I think this has been done a number of times...but I haven't found too much on the details of how to do it. I have a dead AM radio in my 69, and I don't want to cut the dash. So I'll leave the dead radio in there as a placeholder. I also don't have the actual glovebox (I have the glovebox door only...no actual box behind it). I was thinking that I'll just run a replacement stereo in there. I found a cheap pioneer radio for $60 on sale (I'm not much of an audiophile). I'm going to run this to a couple of 6x9's in the rear and I'll replace the single center speaker with the dual speaker thing that's commonly available.
I'll post a sketch that shows roughly what I'm thinking of building. It won't work as it's sketched here...the spot for the radio would have to be recessed. As it is now it would hit the glovebox door when it's closed. I like the idea of keeping a small storage space for some papers, like registration and insurance papers.
I'm not sure how this will mount in the glovebox opening yet. That's kind of one of the things I 'm looking for suggestions/past experiences of.
I'm not all that great at these custom fab deals...but this seems easy enough to try. If there are any suggestions, please let me know.
I did this on my first car, a '71 Camaro, back in the early seventies. I had an in-dash factory AM radio and wanted an 8-Track as well. I simply made up two u-shaped brackets using the stiff (industrial--not residential) kind of galvanized pipe strap (with the holes). The industrial kind is stiff enough to require neidng in a vice or around an anvil with a hammer and therefore holds its shape (and the weight of a tape player) quite well, while absorbing some of the road impacts. Some foam padding prevents squeaks and rattles. It worked fine for the three years I owned the car; only had to drop the glovebox door open to change the tape or track. Newer units with remotes would save that trouble. I didn't keep the glovebox (cardboard) though as there really wasn't room left over.
Upon messing around a bit and making a cardboard mockup, I see that there isn't really a lot of depth in this area. Not nearly enough to make a storage "shelf" like I have in this sketch. I'll have to mess around a bit more and see what I can come up with.
I put a hidden AM/FM audio system with a remote control in the space above the glovebox, under the upper dash. There is a lot of empty space up there. I used a generous amount of industrial strength velco and a couple pipe straps for redundancy in case it would loosen (which it has not done over a few years now). The dash, old AM radio (disconnected) and the glove box remain intact.
I thought about a retrosound unit...or one similar, but at this point I'm working on keeping costs down. I picked up a cheap Pioneer radio for $60 at Best Buy that should fit my immediate needs pretty well. I can always upgrade the sound system later if I want to. Though certainly if money was no object, I would find a unit to replace the dead AM radio in the dash. That's another big reason that I'm not cutting the dash...to save the option for one of those units later.
Im going through the same thoughts about a glove box unit. I was really interested in the retrosound unit I went to the installer and he refused to do it. He said he has seen nothing but problems with them. In the end Ill probably keep the original radio in place unplugged and glove box mount a cd player unit
The other alternative that I was considering was a trunk mounted unit with an RF remote up front. Secretaudio SST. They seem to be in the $275-400 range. I picked up a $60 Pioneer unit on sale that will be good enough for now. It should be going into the glove box today or tomorrow.
I ended up deleting the little storage shelf in my design...there just isn't room for it between the glovebox door and the heater box the way I had it in my mind. So I'll keep the reg and insurance card someplace else.
Later I can easily switch to that SST system if I really want that glovebox space back.
When I get new batteries for my camera I'll snap a pic of my glovebox install. I have the Secret Audio and a 6 disc in the trunk with the original in the dash. Plus I added the vintage air a couple of years ago so it will all fit if you do it right.
