Car Audio Issue

[Tweak]

I am trying to find a suitable replacement faceplate for the center electronics cluster on a 2004 Ford Taurus SE. I am looking for a simple job, with only one modification- The area where the radio goes.

All that it is in the area now is a simple, opaque plastic shield with the display and two knobs. Nothing fancy. Problem is, it's a "newer" car and nobody make the plates yet, therefore I have no option to modify the existing stereo. You all know about the amp I sold, well, i was doing that because the wife refused to keep it around after I got my new one.

I already have a simple, universal radio to replace the one that is in it now, all that is stopping me is the faceplate. I don't want to rig it and have it look bad and work worse... It's just a simple plastic piece that I think could be easily modified by anyone with a little bit of know how and the right tools.

Question is guys, you think I could take something like a hot blade (not a rigged one, but an actual blade that conducts a variable amount of heat via an electric source) and simply remove the radio and cut a rectangle to insert the new radio? I think the depression is deep enough to accept the replacement, and I know the footprint of the faceplate itself is good enough.

If I remove the radio and it's accompanied harness will it disable all the air conditioner/power options that are in the same little cluster?

I really want this setup to look decent and I don't think anything I could do will honestly even come near that point...But I am out of options until someone decides to plan a new replacement for sale in my area. Car audio shops won't mod the plate and I haven't even been able to find a simple bracket to install the radio elsewhere in the car (under dash) I also have a simple kill switch for the amp/mini farad capacitor setup that I would like to install on the dash. One is just a toggle with a button for another source and the other is a black flip case with a toggle under it. I would really like to remove the unneeded parts and leave just the toggles and somehow insert them near the radio for easy access.

Any pointers from the crowd would be appreciated, I can get pics of necessary

 

[jmarzilli]

Here you go. http://cgi.ebay.com/2004-Ford-Tauru...it-Stereo_W0QQitemZ160072086671QQcmdZViewItem Try a car audio shop they should have one.

 

[HeartBreak]

After a bit of google time, here is a faceplate kit that looks halfway decent:

http://www.scosche.com/scosche_caraudio.aspx?CategoryID=5&ItemID=FD1380B

edit; jmarzilli beat me to it with a cheaper option, even comes with the harness you'd need.

 

[Tweak]

Outstanding guys. I even Ebayed it and came up with nadda.

Would it be plausible to drill a couple 1/2' holes somewhere on one of these options to install the stripped down toggles, and if so will a standard drill do the job?

 

[HeartBreak]

I don't see why not. Altho, when I did my car stereo install on my Durango, I used a tapered ream to drill the hole for my alarms' beacon light in the "dash kit". It beats drilling a hole in the dash and killing re-sale value, plus it puts it in plain sight.

I think I have a picture of it somewhere around here... If not, I'll snap one and show you what it came out like.

 

[Tweak]

Sweet... Thanks for the help.



Found out something interesting in my little sleep-deprivation filled fun evening-

WD-40, we all know (and love it) as our lube of choice. The "WD" Stands for Water Displacement. Neat, eh?


I think the 40 indicates the viscosity or something.


I seriously HATE spiders.

 

[HeartBreak]

Nope; the 40 stands for the 40th formula tried. At least, that was according to some special on tv I saw some years back.

Not a problem on the help. Even tho I'm a Dodge person at heart, lol.