Help installing aftermarket radio
xjryan
07-28-2003, 01:07 AM
Hi all, I'm new here. I just got my '96 Eclipse GS a week ago. I know, I know, it's a ONLY a GS, but hey, I'm kinda poor and I've always wanted an Eclipse and right now I need something that gets a little better gas mileage and I won't have to put Premium fuel in ($$$) compared to a GS-T or GSX. The speed is GREAT compared to my old '90 Cherokee. L8r when I get out of college and make some big $$$ I will get a '99 GSX ( I don't like the 2K+ Eclipses, I prefer the 97-99 body style, but had to settle with a 96 because of lack of $$$). Anyways, I'm rambling... Does anyone know a link to a website or can anyone quickly explain to me how to put in an aftermarket radio? I usually check Installdoctor, but the Eclipse section seems to be down. Is it hard to install a radio in an Eclipse? Any mounting kit needed? Also, I need to wire up my amps. Is there a place to run 2 gauge wire through the firewall? Thanks ahead of time.
timex
07-28-2003, 02:14 AM
i dont know about the 2Gs, but i assume they are similar to a 1G. if so, you have a decently difficult road ahead. for the installation, its somewhat easy, and i have a kit to recommend.
http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/item.pl?sku=SCOMI3013B&vq_id=none
I bought the kit by them that fits the 1G, and it works well enough for its price.
As far as the wiring goes... I hope the 2G has somewhere easier than the 1G, for your sake. It took us about an hour to find a place that it would go through, and another 20 minutes to get my 4 ga. wire through. There is a hole on the passenger's side that has a grommet, and a wiring harness already going trough. we pulled that harness out and pushed with a long flexible metal rod. after about 4 trial attempts, it barely poked through, and then it was hell getting the wire through tied to the back of the rod.
Good luck on getting it all to work, and post pics of the finished work! :)
http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/item.pl?sku=SCOMI3013B&vq_id=none
I bought the kit by them that fits the 1G, and it works well enough for its price.
As far as the wiring goes... I hope the 2G has somewhere easier than the 1G, for your sake. It took us about an hour to find a place that it would go through, and another 20 minutes to get my 4 ga. wire through. There is a hole on the passenger's side that has a grommet, and a wiring harness already going trough. we pulled that harness out and pushed with a long flexible metal rod. after about 4 trial attempts, it barely poked through, and then it was hell getting the wire through tied to the back of the rod.
Good luck on getting it all to work, and post pics of the finished work! :)
xjryan
07-29-2003, 01:05 AM
Hi, thanks for the response. Yeah, I got the wiring harness today and installed the new head unit. The installation was cake! I couldn't believe how easy it was and how perfect it fit. This is definately the easiest radio install I've ever done. The aftermarket head unit fit in perfect! I haven't tackled wiring my amp for my sub yet. I'm leaving that task for tomorrow. I'll let ya know how I make out. If I can't find anything, I'm prob. just going to drill a hole through the firewall, and put a rubber gromet around it. I've done this on several other cars in the past with success.
timex
07-29-2003, 02:44 AM
yea, i believe they changed the style of the factory headunits for 2Gs. for 1Gs, they are double-DIN, and mine had a radio that took up the whole space. I think the 2Gs have a DIN size plus a 1/2-DIN size below it. I wish the 1G was like this, because i have an EQ I want to install in my own, but the Scosche install kit only does a mediocre job of accomodating that.
xjryan
07-30-2003, 01:26 AM
Ok, just finished putting my sub in and wiring my amp. This was easy. I don't have any pictures at the moment. I had no trouble at all poking my 2 gauge wire through a boot in the firewall on the pasenger's side, that had some wires going through already. Wired it all up, and now my car sounds badass:bigthumb: I guess that's expected since I'm running all Alpine equipment. Alpine kicks ass!
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