UHF Radio : fitting in dash

[Gromit]

My GLX NS has a (useless) compartment below the radio/cd which looks as though it might be removeable and is about 'din' size - ideal for a GME TX4400.
Has anyone removed this area of the dash, or actually installed a radio in there?

[dunkinx]

yups, it can be removed, I have a 1 din radio installed,

[Gromit]

dunkinx, could you please please tell me how you removed the dash to get to this area. Was it easy? I'm willing to have a go myself if it doesn't require any special tools, or the assistance of a contortionist to get under the dash.

[dunkinx]

dunkinx, could you please please tell me how you removed the dash to get to this area. Was it easy? I'm willing to have a go myself if it doesn't require any special tools, or the assistance of a contortionist to get under the dash.

remove compartment

remove drivers side

remove center panel

your done, 1 din will fit nicely.

finished

this is how i did mine, sorry for the blurred pics.

owen

[Walker]

Hey, your steering wheel is on the wrong side!

I reckon those pics make it seem a lot easier than it is, but I wouldn't mind giving it a go, I reckon that is a great place to put the UHF.
I think my GME 3200 is smaller than 1DIN, I wonder if they make a surround for it??

[Walker]

Owen,
I have had the glove box and the drivers side panel out but do you remember what you had to do to remove the centre panel?

Also, what did you attach the stereo head unit to? From what I can see, there is no frame aound that compartment.

[Gromit]

Thanks for the reply and the pics dunkinx. I think I'll have a go, but as Walker says, I reckon there's more to it than it seems from just a few pictures. Did you have a manual to go by? How long did it take you?

[dunkinx]

adam, I dont recall having a hard time removing the center console. after removing both sides, it was fairly easy to see how the center console was attached, mainly clips were used. it even took me longer to find the screws to remove the glove box, which were behind the wood trim.
I only used the chassis that came with the radio, had no problems with rattles or CD skipping. 1 din fits exactly.

gromit. happy to help. it took around 2 hours, most of the time was spent looking for the clips. my car was just a weeks old when i installed the radio, was scared to break any clips. no manual just looked for the clips and screws.

[Schniff]

Im putting an Icom 400 Pro in that space with the DIN installation kit. Im pretty sure GME make one for the 3220/3200 too.

[Mike DiD]

Thanks for the reply and the pics dunkinx. I think I'll have a go, but as Walker says, I reckon there's more to it than it seems from just a few pictures. Did you have a manual to go by? How long did it take you?

Drivers side -
- Remove panel between dash and door, starting at its rear edge
- Pull the narrow trim strip above the mirror switch directly out.
- Pull the trim strip on the left of the steering wheel directly out.
- Undo clips holding black panel above the pedals.
- Undo screws at the top and two screws at the bottom (one behind fuse cover) of the lower panel and pull this panel outwards.
- undo screw holding in lower center console

Passenger side -
- Remove panel between dash and door, starting at its rear edge
- Pull the narrow trim strip above the glovebox directly out.
- Undo clips holding black panel.
- Undo screws at the top and two screws at the bottom of the
glovebox and surround and pull outwards.
- undo screw holding in lower center console

Pull the lower centre console outwards.

[Gromit]

Thanks for these excellent instructions Mike.
Only one question - pulling the trim strips out - is there any special way of doing this, or do they simply pull out? i.e. did you need to get anything underneath them to get them started etc. I'd hate to do any damage to them.

[Mike DiD]

You can easily get your fingers behind the outer edge of the left and far right ones, after you have removed the panels between dash and door.

The trim on the left of the steering wheel can be gripped near the steering wheel if you lift it to its highest postion.

The clips on all these panel are high-quality square ones which pull out without excessive force needed, and still hold the panels snugly when replacing them.

After you have undone the screws at the top of the Glovebox, there are still a couple of small clips that need to be lifted to release the top edge.

[Gromit]

Mike - I got up the courage to have a go at removing the trim on the dash of my 2 week old car (wanted to be sure I could get it off before ordering radio). It was a tricky job as they just would not come off by just trying to pull them out - eventually got a small flat screwdriver and very carefully pushed it up behind the trim and levered it out, using a rag as padding between the screwdriver and dash. Those suckers really grip, but I got them all out. I have now ordered the radio (a GME 4400). Thanks again for posting the instructions .

[Enric]

Sorry by the offtoppic but DUNKINX in your signature you say that your NS auto don't have the dpf installed.
Had you remove it?

[Walker]

Mike - I got up the courage to have a go at removing the trim on the dash of my 2 week old car (wanted to be sure I could get it off before ordering radio). It was a tricky job as they just would not come off by just trying to pull them out - eventually got a small flat screwdriver and very carefully pushed it up behind the trim and levered it out, using a rag as padding between the screwdriver and dash. Those suckers really grip, but I got them all out. I have now ordered the radio (a GME 4400). Thanks again for posting the instructions .

Did you have to remove the glovebox and drives side panel to remove the centre panel?
I have just ordered the DIN fitting kit for the 3200 so it should fill in the area nicely.