Really want to hide a modern radio in the glovebox,

Should i construct a fiberglass casing for it?

Will i have support issues with the weight of the radio in there, will the original glovebox metal straps be enough to hold it?

Or has anyone got any other ideas?

Any pictures or suggestions would be great?

this is a good one as ill be doing it soon, so who's done what out there ??

hey there..
i did this in my beetle.. nice n outa sight when im not around..
its a slab of mdf with the hole cut for the headunit and it is screwed in via the rubber grommet holes in the front of the dash, you know the ones that make the glovebox push open.. and the metal strap is screwed in the bonnet area to hold the rear of the unit that originally holds the glovebox insert..
hope that helps..
paul


[ Edited on 17-12-2006 by h ]

This is another example i found, it looks like it's screwed in at the base.

Thanks paul, good to know i shouldn't have support issues.

thanks for the info guys

Wolf's is screwed in at the base. I didn't cover up around the edges, as it still leaves you a little bit of space for cds at the top
Sorry, I don't have any piccies of it though.

there's at least a few companies in england who have new glove-box liners designed for the install of a modern stereo, and they still have access for the bonnet release.

machine7 is one example of a company who has them:
http://www.machine7.com/section.php?xSec=1284 


is classicvwpacific still going? i'm sure he could bring the parts over for you at a good price...

cheers

kai

I don't believe hiding the Stereo/CD player in the glove compartment...
just get a removeable face unit and take the face with You....
or
You can have the unit attached so no one can pull it from Your car...
lots of things can be done....
I have seen many steel extensions under the centre of the dash... for fitting of Radios etc...

BUT
it possibly will give You piece of mind...
knowing it cannot be seen....

by the idiots who want to steal Your stereo .....

its a shame its come to this..... but it has....

Luckily I have a radio tape player that - although was new when i put it in, having bought it years ago, its worth Zilch, nothing...
I just hope all the Druggos etc realise this when they see it....

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug 

it's not that i want to hide it from car theives, but that i don't want to look at a modern stereo in my old bug, i've gone for the radio blank look,

thanks for the tip on pre-made glove boxes, but whya re they all post 68, i found some in USA also....

how different is a 1963 glove box from post 68's, would this fit it or can be manipulated easierly????

radios are obsolete, get an amp and an ipod like device with tuner. i think decked dubby has a setup like this in a splitty ute.

Hi

I saw an add in vinatge car magazine where they fitted new insides into old radios, maybe this would be the go, then you could have an Ipod hidden in the glove box.

Steve

Some idiot may think that a vintage radio is worth a lot of money Steve???

The reason that most Stereo units in gloveboxes are pre 1968, is that in 1969, the boot release went into the glovebox.... from under the bonnet...

so, You would need to fit the bonnet release somewhere else, or like the early ones and place it under the dash...

Something I thought of, is attaching a cable to the ashtray, and when you pull the ashtray out...
it releases the bonnet lock...
this could be used on any model beetle after 1958 with the ashtray under the centre of the dash...

I'm pretty sure that the later gloveboxes are larger too...

I know the fuel flap on a 71 beetle is a different shape to a 1968 beetle fuel flap??? so anything can be different...

Lee

http://community.webshots.com/user/vw68autobug 

yeah not only do i like the bling jukebox outta site when im not around i couldnt dare bring myself to fit a bulky ugly cd player under the dash in a period type car..
not too mention putting new holes in an otherwise orig dash n bulkhead..
id be hangin next to saddam for that exercise.. :o
i vote for the glovebox all day, everyday.. besides who wears gloves whilst driving anyways.. hehe

I used a bit of plywood easy to shape

You may have to cut the back out of the glove box to make the unit fit

Used a fibreglass box as well much stronger and will allow you to attach the face plate easier

i mounted mine under the dash, as with the face off you can hardly tell it's there. It helps that my HU comes forward and angles up tho.

and i've got a matching 4" speaker in a box in the glovebox instead of the head unit (and the other in the standard position behind the grille) - which keeps them out of the footwells

Put an amp under the bonnet and push a mini jack lead through a small hole in the back of your glovebox. Plug your iPod in, Voila! You can take the iPod with you too with no problems. You could even screw an iPod dock to the bottom of the glovebox so it charges when you play music. Make sure it's not too tall though.

Oasis,
do you have any pic of your setup for the iPod?

If you put it in the glovebox make sure you make some sort of cover for the top.If your bonnet or wiper seals leak you head unit will get full of water
I lost a $700 cd player this way.