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Can a typical car CD player work on it's side?

16K views 117 replies 15 participants last post by  boothboy 
#1 ·
I have a very limited space for a stereo in my Rambler and I am wondering if I could put a CD player on it's side up in the kick panel area. What do you think?

I have a cheapie modern stereo with a USB and a Memory card that I could use but I rather just put my CD player in there being I have piles of CDs.

Brian
 
#3 ·
I guess all I have to do it try it. But it working without going down a bumpy road is one thing, road testing is another.

Brian
 
#5 ·
True, I'll give it a go tomorrow. I REALLY need to get a radio back in the Rambler baseball season is about to start!

Brian
 
#7 ·
It really depends on if it was made to be mounted vertically. Like you said, it should work no problem while parked but unless it is designed to operate that way, chances are it will be more susceptible to skipping from bumps in the road. It may work well enough that it's worth putting up with a few skips here and there.
 
#8 ·
the answer is NO.. disc players that can will have a center that locks the disc in place.. like your laptop disc c/d,dvd player does.. you may get a standard car c/d player stereo to load the disc and play.. but it will jam sometime soon and when you try to eject will bend the works inside and that'll be the end of that unit
 
#12 ·
My xbox360 works vertically and has no latch for the center of the disc. I doubt his car stereo has an ejecting tray anyways.

The majority of car stereos recommend no more than a thirty degree incline. This is due to the way the laser is mounted to prevent skipping. I think you will have serious skipping issue to the point you only listen to the radio.
 
#16 ·
Guys if you saw how limited I was as to where I could mount a deck you just wouldn't believe it. I have pulled the deck out of the small box it was in for mounting under a dash and it gave me the one inch or so to be able to fit it between the Ebrake and the cowl side, Making brackets to bolt it in is another story! This is without a doubt the most difficult stereo mounting I have ever seen. When I got the car it was mounted under the center of the dash and it SUCKED.

I'll post some photos and maybe some magic will happen. :thumbup:

Brian
 
#17 ·
Guys if you saw how limited I was as to where I could mount a deck you just wouldn't believe it. I have pulled the deck out of the small box it was in for mounting under a dash and it gave me the one inch or so to be able to fit it between the Ebrake and the cowl side, Making brackets to bolt it in is another story! This is without a doubt the most difficult stereo mounting I have ever seen. When I got the car it was mounted under the center of the dash and it SUCKED.

I'll post some photos and maybe some magic will happen. :thumbup:

Brian
I find this hard to believe as every 60's radio I've take out have been huge, whats the problem you don't want to cut the dash.. if so get a retro model one or 2

http://www.crutchfield.com.edgesuit...m/common/bugs/video/prodpagesplats-review.png



Retrosound Model One (Black) Digital media receiver for classic cars at Crutchfield.com
 
#18 ·
The stock radio has no face, there is no radio alive that would bolt right in and I won't cut it up for a couple of reasons, one, I don't want to hurt Marge. Second, I don't want a radio that can be seen thru the window anyway.

Here is the radio you can see it in the middle of the dash, well, you can see each of it's knobs, that's it. The speaker is in between the knobs.



Here is where the guy had the stereo when I got the car, I may just put it back there and then make some kind of cover I can put over it like a tissue dispenser. :D



This is the glove box, so it can't go in there.





Here is a little slot I found I could stuff it. But then there is no place for the speakers up front.




Brian
 
#19 ·
that radio face/grill piece can't you make one like that and cut it.(or get a spare). so the part infront of the radio folds down(think cassette deck door) and radio is behind it..

or just mount an amp under the seat and use a portable mp3 player to have tunes../radio

today with cheap 7" tablets. with Bluetooth. i'd install an amp and hook a cheap 50 buck tablet to it. and stream your music from your smart phone for internet radio and load the music (your c/d's)only the tablet and get a suction cup holder for the tablet.. or just blop it on the seat. and cover with a shirt when parked,
 
#20 ·
Those are all good ideas that I have thought about. My problem is I have to have AM radio to listen to my Giants games.

Brian
 
#22 ·
LOL, the only reason I am even doing anything is the original radio bit the dust! I should have just pulled it out the day it happened and sent it off for rebuild. I am going to pull it out tomorrow and see if there is anything I can see. It goes on but all I get is a tiny bit of noise when I turn the tuner.

Brian
 
#24 ·
I hear you on not cutting up your dash. They do make a hidden radio that mounts totally unseen and uses a remote to do everything, kind of pricey tho'
not anymore.. even the 99.00 units have a remote..
also think outside the box... the ATV world has venders that make small consoles to mount to the floor with a spot to put a radio, and there is a lid that locks and is water proof.. most also have a small lockable side compartment for ammo, or whatever.. and they are not that much money.. they have cup holders too..
 
#26 ·
Brian I think it would be a lot easier to bite the bullet and just go with a non disc unit like the Boss 614ua. You can always just rip your CDs onto your computer and then load them on an inexpensive SD card and just keep it loaded in the player. Plus it's only $35 and comes with a remote control.

Also does CA still broadcast sports only in AM? Our sports station just moved to FM a few weeks ago.

- Cameron
 
#28 ·
This is that unit, it's just like what I got.



You see how it't just as big as the stock radio! The damn thing could be as big as a cigarette lighter but they make it huge because it's "replacing" a stock radio.

I have a place under the rear seat I may mount it, I just hate not having it within reach from the drivers seat.

I know I can break down and get a remote one, crap, now you see my brain at work and why I have been using the stock AM radio for the years I have been driving this car.

Brian
 
#27 ·
I know, I am just so cheap, I am looking to save the world with what I have in a few boxes in my garage. :D Plus I haven't moved into the 21st century just yet, I am still hanging out in the 1980's. :D

And there are two sports stations in the SF bay area, one AM plays everything SF Giants, the other on FM broadcasts the Oakland A's.........I'm a Giants fan.

I just can't believe what a pain this thing is for installing a stereo. I have put stereos in many, many cars over the years, I have never ran across something so crazy. I bought a "modern" one for it years ago, one with a USB and a memory card and AM/FM. The darn thing is as big as the stock radio with nothing inside! It's made to install in a stock radio location so the tuner and volume are out where the stock ones would be like most every other radio for the past 50 years. Without serious mods I can't change that, I have looked at it over and over because I could cut this thing up and put it anywhere I want but it is made in such a way that would make that very hard.


Brian
 
#29 ·
Here is my high technology upgrade when I wanted to listen to music (no AM music stations, at least not in English) my iPod and a little speaker my wife got me for Christmas a few years ago. :D

Brian

 
#31 ·
May IN the seat, I hadn't thought of that. It can't mount under the seat as there is a big brace welded to the floor across there.
It could mount under the rear seat right in the middle by the drive shaft tunnel there is just enough room for it.

In the mean time I installed this one.



It was WAY easier than I thought! :thumbup:

Brian
 
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#32 ·
Clean install!...... you can't even see the wires!.....lol

I noticed you had a tranny hump cup holder........ you might think about building a metal box that would fit under you cup holder, hold the radio and still allow drinks....... wires could be run under the carpet to a plug. The plug would allow you to remove the whole thing when you're not crusin to prevent theft etc.....
 
#33 ·
Hi,
Taking EOD's idea one step further, fab up your own cup holder & center console. It would only need to be about eight inches wide at the upper point. Brackets at the top edge would allow it to be attached to the lower edge of the dash. The lower portion would contour the trans hump helping hold it in place. Have it hold the radio of your choice as well as speakers on the sides of it. Add cup holders for beverages, maybe a pocket for papers, pens, wallet.
 
#34 ·
You know what, I hadn't thought of that. Gearhead had that idea a few posts ago but it was a newer console looking thing that didn't grab me. But making something from scratch that looks stock, now that's an idea! Thanks!

Brian
 
#35 ·
This is what I did years ago when I worked in boston and wanted to keep my radio instead of it going bye bye.. while I was working..
I left the gm am/fm radio in dash.. and installed the newer head unit(am/fm/cd with cd changer control) in the glove box.. the unit was a removable face plate type, sold with the idea no face plate the thugs can't use it.. and that works.. but then they look to see if there are amps /etc , so it went into the glove box.. it also had a wireless remote.. but I made up a cable to go from the head unit to the faceplate and the faceplate would go into the ash tray when not used. when used it was stuck to velco that was on the factory radio.. so the controls where not all the way over to the pass side and in the glove box.. it worked great.. changing c/d's still required opening the glove box, but I also had the c/d changer so ,that didn't happen much..
Only took a little soldering to make the patch cable like connection was cake.. it's only 5-8 pins.. might be worth looking into..
 
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