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Show us your radio console EA81 units


jono
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Just thinking of how others modify their radio consoles in today's era. A lot has changed since Subaru brought us throw away cars that just aren't ready to be thrown away up to thirty years later.

 

Below are two of mine. The one with CD playing device has my front speakers housed in its sides

 

The other has not yet got its entertainment device thought out but has a passenger side power supply which will be std CIG socket and other side will get this double USB power socket.

 

I have EA82 gearbox and console so have a gap of about 65 mm between radio console and gearshift console so can access these power sockets. The other unit is a Chinese made temp unit alarm or switching device I will use to read engine metal temp to switch fans at my preferred temp of 85 to 90 C. Gonna use another for cabin or ambient, maybe another to monitor propane converter to alarm before freezing from coolant loss

 

Show us your console changes yeah?

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I'm trying to get a stock looking cabin but want to add a Aux 3.5mm stereo jack so I can play music from my phone. My BRAT came with a big amp and stereo hooked up to a hacked up dash and stereo. I sourced a stock stereo set up but anyone have any advice on how to add a stereo jack to the stock tape/radio decks and run it through the amp?

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If I could be bothered working out how to post photo's I'd show what I done.

 

I'm a bit anal when it comes to cutting up dash plastics, unless it can be replaced, I don't usually cut or drill plastics in my cars. I've got an unmolested centre console out of a touring wagon with the electric window switches in it and really didn't like the idea of cutting it up. So I made a cover to go over where the radio would usually come through and have placed the headunit/control for my bluetooth system installed there and then mounted a couple of toggle switches in to the holes where the knobs would be for the spot lights and fog lights. Then made up a box that sits in the centre behind the seats that I mounted the stereo unit and 6.5" speakers in to. On the bonus side, the box I made has given the speakers some really great bass.

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I just finished reworking mine in my 82 Brat. PO had poorly installed a Radio Shack cassette deck and equalizer along with running screws through the shift console to hold the shift boot. Somewhere along the way they decided that it should be spray painted black. Not sure what kind of paint it was but it didn't stick very well to the plastic so it was looking pretty shabby. The good part is that a couple shots of carb cleaner caused the paint to wrinkle and could be easily scrapped off. 

 

I pulled the radio and equalizer out and remounted them with some better bracing. They were great vintage looking units and both amazingly worked really well. There are some scrapes on the plastic, but overall all looks pretty good after the black paint came off. I pulled a shift console out of my parts car. It was a faded looking blue. I picked up a spay can of the Dupicolor vinyl paint in dark grey. Not really dark as some of the other plastic parts, but close enough and looks better than the one with the screw holes. Also sprayed the vinyl boot, which was blue. Not sure how it will hold up, but figure if it doesn't I can make a new one using it as a pattern. 

 

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I think the Duplicolour dark gray looks better match than the vinyl spray I bought that looks more brown than claimed dark gray. Knuckles I had a Jonny Stratos seat that sort of squeezed me cheeks so may have helped leg not hit speakers....but my knee closer to gear knob than side of console

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  • 2 weeks later...

This was not just a Saturday arvo knock up!

 

I ended up hitting it with not quite dark gray vinyl paint, and it looks pretty neat if I don't say so myself.

 

I cut the entire hash tray and radio fascia out, made a brace across the top behind the mesh and employed a plastic, textured push pin trim plug each side. I nearly splashed out on a DIN sized front speaker for below but could spend pennies better.

 

Hope I have inspired a few more custom jobbies☺

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Edited by jono
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thanks :) I made use of the gap that occurs when using a particular L Series console after dropping the L Series five speed DR box in with no lever cuts. Its nice not having console bucket contents on display too having an L Serie lid as well :)

 

I added a std power socket to the passenger side to make use of the not central set up so long plugs and straight cord does not interfere with other console sections, and a twin USB port on driver side, and a little ebay temp control device between them, really only visible when head is on flor but it will scream at a temp set by me, think 95 C it is. All this stuff has been kicking about for years just waiting for me to make the time

 

I once saw a college kid walk through a car park where I was , yeah..parked. From where I was standing on an elevated grassy mound could not see my ute for the shrubs. This kid disapeared from view due to shrubs but did not reappear about time he should have. My mate I was with did not share same sixth sense and chipped me when I went to see why kid not pass by. The oxygen bandit trying to further educate himself decided to stick top half of his torso in my open window and fill his mits with my sh1t. As the torso retracted, I was able to wrap my spider arms through his bent at the elbows.

 

Shoot, I nearly made him wet himself from the shock and fear of the surprise I had for him. He went fetal position on my, bawling his eyes out claiming he was just chasing his ball he reckoned went in my window. His excuse did not gel considering the clutch of stuff that dropped all over my seat and the ground as his nerve system packed in :D

 

I bet he still cant walk through a car park and see an open window without a thought to that event !

Edited by jono
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Gosh, where did I get it from originally, goes back some years. I am working through unfinished projects where it seems I had a lot of stuff hoarded and on a mental to- do list. I think I got it from a scrap yard who have a shop for stuff they think is saleable. It is powder coated aluminium, but I hit it with vinyl spray that took to it rather well.

 

I spent many hours, thinking about this, but short spaces at a time, not rushed, go away, bright idea comes to me, go look at it again, once at 2.30 am so would not forget when I woke up !:)

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  • 1 month later...

27055489149_060f50709c_b.jpgIMG_4352 by Dans Subaru, on Flickr

 

Not pretty but it's got everything in a good place.

 

And it's a Subaru radio! It's got Weather Band and it's paired to a Subaru "subwoofer/amp" combo unit under the pass seat.

 

Tray below is from a Loyale, screwed directly to the heater box behind so no chocolate bars in there okay?

Edited by Gloyale
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  • 3 weeks later...

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