55 special cd player install

[Buick_N_Stogies]

I can't believe it's taken the long but I'm finally getting ready to try to install a cd player in my 55 special. When I bought it, the original radio was gone and one of the previous owners had crammed (and I do mean crammed) a cheap tape deck in the hole where the original radio was supposed to be. I tossed the tape deck and picked up the original radio off of ebay for about twenty bucks and installed it without hooking up the wires. I just wanted to restore the original look, so whether it worked or not didn't matter to me. I'll post sometime later on fixing the damage the "tape deck crammer" did to my dash. What I'm looking at doing now is installing a hidden cd player in a way that is not too complicated and won't detract from the original appearance I'm shooting for. Currently I'm thinking of mounting it under the dash somehow. My car doesn't have the glove box anymore, just the front of it. I'm not looking for a state of the art sound system. I just want to be able to cruise and listen to my Johnny Cash and Jimmy Buffett cd's. Anybody have suggestions? Tips? Pics? Thanks guys. :beers2:

[55special]

actually, I have 2 suggestions. you could get ahold of an under dash tissue dispencer (any year) and mount the cd player in or behind it. What I did was take the face off the original radio and mounted it back in the hole. Where the speaker used to be, i mounted a plate with a rectangle hole behind the speaker grill on the dash. If you take the bolts out of the bottom of the speaker grill it kind of hinges up. I mounted my cd player behind the speaker grill in the metal plate . When i change cd's i have to lift the speaker grill but it looks nice..I also bought the cheapest cd player i could find that had a remote so i could change channels or volume without lifting the grill.. I think it was a DUAL brand and was only like $60.
late
chad

[Buick_N_Stogies]

Thanks for the tips. I do want to get the tissue dispenser, but haven't found one yet. I liked the idea about the grill. I hadn't thought of that. That may be the route I take. Thanks. :beers2:

[CTbuick]

I realize you dont have a glovebox anymore, but this is how I ran mine I used a 6volt to 12volt mounted under the dash to power it.

upside- allows me to listen to my music or radio and retain stock look.
downside- the converter I used it rated to 3amps of power. The cd player volume goes about halfway up before it reaches the 3amp limit. Its still loud enough for cruisin.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b66/99silverado/DSC01304.jpghttp://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b66/99silverado/DSC01303.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b66/99silverado/DSC01302.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b66/99silverado/DSC01300.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b66/99silverado/DSC01305.jpg

[TurboV6]

On a 55, if you remove the cigar lighter from the bottom of the speaker grill the grill can be lifted up and plenty of room is available behind for a custom cd installation. Check with CJP69 he can describe more for you

[Buick_N_Stogies]

thanks guys...I just bought the player today and some speakers...tonight I'm going to experiment and see what I can come up with...thanks for the tips. I'll post an update later.:beers2:

[Buick_N_Stogies]

Ok, I decided to take the route a couple of you guys suggested and I'm going to install the cd player behind the speaker screen where the original radio speaker would be. A co-worker of mine is going to take some measurements and make a fiberglass mold to slide the cd player in and provide support for it. I'll take pics to post here to show how we did when we are done. Thanks for the suggestions guys. :beers2:

[aforget]

I went to the extreme.

http://www.55buick.com/Project/door.gif

[rogbo1]

I went to the extreme.

http://www.55buick.com/Project/door.gif

That is extreme! But very cool.
My old 56 had a cd w/remote in the glove box, and I did figure out how to turn it on once and listened to a ball game. But everything else was too complicated for an old guy!:confused:
Do they make anything nowadays with a knob that you turn and it clicks and you know it's on?:Do No:

[Buick_N_Stogies]

Sorry it took so long for me to post guys, but I've been busy. I found out on short notice that I'll be deploying to Afghanistan for a year. I've had to take care of a lot of things before I left for my training in Kansas. I did manage to take a couple of pics of what I did with my cd player though. I installed it inside the original radio. The new part will be behind the speaker screen which I can flip down. I'll be back here to enjoy it sometime after September next year. Thanks again for those who've made suggestions and helped me so far with my buick. Take care. :beers2:

[55special]

thay's a nice idea! Wish i woulda thought of it before i tore the face off my old radio and ruined it.
good luck im afg.
late
chad