dr_broon Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 Yeah, I do use them very occasionally, but they're so bloody awkward to use. Some big four ones for water bottles would be handy - I know someone made some of them once. Might look into doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 @dr_broonYes, member on here did a custom job on his door cards to incorporate large cup holders (think it was one of our newer members) looked awesome and worked perfect! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 Woohooooo! Super excited, the new head unit is here!! Now just got to figure out how to install the damn thing! Doesnt fit in a standard double din cage, instead has brackets so looks like I'm gonna need to fit it to the console then fit the console to the car. Will probably need to fabricate some brackets. Why is nothing ever easy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_broon Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 It's so true... There's always a problem to solve, and that's where I get stuck.. Trying to figure out how I'm going to do something and changing my mind all the time. I'm sure you'll get it sorted though bud... And Where's the pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 Double din - Mission aborted!! Got the console finished, bought the Xtrons double din android head unit....and there's where the problems began! The Xtrons gets great reviews, despite there being cheap copies of it floating around on Amazon and eBay that are totally crap. Problem 1 (Resolved): The wiring harness for Xtrons. I did a trial of the head unit in DD, to make sure everything worked. I noticed that whenever the car was turned off completely, it lost the memory/time etc. Knew right away that that meant the permanent live/accessory live were round the wrong way. So had to switch those two wires on the Xtrons harness. All soldered then heat shrinked. Problem 2 (Resolved): It ain't a bloody double din head unit, even though it's advertised as being double din!!! It's too wide/tall to fit in a double din cage. So I had to fabricate my own brackets (the ones it comes with would only work in newer cars, not the custom install we have here) and fix it to the console prior to fitting. Did that! Problem 3 (Abort abort!): got DD's original console out (what faff!, forgot how blooming tedious a job that was!) had a look at the heater controls and where I'd be moving them down to. Would need to drill new holes for the screws to mount, no biggie. Offered up the new console (head unit fitted) and bang, there's the problem! In order to get this in with the (not so) Double din unit, I would need to cut away the metalwork behind the dash/console. would also need to try and reshape the metal supports at the side of the dash as these were slightly fowling the heater controls. I never knew there was so much that would need cutting out to fit this. So I sat and looked at it for a while, then came to the conclusion.....I'm not prepared to butcher DD's dash/metalwork just to fit a stereo. The whole idea of this was that it would always be reversible so she could be returned back to stock oem if need be. Hats off to those who have done this though, a lot of work and you have bigger balls than me! lol I just do not want to butcher the car for this. So, end result is I have a head unit all ready wired and ready to go, and a double din dash for a Civic M. If anyone wants to benefit from all the hard work, drop me a pm! The console and head unit may be up for sale. Console isn't perfect, but but it does look pretty OEM. Just needs the double din surround trim to complete (would need to make one as stated above, the radio isn't exactly double din) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 Soooooooooooo.... plan B! Plan B was originally plan A till I got carried away, so willbe purchasing a nice single din head unit with a motorized screen to fit to DD. That way I get the screen and features of the double din without destroying the dash in behind the consol. Will be straight fit, plug n play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_broon Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 Aw man, that sucks. Don't blame you for not wanting to start chopping the metal out behind the dash, I wouldn't fancy it either. Plan b sounds good though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 yeah mate, gutted! Didn't realize that there was so much more involved to it, considering the amount of work that has to go into just creating the D/D console. I might have another think about it later, but really don't relish the though of cutting away the dash innards. Plan B would mean she still looks OEM but would also have the benefit of the motorized screen (and nothing except changing the stereo to return her back to OEM). It would be the easy route with least damage. The headunit can be fitted to the MX5 if need be, although would rather not as might be too tempting for any would be thieves. Will see if there is any interest in the Centre console and head unit from Civic5 members. Would mean anyone wanting to do the conversion would only have the dash innards to do, so 3 quarters of the conversion already done for them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_broon Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 Nothing is straightforward with these cars is it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 25, 2021 Share Posted June 25, 2021 Yeah, everything is a pain to do, though most of the the time the reward outweighs the pain. Was telling Gayle about it when she came home from work. She's seen the work I've put into the console and the weeks I've spent on it so knew I was excited to finally be fitting it. She's said can I not find a way around it after explaining roughly what the problem is, as she thinks it's still worth doing if I can keep the trimming of the dash innards to a minimum. Think she feels it would be a shame to stop now and sell the console after the hard work put in (and the stress is caused with various spanners being thrown into the mix and overcoming them) then see it fitted to another Civic. Will need to think really hard about it as DD is all back together now, so would mean having to yet again strip her down lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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