Has anyone replaced the HUGE reciever in their FC with a smaller more compact one like a Sony Xplod? I think I'm going to buy one this week and had the idea a while ago to put maybe 3 guages under the reciever. I was wondering if anyone had done this or something similar.

 

i did this in my 88. i had to make a custom surround to mount it to though as there is no way to mount an aftermarket radio to the stock location. i have picsif u want to see them. there is plenty of room for guages too

 

If you ISO mount the aftermarket radio to the Mazda factory radio can, it attaches quite nicely.

Then all you have to do is make a simple trim panel for the gauges or pocket or whatever.

 

Hey Moxeys93RX7 send me the pics if you could. Screwboy77x@hotmail.com

Icemark- what do you mean ISO mounting it in the factory can?

 

I replied the other day, but it must not have survived the crash today.

Anyway, ISO mounting uses the factory bracket to mount the radio.

Most radios have ISO screw holes on the side that allow mounting in Japanese cars like Toyota or Nissan. So when you ISO mount on the FC, you just drill a couple of hole in the factory radio bracket and mount the radio to that. then the brackets mount into the cars dash, rather than the trim panel.

Then a simple trim panel that you make yourself fills in any holes, and allows for mounting of the gauges.

The next best would be something like this:
.

Again the bracket screws into the dash panel rather than the radio bezel/trim panel.

Here's another:

 

Icemark: That shot of your deck and those gauges is pretty dope! I've got an FD, and I plan to do somethins similar, but will use Defi gauges, and an Eclipse headunit. Well done!

 

Actually not mine, There is a guy in the FC forum that is making them. I just stole his pictures figuring he wouldn't mind the publicity

 

here's mine ISO loaded, with the factory pocket.

 

and with the face removed:


But I have been wanting to remove the CF look and replace it with a nice gloss black trim panel, so that it matches the Logicon above it.

But you can see that the panel could be very easily left solid where the factory pocket is and gauges added.

The nice thing about this set up is that very little weight is actually mounted onto the dash/radio bezel. On the older bezels or the ones exposed to heat and sun the plastic gets very brittle, and will crack if anything is added to them as far as weight.

With the ISO (or above metal panel) the weight is kept off the dash bezel, and it again is much more solid.

 

Hey guys. All look very nice. I actually ended up gong to Best Buy yesterday and got the reciever, harness, and install kit and it looks pretty good. I put th lil' pocket in under the reciever for now. After I get the $$$ to rebuild my engine, I'll throw some guages @ her. Thanks again everyone.