Installing a TV in your factory HU space

DansGen1Alero · 11-22-2003, 01:05 PM

This How to is not as easy as it seems. It toke me about 1-2 days to complete.
A steady hand is recommended.

I started with a 7in widescreen Clairon Monitor, A 6.4in monitor will fit as well.
Take out the dash trim around the head unit and remove head unit if neccessary.
Disconnect your climate control so the dash piece is completly removed. (I believe there is 4 or 5 wires to disconnect there might be a vacuum sound when you disconnect the A/C line. Also take out the trim with the pocket that surrounds the shifter. Do not forget to disconnect your ETS and light for PRND321 light.

Prepping

Take your TV and place it in the window of the trim to get an idea of where you will be cutting. With a 6.4 in little cutting is neccessary but you will have to trim top and bottom of the casing in order to fit in the trim (remember there are tabs at the top of the trim be sure the tv is under those in order to install trim back to dash) Take the actual monitor out of case before trimming. This procedure is very time consuming trim a little bit at a time. You do not want it to small or you will have a gap when looking at it. Plus it is also the main way it is mounted to dash. Take the HU/ Climate control dash and you may want to unscrew the White portion (this is your climate control) trimming the top of this piece may be neccessary. do not trim to much remember this is your climate control. You will want to try a couple trial fits just to see how it is coming. If you are using a 7in monitor cutting the window will be necessary I chose the buttom to trim, it is also impariative that you trim the sides where the opening curves inward so there is a flush panel for the tv to rest. This is a hard part because this will be noticable to all who look at your TV. Mine is a little choppy but I went around it with some electrical tape, door trim may also be used. Don't go over board because again it will look tacky and cheap.

Installing
Once the TV is in place and looks good from the other side reassemble the climate control and do a trial fitting to make sure it will fit back in the dash. Then take a glue gun and glue around the edges for a secure fit. (I tried brackets and there is really no way to mount in to the TV or dash). You TV should be complete and stable and look pretty nice.

Relocating the head unit.

The shifter piece was removed and the pocket was cut out from the back in order to slide the new HU into it. Again this is a "little bit at a time " procedure, because the left over trim will also be a portion of what is holding the Head Unit in. Once all cutting is done and the HU has a snug fit try it back in the car. You may want to mount a bracket behind the trim along the two horizontal sides sticking in from the upper and lower dash. Hopefully you know what I am talking about. it will be used for your HU to rest on. reassemble all pieces to see that they should all come together. There weill be a large gap below the H/U know where the pocket was removed, I had a custom piece of wood grain made to install there to conform the headunit into the rest of the dash. You can play with this step and maybe fabricate a smaller pocket or if you left the bottom part of the pocket you may keep half a pocket to store things. After all is in and appeases to you start hooking it up. I did not mention it but all wires should be run and it is plug n play. If you need assisitance please e-mail me.

I hope this helps I know I am not the best decriptive or instructional writier

Here is the finished product

11-22-2003, 01:08 PM

wow you did some nice work on that.. it looks great

DansGen1Alero · 11-22-2003, 01:15 PM

Thanks
here is a pic of the 6.4 in tv

johny_boy32 · 11-22-2003, 01:23 PM

thats hot....the only bad thin i can see is that you can't see the whole molding around the tv...otherwise...looks great

11-22-2003, 01:55 PM

yeah same here... if i had to complain about it, it would be that it looks like it cuts off part of the screen.. but i mean, besides that its sweet.. and there really isn't a whole lot you can do to make it better.. again, great job man

DansGen1Alero · 11-22-2003, 02:02 PM

In no way is it cutting of the screen, where it looks like it is cut off it is really right on the line, with the way the dash is and a tv of that sixw there is no way to get it perfect, you have the tabs that attach the trim to dash on top, and the climate control on the bottom,

I guess if you wanted to sacrifice on or the other you can cut them out and recenter tv.

11-23-2003, 01:36 AM

Looks good dude

11-23-2003, 06:49 PM

Thanks for the HOW TO! I think that I will be trying to make this happen in my Alero. Yours dash looks really good, especially the wood grain. I think it adds a touch of class to the Alero.

Qcksilver · 01-23-2004, 11:06 PM

That's pretty cool dude!

02-13-2004, 03:15 PM

That looks unprofessional. Wont get any show points for that. Why didnt you just fiberglass the whole peice and make it fit better?

DansGen1Alero · 02-13-2004, 04:07 PM

The large picture was a professionall job, I have gotten show points on both screens. I am sorry you don't like

02-13-2004, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by frozenchickendinner@Feb 13 2004, 03:15 PM
That looks unprofessional. Wont get any show points for that. Why didnt you just fiberglass the whole peice and make it fit better?

agreed....... soundxtreme fiberglassed his in.

looks 20times better.

but to each his own i guess

02-14-2004, 03:28 AM

both of em look poopty

it should look like this guys

http://www.streetsourcemag.com/uploads/Own...1952PM14391.jpg

at least that one is all nice and cleanly installed

johny_boy32 · 02-14-2004, 10:20 AM

maybe it just me but i dont know if i like that...somethin about it just doesnt fit....i dont know

DansGen1Alero · 02-14-2004, 12:22 PM

everyone is entitled to their opinion. I did not go with fiberglass because of the cost, the time, I like the fact that this way looks stock. If any one wants to make a fiber glass casing I will take it. My main goal when I made this was to get it in their.
My car had been broken into and the 4000 in stereo equippment was stolen. I was on a short time table to get the car up and running for shows, Since all I have had are compliaments on it I left it.

johny_boy32 · 02-14-2004, 01:06 PM

where did you get the head unit relocating peice?

DansGen1Alero · 02-14-2004, 01:28 PM

I fabricated it using the sides of the dash and the leftover pocket that much was cut from

johny_boy32 · 02-14-2004, 03:47 PM

will you explain this process a little better

sound_xtreme · 02-14-2004, 04:15 PM

i'll explain my process someday....my way isnt exactly newbie friendly though.

02-15-2004, 04:38 AM

fiberglass is cheap. 20$ will give you enough to make a whole new center console