Batboard

I have a 2000 Full size extra cab with bucket seats. It has the full floor console that goes from the back of the seats to the dash. Has anyone had any luck removing the front upper part of the console and if so, how do you remove it?

thanks
dt

If it's like the one that was in my suburban, with the cassette player mounted in it.

Take out the cup holders and you will find a couple of screws that hold the front part to the back. Those will need to come out and then there are a couple up under the dash behind the unit.

The whole console will come out very easy too. Inside the other box there is a piece of plastic or rubber covering the bottom. Lift it out and you will find the bolts that hold it down as well.

I removed mine completely and put in a real radio console.

Hope that helps,
Steve

THE CONSOLE COMES OUT THE SAME AS THE SUBURBANS, BUT YOUR ARE PROBABLY GOING TO FIND THE HEAT/AC DUCTS THAT FEED THE REAR VENTS. I HAVE DONE INSTALLS IN A '01 CHEVY EXT CAB, AS WELL AS MY GMC EXT CAB. THE ONLY ADVICE I HAVE IS "REMOTE MOUNT." WITH THE FULL CONSOLE, THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH ELSE TO DO. IN MY GMC I HAVE A CDM 1550 WITH THE HEAD MOUNTED ON THE LITTLE SHELF, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE ASH TRAY, WORKS GREAT IF YOU DON'T NEED THE ASH TRY. I HAVE A SM120 MOUNTED IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE WITH A REMOTE MIC. I PUT A M1225 IN THE CONSOLE OF THE CHEVY, RAN REMOTE MIC AND SPEAKER AND THE OWNER LOVES IT.
NOW I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE I AM GOING TO PUT MY SIREN !!!

TWL911 wrote: I HAVE A SM120 MOUNTED IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE WITH A REMOTE MIC.

In a GMC or Chevy truck? How/where did you do that?


I want to put a full console but can't justify the $$$. I'm still working on the remote mount radios. At least the Syntor 9000 is.


thanks for the help

darrin

I put two Spectras in a 2001 Chevy Silverado. The truck came with the full center console, and I had to remove the cassette deck to install the radios.

I made a large mounting bracket from aluminum angle-iron that went over the duct to the rear seats, and I mounted the standard Spectra mounting bracket on that.

The upper console was a pain to get out, but there are some phillips head screws on the inside of the console, that can be accessed from the front (under the dash)

Also, the cable that went to the cassette deck had a 12 V ignition switched wire on it that I connected to the Spectras ignition sense pins. It works really well.

Here's a picture:

FLAMETAMER:
I HAVE A 99 GMC WITH THE FULL OVERHEAD CONSOLE, I WAS GOING TO USE THE UNUSED PANEL (WHERE THE SMALL CUBBY IS IN THE SHORT OVERHEAD CONSOLES) AND MOUNT THE SM120 THERE, BUT I AM GOING TO USE THAT TO PUT MY SWITCHES IN, IN THE FUTURE.
I MOUNTED THE RADIO TO THE HEADLINER, JUST IN FRONT OF THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE, SO WHEN THE CONSOLE GOES BACK UP IT LOOKS LIKE THE RADIO IS MOUNTED TO THE END OF THE CONSOLE. IT WORKS VERY WELL. AN RJ45 CONNECTOR 8 COND CABLE AND A TELCO JACK, AND YOU'VE GOT A REMOTE MIC!
A SM50/120 OR M1225 WILL FIT IN THE OVERHEAD CUBBY, AND I MAY PUT IT THERE SOMEDAY.
EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW STYLE GMC'S/ CHEVY'S I HAVE DONE SOME INSTALLS IN BOTH RADIO'S STROBES ETC. [email protected]

[/b]OK Guys here is your solution!

I have a GMC Sierra SLT Extended Cab 2000 Model. It has the full floor console from the dash to the rear seating area. Brace yourself for this, you will like this better than any radio console on the market and if your very particular like me then listen up. First of all let me fill you in on what I have in the Command Vessel.

Communications

Motorola W9 Astro Spectra 110 Watt VHF, Every Option Available!
Motorola MCS 2000 Model III UHF 50 Watt, Dash Mount. Loaded!

Emergency Lighting

Power Supplies: Nova and Whelen (Randoms)
Front: Nova Microthins in the grill, Hideaways in park lamps.
Rear: 9 Hideaways, 6 In Tail Lamps, 3 In 3rd Brake Light. Linear 7E On Toolbox (Amber).

Audible Warning

Federal Signal Siren / Federal Signal DYNAMAX Driver.

Switching System

Systems 9000 Switch Panel (8 Position).

Here's the scoop!

First Rob A Bank To Finance The Project!
Consider Seperating From Your Wife Until Project Is Complete!
Experience In YOGA Would Be Helpful.
Confined Space Rescue Wouldn't Hurt This Resume' Either.
Consider Buying The Truck Disassembled From The Factory, This Will Save Money On The Purchase Price And Save You From Having To Take The Vehicle Apart Twice.
Don't Get Your Hopes Up On Being Able To Drive It For About 3 Weeks, Have A Back-Up Vehicle.
Do It Inside, It Might Rain.
Don't Plan On Selling, Wrecking, Or Having The Vehicle Towed Unexpectedly At 3 AM. You Will Be Sick. (Projectile Vomiting Sick)
A Handheld Urinal For Bathroom Visits Will Speed Up Your Install Time.
Remember, Patience Is A Must!
I Didn't Say I Had Alot Of Patience But It Turned Out O.K.
Keep My E-Mail Address Handy, You Might Need It, I Am Getting Tired Of Typing.

Front To Back Approach!

Wire heavy you will add things down the road, you always do.
I will be brief on the Lights and siren stuff, but somebody will need to know I'm sure. I think everybody knows how to drill a 1" hole, so I will skip to the good stuff. Don't use the 3-cond. cable provided with your strobe kits buy a roll (Belden 8770). Buy yourself a good crimper to do the pins (Hint you can't find the good one at Radio Shack) MAC Tools TCT1028. Remember, wireloom is your friend, you might think it's your enemy but it is very protective and looks good too. Use a good quality minimum 8 ga. primary power cable, I like a good rope lay multi-strand type. I said 8 ga. minimum candidly. This is for a 1 radio, and future expansion senario, spring for the 4 or 2 ga. if you can. Use good quality fuse holders, power distribution blocks and solder when possible, you will be thanking yourself. Don't reach for the electrical tape, instead be neat, use a good quality heat shrink tubing from 3M. When crimping is nessesary use good terminals (3M) and the appropriate crimping tool, not a western auto crimper that comes in a roadside emergency kit. Basic Tips: Let relays do the hard work and carry the load not the switches. Selinoids work well also especially for for higher current. Fuse appropriately for your protection and color code your wiring, don't bundle up wire under the carpet and such as that, cut wires the appropriate length when possible and don't do like me and cut them to short where it is a nightmare to service. In the grill get a piece of small 1" aluminum angle, paint it black and cut to a length that will span across the two angled struts that run in an A configuration behind the grill, mount a microthin on each end of the angle and attach it to the frame with u-bolts or simply attach it with some 3/4" self tapping screws. The federal DYNAMAX siren driver will mount behind the grill also and can be attached to this bracket. Order the black one. Let's go inside the cab a minute, take a look at the console, you want to keep this correct? it looks good and GM felt like you needed it. O.K. see the cup holder? remove it, there will be a climate control system ductwork located beneath if yours is an extended cab or tahoe / suburban / yukon. If you have a systems 9000 style control head, ie: Spectra A9/W9 or A7 Maratrac the standard control head mounting bracket included with the head will mount directly to the top side of the duct work. There are several ways to fasten it, I driiled holes through the duct work and bolted to the duct, removal of the console is required to gain access to the inside of the duct. Screws will work O.K. and if you just can't drill it use 3M Acrylic Tape (not recommended). There is enough room for the radio head and 2 DEK boxes max. I chose to use 1 systems 9000 switch box, to control my lights and siren, wanna know how I did? O.K. here goes nothing.
First of all there is enough room to place a siren above the duct work behind the riser portion of the console, this is under the factory CD storage compartment that is located below a slot for an external CD deck or cassette deck. I modified the siren to work with external control, this is very simple and inexpensive. I also control my low voltage triggers for the strobe power supplies with this panel. Switches L-R: F Strobes, R Strobes, Siren, Wail, Yelp, Hi/Low, Ext. Radio, Air Horn. I wouldn't trade this for 10 Systems 9000 Siren Boxes, I don't need the screen to tell me I'm In wail mode, I might notice that audibly. As for the MCS 2000 I did a little cutting, that I didn't regret, but if I sell the truck I will replacing the riser portion of the console, but I don't think it's very expensive. A roto-zip works fairly well or a dremel tool will work. I pulled the factory cubby hole out in my case, yours might be a cassette deck or CD Player. My CD player was on the radio so that is all I needed. If done right the MCS 2000 dash mount or any standard size mobile should slide right in an you can bolt from sides directly into the radio using factory fastners. I even kept the CD storage compartment and it still works great. Standard rubber edge loom will ensure a good clean edge and superb fit. If you can't find any just buy some 1/4" rubber tubing and split one side of it. Just be careful that would be a stupid thing to cut your finger over. I recessed my heads so the switch isn't accessable, open the console there is a place beside the coin holders put a switch to control the ignition switch line. A bezel will need to be made to trim the radio cluster where the cup holder was, lightweight plastic material trimmed in edge loom works great, but you can use metal. An alternate method of mounting the radios is to get a rigid piece of flat plastic or brite-tread aluminum / spin polished aluminum and flip cup holder upside down lay it on the material to be used and trace the cup holder out, next cut out the shape of the cup holder. The piece of material will have a lip to lay into, next drill about 1-2 holes on each side near the edge and use toggle bolts to secure it it place, this will give you a nice clean surface to mount any standard size remote head to or a small mobile to ie: Motorola M1225, SM120 or a little POS Yaesu. I have done as many as 3 CDM Mobile remote heads this way. To get the wires inside just drill the size hole you need and grommet accordingly. As far as the mics are concerned, I made brackets that go between the riser and the floor portions of the console and are formed to elbow out to each side of the console, these are invisible when the mic is in the hanger. There is also room to put a standard strobe power supply inside the console, even with the rest of this stuff. Put your backpack units, Power Supplies and Speakers Under the back seat in an extended cab model it work great. Suburban / Tahoe / Yukon same deal only slightly different, and the speaker may want to be reconsidered on these models. Standard L-brackets still work fine on these models and look O.K. If you have a standard cab I suggest welding a big metal plate in an L-shape and mounting it to the little channel near the back and let the larger piece of metal that extends up be used to mount the stuff you have to put behind the seat. Other switching solutions I have utilized are making a HHC for the siren and lights. Mounting switches near the air bag on-off switch, and the blank panel in the overhead console, but to each his own! Hey, have fun my driving force behind the patience issue is knowing it will be done right in the end and I will be very pleased and feel comfortable with it. If you need help call Charter Pines. If you need assistance doing what your very capable of doing e-mail me [email protected]. If you just need help running wires and hard manual labor stuff like that, definitely don't come looking for me, I've done my share and still do, but I don't like it alot! See You Ho's Later!

Nice description.

So how about some pictures?

Thanks,
Steve

pictures would be nice with the instructions hehe.

ALRIGHT...

HOW HARD WERE THE STROBES IN THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, I'VE WANTED TO TRY IT BUT WASN'T SURE IF I DARE. I FIGURED THERE WAS PROBABLY SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE IT.
ANY GOOD HINTS, HOW DID YOU RUN THE CABLE? ETC.. DETAILS!!!!

THANK YOU,
TIM

Strobes in the 3rd brake light is not such a great idea. The housing is really small and chances are you will not get a strobe tube in it. If you should. You will melt the housing.. Seen it done..It isnt pretty.....

SINCE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH EXPERIENCE WITH THIS INSTALLER UNFRIENDLY TRUCK, I GOT ANOTHER ONE. JUST FINISHED PUTTING IN A FEW SWITCHES (JUST ABOVE THE AIR BAG OVERRIDE SWITCH, THEY LOOK GOOD) NOW THE LAST THING I HAVE TO INSTALL (FOR THIS MONTH ANYWAY) MY P-1225 VEHICLE CHARGER. ONE OF THE "TRAVEL CHARGERS" AS /\/\ CALLS THEM. I CALL THEM THE WORST THING MOTOROLA HAS MADE SINCE THEY STARTED MAKING FRS RADIOS.
I CAN'T DECIDE WHERE IT WILL GO AND NOT BE IN THE WAY. I AM LEANING TOWARDS THE SIDE WALL BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT NEAR THE CUP HOLDER/ ARM REST(3 DOOR CAB). BUT IT WOULD NOT BE VERY EASY TO GET TO. I DON'T USE THIS RADIO MUCH, IT IS JUST FOR WHEN I FORGET MY "REAL PORTABLE" AND NEED A RADIO, BUT STILL THERE MUST BE SOMEWHERE A LITTLE EASIER TO GET TO THAN THE BACK SEAT.
AM I OVERLOOKING SOMEWHERE,
ANYONE DONE IT,
HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS,
PICTURES,
THANKS

Just wanted to edit my previous post to update the pic location, and add pics of the latest installation in this vehicle. Since my first post, I have swapped the W7 Spectra for a W9 high power model.

The control cable easily fit under the floor board. I did have to drill two holes in the W9 radio unit to mount the airhorn/PA amp on top of it.

I fould a tight but workable spot to mount the PA speaker right behind the front bumber facing downward. Works pretty well...

Look up my posting on the 03 Suburan and what I put in the truck after I removed the factory console.

its impressive.