81Euro

Jerry, would it be worthwhile to send you the Kenwood specs for comparison before you finalize a jig? Also the 7160 comes with a cage, but not sure that is what you need. I can overnight both. Or if time permits I might just bring them personally, what's the driving time from Stapleton? Does Walker have commercial service? Better yet, why don't you come on down here and go fish'in with the old Tailhooker? Jimmy.

Jerry Feather

WOW! Those are all great ideas, Jimmy. Maybe we can do most of them in some kind of sequence. What I anticipate is making a trimming jig that will use different guides for different brand NAV units. However, it may turn out that the front protrusion of them all is the same, except, I think, for the amount of protusion, which I noticed on the Kenwood is deeper than on the Pioneer units. That can be made up with a spacer cut to the same opening as the upper insert.

It might still be helpful to have the Kenwood unit in order to make a rack if that needs to be different from the Pioneer.

It would be great you have you here and you would be very welcome to come and stay and we could work on your installation. Stapleton is no longer an airport, but they have DIA instead. Walker Field is now Grand Junction Regional, I tnink, and they do have commercial service. In fact I live only about a half mile from the airport.

Driving time from DIA is about 4 hours or so on I70. My house is within earshot of I70 off exit 31.

I have been to Florida only about once, but coming there would also be nice. Let's keep that option open also.

Jerry Feather

Hi again Jimmy. "Tailhooker" tell a lot about your aviation career. Did you know that North American Aviation, who designed and built many of my type of airplane, the NaVion, had some idea to put a tailhook on it? I actually saw a copy of the factory drawings for installation of a tailhook on a NaVion. I think they were hoping to sell the Navy some of them. The Army bought a bunch and they were known as the L-17. I don't know what the Navy designation would have been.

Jerry

Jerry Feather

Jimmy, in the meantime why don't you send me the measurements of your Kenwood unit. I would like to have the exact measurements of the face of the unit that would be visible from the front, not including any kind of trim that may have come with it. I need the width, height and depth of the face.

Then I would like the measurements of the body of the unit, not including the face. I need the width, height and depth of the basic body, not including any screw heads or connections or fans and such on the back.

I'll compare that with my Pioneer units and see how much flexibility I will need in my rack design idea.

Jerry

Jerry Feather

If anyone else has jumped out ahead of this project and obtained any other kind of Double DIN Nav/etc. unit that is anticipated for this system, I would be interested to know what direction others are going with it and what the same dimensions are for other units that might want to come into play. Thanks.

Jerry Feather

Landseer

Wow, this is turning out very nicely.
As an aside, my consideration is different.
Am eliminating radio, HVAC system, clock and ashtray on a USA 84 that has been deeply scarred.
It has all-new mechanical / suspension parts, though, and is being refreshed anyway.
But not the luxury features, just basics.
Carpeting is installed, but no sound deadening, for instance. No cruise, no duct work actuators. Will get simple on/off heat valve and retain variable speed fan.
Panel would be used plain or to hold gauges as required.

Ducman82

I have a double din, and im looking at adding two gauges where the ash tray was.

orangecrush

Why not use something factory from Porsche? This head unit or something a bit earlier?

Ducman82

Probably because it would be way to expensive and harder to hook up

Jerry Feather

Hi Ducman. I see that you have a five speed, so if your interests are for this system for that car, I think there will be space in the new "clock Panel" which is going to be located about where the ashtray was before. With the five speed version of the lower insert, I think theer might be enough space for a couple or even three (if not too big) instruments .

Tell me about the two instruments you have in mind and what are the dimensions or specs on your double DIN Unit?

Jerry Feather

Jerry Feather

Hi Bronco. Nice picture of some kind of Porsche center console. Not surprising is looks almost as nice as what I am trying to develop for you 928 guys and gals. It has a little more bling than I think we are acustom to, but otherwise it seems to carry the same theme.

Ducman pretty much answers the question, don't you think? On the other hand, if the dimensions are within the limits of what I am developing, why not!!!!

Jerry Feather

Ducman82

here is a picture of my double DIN Alpine unit. The Gauges i plan on using are Innovative AF gauge and a Fuel Pressure gauge, they would be 2 1/16 standard gauges.

Jerry Feather

Thanks, Ducman, for the pictures. They really tell a lot.

If you are going to be interested in the system that If am developing for your project here is what you are going to do.

First, your will be cutting the air vent out of the console, because it will get mounted in the upper insert that I am going to be making. Then you will be having me trim the vent grill down on the ends in the trim gig I have made so it provides some reveal around the edges when it is mounted in the insert.

Next, you will be remounting the HVAC units in the upper insert down quite a bit from where they are now in the console. When those two events take place there is going to be space in the middle of the insert to remount your double din unit. It is going to be mounted in the console in some kind of set-up that your or I are going to have to devise.

Finally, in regard to the lower trim piece I am going to make, I suggest that you look for some better looking instruments that 2 1/16. They are just too big for this conversion, although they might actually fit. I suggest you look at the 1 7/8 inch round instruments that I am talking Jimmy out of using. They wont fit in the automatic trim piece, but will in the 5 speed trim piece. Even those are a little gaudy, for my taste, but a lot better than 2 1/16.

Even with any of these round instruments, there is going to be some fudging in regard to mounting them since they are going to be put into a surface that has quite a bit of curvature in it--moreso than most of you guys seem to think.

When all of the mounting is determined, then the insert and trim, piece will need to be covered in leather. Is your console color black or dark blue? It looks dark blue in the pictures, but that is sometimes just the image.

Just food for thought.

Jerry Feather

Ducman82

great food for thought! NOM NOM NOM! (brain is happy). im not dead set on the gauges so changing them is not a problem. i just had that center console redone by Robb in Black leather, and getting him to do that trim would be no problem. the only thing that i can think of as a hang up, is on the older Hvac vaccum hoses and the hard "line" for the vent door not having enough slack to bring it out. but building it should be fun, and i am for sure game!

81Euro

Jerry; Finally opened the Kenwood box to get the requested measurements and to my suprise there is no spec sheet. The only dimention listed is on the outer box which states the touch screen is 6.95" Wide. Another feature to factor is the face of this unit will pitch (up and down) and roll (left and right) about 10-15° to allow for better viewing angles. My rule shows the following measurments: Face: 6 7/8 - W; 3¾ - H; ½ - D. (Note: the depth is difficult to determine because it ships from the factory with the face setting piched forward.) Box minus face: 7 - W; 4 - H; 6½ - D. If you need to feel and touch just let me know and I'll get it to you. For the record, the prosport gauges are 1 7/8 but mounted with the bezel are actuallu 2 1/16. Its looking like the Auto guys will come in last for gauges unless you come up with more magic! Let me know what you need. Jimmy.