another faceplate relocation thread

**lostforawhile** · 10-25-2011, 10:48 PM

I have seen several good threads on faceplate relocation, and I have a project going on my own,
I was never able to find a list of units that worked, But I'm using an older Clarion unit, the main reason, is I wanted a specific look, this is an older Honda, and the new units simply didn't look right,

I'm using a DB 245, the unit is basically bulletproof, the only reason the old one failed, is I had an oil pressure gauge line fail, and filled it full of oil.
Has anyone tried one of these units with the remote face yet? I've actually recessed the face into the dash itself, but I'm still waiting on cables to get here, so I can test everything. you 'll have to pardon the dust in the pictures, as this dash is on my bench and the car is in pieces right now, it's a long term project.
As far as the connection to the face, this one is basically simple, the socket to the face, is soldered to the pc board in the head unit, a good combo solder iron/solder sucker will make short work of that. then it's soldering the wires to the pins, the pc board, and running the wires.
the original face socket will plug right into it. I've seen many people run cat 5 cable, I can see an issue with that with interference,
I'm going to try hdmi cable, they are dirt cheap on ebay, and a simple female coupler, will connect two ends together. I need 12 connections.
I have another possible interference issue, I have an MSD box under the dash on the passengers side, the 600 volt wire to the coil is very short in the car, but it's going to be a huge noise generator. I bought a roll of copper shielding tape, I will cover the connections of the face with it also.

Is there a limit to how long the face wires can be? I would like to mount the box as far from the MSD unit as possible.
As far as reaching the radio controls, I used an SWI-X steering wheel control interface unit, 8 pc relays, and a mirror switch, the switch is in the center console, and gives me eight of the most common functions at fingertip control.

I would like to use direct input to the radio box, but since it has no aux in, I'll be using a direct wired FM modulator, normally I wouldn't care for the sound quality, but this car is going to be extremely loud, and I just want to be able to hear the music over engine and exhaust noise.

I'm going to use a shielded switch box for the modulator input, I have both an XM unit, and my Android, most of the time I'll be using the android, but If i'm using the XM, I'll need some sort of external speaker to hear the phone ring.
Does any know of an external control to indicate one of these phones is ringing?
I could care less about the cd functions of the head unit, anyway a few pictures,
one of these radio faces is my one for mockup, and one is for the actual finished install. I made a nice aluminum bezel which will clip over this, it has a dark tinted plexi window, and sticks with four of those high powered micro magnets

**lostforawhile** · 10-26-2011, 06:25 PM

I'm not sure if I put this in the right section, I would like to get some feedback as I go through this project, I did figure out how to feed the audio from the phone through,when the XM is on, I have a voice warning system from an early Z car in my car, it has a small speaker under the dash, it also has an audio feed through, that is switched to the voice module when it's talking, all I have to do is split the output of a bluetooth reciever, through a small amp. If I do this I can swap between xm and the android with one button

**Enforcer** · 10-26-2011, 06:44 PM

Please avoid putting up a wall of text it makes it very hard to read. (Fomat it with paragraphs and separate lines)

In fact I didn't bother and I am someone who is interested in faceplate relocation.

**lostforawhile** · 10-26-2011, 08:14 PM

I'm waiting for the HDMI cables to get here, then I can test this. I have a frame under my dash that supports the heater core, when I pull the dash, I will weld some brackets to it to hold the head unit behind the dash. If I'm lucky I may even be able to insert a cd from the passenger side, I'm going to go out in a bit and check clearance. I have very little space in this car, so I have to utilize every bit I can. This is the same reason I had to squeeze the MSD and soft touch rev control under the glovebox area. The original radio area is now taken up with a choke control knob, primer knob, fuel pressure gauge, and some other stuff. I'm going to build a nice aluminum dock for my android, I'm trying to figure up some creative ways to integrate it into the car, yet be able to remove it.

I have to integrate the radio, android, XM radio, and voice warning system all together, and controls to operate the radio in the center console. as far as the input into the switch box, I'll probably use a metal project box, and D sub connectors, I like using VGA monitor cables converted to mini XLR on one end, they have three shielded 75 OHM signal wires, each with their own shield wire, excellent shielding, and exactly like high end RCA cables. a simple 4 pole double throw relay will allow the inputs to the modulator to be switched. push the button for XM, push it again when you hear the phone ring, or vice versa.

The swi-x units are great if you want additional controls for anything with a remote, the module learns the remote codes, and repeats them back by pressing the buttons that you wire to the unit. You could install some extra buttons into your steering wheel plastic surround, then have up to 10 radio functions right at your fingertips

**lostforawhile** · 11-03-2011, 11:25 PM

I got the HDMI cable, I'm still waiting for the coupler to connect the two together, I used a desoldering tool to remove the original face connector from the radio box, then I cut the HDMI cable in half, one half got soldered to the face connector, the other to the PC board in the radio box.

Radio shack now has a kit with a tiny 35 watt iron, this is one of the smallest irons i've seen, It comes with a pretty good assortment of tips too. the only issue I have with it, is some idiot decided to put an inline switch, about 8 inches from the iron, the switch weighs more then the iron, and throws it off balance. I haven't had the chance to relocate the switch yet .

another very useful tool, I just replaced mine just like it after 25 years, with how cheap everything is today, I'll bet this one doesn't last that long.

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**lostforawhile** · 11-08-2011, 08:27 PM

I finally got the brackets machined for the radio box , It will bolt up where the combination control box went behind the center console, that box is lightweight plastic and easy to move somewhere else. Honda was thoughtful enough to use heavy bent steel rod to hold the dash, with welded on brackets. I'm still waiting for the coupler to hook the two hdmi cables together. ignore the long bolts, I need to go to the hardware store and get the proper length ones

**lostforawhile** · 11-12-2011, 09:45 PM

Of course these aren't the right screws, or the new dash, but this is the bracket finished, it came out really good.

of course this is the reason I had to move the radio in the first place

and it LIVES!!! testing it on a power supply.

works perfectly!! now all I need to do is put some high temp hot glue over the face terminals and the copper shielding tape.

this puts me really close to getting the dash swapped out, once it's in, i can start reinstalling stuff and get this harness all wired up and in place. then the interior goes back in FINALLY!!