MaStaMooN Posted October 16, 2007 Share Posted October 16, 2007 I tried like hell to buy just the faceplate before I started my project and could'nt get it. I called panasonic directly as a dealer and as a consumer and they would not sell the faceplate only. See the whole units on ebay every so often for about $150 bucks Thanks man. Jon - vBGarage Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPU1 Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 so how did this turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finse Posted October 23, 2007 Author Share Posted October 23, 2007 so how did this turn out? I did a test fitting on Saturday and found a couple bugs in the electronics. I will be taking it back up to Erik this week for some more tweaking. Its close, just not quite there yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buru Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 post some pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finse Posted November 2, 2007 Author Share Posted November 2, 2007 Ok, so tonight Erik finished squashing the last couple bugs in the HVAC unit and the Alpine has been installed! It looks fantastic and sounds as good as it looks! This was definitely worth the wait. We installed a SWI-X which allows me to use the steering wheel controls. The Alpine has multi colored LED's, I set it to red to match the interior of the car. Alas, this is worthless with out pics, so I have a couple right now. I will try and get some better pics tomorrow when there is some usable light. Cheers, Ryan I used the flash with this first shot... Its a bit washed out... http://www.slacktastic.net/SpecB_Alpine/withflash.jpg This second shot I did not use the flash. Represents what the setup looks like in the dark fairly well... http://www.slacktastic.net/SpecB_Alpine/nightshot.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicytuna Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 ! That is awesome! The night shot is simply stunning. Definitely the way the LGT should have come from the factory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 BTW, anybody know if you can buy just the "face plate" of the Dual auto hvac/radio unit, or do you need to buy both the face and the radio junk behind it? I believe dealer can sell just the faceplate. There should be separate part # for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buru Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 I like it man, nice. What was the total cost. I got a pm about it but i did not know that it would look that fly at night!!! I am about to freshen up my audo and this might be part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest heightsgtltd Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Great Job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one69chev Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 looks sweet....are you planning to upgrade the speakers and so forth?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kober1 Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Yeah bud great job on going through with this, truely a unique legacy. And seriously what a**hats at SOA thought and still thinks that this is a great idea to combine the radio with the HVAC? I want to kick him in the balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaStaMooN Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 I dont know.. I mean, technically its awesome and is how we should be able to do things... But it looks so lonely down there with a single din head unit. A nice fat double din down there would have just made it perfect. I dont think this is ever going to happen for me, so I think im gonna try a CarPC route with a cleansweep type interface to clean up the sound. As much as Id like to run a headunit and power the stock speakers off the head, i dont think I could deal with the redundancy of seeing 2 stereos in my car and this method is too much time/money before even buying the hardware. Awesome though man! Congrats. Jon - vBGarage Profile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finse Posted November 2, 2007 Author Share Posted November 2, 2007 Definitely the way the LGT should have come from the factory! I could not agree more spicytuna. While the luxury car makers do make radios that appear to be integrated with HVAC, I believe they can be separated (My boss's Audi is like this). Even then its usually a moot point because BMW, Lexus and others don't include Kmart quality car stereos in their models. /rant What was the total cost. I am in about $1000/1100 right now. The Alpine was about $200 less then I paid for my last one, so that was a nice surprise. looks sweet....are you planning to upgrade the speakers and so forth?? Yes! right now this is my intent, and in this ordercustom fiber glass box, as written up in the DIY forumBluetooth integration for the Alpinespeakers all aroundHD radio.Considering I just blew a hell of a lot of cash, I need some time to recover before I get more gear But it looks so lonely down there with a single din head unit. A nice fat double din down there would have just made it perfect. Double din was an option. I chose single din as I already have a oem nav system. two screens imho is just too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fweasel Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Nice job. You have a talented installer. ignore him, he'll go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicytuna Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Yeah bud great job on going through with this, truely a unique legacy. And seriously what a**hats at SOA thought and still thinks that this is a great idea to combine the radio with the HVAC? I want to kick him in the balls. Maybe they had future plans. Like controlling the temperature of the car based on the tempo of the music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biz77 Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Ok, so tonight Erik finished squashing the last couple bugs in the HVAC unit and the Alpine has been installed! It looks fantastic and sounds as good as it looks! This was definitely worth the wait. We installed a SWI-X which allows me to use the steering wheel controls. The Alpine has multi colored LED's, I set it to red to match the interior of the car. Alas, this is worthless with out pics, so I have a couple right now. I will try and get some better pics tomorrow when there is some usable light. Cheers, Ryan I used the flash with this first shot... Its a bit washed out... http://www.slacktastic.net/SpecB_Alpine/withflash.jpg This second shot I did not use the flash. Represents what the setup looks like in the dark fairly well... http://www.slacktastic.net/SpecB_Alpine/nightshot.jpg I bow to thee... and thee's installer;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canon20D Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Yes! right now this is my intent, and in this ordercustom fiber glass box, as written up in the DIY forum Get the CAS box - its AWWWWWESOME!!! I connected that to a 300w amp. I can make my pants vibrate =D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finse Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 Get the CAS box - its AWWWWWESOME!!! I connected that to a 300w amp. I can make my pants vibrate =D I may do that, but I have to give the DIY custom fiberglass box the old college try first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canon20D Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Ok I didnt have any fiberglass so it was a pretty easy decision for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighlineCA Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Im sure a pack of beer will persuade Erik to watch over your 'glass build. Rich @ HCA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutru01 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 If I could afford this, I would do it in a heartbeat. I don't care how you look at it, IMHO, an aftermarket headunit is better than going the cleansweep route anyday. Thats why I have a single DIN cd player in my upper bezel. Not only do you have more control of your sound from the cd player, the sound is not being flattened then amplified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finse Posted November 14, 2007 Author Share Posted November 14, 2007 Im sure a pack of beer will persuade Erik to watch over your 'glass build. Rich @ HCA Your probably right. But by the looks of things Erik is going be one hell of a busy guy I don't care how you look at it, IMHO, an aftermarket headunit is better than going the cleansweep route anyday. Thats why I have a single DIN cd player in my upper bezel. Not only do you have more control of your sound from the cd player, the sound is not being flattened then amplified. Could'nt have said it better myself. The one thing I didn't like about my car is now a thing of the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canon20D Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 If I can sell both my 07 units for 400$ each ill be down for this, but otherwise - I just dropped a grand on the Wicked CAS box and 07 unit + ipod connection.. and it sounds Amazing already so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxiboy Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Do you know if a double DIN would fit? I drive a GT wagon and would like to get the Pioneer AVIC D3 so that I can have navigation as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fweasel Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Do you know if a double DIN would fit? I drive a GT wagon and would like to get the Pioneer AVIC D3 so that I can have navigation as well. Yes it fits. Its been before. Search for member's daswrx install thread. ignore him, he'll go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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