Austarion

So I've got the new head unit, cables, amp and speakers.

Got the centre console loose and out. Got the side panels behind the factory stereo out.

Can't get the console around the gear stick out nor can I get the console around the stero out. I can feel two small screws under left and right sides of the gear stick, but I reckon they'll be a bitch to get out (and back in!).

Any help or pointers for what to do next would be great :)

- You remove the rear part of the centre console (arm rest and power windows switch)

- take off those side panels with carpet that go down the side of the cente console.

-maybe two screws inside behind the radio. not hard to get out.(shouldn't be)

-disconnect wires if possible

-put the gear stick into second with knob off and should come out

When I took out the JB centre console the radio and tape player were one unit and screwed to the back of centre conole facia. Your JD is a bit different though you have three silver boxes for something?

open the little compartment thing/arm rest, pop the panel in front of it out upwards (i think your mirror control panel). after that's popped out, i think you can pop the next one out, (mine has window controls). after that i beleive there are 2 screw for the panel surround with the gearshift in it.

once you pop the first panel out next to the arm rest it all makes sense anyway

Cheers guys, got it sussed. One centre console ripped out, severe polishing and cleaning was needed to remove 20 years of accumulated skin flakes and ciggie ash :x

The head unit is going to fit in perfectly from what we can tell :) Amp under one seat and splitters/crossovers/whatever (bigger than the speaker) under the other. Speakers will sit in the current door hole (I think) so I'll avoid cutting it up. Just a few screws ought to to do it. They'll sit out a bit (1.5 cm all up) I think, but it'll be better than putting in door pods.

I do need opinions on where to put the tweeters though, can't find too many places that are hidden and easy to get to (I want to put them in the dash, but fuck pulling that out). The places that would otherwise be good require butchery....hmmm.

Anyway, tomorrow it all goes in :)

I put mine in the top of the door. I used the stick out type (not flush mount), so they face the driver and only requires three small holes in the factory vinyl/plastic (not sure what it is) lining on the top of the doors.

My car is in bits, there's cable everywhere and my mates are drilling and sawing things.

I want to take photos but I can't bring myself to do it...



Edit:
Mate 1: Hardest stereo install ever.
Mate 2: I'm I'm never putting a stereo in a Starion again

First time I installed an amp/sub system in my old GSR-III, this is what we did, a little FYI, might make you at ease:

Had 2 amps, 2 subs, 4 speakers to go in.

Rear speaker holders had plastic mesh, light hammer work repaired this. Came out just fine.
Rear seats had to come out for wiring
Side clips and door plate things off for side wiring (power lines, speaker cables).
Center console removed for access to headunit and this is where I ran my RCA leads.
Both door trims removed, jigsaw used to cut 6.5" circles in carpet, and a drill was used to make holes for the tweeters. Friend of mine wrote some memorable quotes on my plastic insultion, involving many four letter words :)

Car went backtogether nicely, no dramas, went great :)

As far as car goes, the only thing that makes things more difficult in a Starion than any other car is the fact there is only really one usable grommet on the firewall to pass wiring through without making a new hole, otherwise its not that big a deal. The other asshole is the fact the boot is only something like 30cm high, so had to make custom subbox, or get dual 8's or maybe dual 10's. GSR-X hasn't had its audio installed yet, but we made a custom 12" box, will look good once covered :)

Wow. The job is 3/4 complete. My mate made custom *under trim* pods out of mdf (which is just slightly thicker than the original front speaker mount). Phenomenal job. I wish I took photos of this, and if trim ever comes off again I will. Then went to cut the trim to mount the speaker cover on the outside but realised the speaker cover on the trim is actually about 1.5" *below* the speaker (factory and new). So we left it as is.

Alpine head unit mounted. Not too hard, a bit of drilling of the original stereo mounts. Some extra drilling when measurements were wrong ;)

10ish metres of cable put in. You should see my mates arm - ripped to shreds in a two hour job to get the main power cable through into the engine bay. The door were a bitch, those grommets are tight!

All that's left to do is mount the amp under the passeger seat, crossovers under the driver's seat and stick the tweeters on the dash. I'm glad me and my mates did this (well, mainly them). I don't want to know what a 'professional' would have charged

sounds good man, can't wait to see it. mount the tweeters in the mirror backings?

Photos tonight? Yeah I reckon so. :)