98 Honda Prelude - OEM look - Page 2

chesapeake · 07-11-2008, 01:36 PM

Yeah, gotta few tips. when you put your system in take all the seats out and the center console. It makes running those wires a lot easier. Pull the small plastic circle clips holding down the carpet under the back seat as well. You can run your main power wire through the gromet where the heater core cable runs through the firewall, just use a phillips screwdriver to make the initial hole and you'll see what I'm talking about. Re-running new speaker wires to the front doors is just about impossible or at least a major pain in the ***. You could run a new set but they'd look like sh#@. I just used the stock wires up front (ran from the factory radio interface plug) and re-ran the ones in the back. You've gotta re-run the back wires to by-pass the factory amp but the front ones are not powered. To be totally honest with you I would only replace the front bottom speakers and the rear 6x9's. When you have that back seat up those 6x9's will turn that truck in to a huge base box. My system really sounds impressive. Especially since I bought the whole thing minus the computer from WalMart (shame on me). Everything else is pretty straight forward, bench test your system until it's exactly how you want it BEFORE you put it in. Use Xport to deal with your port issues for serial GPS. Always use a powered USB hub (Radio shack has an excellent 5V one if no one knew). Don't bite off more than you can chew. Get a basic system running and then add one item at a time. That way you won't be chasing your tail. Have fun and take care of that Prelude, there aren't too many left out there. EM

golfguy · 07-11-2008, 03:26 PM

Really nice install. I like the OEM look.

Can you give a little detail on how you mounted the PowerMate? I'm thinking of doing something similar in my Mazda, but I can't think how to mount it to the hole I would cut in my console. A few pictures of how you mounted it would be great.

chesapeake · 07-11-2008, 04:08 PM

Here's a couple pics. I picked the Powermate specifically because it would fit in the space. If you can get one, buy it regardless, you'd end up using it on your desktop anyways if it doesn't work. My advice would be to take your time, I spent about 3-4 hours putting that in, doesn't really look like it but the end results paid off. Also, after I was done I had it the way it came, the shiny aluminum. One day you'll be driving down the road and get blinded by the knob and paint it so you might want to just go ahead and paint it anyways. I checked out your interior and the shiny aluminum might not look right anyways but a nice silver or black would. Another tip for the Griffin Powermate, don't set it up to adjust the system volume, you'll never get it to adjust properly or the lowest volume before mute will be too high. Instead map the left and right to key strokes that you map in to Centrafuse or RoadRunner to adjust the volume and then tune the sensativity the way you want it in the Powermate software. I have my sensativity set to a higher level on Vol down than up, I'm sure you get the point. Good luck.

golfguy · 07-11-2008, 05:30 PM

I bought a black one to match my interior. They made black ones for a while, but the don't make them right now.

I can't tell very well from the picture - did you glue it to the underneath side of the ashtray lid? If so, what kind of glue did you use? Does it hold pretty well?

chesapeake · 07-11-2008, 05:45 PM

That's why it took so long. I only cut out what was needed so I only had to use a little glue to hold it in. But if you don't have that underneith, work something up and whatever you need to glue to the plastic use Dynatron Flexible bumper repair kit. (http://yhst-13811118617756.stores.ya...flburekit.html) or I think I got mine on ebay. You will need this stuff if you have to make a custom bezel as well. It really works, you just have to ruff up the service a little bit to make sure it sticks but it's sandable in 25 minutes, not bad. EM

mystainsane · 07-12-2008, 11:38 AM

I think I'm already in too deep though. I have a Pioneer head, Alpine Type R's for both front and back, JBL mono and a 4 channel amp and a diamond sub. And I have to rerun new speaker wires. Sigh. I just bought a monitor too. OH WELL. big *** task headed my way i suppose. Im going to have to mount the head into the glove box.

racer_X · 07-19-2008, 12:54 PM

i love the skin do you think you could send it to me?

mystainsane · 07-20-2008, 02:35 PM

Hey can you let me know how you mounted the screen, that is my biggest setback right now. Any information would help me alot. Especially how you have a bezel around the screen (custom fab?). Thanks for any info.

chesapeake · 07-21-2008, 07:40 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by racer_X

i love the skin do you think you could send it to me?

Right now I just have the main screen working and I'm doing the playlist. I also added Zoro's logo plugin to display cover art, speed, direction and a few other things. I would say I'll be done with the whole skin in a couple months, I work on it every few days. Racer X, once done I'm sure I'll post it somewhere and try to remember to notify you as well. EM

chesapeake · 07-21-2008, 07:41 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by mystainsane

Hey can you let me know how you mounted the screen, that is my biggest setback right now. Any information would help me alot. Especially how you have a bezel around the screen (custom fab?). Thanks for any info.

Everything about that screen mounting is custom. If you have a 1998-2001 Prelude I can be of help, if not, you really just have to do a lot of thinking before you start cutting things away. Let me know.

mystainsane · 07-21-2008, 01:03 PM

Yeah I also have a 98 prelude. I was trying to go for a double din kit and fit a lilliput but I'd rather get an 8 in and custom fab like yours. You made it so clean, I want to do the same.

bambam · 07-21-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by chesapeake

Found one more picture I forgot about.

Love the way it looks....very OEM.....nice job!

cannai · 09-08-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by chesapeake

Hi all. I've been working on this for quite some time and have finally been able to finish it up. Wow, what a difference an amp makes. Still working out a few bugs but all in all it's all set. Pretty much everything I could put in it: GPS, Griffin Powermate for volume and mute, Sony Xplod amp and speakers, HD Radio, bluetooth, hands free for the phone, 802.11, diNovo Mini, blah, blah. Just wanted to put up some pics and say thanks to all that have posted their little tricks and stuff about products to use and ideas. Any questions on anything just let me know. E.M.

I was trying to make it look as stock as possible.

Start of the skin I'm going to be using, takes a lot of hints from the stock stereo I just took out. I haven't made my decision on the front end yet.

Hi, I am new to mp3car but I was impressed with your work and I decided to do the same. So I bouhgt the screen 8" dynamix but I am having a problme trying to fit it in the console. I am wondering if you had to modify the center bezel (console) so that the screen can fit. Also did you use the original bracket (metal) and how did you mount the screen (glue, bolt)? Please advice. Thanks,

chesapeake · 09-09-2008, 09:47 AM

You are going to need to modify the stereo bracket and the black bezel. Get the Dynatron bumper repair stuff. You gotta have this or it just won't work. Trick is getting the monitor mounted in the stereo bracket THEN adjusting the bezel to work. This lets you pull the molding piece without the monitor for adjustments. I'll make a detailed instruction set for you on how I did it. In the mean time look at the first page of this post and see what I did to the stereo bracket. You are really going to have to modify the monitor quite a bit but I have pictures for you that will help. The black molding and the bezel are really easy once the monitor is in position, it just takes some patience. Also, I'll get you the paint I used. It's really held up well and looks totally stock. Please be patient when you are doing this, it's not something to just throw together and expect good results, measure twice and cut once, blah blah all that stuff. Get you more info shortly. EM

djurchicprelude · 09-11-2008, 10:10 PM

Can I just say that your screen looks amazing! So much better then molding the screen with the bezel. I have the same gen prelude and use the liliput 7inch and I can only wish mine looked that stock. I never thought of using the mounting kit, I have always tried to mount it directly to the bezel. I am going to try that way tomm as soon as I get a new mounting kit like that. Thanks for the idea! Do you by any chance have any more pics of your mounting process. Thanks!

Where are you located by the way if you dont mind me asking?