he's ever heard.

Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:04 pm

I put a sony cd/mp3 deck in my 86 a few weeks ago. If the unit were any deeper it would not have fit. I don't know the exact depth limit, but I am pretty sure it was just lucky that this one fit. The stock stero is ony 6" deep. You really cant get anything much larger unless you plan to modify the cavity a little. Not sure if its even possible.

I did not use a VW harness kit because the one they sold me at best high was incorrect. The wiring seemed very simple once I had it open so I just went without the harness.

I took advantage of the Aux battery in my weekender and ran a new powr line with inline fuse to the aux battery under the drivers seat. This is a sweet arrangement for using the system while camping with no hook ups.

I also installed new speakers all around. I had to rewire the rears becuase the stock speakers share a common ground. This proved to be a Huge headache. I tried to use the existing 3 wires to pull 4 new wires through, but it really got gummed up. Luckilly, the new wires had made it back into the vent system in the rear ceiling before my pull wire broke. I was able to coax them through after a few more beers.

I put 5.25's in the rear A/C cabinet (after I pulled all the non working a/c equipment) but they are mounted in an awkward fashion. I need to revisit that a bit when I recover from the initial attempt.

Left to do is heavy dremel modification on the speaker grills to get them in a state where they can be glued onto the new speakers.

Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:18 pm

Old hat pics but...

Bah! 5. 1/4's - 6x9's as Carl would say "Blow the frickin' roof off da joint!!"

8-[

Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:33 pm

Unfortunately, the weekender has plastic over metal under the rear bench. I am not sure how easily I could get anything in there. It definitley seems like a great place for speakers though. I will eventually figure something frickin' bigger out.

DanJReed wrote: Old hat pics but...

Bah! 5. 1/4's - 6x9's as Carl would say "Blow the frickin' roof off da joint!!"

8-[

Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:12 pm

5 1/4" can thump pretty good.

having one of these under the z-bed don't hurt much either

Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:27 pm

Don't need to change anything . I found on Ebay a device which plugs into the cigar lighter socket .The other end plugs into your mp3 player , i pod , cd player , radio , anything that has access to the small socket on the end . It then transfers the signal via wireless to the radio that is fitted . So I can listen to all my cd's , mp3 recordings and even the radio , all for 99c plus mailing . :D

Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:24 pm

Here are some picks of my sub and deck:

I put the sub under the jumpseat in my Westy Weekender
[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=216117[/img]

Here is the deck, a Kenwood I got on sale for less than $100 bucks! It fit perfect
[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=216120[/img]

I agree with the comment about no speakers going under the rear seat in the Weekender...it's plastice over metal. I'll try and mount some 5 1/4's on either side of the a/c unit up above.

It sounds pretty good, I ran the sub to a 200w amp and the stock speakers are running on deck power. I got lucky and for some reason when I pulled my stock deck out, it had 4 wires (2+ and 2-) coming from the rear.

Later...John

Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:27 pm

Crap...my pics didn't show up! I'll try it again, if it doesn't work check out my gallery...

[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=216117[/img]

[img]http://thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=216120[/img]

Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:40 pm

One more try...

fingers crossed :oops:

Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:23 pm

Hendoo wrote: . I got lucky and for some reason when I pulled my stock deck out, it had 4 wires (2+ and 2-) coming from the rear.

Later...John

I thought I had gotten lucky a well. I also had 4 wires at the deck and just hooked everything up 1 to 1. The rears were causing the whole system to snap, crackle, and pop. After a serious talk with google I came to find out that the new decks and speakers had an issue with the shared ground.

Turns out that 4 wires went from the deck and into an odd splitter behind the glove box. After the splitter only 3 wires went back through the front pillar, over the passenger door and then through the vent system. They live in a soft black plastic tube which is clamped down at a few points along the run. The tightness of those clamps makes it reallly difficult to pull the new wire throught that tube. I used liquid soap and it helped a little.

After watching a few episodes of Pimp My ride I have to shake my head at the amount of time it took me to hook up this relatively simple system. I had no idea.

Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:27 pm

Hendoo wrote: One more try...

fingers crossed :oops:

That looks Very sweet! All I have in my jump seat are flashlights, jugs of water and shoes.