Official Double-Din Frame Face Plate

[1batt4u]

So I finally got everything together!

I will write and explain in detail about the Double-Din Frame Face Plate. PLEASE READ Everything Carefully!!!

Here are pictures of the prototype I had posted on the other thread.
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Two things I had to do to get the frame to fit properly is:
1. I had to lower the double-din radio section down, which mean there will be less space between the bottom of the HVAC controls and frame where the shifter plate rests on. There will be about 1/8" space, you would have to straighten your shifter plate where it curves up. An other option would be a custom made shifter plate I will be offering, meant to hold the headlight and hazard switches, which you will read about and see pictures below.
2. I had to slightly bend the top section of the frame as you can see in the pictures, because even the original frame needed to be pushed downward in order for it to mount on, as well as the new frames made for the regular din radios.
3. I also shortened the area where the shifter plate rests on in order for the headlight and hazard switch to have room. I made the part that mounts on the bottom longer to even out. Either option you chose that will be the setup of the frame!
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Here is the custom shifter plate I will be offering as an option. As you see in the 2D design, all measurements are based on the actual parts. I decided they will look good there, I also got that idea by looking at the curve on the arm rest by the switches and cigarette lighter, and decided to put a similar curve there as well. The opening on the sides I will have them closed. If you chose this option, buying the custom shifter plate, it will come with a mounting plate for the switches, studs will be pressed/installed onto the plate in order to attach the mounting plate with switches on. I will include a small wire harness for each switch to connect on the back and to the stock harness.
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Here's a pictures of the frame with recess on the hole for the temp knob
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The HVAC decal will have colored heat/cool mode like the stock one, everything else will be in white only, no color behind it. That way people will have a choice what color display they will want using LED bulbs. Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Amber, Purble if anything.
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The HVAC panel will be CNC machined out of a block of acrylic and will have sort of a frosted look. The last 2 pictures, I had that one tested. I left it outside in NY crappy weather for over a year and a half. I even had it in a dirty bucket filled with some anti freeze, clutch fluid, and anything else that fell in there, snow, ice. It held up real great as you can see! :-)
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Here is the new Message Board for, "Cooling Fan Fail", "Lock Doors" and "Rear Def." It will be CNC machined out of Billet Aluminum. The top one will be used on the stock shifter plate, replacing the digital clock, if you go that direction. The bottom one will be used on the custom shifter plate I am working on, between the headlight and hazard switches. It will be Anodized in Matte Black, or left natural, I can polish it, if you want that look. It will come with a decal, same style as the HVAC decal.
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I will also have to make and spot weld brackets to support the frame just as the stock frame.
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Here are pictures of the radio brackets.
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The radio brackets will come with 4 Security Screws, to prevent someone from trying to take it. I will also include another 4, 2 for the top of the frame to dash, and another 2 for the shifter plate, either shifter plate.
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I was checking prices and they have gone up, like everything else.

The total price for just the frame unit alone, shipping included:
$250 in the US and Puerto Rico.
$275 to Canada
$285 all other countries.

Here is the part you have to read and understand:

The Frame itself will consist of a lot of parts:
1. Double-Din Frame,
2. Both Left and Right Brackets to support frame
3. Both radio brackets
4. HVAC Acrylic Panel
5. HVAC Decal
6. Absorbing Pad on top.
7. Security Screws and rest of hardware.

Option 1
You have an option of buying just the message board with decal, replace it with the digital clock. It will cost $35. YOU have to figure out how your are gonna setup your headlight and hazard switches. PLEASE do not ask me!

Option 2
You buy my custom shifter plate, will include headlight/hazard switch mounting plate with studs pressed into the shifter plate for easy installation, a Message board with decal, and 2 small harnesses for the headlight, hazard switches. This will probably be about $100.

Note: These will not be painted at all! You will have to paint them to your desired color! I will only paint the HVAC panels black around the edges like the stock one.


As I have mentioned before, I will need 30 people to start this, as I do not have the funds to start it on my own, or the space to keep these stored and wait till someone buys them. The 30 people will have to pay for the double-din unit only for the moment. Once I get everything going, you can tell me which option you will go with.


I wrote a lot and tired. lol If I missed anything or you don't understand, please let me know!

Thank you,
Billy

[thirdmanj]

This all looks very, very well executed! Well done sir!

[aiki99]

Looks like a great kit !!! do you have any final pics of everything installed in the car.......New version of face plate with color A/C plate, custom shifter plate with switches and message board lights...... I am on board for a kit !!!!

[kajcienski]

Looks super! Have you had the decal produced yet? That is always a big hurdle with these projects in terms of production expense.

[1batt4u]

Looks like a great kit !!! do you have any final pics of everything installed in the car.......New version of face plate with color A/C plate, custom shifter plate with switches and message board lights...... I am on board for a kit !!!!

I don't have anything. Everything will be made once I get all the 30 people.

When I had the prototype made the first time, face plate, radio brackets and HVAC panel, they were really expensive. As you can see from the prototype it is there, all I haev to do is simply lower the radio section down a bit to clear the vent and the top section a slight bent to it. Everything else is simple from then on.

Once I start getting people to pay I will start ordering part by part.

[1batt4u]

Looks super! Have you had the decal produced yet? That is always a big hurdle with these projects in terms of production expense.

I will try and get them going.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Some info on what I learned doing my LED circuit board.

Use a large font or do a negative font for those indicator lights. You want to see warning lights quickly at the drivers seat.

With my added thickness of the PCB board the mode switch knob just sits perfect (no gap between knob and not rubbing). So if your metal is stock thickness you could shim the switch back 0.032".

The temp switch knob still sticks out a little more than perfect. That can be shimmed with a washer behind it.

The fan switch even with the white plastic spacer removed sticks out more than perfect. Don't have an adjustment for that.

Those blue/red rings around the temp knob are hard to get illuminated good. Maybe your decal will have better colors and work with white LEDs. The new stock decal has weak filter colors.

Has your plastic face plate got standoffs the same length as the stock face plate?

[Nicholas R]

Do you already have the sources for every part being produced? Also do you have a projected timeline for completion? This looks great!

[1batt4u]

Some info on what I learned doing my LED circuit board.

Use a large font or do a negative font for those indicator lights. You want to see warning lights quickly at the drivers seat.

With my added thickness of the PCB board the mode switch knob just sits perfect (no gap between knob and not rubbing). So if your metal is stock thickness you could shim the switch back 0.032".

The temp switch knob still sticks out a little more than perfect. That can be shimmed with a washer behind it.

The fan switch even with the white plastic spacer removed sticks out more than perfect. Don't have an adjustment for that.

Those blue/red rings around the temp knob are hard to get illuminated good. Maybe your decal will have better colors and work with white LEDs. The new stock decal has weak filter colors.

Has your plastic face plate got standoffs the same length as the stock face plate?

The warning lights will show good without any problems. It will have the dark look until look, I guess that is called the negative font?

The metal is actually a little thicker than stock, but all knobs will be good, no gaps. The first pictures you see of the frame are actually before I had the temp. switch pressed in.

The fan switch, the white plastic will not be used and will have the HVAC panel against the fan switch control to keep it in place and from wobbling.

I am still coming up with ideas with illumination. I will try and get different options for illumination.

The plastic HVAC panel does have the same standoffs as the stock plastic panel.

[1batt4u]

Do you already have the sources for every part being produced? Also do you have a projected timeline for completion? This looks great!

Yes, I already have the same sources I've had the past 2 years. I will try and get parts made as I get money in. Starting with HVAC decal, HVAC acrylic panel, brackets, so on, double-din frame will be last part.
It will take an estimate of 2 months once I have all 30 people.

[1batt4u]

I just made a thread on the for sale page:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?6846-Double-Din-Face-plate-Bracket-Radio-Frame&p=99519#post99519

[Tillsy]

The warning lights will show good without any problems. It will have the dark look until look, I guess that is called the negative font?

Won't that mean the AC lights have to stay on to read them? I have mine on only with the parkers/headlights to save power, though now that I've put LEDs in there probably not a big deal...

[1batt4u]

Won't that mean the AC lights have to stay on to read them? I have mine on only with the parkers/headlights to save power, though now that I've put LEDs in there probably not a big deal...


That's just for the 3 warning lights "Cooling Fan Fail, Rear Def., Lock Doors" The A/C decal will be just as the original is, Red/Blue for temp. control and the rest white colored fonts.

[Tillsy]

Excellent! How many orders so far - looking likely to proceed?

[1batt4u]

Excellent! How many orders so far - looking likely to proceed?

Since I posted last night on the for sale page more info and detail, I have 1 buyer so far.

Lets keep it moving people!! :tongue2:

[1batt4u]

Here is an update, another alternative way.

Was trying to think of other ideas of how to set up the Double-Din frame HVAC and headlight/hazard switches.

It is going to be kinda hard working with the custom shifter plate I wanted to do. So I was trying to figure out different ways of setting everything up. I wish all the HVAC knobs fit together if I moved them a little closer and adding headlight/hazard switches also, but I can only fit 2 HVAC knobs and both light switches.

In order for this to work the Fan Speed switch will be relocated to where the Dimmer light control is, with a simple custom bracket, a small plexiglass plate and decal on top. The switch will fit with extension wires connecting to the Fan Switch and to the harness. With the stock harness connected to the Fan switch it will not fit, but with extension wires it will work easily.

Here is how it will look. I also added the 3 Indicators, they are kind of hard to see, but they are there. Yes, everything will fit in there I already did the measurements.
http://i44.tinypic.com/nmddmp.jpg

PLEASE, let me know what you guys think of this instead of everything else!!

Thank you!

[kobachi]

Here is an update, another alternative way.

Was trying to think of other ideas of how to set up the Double-Din frame HVAC and headlight/hazard switches.

It is going to be kinda hard working with the custom shifter plate I wanted to do. So I was trying to figure out different ways of setting everything up. I wish all the HVAC knobs fit together if I moved them a little closer and adding headlight/hazard switches also, but I can only fit 2 HVAC knobs and both light switches.

In order for this to work the Fan Speed switch will be relocated to where the Dimmer light control is, with a simple custom bracket, a small plexiglass plate and decal on top. The switch will fit with extension wires connecting to the Fan Switch and to the harness. With the stock harness connected to the Fan switch it will not fit, but with extension wires it will work easily.

Here is how it will look. I also added the 3 Indicators, they are kind of hard to see, but they are there. Yes, everything will fit in there I already did the measurements.
http://i44.tinypic.com/nmddmp.jpg

PLEASE, let me know what you guys think of this instead of everything else!!

Thank you!

I think this is a great idea. The dimmer pot was always a waste of space.

[1batt4u]

Here is another update on the Double-Din Frame.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2yo2zr5.jpg

This is another idea, and very easy, to mount the headlight and hazard switches.

I already did all the work on the CAD file. It will work out! :-)

I just need everyone's opinion on it, so I know if it is a go!!

Thank you!

[kobachi]

Here is another update on the Double-Din Frame.

http://i41.tinypic.com/2yo2zr5.jpg

This is another idea, and very easy, to mount the headlight and hazard switches.

I already did all the work on the CAD file. It will work out! :-)

I just need everyone's opinion on it, so I know if it is a go!!

Thank you!

It's a creative idea, but seems a little out of place to me with the modern stereo next to the old-school English-design buttons. I'd prefer them being mounted on the shifter plate, or switched out for simpler switches (har har)

[1batt4u]

Yea, I wasn't too crazy about it, just an idea.