Batboard

http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=68677

Brian2j101 made an wonderful in-dash installation of a Spectra mobile in his 2005 Mustang GT using a double DIN bezel in the thread:
http://batboard.batlabs.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=68677

Has anyone tried this in the late model Ford Crown Victoria, say, 2004-2007 ? The P-73 ( civilian, NOT PI ) models have the same double DIN in dash installation for their AM/FM/CD. I wonder if the depth would allow a remote head mount in that space? It's probably too shallow for a dash mount Spectra.

Toronto Police up near me use 800MHz E4 Spectras in their Crown Vics. The old method of installing them was to put them in place of the factory radio. The radio stuck out about 2 inches or so from the face of the dash, it didn't look very good at all. (They don't do this now as the screen from their Data911 computer mounts overtop of the factory stereo)

Thats a real nice install in the CV, someone over on Hamsexy did something similiar in a Honda Civic, heres the thread: http://forums.hamsexy.com/viewtopic.php?t=9049

Very very nice install, it may give you some ideas...

You need to log in at hamsexy.

KC6UNF wrote:You need to log in at hamsexy.

Well log in then, it's worth it

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd really like to see the photos.

I have tried to register at "Hamsexy", but it won't let me.
I thorough it all, but it resets. It now says that my e-mail
carrier is banned on their site? I don't know what it's all about.
It won't give me a confirmation number either.

I'm not sure what to do

I think some of the free e-mail domains are banned to keep out the spam that pops up in a lot of forums.

One of the fellows who run it is a member here, I'll shoot him a PM over there and point him to you.

Yeah, that does sound odd

all the freebes are banned bro


use your bundled one to register, I can change it for you after you get registered.

The 2004-2007 Crown Victorias, maybe more, do not have a double DIN, but a 1.5 ( one and a half ) DIN.
This means that nothing else is going to take up the balance of the space except a 1/2 DIN unit and the
only things I have seen are CD/DVD players. It that's not suitable, then most mounts come with either
a pocket or a blank plate to fill that hole.

Leadenwah wrote:The 2004-2007 Crown Victorias, maybe more, do not have a double DIN, but a 1.5 ( one and a half ) DIN.
This means that nothing else is going to take up the balance of the space except a 1/2 DIN unit and the
only things I have seen are CD/DVD players. It that's not suitable, then most mounts come with either
a pocket or a blank plate to fill that hole.

Hmmmmm, odd, I have a double DIN in my Marauder, same dash panel as a Vic. It is considered a double DIN.

How do you like the Marauder?

sglass wrote:How do you like the Marauder?

Stock.... not paticularly, I fixed that. I re-built it the way it should have come out of the factory, now I love to drive it. I get three tanks to a set of rear tires.

spectragod wrote:

Leadenwah wrote:The 2004-2007 Crown Victorias, maybe more, do not have a double DIN, but a 1.5 ( one and a half ) DIN.
This means that nothing else is going to take up the balance of the space except a 1/2 DIN unit and the
only things I have seen are CD/DVD players. It that's not suitable, then most mounts come with either
a pocket or a blank plate to fill that hole.

Hmmmmm, odd, I have a double DIN in my Marauder, same dash panel as a Vic. It is considered a double DIN.

They are not 1.5 DIN, just confusing. GM & Chrysler radios are 1.5 DIN, when speaking about the size of the faceplate opening. The Crown Vic radio faceplate is full double DIN, but the rear of the radio must be single DIN due to the dash being extremely shallow towards the header panel. Thats why the Panther chassis has its own radio models.

resqguy911 wrote:

spectragod wrote:

Leadenwah wrote:The 2004-2007 Crown Victorias, maybe more, do not have a double DIN, but a 1.5 ( one and a half ) DIN.
This means that nothing else is going to take up the balance of the space except a 1/2 DIN unit and the
only things I have seen are CD/DVD players. It that's not suitable, then most mounts come with either
a pocket or a blank plate to fill that hole.

Hmmmmm, odd, I have a double DIN in my Marauder, same dash panel as a Vic. It is considered a double DIN.

They are not 1.5 DIN, just confusing. GM & Chrysler radios are 1.5 DIN, when speaking about the size of the faceplate opening. The Crown Vic radio faceplate is full double DIN, but the rear of the radio must be single DIN due to the dash being extremely shallow towards the header panel. Thats why the Panther chassis has its own radio models.

2003 and up is double DIN, Ford changed the ductwork from then on up. You can also retrofit the newer ductwork into and older 92-2002 CV so that you can use a double DIN in those cars as well.

Yes, I thought so as well, but when the OEM AM/FM/CD was hauled out,
it was a 1.5, one and one half DIN. The guy showed me the hole and we
tried double which did not fit then 1.5 DIN and that's what fits. This is
the actual opening rather interior clearance.
This is a 2004 CV, but is a P73 not the P71 PI. Might that matter ?

03' was the changeover year on the Panther platform, maybe your's was missed with the updated parts?

Yes, as was stated, ALL CVPI's after 2003 are physically made to fit a 1.5 DIN radio.
See link here (all the info you ever needed to know about Crown Vic radios) :

http://p71interceptor.com/radio/

Copied from above linked website,
" 2003 vics have a redesigned dashboard and the radio can be 1.5DIN at both the front and rear. "

Only difference between the "LX" versions and the P71's are the P71 radios all (well, most anyway) have the 16 pin connector on the back, and the LX's (starting in 2003) all came with the 24 pin connector.

It would be very cool to see a Spectra in where the radio goes in the dash though.
I have a 2007 CVPI, and it's mounted on the floor on the hump right under where the cup holders slide out.

True double DIN radio's will not fit in a Vic, they will fit in a foriegn vehicle(toyota,nissan) etc., the aftermarket considers the opening a double DIN though, even though it is really a 1.5. Good thing it's not too confusing.....

Cheese and rice, why is it so difficult these days? It's a wonder how car audio places stay in business with the level of integration a stereo has in modern autos. Anyone remember the oval shaped Taurus radios?

If you think it is hard to replace the radios in cars now, wait until thinks like "Sync by Microsoft" and such take off - the radio becomes an interface to the whole car, and is so intertwined that you pretty much cannot remove it.

Wowbagger wrote:If you think it is hard to replace the radios in cars now, wait until thinks like "Sync by Microsoft" and such take off - the radio becomes an interface to the whole car, and is so intertwined that you pretty much cannot remove it.

A lot of them have to be left in the vehicle behind the dash so options like AC will continue to work. On the DTS I used to own, all the computers were daisy chained, i.e., if the radio quit, so did the car.

Gotta love technology.