Got my Alpine IVA-D300 installed, along with an Alpine CD Changer and iPod adapter. Also had my EDFC controller custom mounted in the stock HU (props to shawrf1 for the idea). Next up, adding two more subs, another amp, and a big ole' capacitor to the trunk, and having the whole thing fiberglassed in and painted.

 

Sweet!

 

Awesome! Where did you get the dash kit?

 

I had the dash kit fabricated out of the existing dash piece.

 

By who? Gosh, I need better connections...

 

Local stereo shop did it. It is a piece to tide me over until I get the whole stock HU removed and the entire center dash done up in a painted fiberglass deal. But, it didn't cost as much as the RMagic 1 DIN piece, and fits better because it retains the stock dash piece.

 

Sweet! i likey that!

 

The dash piece is a cool thing - although I don't quite like the surface.
Could they not match the interior for some reason?

 

If your local stereo shop can do that piece for a good enough price, I think there would be many interested buyers on here.

 

Scud, was it considerably cheaper than the r-magic peice (which if I recall was $500)?

 

That was about as close a match to the interior as I could get. Not perfect, but that's what happens when you work with existing material instead of fabricating brand new stuff (like the RMagic piece is). Like I said, it's just there to tide me over for a little while. All told, it was not considerably cheaper than the RMagic piece, but still cheaper (by about $100), and didn't require any sanding or glueing in order to fit it in.

 

Well I think a LOT of us are looking at a solution to tide over until some enterprising folks with fab skills to make a permanent solution... thanks!

 

you are playing and adding alot lately

looks awesome

 

I think fabricating pieces like this take away from the "factory look"

1. If you are going to incorporate another radio...why keep the stock?
2. The EDFC looks way out of place....if that's where you are looking to keep it...paint it black.
3. Why spend 2x? You'll spend less $ doing it 1x, and it will look right.

 

Devoid,

I don't plan on keeping the stock HU, but right now I had to choose between having my trunk done or having my center console done. And the trunk is more important in the overall scheme of things. So, I went with a less expensive, "quick" fix so that I could get the stock stereo completely out of the picture and enjoy my IVA-D300 while I wait to finish the job. I don't have the willpower that you do to just leave my car sitting in a garage and not drive it. :D

 

And, as for the EDFC controller, painting it is not really an option, because there's no way to avoid painting over all of the labeling on the controller. It's unfortunate that TEIN doesn't offer the controller in a black version.

 

Actually, if I could get a similar dash piece for a 1DIN unit that matches the interior surface perfectly and looks factory, then I'd get it to install a navigation unit with a flip-out screen. I think there are such units on the market - and they can do even more than just nav (play DVD, for instance). I would not want to get rid of the factory head unit, it's not THAT bad.

Yes, I know, I should have gotten the factory nav but I didn't - this would allow me to fix that issue and hopefully would cost less than the $2000 option price... maybe not. Oh well.