A
aussieblu
Ideas please.
The 24 odd year old Voxson Radio Cassette unit in my 24 year old
300,000 km LC Lancer died on the weekend. The Shinwa cassette
mechanism is very dead. The Voxson is a two hole for each knob
and a square central hole between the two knobs style.
The problem is that the floor consol space, even if I hack some
more space out, isn't wide enough for a standard 180 mm Single
Din Unit. The widest space that I can make is about 165 mm. (6 &
1/2 "); there is a clock on one side of the radio slot (nice
reliable Jaco unit) and me on the other side so there is no room
to move outside the 165 mm at the facia (though, like the
Voxson, it can be wider once it's 1.5 " and full din size after
its 1.5 " behind the facia.)
I would like a radio cassette at least but ideally a radio
cassette that will also drive a CD stacker? Given it's my old
commute car I also don't want to double the car's value by
buying a high end unit over $400 (albeit if I was sure one would
fit I would consider it).
I have got the electronics working in the dead Voxson again but
the Shinwa cassette mechanism is broken. I do see some identical
Shinwa cassette mechanisms on the net in the US for around
US$100 but that would be a last resort as the Voxson is really
not in good shape (the plastic and rubber in it is all old and
brittle and some bits fell apart and disintegrated into dust
when I opened it and are now only bonding with help from
Selley's Superglue and some hot melt glue. Unfortunately the
Voxson replaced a Mitsubishi AM only radio I got after I bought
the car (new in 1980) and I had to hack the console a bit to fit
that so there is already a mess behind the Voxson faceplate
(otherwise I might refit the Mitsubishi AM radio and hide a head
unit somewhere else).
So my options seems to be:
a) Get a smaller unit. My number one preference But does
anyone have any clues where I can get a narrow unit (height and
depth isn't an issue)? My search of places like JB Hi Fi
Strathfield SuperCheap hasn't yielded anything but a very basic
no name $24 unit at Supercheap (and despite what my kids think,
even I am not totally tone deaf).
b) Somehow modify a larger unit so it fits in the smaller space
or inside an old radio chassis. Anyone done this type of job
successfully and if so, any tips?
c) If I can get one, buy another old unit at Cash Converters
that fits. Not my desired approach but if all else fails.
d) Buy an old unit from Cash Converters with an identical
working Shinwa cassette mechanism and fix the old Voxson.
e) Import a Classic Style radio from the US (new radio in old
style chassis) but their radio band range is not the same as
ours.
f) Buy a new car. I'd love too but my last $6.60 Lotto win is
going to do it.
Any suggestions?
The 24 odd year old Voxson Radio Cassette unit in my 24 year old
300,000 km LC Lancer died on the weekend. The Shinwa cassette
mechanism is very dead. The Voxson is a two hole for each knob
and a square central hole between the two knobs style.
The problem is that the floor consol space, even if I hack some
more space out, isn't wide enough for a standard 180 mm Single
Din Unit. The widest space that I can make is about 165 mm. (6 &
1/2 "); there is a clock on one side of the radio slot (nice
reliable Jaco unit) and me on the other side so there is no room
to move outside the 165 mm at the facia (though, like the
Voxson, it can be wider once it's 1.5 " and full din size after
its 1.5 " behind the facia.)
I would like a radio cassette at least but ideally a radio
cassette that will also drive a CD stacker? Given it's my old
commute car I also don't want to double the car's value by
buying a high end unit over $400 (albeit if I was sure one would
fit I would consider it).
I have got the electronics working in the dead Voxson again but
the Shinwa cassette mechanism is broken. I do see some identical
Shinwa cassette mechanisms on the net in the US for around
US$100 but that would be a last resort as the Voxson is really
not in good shape (the plastic and rubber in it is all old and
brittle and some bits fell apart and disintegrated into dust
when I opened it and are now only bonding with help from
Selley's Superglue and some hot melt glue. Unfortunately the
Voxson replaced a Mitsubishi AM only radio I got after I bought
the car (new in 1980) and I had to hack the console a bit to fit
that so there is already a mess behind the Voxson faceplate
(otherwise I might refit the Mitsubishi AM radio and hide a head
unit somewhere else).
So my options seems to be:
a) Get a smaller unit. My number one preference But does
anyone have any clues where I can get a narrow unit (height and
depth isn't an issue)? My search of places like JB Hi Fi
Strathfield SuperCheap hasn't yielded anything but a very basic
no name $24 unit at Supercheap (and despite what my kids think,
even I am not totally tone deaf).
b) Somehow modify a larger unit so it fits in the smaller space
or inside an old radio chassis. Anyone done this type of job
successfully and if so, any tips?
c) If I can get one, buy another old unit at Cash Converters
that fits. Not my desired approach but if all else fails.
d) Buy an old unit from Cash Converters with an identical
working Shinwa cassette mechanism and fix the old Voxson.
e) Import a Classic Style radio from the US (new radio in old
style chassis) but their radio band range is not the same as
ours.
f) Buy a new car. I'd love too but my last $6.60 Lotto win is
going to do it.
Any suggestions?
