S2WOOOW

I just installed the Sony Xplode CDX-MP70 CD/mp3 player. I got it installed without having to cut any plastic on the inside of the radio door. I used the factory brackets of the old radio, but did not install it onto the 2 holes that match the bracket. I used one screw (on each bracket) and used the threaded hole that is just forward of the forward hole that matched the factory bracket. That causes the entire unit to sit about 3/4 inch deeper in the cavity than if I used the holes that matched the bracket. Right now, there is only one screw on each side. But I will probably drill a hole in the bracket that matches one of the other threaded holes. I will have to remove the unit, I plan on adding the Lucid IR unit.

I used the Circuit City wiring harnesses. With the extra harnesses/connectors, it's a tight fit behind the radio, so I had to kind of pull the harnesses/connectors out of the way from under the dash on the driver side as I pushed the unit in all the way.

The radio face is much smaller than the factory unit, so there is a gap all the way around the face. So tonight I will figure out how to install the trim plate. There is not enough room above the unit to install the supplied plate as is.

The radio's face does hit the dash just below the radio when it is opened, but the unit doesn't keep trying to open it further, it just stops. It's kind of a pain to insert a CD into the tray. It is not just a tray like on a computer, but it has the spindle unit on the tray, so you have to push the CD down to ingage the spindle (like a CD Walkman). There is not much clearance between the tray and the dash just below the heater vents when the tray in open. But with mp3 disks, I will probably be changing discs once a month instead of once a day.

Tedster

Hey, pretty creative! Good job! Maybe you could take some pictures of your bracket arrangement next time you have the headunit out - it's a little hard to follow from just a verbal description.

I think 3/4" is ALL the remaining space behind the headunit the way I have it installed, and it's completely filled with wires, harnesses, and connectors. But like you said, you can work from the sides to pull stuff out of the way (just remove the 'kneepad' trim piece on the passenger's side for more access.)

You might want to consider the Modifry DCI for a hardwired dash control, since you've got a Sony headunit that works with it. You'll get some added features, including speed-sensitive volume control.

Ted

scooby2

S2WOOOW, are you running any power amps from the Sony headunit? I'm wondering how much clearance there is once you take into account the space that's required for RCA connections at the back of the unit. Thanks.

S2WOOOW

I don't use any power amps. I'm don't think that an RCA plug will stick out more than the main multi-pin connector. And running the two amp wires would be easier to deal with than the harnesses and connectors from Circuit City. You can probably get it out of the way fairly easily.

The Circuit City harness is two pieces, one has a connector that fits the Sony unit and has a "universal" connector at the other end, the other has the "universal"connector at one end and a connector that fits the Honda harness at the other. The "universal" connector can be eliminated by cutting out the connector on each harness and splicing the wires together. That will save some room. You can get rid of the harness completely by cutting off the Honda connector of the harness and splicing in the Sony connector (but I hate solder splatter in the carpet).

S2WOOOW

Tedster, thanks for the tip, I'm jumping on that bandwagon.

mwy23

got pics? s2wooow??? im thinking that if it sits further back, wouldnt there be more space in front? like a gap?

S2WOOOW

Sorry, no pics yet (maybe I'll get around to taking some). But there is no large gap. There was a gap around the sides and bottom, but I installed the little frame that came with the head. I had to cut off the top because there was no gap on top. And it would not stay in place by it self, so I taped it using electrical tape (not noticable since it's black).

Even though the head sits in the slot deeper than if you installed it normally, the face of the head still is forward of the opening. One of the other threads showed the head unit with the inside of the door removed, and it shows that the head sticks out quit a bit. The way I installed it pushes it back i think about 3/4". Just enough so that the knobs on the head clears the stock radio door.

mwy23

i wonder...the whole problem with this deck is the knobs being too long, correct? i wonder if those knobs can be switched out with shorter ones????

MintyWinty

Interested in getting this unit so i was wondering if there have been any updates in terms of pics.

-Steve

S2WOOOW

I just got the dash control interface module from Lucid, so I will have the unit out of the car probably this weekend. I will try to remember taking pics while I re-install everything.