2-?'s---Sony Radio Install/Painting the Bezel

[94GTLaserRC]

Well, guys, I got the Sony f5700. It was only $179 at C/C and it has MP3 capability, 3-Pre Amp outs, and 23w RMS. I got the harness for it, but I have to go to another CC to get the harness for the Mach side.

TWO questions regarding this and the following pic:

1. The Sony Slides right in there, and it is kinda snug. Is there any thing else to do to secure it, or just leave it just like that?

2. With regard to painting. The A/C vent is painted silver (even tho it looks whitish in the pic). You can tell in the pic that the black is worn and faded. Since the car is Laser, I cant really paint the bezel the same color. Do you think it would look good to paint the center bezel there silver, and switch the A/C vent back to black, or what? The plate surrounding the Sony is black so if I painted the bezel silver, there would be a nice black ring between the bezel and the Sony.

Here is a pic of the of the dash how it looked before I took out the radio.

You can all just chime in with answers to both or just one of the questions.
Thanks
RC

 

[94GTLaserRC]

OH, BTW...Does Krylon make a SILVER (not gray) color?
RC

 

[5.0_GT_kid]

RC I like the bezel and vents the way it is, I'd just repaint it black.

 

[94TURBO5 O]

Laser red is my favorite factory Ford color and I think the inside would look nice painted laser red on the bezel with the tan int. much better than silver

Look how good the red on the btm matches with the black/tan.

This car belongs to friend of mine that I installed these pieces into.

 

[GTPhreak]

i thought you said you had the m460 system in your car?? where is the lower cd deck that comes factory on the m460? the sony deck is in a sleeve..you have to remove it, place the sleeve in the bezel, and there are some notches you move out to secure it then place the radio in....that looks like the standard premium sound to me though...

 

[ChromeYellow94]

You asked in the other post if we thought the sony was good or not.....

Ok I'm not a huge fan of sony car audio. I think that their quality and functions are below that of pioneer and alpine. They however make excellent stuff for home stereo's and tv's and such. My buddy just got that same HU and it's ok. I think that the bad things about the sony's tend to show up later. They have been known to start shutting off for no aparant reason. That's what happened to the one that I had in my probe.

I personally would pay the extra like 35 dollars and get the 760 premier or the 7600 pioneer but that's just me. I like the look of the pioneer much better. I think they look cleaner and not so flashy. As for taking it back...I think you'll be happy with it and you're right, It does have mp3 and way more stuff than the stock one. I can say oh...what's 35 more dollars but then what's 60 more.....you know? Where do you stop?

For sure check and make sure it'll play burned cd's good. My buddy's won't play them for **** so it makes the mp3 part worthless.

Nick

 

[94GTLaserRC]

You asked in the other post if we thought the sony was good or not.....
Nick

I didnt want to REPOST your entire quote, but thanks for the info. As far as problems, I cant argue since I havent put it in and tried it yet. As far as "clean" and not flashy, I can tell you, and you can see by the pic that it is very neat/clean and not flashy at all. My goal is to get it working Wed, then try some files in it, then start painting the bezel so I can install it on Sat.

JR, I like red, but I thought if I said that, I would get RIPPED. I have a can of laser red spray paint, that would need some clear over it. ONLY problem I can see is that we are looking at that red with a gray interior and it looks good....Im not too sure about the tan. I guess I could try it, and redo it if I dont like it.

THANKS for the pic JR....These subtle little things for now will keep me motivated.

RC

 

[94TURBO5 O]

I think it would look much better with tan than the grey. IMO
I would just paint the bezel and not go gung ho like my friend. If you wan to paint the shift bezel leave the black edge on the trim. I would paint the vents back black also.

 

[94GTLaserRC]

i thought you said you had the m460 system in your car?? where is the lower cd deck that comes factory on the m460? the sony deck is in a sleeve..you have to remove it, place the sleeve in the bezel, and there are some notches you move out to secure it then place the radio in....that looks like the standard premium sound to me though...

In 1994 the CD was an upgrade...I didnt own a CD at the time so I didnt get it. As far as fit, the whole thing fits right in there fairly well, I dont think I have to do anything else
RC

 

[94GTLaserRC]

I think it would look much better with tan than the grey. IMO
I would just paint the bezel and not go gung ho like my friend. If you wan to paint the shift bezel leave the black edge on the trim. I would paint the vents back black also.

Actually JR, what do you think about this:

Paint the WHOLE upper bezel, and on the shift bezel, just paint the OUTER RING red, and leave the inner portion black? Just a thought.

FOr now, I need to get this radio working...I got 30 days to return it!
RC

 

[94TURBO5 O]

I know it's not laser red but in the top right pic my trim is slightly in red mode. I will try and take a good pic of the red shift tomorrow for you and you can see how it looks on the tan. Like you said you can always redo it.

 

[94TURBO5 O]

Well I was pissed that my friends got painted on the black trim cuz it looks like ass not flowing with the dash.
I would IMO paint the inner part and leave the black trim along the edge to flow with the rest of the dash. Look at the pic again and see what I'm talking about. I painted a very thin edge along mine just to flow a little color from the bezel but did not touch the black trim.

 

[donjohn]

rc- i kinda like your idea about switching the vents back to black and painting the bezel silver.

as for the fitment of the radio- I have a sony h/u as well and just use the metal covering which you bend the pieces to fit onto the bezel, there is however a piece (which i don't have) that you screw onto the rear of the cd player and slide along the only bar on the bezel which lies below the radio cutout. This is just for extra stability and imo isn't really necessary- mine's been fine for months now, of course, i don't play cds in the h/u because i've got the mp3 changer so you might get skipping issues without that little clip, ionno

 

[donjohn]

From this thread a few weeks back
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=469847&page=2&pp=25&highlight=interior+pictures

ProKiller has some silver to give you an idea, i think it looks good and you've already got the billet ac knobs as it shows in your pics and the white face plate to compliment

*Again this is ProKiller's car*

 

[94GTLaserRC]

JR: Is this what you mean:

I highlighted the area I "think" youre referring to in yellow..Youre talking about the "flow" of the dash regarding THAT curve there?

So you mean keep the OUTER MOST ring on the shift bezel black, right? But I still think it would look funny painting the ENTIRE center of the shift bezel red. Let me go photo shop what I think might be the best way, and you can let me know
RC

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Donjon...Thanks for the insight on the Sony. Mine has the detachable face with the CD thingy behind it. What I may do, sine the headunit slightly rests on that stability piece on the bezel, is mount a long strip of double sided 3M foam tape on the strip, and slightly press the h/u down onto it. I think that should hold it pretty well.

As far as Prokillers interior, I REMEMBER that thread. I agree with silver/black in his car, b/c that looks ...Im just concerned with all that silver in a tan and black 2-tone interior.

Thanks
RC

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Ok, DONT at the paintshop quality. I guess this is the "scheme" youre referring to JR?

I couldnt find a WHOLE bezel pic with the white A/C face, but I found this and highlighted how I think youre referring to it. What do you think? Remember, those A/C vents will be back to black if I paint it red. Remember your friend painted his clock pod, but I would NOT paint my Gauge pod.
Im going now to get the harness to finish my radio.
Thank
RC

 

[94TURBO5 O]

Yeah that does look a bit extreme or maybe it's just not the real thing in person. I would maybe just do the bezel and think about the shift bezel after you finish the radio bezel. The auto bezel is a big difference from the 5 speed one.

Gloss black pieces (radio, shift & inst. bezel) would look nice as well and maybe painting the door cups lazer in the future would look sweet.

 

[donjohn]

you know it might not look that bad, but i think you'd probably want to highlight some other things with red too. like if you were to buy racing seats or a seat cover that was black and red, or just paint a couple other things red- like the aribag lettering, door panel, ash tray ionno

 

[94GTLaserRC]

Couple of things guys:

1. Since the Auto shift bezel pops right out...I can wait to that..OR just do the ringed edge ONLY.

2. I got Duplicor Ford Electric Currant Red..It is a slight bit deeper red than the metallic, so it wont look so "cartoonish"

3. Don..I thought about painting the door handle bezels the same, and also, the plastic piece around the fog light switch and the dummy convertible top switch.

I just got back from C/C now, and they screwed me....they do NOT carry the direct adapting harness for the MACH (after wasting 3 hours)...So the guy "rigged up" this unit they put in the Lincolns. He spliced everything, then installed it, then said "that will be $46.

I said I can get the RIGHT harness from C/C online for $17...So I told him to Take it right back out of my car

After trying 5 minutes trying to convince me that THAT harness was better with the amp system...he took $10 off the price, and I was on my way..It works now, but I need to get going on prepping the plastic, so it can be done by Sat.
RC