I'm willing to assume most of you have aftermarket radios... My question is, if you replare the stock radio, how do you fill the gaping hole in the dash? the stock unit is so big! is there an adapter kit anywhere?

 

?!??! i had to cut my dash cover a bit for my new aftermarket radio to fit. What oh **** you have an 85 FB. Sorry man i have NOT installed a radio in one of those before. S2 FTW!!!

 

most kits come with a "pocket" that will fill the whole for you... I have a piece of carbon fiber to mount gauges in....

 

Crutchfield sent me a nice black plate with the aftermarket reciever hole already cut (free too!). Too bad their harness for the 85 SE wasnt even close so I had to take theirs apart and rebuild it...

 

i got my radio install kit at best buys its the second gen kit but it works on ours. it says mazda kit 93-97 on the bag but like i said works on ours to. its universal and inside the instructions list the 80-85. the part # is 99-7501 made by metra and it cost around $25.00

 

I measured it up, and had a sheet of 3mm thick carbon fiber CNC cut. Now I just need to get 2 more gauges to fill the holes.

 

Isn't that hole a standard double DIN? Usually, stereos and cars use a 1 or 2 DIN hole. Basically, you can get the standard or the bigger one. If you have a double DIN hole and a single DIN stereo, there is usually a plate/pocket/cover type thing optionally sold to fill it up.

I have not tried a double DIN in my 85se though, so maybe in 1985, that wasn't a standard...

 

I don't know about the 70-80, or 81-83, but the 84-85 uses a double DIN hole, your correct there. You could out a stereo, and an EQ of the same size if you wanted. I chose gauges.

 

WOW Team!...how much to get you to make me one? ;]

 

i did the 'custom secret audio' way, left the factory radio in my 84 in the stock location an put the aftermarket one in the glovebox

 

I've thought about it. I have the pattern, a source for the material, and know a CNC guy. Only thing is, is that my panel, had the little 'nubs' on the back ground down from the other owner when he did his stereo, so that would have to be done to anyone else who wanted one. Other wise I'd have to get a new one, which i do need, mine's all cracked, and make a new template from the new one, so accommodate the 'nubs'. Another thing I think might me an issue is different radios mean different openings. I know they're all DIN, but my face is all that sticks thru my panel, the whole unit couldn't fit thru. I'll have to try this panel out with a few different radios to see how well it would work. I'll take some shots of the back side so you can see what I'm talking about.

 

the dash kit part number from metra is 99-7501 this is for a 1984-1985 rx7

cheers

 

I am totally down for getting two from you. I too use Alpine head units so the face hole would be fine. if you could shoot more pictures that would be great. I will PM yew with my email addy.

 

is there a link to metra anyone can send me?

 

I had the same problem. The previous owner replaced the stock (which I am currently looking for) radio and put a cheap piece of vinyl under it to fill the gap. I thought the radio might look better on the lower half of the gap, so I could put gauges or switches above. Though the gap is irregular i.e. wider at the top. I'm planning on fabricating some form of metal box to house switches and wiring. Though nothing as fancy and sleek as that carbon fiber. kudos.