FM Modulated CD Changer

[azbobbybooshay10]

My dad gave me a 6-disc CD Changer this past weekend, and I want to know if it will work before I tear the dash apart.

Its an Alpine 5951 "CD Shuttle" Changer. It hooks into the car's antenna, and you change your FM station to a particular station to play the CD's.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of system? I don't see any reason why it won't work, but I want to be sure before I take the dash apart to get to the deck.

[skater]

It should work. It won't be the best sound quality of course, but it'll work. You'll need two antenna adaptors - one to go from VW to "normal" and the other to go from "normal" to VW. Crutchfield sells them, I know.

You don't have to tear the dash apart - just get the radio puller tool and pull out the radio. There's more than enough room to work in there.

[tad]

yeah.. all you gotta mess with is the antenna lead.. it's nice
if you have an alpine head unit you can just get an ai net cable.. i'm actually selling one on ebay right now :)

[EricF]

those units work pretty well, I had one in the car for a while.. actually the wires are still there.. I forgot to remove em.

But "ripping the dash apart" you make it sound like brain surgery.. it would take 15 minutes to test.

[azbobbybooshay10]

Hmm, I hadn't realized you could just pop the deck out. I was thinking you had to oull the panels around it off and stuff. BTW, how do I get the deck out? I see it has those 2 "keyholes" on each side that need a special tool, where do I get it? And what does it look like, so when I go tomorrow I know what I'm looking for?

[skater]

It's just two pieces of metal bent into a U-shape. Any audio shop would have them - ask for the Ford radio removal tool.

For an example, see this page. (http://www.pro-fit-intl.com/dealers/specialtytools.html)

[ClaymoreWW]

I think I had to go to Autozone to get my tools to get the deck out. It was about $5, I think and contains two U-shaped wires that fit into those holes. Push both into the holes until there is a small click. Gently push the parts sticking out towards their respective car doors - only about 1/4 inch - and pull on them to bring the radio out. The idea is that you have to compress tiny little flat spring-type latches that keep the deck in place. It jsut took longer to type this than to get the deck out using these tools.

--george

[Topik]

deck takes like 15 seconds to pull out. Maybe 5 mins to do everything behind the radio, run your wires under the carpet, put radio back in, run wires to trunk, mount cd changer, viola.

[cougarprophet]

i just use four long nails

[azbobbybooshay10]

My friend is wondering about the nail thing (he's gonna help me wire it tomorrow). What size nails did you use? Was there anything special you needed to do to get them to work?

I'd prefer to "improvise" something, as I'm getting a new deck from ice992 in a couple weeks, so I'm not gonna need this for much longer.