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View Full Version : Can the stereo/nav and air vents be swapped?



kajcienski
02-01-2012, 04:16 PM
I can't remember where, but someone had mentioned the idea of swapping the air vents and flip up nav/stereo so the air vents would not be blocked (a big complaint I often see). It seems that this would be a great alternative to the double din idea without having to redesign the A/C fascia panel for more room and re-locate the hazards and lights. It also keeps a more stock look which some people like. Wouldn't this be a pretty simple solution in comparison? Just throwing it out there before I get the bug to try this myself...

ccurzio
02-01-2012, 04:20 PM
There are two rubber boots that connect from the fan ducts inside the dashboard to the back of the the plastic vent grill. The stereo usually ends up being deep enough that it passes underneath those ducts, so you'd have a hell of a time rerouting the airflow.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's not a simple matter of extending the airflow tubes either. It seems like it'd be pretty involved.

Michael
02-01-2012, 04:29 PM
A member on the old site did it. He had a flip up screen head unit, and when it was on it would block the air flow, so he flipped the positions and it turned out very nice.

DMCMW Dave
02-01-2012, 08:21 PM
A member on the old site did it. He had a flip up screen head unit, and when it was on it would block the air flow, so he flipped the positions and it turned out very nice.

You'd have to re-fabricate the diverter duct assembly to move the outlets and the flap, although I suppose you could live without the flap. (close the vent with the small rotary dials when you don't want air out the vents)

http://store.delorean.com/p-7624-housing-air-dist.aspx

For some unknown reason the photo is upside down. You need to move the center outlets lower, which is what I recall the guy mentioned did. He cut this box apart and put it back with the vents lower. Not sure if he was able to keep the flap valve functional.

kajcienski
02-01-2012, 08:36 PM
You'd have to re-fabricate the diverter duct assembly to move the outlets and the flap, although I suppose you could live without the flap. (close the vent with the small rotary dials when you don't want air out the vents)

http://store.delorean.com/p-7624-housing-air-dist.aspx

For some unknown reason the photo is upside down. You need to move the center outlets lower, which is what I recall the guy mentioned did. He cut this box apart and put it back with the vents lower. Not sure if he was able to keep the flap valve functional.

Dave, would you have a suggestion where to start with this while keeping the flap functional? Can the whole box be moved down and concentrate on reworking another way to the box? I guess I should dig into more research... Thanks though!

DMCMW Dave
02-01-2012, 08:46 PM
Dave, would you have a suggestion where to start with this while keeping the flap functional? Can the whole box be moved down and concentrate on reworking another way to the box? I guess I should dig into more research... Thanks though!

This would be a pretty complex mod to work out, as you would really need to remove the console and center stack to make the changes. You can't just drop the whole heater box because the body (and gas tank) are already there. You can't just drop the diverter as it would leave a huge hole in the heater box. This also feeds the side vents and defrosters and they need to stay where they are. I believe what was done was the outlets were cut away from the plastic and then re-attached at a lower position. I can't say that I've looked at it close enough to know if there is room for the flap assembly to move after the relocation.

This might be a good opportunity (here I go spending your money again) to replace the whole A/C assembly with an aftermarket unit as used in the RHD cars - they are much smaller.

Nicholas R
02-01-2012, 10:59 PM
Best of luck with this. Keep in mind that (at least in my experience) flip up head units are also much deeper than a standard radio. I think mine goes back like 11" or something; it barely fits in the spot the radio was designed for. I definitely regret it; the novelty has definitely worn off and is definitely not worth the blocking of the airvents.

Come on Double-DIN dash project!!!

thirdmanj
02-02-2012, 12:18 AM
I have a flip-up head unit and have found no real problem so far as the air vents go. I don't use the display while driving all that much. Unless the GPS is to be used, and then its really not all that bad since the screen is adjustable forwards and backwards. I think it just comes down to how much it REALLY matters to the user.

jfirios
02-02-2012, 12:41 AM
I am re doing my whole center section and installing a double din radio. What I am planning on doing is killing the center two vents and re directing the side vents to two new circle vents in the knee pads. That might be an option for you as well.

Jimmycxc
02-02-2012, 06:36 AM
I am re doing my whole center section and installing a double din radio. What I am planning on doing is killing the center two vents and re directing the side vents to two new circle vents in the knee pads. That might be an option for you as well.

If I'm not mistaken, that's what DMCH did with their electric delorean. It looks very nice

kajcienski
02-02-2012, 10:31 AM
I am re doing my whole center section and installing a double din radio. What I am planning on doing is killing the center two vents and re directing the side vents to two new circle vents in the knee pads. That might be an option for you as well.

I have seen that done before (DMCH as well) and like the look - and is a fairly subtle visual thing with the vents in the knee pads. Keep us posted on how you accomplish this. At least I would be very interested to see this step by step as a real "how to". Good luck!

jfirios
02-03-2012, 12:50 AM
if you look at the EV delorean that is how they did the vents. I spoke with danny down at DMC and he just made caps for the center two vents, which then doubles the output to the other vents. Initally I was going to cap off the side vents but then changed the radio design which would kill the center two vents but allow me to redirect the vents to the knee pads
I am going to get new vents from I think a mitsubishi or maybe the GMC Denali. I like the style of them, round and able to close off. Will keep you posted.

Domi
02-12-2012, 04:37 AM
I think the best improvement would be like this :thumbup2:
Like this, you are able to keep the air vent and put on a double din radio from the '80 such as pioneer component :wink:
Photo courtesy of Don Steger.

jfirios
02-12-2012, 12:16 PM
That is exactally, well not exactally what i am doing. I am extending the top a few inches in order to put in the double din radio, and an eq and leaving room at the top for two 2in mid speakers.

Domi
02-12-2012, 03:02 PM
Any pictures of what you've done so far?

jfirios
03-03-2012, 01:29 AM
i will be posting some very soon. I just got the stereo components in and am laying things out and starting to sand and smooth the new fiberglass center console and arm rest.

Nicholas R
03-03-2012, 01:55 AM
Anyone know what ever happened to the other double DIN dash project that was being worked on? I was totally on board with that. If it had gone into production I'd have been in the first run.

Stainless
03-07-2012, 06:45 PM
My car's flip-up DVD player looks like this:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/D11.jpg

jfirios
03-08-2012, 10:37 AM
here are some photos of the interior so far. let me know what you think. Again I am borrowing a lot of ideas from protodelorean. Though i am not a master fabricator like he is but I think the results in the end will be very impressive.

Jimmyvonviggle
03-09-2012, 09:01 AM
My car's flip-up DVD player looks like this:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w57/jlattin21/D11.jpg

I was considering putting my vents in the knee pads as well but after seeing this I will not. I dont know why I never thought of this simple solution, well done!

ssdelorean
03-09-2012, 10:31 PM
Craig of the PADMC (http://www.padmc.com/) did this back in 2007. Dan Plakosh helped him cut, relocate the ducts & epoxy the housing Dave was talking about so the rubber booties are under the radio and not over. The picture taken below from the DCO's site (http://ohiodeloreans.com/gallery-07-PAFallTech.htm).

http://ohiodeloreans.com/images/gallery_images_07PAFallTech/07PAFallTech-8.jpg

A really neat feature he added is when he puts the car into reverse there is a back up camera and the image is displayed on the screen. The camera is a tiny black thing that looks like another license plate light on the rear facia. Very slick in my opinion.

jawn101
03-09-2012, 11:53 PM
Craig of the PADMC (http://www.padmc.com/) did this back in 2007. Dan Plakosh helped him cut, relocate the ducts & epoxy the housing Dave was talking about so the rubber booties are under the radio and not over. The picture taken below from the DCO's site (http://ohiodeloreans.com/gallery-07-PAFallTech.htm).

http://ohiodeloreans.com/images/gallery_images_07PAFallTech/07PAFallTech-8.jpg

A really neat feature he added is when he puts the car into reverse there is a back up camera and the image is displayed on the screen. The camera is a tiny black thing that looks like another license plate light on the rear facia. Very slick in my opinion.

These are surprisingly slick looking when finished. I'd be curious to see what the redesigned vent boxes look like.

Chris_Von_Bron
07-05-2012, 02:43 AM
End result
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/Chris_Von_Bron/UIJ%20197/DSC_0003.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/Chris_Von_Bron/UIJ%20197/DSC_0008.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l55/Chris_Von_Bron/UIJ%20197/DSC_0012-1.jpg

I started a new thread here (which shows how I did the internals). I'd be very curious to see how others have tackled the internals:-

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?4477-Swapping-the-stereo-and-airvents-the-other-way-around-%28maintaining-stock-operation%29&p=63572#post63572