The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Stereo Installation in a 1966

New member here, I am awaiting delivery of my new (to me) 1966 Chevy K-10 long box fleetside. The Previous owner tells me it will need a new radio. Not sure if that means that the radio is dead or removed. I am a competent installer but I'd like to know if there are any serious issues I should consider before trying to install a modern AM/FM/CD/MP3 head unit in one of these old trucks.

i'm sure you know it, but don't let anyone cut your dash to install. if you need to install under dash or buy one that will fit hole from a vendor specificly made for these trucks.

So a standard single DIN size will not fit? As long as the dash hole is bigger than DIN I can fab a really nice adapter, I have used the stuff guitar guards are made out of to make up some fantasic adapter plates. There are some really cool, retro looking patterns you can find in that stuff.

Say, thats a great idea about the guitar guard plastic! I may steal that when we put teh radio in my sons truck...Thanks

Pretty sure the dash hole will be a small rectangle with two small circles on either side (for the knobs), so no, a standard aftermarket stereo won't fit. You'll have to mount it somewhere else, unless the dash has already been cut for a newer stereo (like mine) which is a bit of a shame.

I can't actually take credit for the idea. The guy that used to host the "trucks" show on Spike TV gave that tip years ago and I've used it since.

OK, after perusing some pics of 1966 interiors I get how installing a modern stereo might be seriously difficult in these trucks WITHOUT cutting the dash. I guess I'll have to use some serious ingenuity to make something look good and still keep the dash stock. For all i know, it may already have been chopped. If so I'll just work with what I get.

I'm keeping the stock AM radio and will put a modern unit in the glove box.
Best of both worlds.

I made a console(?)out of plywood that sits in front of the seat. The stereo came up and over the top of the seat, made it easy to change CDs. It was crude, the next one I'm going to add cup holders on the side, and storage for CDs.

Larry

I've done similar on a few vehicles. Since this one is a four on the floor and I'll need to haul three on occasion, it will not be feasable to duplicate on this truck. One thing that I might do is mount it way down under-dash between the firewall and shifter. I'll be mostly using MP3 inputs from my Garmin Zumo 550 so a head unit with remote would make that feasable.

alot of places are selling modern stereos to fit the stock radio holes. lmc, brothers, i think every catalog i have has got something.
they'll have the look of the stock stereo but run mp3's have aux inputs, run cd changers and and kinds of junk. they look real slick! i think they start around 200.

Nice tip, I'll look into that. It would be the best way to go about what I'm wanting to do.

This is what I am doing as well, except that my truck didn't come with a radio at all, just a block off plate, so in keeping with the work truck theme the stereo in my truck will be hidden.