great1

Hi Ron, Can you tell me how much would it cost me for you to make a kit for me with a opening for a DIN radio and a pocket underneath. THanks

StreetEffectz

basic kit is $45, but we NEED to have a cardboard template made and sent to us.

great1

thanks Ron, for the template do I just need to create just the way the face will look, it for a 01 TL-P and where would I send the faceplate too, I live in Texas

Mike H.

Ron,

What is your e-mail? I have a couple of questions for you in regards to indiglo signs like the Acura one for kman. TIA.

Regards,
Mike

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

I think he's talking about the cutout for the headunit you want to put in. He needs to know what size the cutout will be to fit the unit.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

ron@streeteffectz.com

StreetEffectz

Thanks Neil!

Yes, I just need you to make me a template with the cutout you want in it that fits you car, that's all. Basically make me the piece you want out of cardboard, and I will duplicate it into whatever finish you like.

hemoglobin23

Hey Ron,

Just sent you an e-mail inquiring about this exact thread. I was wondering what a "basic" template is? Also, if I wanted brackets added so all I had to do was screw things in without any modifications, how much extra would that be? One more thing...when you say a cardboard cutout, do you mean the trapezoidal shaped faceplate with where we want the hole for the new headunit, or do you simply need a cutout of the new headunit? Thanks.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

You need to send him the cutout for the radio that will fit in the faceplate. He needs to know what to cut out so your radio will fit.

2007AcuraRL

if i may add my 2 cents in here, what he needs the cutout for is because unless you are going to mount the radio with the conventional DIN cage that comes with it (which will be somewhat unsightly because the head unit's front panel will be sticking out of the dash quite a bit if you go that route) you will want to mount the head from behind, and have the face just come through so its flush with the trim. Since every head unit's face is shaped slightly different, that is why he needs the template from you. Usually the head unit comes with a slim finish trim piece that snaps around the face of the head, and if so, you only have to trace out the inner diameter of the trim piece and you will have created the shape of the face.

here is my install:

DIN installed in dash

If you look carefully at the sides of the Pioneer head I installed, you will see that the face is not just a rectangle, its slightly curved, and then each corner of the face also has a rounded edge. Now i am a perfectionist and thats why it took so many hours to get my trim panel perfect, and i can assure you its perfect. It was constantly checked with a micrometer to ensure the sides of the opening are all parallel and straight as an arrow.

Gee if I would have known Ron would have made me this piece for only $45 - boy that would have been some great deal!!

hemoglobin23

Hey 2002TL...

That looks VERY nice. I guess that is what I am looking to do, as well...but in the color that would match the black part of the dash...I'm glad that you replied to this post because I was constantly worrying about how I would secure the faceplate to the dash...The velcro idea was superb...Never thought of that...Thanx...I already have a piece of plastic that I cut that matches the trapezoidal shape, but never could figure out how to secure that? Anyway, if I can't work with this, I'll be sending streetz some money...

BTW...which holes of the headunit did you use to attach the headunit to the dash? How many screws are securing the headunit to the frame? Also, for the CD holder, what kind of brcket work did you do? Is it like the stock headunit with the two pegs coming out? Sorry for the interrogation, but I need some help figuring this out, and I have been riding around with my dash pulled apart for 9 months.

Thanks again.

2007AcuraRL

Hemoglobin, if i get a chance this weekend i will pull off the front trim panel and take a few pictures so you can see how the face attaches. (btw, i did the panel in burl rather than black because i ordered a burl dash trim kit so eventually the pocket above the head, and the console are below the head will also be the same burl trim to match) You will need a piece of flat metal bar that you can get at the Home Depot for a buck or two. They sell the stuff over by the isle that has all the screws and other fastener hardware.

The pocket mounts with three metal straps which were just the typical thin metal backstraps that come with every car stereo. There is one on either side of the pocket and a third that mounts from the back (to support it and also to keep it straight) and goes from a screw i drilled into the rear of the pocket frame to the rear support bolt on the head unit.

The Pioneer head unit has pre-drilled holes for mounting in certain toyota and nissan cars. None of the holes will line up with the holes on the metal brackets that held the TL stock head unit, so i drilled out new ones in the metal brackets. This wasnt that hard to calculate. First i remounted the brackets without the stock head unit attached just to find and mark where the dead center postion in the middle of the dash opening lines up with the brackets, and then i put the rest of the dash back together and measured how far back the brackets sit from where the head unit would have to be for the face to be flush with the trim plate when its installed. Lastly i pulled the dash back apart and removed the metal brackets, laid them on each side of the pioneer head, and positioned the head to line up with these measurements and then drilled new holes in the brackets to match up with the screw mounting holes on the head.

Note that you wont be able to attach the rear strap coming down from the pocket (which gets installed before you put the new head unit in) to the back of the head unit until after the head is in. But you will be able to get a hand under the head after its installed to attach the nut that holds the strap on.

i can draw some of this out if it doesnt make sense to you. Just send me an email to barbqing@aol.com. I will upload the pics to your email also.

hemoglobin23

2002TL...

Thanx for the help. I guess the pix would suffice, but if I still can't understand from the pix, I will definitely e-mail you about it. You and the others on this board, as always, are totally cool....

I also, came up with another question. How do you know where to make the exact hole for the headunit? Anyway, my e-mail is:

king_kah@yahoo.com

Thanks, again.

2007AcuraRL

How to determine exactly where to cut the hole in the trim plate is pretty simple. Its a 4 part process.

First, you need to make a template of the dash opening that the plate will cover. you can do this by removing the knobs from the head unit and tracing (remove the knobs so the paper will lay as flat as possible over the radio face) or the way i did it for an even more accurate measurement (remember, the pocket over the head unit might not mount back in exactly at the same height as when it was attached by mounting to the stock radio, and even if its off, up or down, by a millimeter or two, tracing the stock radio face wont give you an accurate picture of the hole you have to cover) was to use a thick piece of paper and actually fold it at all the edges until it was the exact size of the hole. (kinda sort of like origami, but not really... )

Step 2, mount the replacement head unit on the brackets and install it into the car. Then put all the trim and console back in. Take a ruler (i still would recommend a caliper if you have one or go buy the $30 metal one they sell at the Woodworkers Warehouse if you have a store near you) and start measuring all around from the edges of the head unit's face to the outer edges of the hole, and then copy those measurements onto your paper template.

Step 2.5 Measure everything at least 3 times to be sure you are dead on the money.

Step 3 take the thin trim piece off from around the head unit(if it has one) and lay it over the marking measurements you made on the piece of template paper. Align it with the marks and then draw all the way around the opening of the trim piece to complete the radio cut out markings. If your head unit doesnt have a trim piece, you will just have to take more measurements around the head unit in Step 2 to be sure you have the exact contours and curved corners of the head unit drawn on your template.

Step 3.5 Recheck your drawing at least 3 times to be sure you are dead on the money.

Step 4 Using a very sharp (ie. use a NEW blade here) X-acto knife, cut out the opening drawn on your paper template. Once its cut out, lay it over the plastic ABS sheet you will be using for your trim panel and transfer the cut out opening to the sheet. BE SURE to line up the paper template and not let it move at all while you are tracing the pattern. Tape it down to keep it from moving. You can either use masking tape, a pencil or the xacto blade to mark the sheet, but if you opt to use the blade, be very careful not to slip in the process or you will ruin your panel. I went with the Masking tape method here since its good to have the rest of the piece covered over to protect it while you are handling and cutting. Just apply the tape so the edges of the tape are matched up to your cutting lines. Then begin cutting out the opening with your dremel. Be SURE to cut it slightly smaller than your finished opening and them finish it up by hand with a set of sharp files - a flat and a round one (you will need a small round one to file the rounded corners of most head unit faces) and finish the edge with sandpaper as i explained in the original post i linked you to above.