Double din navigation radio upgrade for '91 Daytona

[Daytona_Shopper]

I did a search in this section as well as the electrical one and saw two old posts that didn't cover what I'm planning.

I've done some research and would like to do an in-dash audio with navigation without a flip-out screen upgrade to my '91 Daytona.

The Daytona as with most Dodges of this era used a 1.5DIN radio. Most aftermarket radios are 1.0 DIN, and those in later models and most Japanese cars are double DIN.

I want to make it so I could return to the stock parts if needed. I also wanted newer features like Ipod control and Bluetooth.

My first step was to compare radio units. There are very few 1.5DIN navigation unit made by Mopar and none aftermarket. It is questionable if they will fit in the dash due to rounded corners, or be compatible electronically.

Next, I looked at the newer Mopar REC/RER MyGig radios, and while really cool, there is abundant info that they cannot be made to work with pre-2005 or so vehicles.

I then looked at aftermarket units. I found the Dual XDVDN8290, which is a double DIN unit. It features SD card based navigation, integrated Bluetooth, and an Ipod control harness. It has an input for a rearview camera. Best of all, it can be had for under $700 shipped. Others such as Kenwood and Pioneer start around this price, but require add-ons that up the price a lot.

EDIT
I found the Pioneer AVIC-F700BT, which seems to have these same features for about the same price, plus it does text-to-speech.

The main issue as I see it is getting it into the dash. I read a post on another forum where someone had a similar idea for a 2000 Trans Am, and ended up using a 7" screen behind an altered dash bezel. I did a similar thing integrating a Homelink control into the overhead console of my '98 Durango.

I plan to pick up a used bezel to experiment with and then see how tough it will be to get the unit into the dash.

In the meantime, I have done some wiring diagrams to see if there is anything that is a red flag here. The only wires I can't identify yet are for the back up lights and the parking brake switch wire. I doubt I will hook the parking brake wire up, as it restricts features while the car is in motion.

I'll update here as I make any progress, and would appreciate any advice or tips from anyone that has tried to add a double DIN in their dash.

[Daytona_Shopper]

I have started the project and will try to describe what needs to be done, as well as a number of pictures. This project will require cutting metal in the dash. While you will still be able to reinstall a stock radio, you will have to modify the radio bezel. I'm not going to get into the power/speaker wiring, as I found the Scosche kit allows you to use the proper wiring colors/functions if you follow their instructions. Also, the link for the Traveler install here:
Wiring a Lebaron Traveler computer

It is 99% right. The only things to note so far are that:
1) Do not use the defroster wiring for power. It is constantly hot and the display will never shut off. I used the switched power for the radio.
2) Where he says pin 3 towards the end under pin 6, he means pin 6.
3) My BCM connector had funky numbering. He is right by saying to use the violet/brown pin 7 and white/black pin 20 wires for the data bus. The shop manual wiring diagram is way off base here.

I'm also:
1) Adding a two button traveler from a '90 Lebaron
2) Adding a pair of Cadillac Homelink sunvisors
3) Recovering the headliner board (Joanne fabric method)
4) Adding a rearview camera

while I've got the car apart.

The first thing to do is to remove the radio bezel, then the radio, then the pocket where the Traveler will go in my case.

The Pioneer is a full double DIN unit, and is a little taller and narrower than the stock 1.5 DIN Dodge radio. To fit the Pioneer, I cut the plastic and metal center bracket under the stock radio. You need to cut as close to the edge as possible, and will probably have to grind/file here:


The next step was to make a metal bracket that sat lower to hold up the rear of the Pioneer radio. I bent some 1" wide x 1/8" steel into a U shape and fit ti inside, fastening it with some 1/4" bolts and nuts (tight fit behind the outer plastic trim panels, but it can be done:



After test-fitting the radio and Traveler/pocket, the next issue is trimming the bezel. I cut into the section between the Traveler and the radio after marking it with a Sharpie. You can use a jigsaw if you support the plastic bezel properly. I took a little at a time, and used a hand file to finish the opening once I was close:




The next thing is mounting the front of the radio. I used the face of my stock Dodge radio (two Torx screws- save these for later- and a few plastic clips/pull all knobs and it comes right off) and marked it where I needed to cut it for a close fit on the Pioneer. I used the parts with the mounting tabs and trimmed them from behind so they would fit as close to the Pioneer as possible (not really that close, but more on this later).




I then made some metal brackets using some thin straps from a garage door opener support I had laying around- similar to radio support straps you get with new radios. Any thin (1/16" or so) x 1/2" wide strap would do. I bent them into U shapes to mate with the radio mounting tab on the driver side, then drilled/filed the holes until I could fit one of the screws that came with the Pioneer to hold them in place. I then drilled 1/8" holes into the U-portions so I could install the bracket using the Torx screws from the stock radio. My pics for this part did not come out really well. On the passenger side, I used some 1/8" aluminum plate that I cut into an L shape and mounted part to the radio, then a couple of 1/4" nuts as spacers so the Torx screws did not go into the radio.



Once all this was done, I did another test fit:




To finish the brackets and bezel, I am filling the holes/gaps with JB Weld. Once this has set, I can file for final fit and then repaint the parts. (Pending)

Along the way, here are some other related things:
The GPS antenna for the unit is mounted to the metal roof. It worked well inside my garage, so I'm confident it will work OK in the real world outside. I ran the wire down the A-pillar into the passenger side of the dash and over to the center opening.

The Pioneer uses an external mike for voice functions. The default setup is to clip it to a sunvisor. This did not appeal to me, so after inspecting the domelight, I found there was enough room to mount the mike there.

I drilled a 25/64" hole as indicated and fed the cable through. The hole is snug enough to hold the mike in place and very little sticks out:




The mike cable follows the GPS antenna cable through the same opening to the same location.

The rearview camera and related wiring is pending.

[Daytona_Shopper]

I'm still working on the side panels and bezel for the radio. In the meantime, I'm installing an ebay rearview camera with infrared illuminators. This is the same tech I have on some home security cameras and they work good in total darkness. The camera comes with a 32' cable, which is way too long, so I asked for and received a 16' one, which is a good size for the Daytona.

Camera: (missing one cable)


Camera installed:


To do this, I removed the rear interior trim in the hatch area, the nuts holding the center trim piece by the plate and also the right tail light. The cable was an easy pull through here over to the passenger side behind the tail light. There was a rubber plug on my car on the passenger side:




I cut a cross slit in it and was able to push the camera cable through. I then ran the cable under the plastic trim panel on the passenger side- it is tight by where the rear seat is, but if the rear trim panel is loosened, it can be pulled clear of any pinching here. After that, it runs along the rocker panel in the factory pieces, which have slits in them so you don't need to remove them to run the cable:


It then goes past the BCM on the passenger kick panel, behind the glovebox, and into the radio area. I can't hook it up until I get the missing cable, but the install was not as bad as I thought it would be.

[Daytona_Shopper]

I finished up the install today. The radio needs to be shimmed some on the passenger side to close up a gap, and I could use some more filler on the bottom of the opening. All things considered, I'm happy with the installation. I tested the navigation and Bluetooth functions and everything is working OK. The camera would not work as wired- I found my backup switch in the transaxle was bad, and the switch I got from Radio Shack was the wrong type.

Here are some pics:
Camera with shop lights on:


Shop lights off (infrared illumination only) :



Radio installed:



Also here is a video link to the remote start alarm I installed at the same time:
Daytona_remote_start.flv - Video - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting