Jump to content

Can a factory head unit be modified to accept MP3 input


dhs1223

Recommended Posts

I have been tossing around an idea and was wondering if anyone had considered it also. Do you think it would be possible to take a factory head unit from AC Delco and modify it to accept the input from an mp3 / ipod music player.

 

If you had a simple factory am/fm cassette deck and were willing to give up the cassette function, could you not access the cassettes output electronics and insert a jack to receive the mp3 player output??

 

This is just an idea. I have a good factory head unit (am/fm cassette) that I pulled out when I found a factory am/fm/cd/cassette unit. I would be willing to tear into my spare head unit, but need some indication if this would be possible or not.

 

I want to maintain the factory look of the dash, therefore, I do not want to install an aftermarket head unit to get mp3 player capability in my car and I also do not want to go the route of using an fm transmitter with the mp3 player. The sound is just not good enough.

 

Thank you for any input on this concept.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

tape adaptor? :dunno: in my experience that has sounded better than an FM transmitter, but not necessarily as good as an actual input. It was on a good tape deck, though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the link. It looks like a good possibility. I would like to find the most aesthetically looking method to do this. The location of the jack is something I am still trying to decide on.

 

So based on what the guy is selling on ebay, it is definitely possible to modify older Delco head units. I am hoping to work this out myself. I want to challenge myself and do this type of project myself. If I fail with my spare head unit, then I might consider buying something already made.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He has one up on ebay currently.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-Delco-auxiliary-aux-input-for-ipod-mp3-zune-CD_W0QQitemZ320086822951QQihZ011QQcategoryZ38636QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I think he will allow you to send your radio to him, and he bench tests it, then installs the MP3 adapter thingy. I am going to do this when we are sure it will work on the first gen cd players..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone buy that part, get the instructions and post it back here! :lol:

 

Thats all he did. Bought a radio from another ebay seller that modifies them like that.

Now he is selling them himself. So he copied what someone else did in the first place.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone buy that part, get the instructions and post it back here! :lol:

 

Thats all he did. Bought a radio from another ebay seller that modifies them like that.

Now he is selling them himself. So he copied what someone else did in the first place.

 

 

Uhm, try again. He did this all himself. Did the research, bought a few radios off ebay to coble into and find out how it would work, and finnally a end product. Just like the guy also completely made a clone eurosport VR from his own rusty eurosport VR. He did such a good job with it, the car got apraised at 16000 dollars.

 

I also have seen no other person selling this type of a setup on ebay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone buy that part, get the instructions and post it back here! :lol:

 

Thats all he did. Bought a radio from another ebay seller that modifies them like that.

Now he is selling them himself. So he copied what someone else did in the first place.

 

 

Uhm, try again. He did this all himself. Did the research, bought a few radios off ebay to coble into and find out how it would work, and finnally a end product. Just like the guy also completely made a clone eurosport VR from his own rusty eurosport VR. He did such a good job with it, the car got apraised at 16000 dollars.

 

I also have seen no other person selling this type of a setup on ebay.

 

 

 

DING, WRONG!

 

Quote from his msg's on the new a-body board. Dated: Jan/07

 

"So I got on e-bay, bity the bullet, and just bought one from the dude. As soon as I get it, I'm gonna open it up and see what makes it tick. It has to be a simple modification, and I was real close to getting it to work."

 

" I got the radio yesterday and proceeded to reverse-engineer it as soon as I got it out of the box. :oI knew it! Totally simple. Unbelievable. I was soooo close to getting it right."

 

There you go, he tried and failed... Bought one and found out he was close. His "research" as you say is off the one he bought that was already done. Good for him.

 

 

And this all started from the old a-body board. Dated Sept/06

http://cgi.a-body.net/forum-archive/viewtopic.php?t=2508

 

Take a look at ebay seller THORIG

 

 

 

Happy reading.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never knew about that stuff on the old board... Had me under the impression he did this all himself (since the dude lives like 20 miles from me). OOPS!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the link. It looks like a good possibility. I would like to find the most aesthetically looking method to do this. The location of the jack is something I am still trying to decide on.

 

So based on what the guy is selling on ebay, it is definitely possible to modify older Delco head units. I am hoping to work this out myself. I want to challenge myself and do this type of project myself. If I fail with my spare head unit, then I might consider buying something already made.

 

If you're already taking the radio apart to put the adapter in, isn't it possible to drill a hole in the face-plate and put the aux jack right there? It might a little tight to route the wires inside the deck, but afterwards, it would be a totally clean installation. The other option is to route the cable into your glove box or center console so you can plug your mp3 player in there. I have this setup with my ipod, but I can actually control the ipod through my deck, so I don't have to have physical access to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I just bought and installed this:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270112607100

 

It sounds great. I like having my mp3s on cds, however this also has aux input. This thing fits really easily in the original spot where the factory came out of. For $85, it's a cheapy that sounds and looks nice. It's not (by far) the greatest thing I could put in here, but it does the job.

 

Need to add...I will have pictures up within the week. Just have priorities with my kids and all.

 

Here is two pics that I am adding to this post. First is with the dash off. Second is installed and rockin.

 

[attachment deleted by admin] Removed to free up storage space.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...