by "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
Published 12/05/2017 at 10:45
by "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
Published 12/05/2017 at 10:45
No Tags
STARS: 1
My 1987 Peugeot 205 CTI, which is being restored/restomodded, needs a radio. I’m looking for something with USB while not looking entirely out of place in the very 80s dashboard. I haven’t really found anything I like, so I’m looking for some advice.
Hard requirements:
USB (is allowed to be hidden/cable from the back to some random place in the interior)
A design that doesn’t look too out of place in an 80s dash. It doesn’t have to be retro though.
Available in Europe
Single DIN fitment
No FM receiver or cassette adapter with an old radio.
Nice to have:
Lighting that corresponds with the dash (=amber) or at least doesn’t clash too much (white?) and isn’t too bright
DAB+ radio
Bluetooth
Friendly price
Not important:
Great audio quality or high Watt output, as it’s going to be installed in a 1980s subcompact convertible with just 2 (upgraded) speakers in the doors; I won’t be able to tell the difference.
CD capability. I haven’t used a CD in over a decade.
Speed of delivery. The car is far from ready. I have no issue with a multi week delivery time from an oversees order.
This 1984-1987 interior is identical too mine, except for the fixed roof and the GTI in stead of CTI decal on the steering wheel:
edit : the car is currently without radio, so I’ve got no old radio to upgrade.
Additional question: Turbo pressure gauche: Yes or no? The car will get a low pressure turbo engine it didn’t originally come with, however the interior and exterior will be as stock as possible. Now I could add a turbo pressure gauche, but if I were to do so where would I put it? A-pillar is a hard no. Ash tray? Or should I just not install one at all?
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Second edit . I’m up to deciding between two options. Either I go old school with a period correct(ish) radio with Aux In or I get a new one. Which would you pick, and why?
Old:
New (Continental):
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
12/05/2017 at 05:01, STARS: 1
need to check whether or not radio repairers might be able to update the guts without changing the face?
"Echo51" (echo2047)
12/05/2017 at 05:03, STARS: 2
I’d like to recommend the Pioneer MVH-X500-series. The X560BT is half depth so super easy to package in a car where a full cd radio might be a tight squish. Full RGB selection of Display/buttons light, so you can have it amber, white, or any other color of gaudy you can wish for. Quick Dim by holding the back button. Rear USB with a 1m or so extension included for hiding it in the glove department or similar and not have a stick out the front.
Alternatively, the MVH-X580DAB, which as the name says, has DAB support. Front USB/AUX however, and buttons for forward/backwards instead of the 2 wings on the dial. Other then some geeky stuff like time alignment, full active crossover setup possibilities and such it’s much of the same as above.
On a last note, these will run 4 speakers per usual radio stuff, or you can bridge the rear channels into a subwoofer @ 70 watt if that’s your thing. Not the most beastly of bass setups when i ran it shortly, but it did add something.
"SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media" (silentbutnotreallydeadly)
12/05/2017 at 05:06, STARS: 2
For the love of mushrooms I’m never getting a Pioneer media unit again. They are about as intuitive as Microsoft Office written in Inuit.
"SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media" (silentbutnotreallydeadly)
12/05/2017 at 05:14, STARS: 2
No turbo gauge. Just no...
I think you’ll find some of the Alpine, Blaupunkt or Becker catalogue might suit your needs.
This might work for you:
https://www.classiccarstereo.co.uk/classic-car-stereos/blaupunkt-classic-car-stereo/dover-usb80/
"Echo51" (echo2047)
12/05/2017 at 05:53, STARS: 0
Depends on the model of pioneer unit you get. Friend fried his and bought an Alpine of similar specs, and boy is that one a complete crapshoot to try and navigate among the numerous combination of long-presses and weird places to hide stuff.
"4kc" (4kc)
12/05/2017 at 06:03, STARS: 1
Pyle has some that are ok
http://www.pyleaudio.com/sku/PLR14MPF/In-Dash-AMFM-MPX-MP3-Shaft-Style-Dual-Knob-Radio-wUSBSD-Card
"adamftw" (adamftw)
12/05/2017 at 06:08, STARS: 0
Plz no Pyle.
"adamftw" (adamftw)
12/05/2017 at 06:10, STARS: 1
Clarion M508. Comes out in January.
"4kc" (4kc)
12/05/2017 at 06:23, STARS: 0
didn’t realize their name was so literal
"adamftw" (adamftw)
12/05/2017 at 06:44, STARS: 0
lol
"E92M3" (E46M3)
12/05/2017 at 06:49, STARS: 1
There are a couple companies that will take your factory radio, and add a bluetooth module and/or an aux input. You will have to ship your radio off for a few weeks though.
"whatuptkhere" (whatuptkhere)
12/05/2017 at 07:30, STARS: 2
Try and avoid blue LEDs. They’re anachronistic having only been commercialised in ‘93/94.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
12/05/2017 at 07:47, STARS: 1
Is it possible to hide the boost gauge in the ashtray? Flip it open to look at those bars, close it again to have a clean 80s look.
"BJ" (benjamin-bignell)
12/05/2017 at 08:26, STARS: 0
Yep, Blaupunkt for the looks. Even their non-retro head units look slick and simple.
"syaieya" (syaieya)
12/05/2017 at 08:44, STARS: 1
Every one of my 80s and 90s mercedes are in need of an updated head unit. This stuff is very much of my interest as i have about the same needs
"So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky" (badams109)
12/05/2017 at 08:56, STARS: 1
You might be able to add a blutooth receiver and usb jack in to the radio input for your stock stereo. I did this to my sisters car years ago and it worked fine. It was less than $25 if I recall and you can keep everything looking stock. Can’t find the tutorial I used anymore, unfortunately.
"LOREM IPSUM" (lorem---ipsum)
12/05/2017 at 08:59, STARS: 2
For true 80's effect: Blaupunkt
"DutchieDC2R" (dutchiedc2r)
12/05/2017 at 09:04, STARS: 0
I just wanted to be pedantic and completely non-helpful and say: If you dont mind having it ordered overseas, then availability in Europe shouldnt be an issue....:p
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
12/05/2017 at 09:13, STARS: 0
How pedantic! You’re not wrong though. I was thinking about the truly overseas places though, like Japan/North America/Australia. Ordering from there is easy enough as well if it’s offered on Ebay or similar, but not every seller offers international shipping.
"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein)
12/05/2017 at 09:25, STARS: 1
It’s not retro looking but I think the blocky styling could work with your dash.
The USB input is on the back and you can extend a cord from it.
Supports bluetooth and DAB+ and all the other stuff you want.
The lighting color can be changed to match your dash lighting.
"fintail" (fintail)
12/05/2017 at 09:38, STARS: 1
I bought a Becker Grand Prix 612 at an estate sale last weekend that’d work for most of it - I think you can get USB or maybe even Bluetooth conversions for them directly from Becker today. It’s from the 80s (badged Becker, not M-B), so no worries about clashing looks. Not sure if it works though - but it’d be cheap.
I sent the fintail’s Becker Europa back to Becker for restoration about 10 years ago, and they added a rear aux jack, with a port under the dash. Only cost around $200, which seemed more than fair.
"Thir-STi" (thirsti)
12/05/2017 at 09:38, STARS: 1
My father owns a shop that does car stereos. A lot of old muscle car owners here in murica that want an upgraded sound system either block off the opening or leave an old radio in the dash and put whatever new radio they want with a remote, in the glovebox.
"someassemblyrequired" (someassemblyrequired)
12/05/2017 at 09:56, STARS: 1
VDO/Kienzle/Continental have a few good ones, I think this one (TR7412UB-OR) would look great in the 205 and is only about 100 euros:
The VDO and Kienzle ones have slightly different colors, but the orange would be more correct for the age of the car.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
12/05/2017 at 10:40, STARS: 1
Yes! The Continental range is on the top of my list of new radios right now. Either the TR one you listed or the TRD version with DAB+.
My secondary option is this (with an Aux-in):
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
12/05/2017 at 10:48, STARS: 1
Probably. I think I’ll just refrain from installing it all together. It doesn’t really add interesting information anyway.
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
12/05/2017 at 10:52, STARS: 0
I’m fairly sure that FM frequencies are different in the Netherlands compared to the US. Here in the US they end in odd digits, when I lived in the Netherlands I seem to remember them ending in even digits.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
12/05/2017 at 10:53, STARS: 1
I say old, with an aux-in. It’ll look the most right, while still being functional.
As for the turbo pressure gauge, maybe mount it in the upper right corner of that cubbyhole in front of the shifter?
"punkgoose17" (punkgoose17)
12/05/2017 at 11:02, STARS: 2
The old Peugeot radio with an aux jack makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. It gets my vote.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
12/05/2017 at 11:09, STARS: 0
Yes, it’s utterly impractical compared to a modern one but it gives me that fuzzy feeling as well :)
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
12/05/2017 at 11:31, STARS: 0
You have a point there, it’s not like it’s a highly boosted car anyway. What is the expected power again?
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
12/05/2017 at 11:40, STARS: 0
I like that Conti unit
also
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"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
12/05/2017 at 11:42, STARS: 0
I’d say go for the Continental, it has all the features you could wish for while looking very low key (I would add another USB jack though, just for power , so you don’t need to have the wire dangling from the radio when charging a phone) . Plus the back lit screen looks more vintage than a black screen with orange letters.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
12/05/2017 at 11:44, STARS: 1
150 hp @ 5300 rpm. The same 2.0 8v engine without turbo makes about 122 hp @ 5750 rpm (235 Nm @ 2500 rpm vs 176 Nm @ 2750 rpm). So it’s a low boost turbo. With lots of tuning potential I guess, but I’m not going there as it’s 30 years old and only weighs 900 kg (with stock drivetrain) empty, so it should be plenty fast.
"MarquetteLa" (marquettela)
12/05/2017 at 11:45, STARS: 0
The previous owner of my 1988 Mazda 323 GTX upgraded the stock head unit to a Blaupunkt and it looked like it could have come from the factory. Not a great photo of the head unit, but it’s there at the bottom of the frame.
IIRC it was a Denver CD147 model.
This particular model probably doesn’t tick all of your boxes, but the Blaupunkt look is really nice.
"BvdV - The Dutch Engineer" (dutchengineer)
12/05/2017 at 11:46, STARS: 0
I agree, 150 hp should be plenty of fun anyway. Definitely don’t need a turbo gauge for running it at stock, other than to show people it has boost, but I don’t think you did the swap with that in mind .
"someassemblyrequired" (someassemblyrequired)
12/05/2017 at 12:20, STARS: 0
That is actually going to be a very difficult decision. That tape deck looks awesome.
"Chinny Raccoon" (chinnyraccoon)
12/05/2017 at 13:29, STARS: 0
If you regularly listen to DAB stations get the new one, otherwise Tape Deck FTW.
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
12/05/2017 at 19:23, STARS: 0
I gave up finding anything that looks right and just kept the stock Ford-JBL Electronic Sound unit in mine, and stocked up on cassette tapes again. In my case, the script font on the radio matches the lettering on the climate control, so switching it out would kind of screw up the look of the dash.
That Continental unit looks like a really good option though. Most vintage-style radios on the market are really designed for 1960s and older cars that usually had two big symmetrical knobs, not the one big knob layout that a lot of ‘80s cars used.
Retrosound’s Newport model would be perfect for probably a pretty wide range of ‘80s cars - if it wasn’t available only in 1.5 DIN.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/18/2018 at 06:27, STARS: 0
FYI, the Beat would be $2700 shipping to Netherlands included... 100% rust free, drives super well, Bilstein coilovers already installed... Tires feel a bit dry though.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
01/18/2018 at 06:53, STARS: 0
That is very cheap. Joep might be interested? I bet these are mechanically quite simple, it’ll just cost a lot of manhours to change the gasket.
"Flavien Vidal" (flyingfrenchy)
01/18/2018 at 06:53, STARS: 0
No idea I didn’t ask him.. I blew it up like 4 hours ago lol