# 1966 GTO Aftermarket Radios



## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

Hey everyone,

I'm looking to purchase an aftermarket radio for my '66 GTO and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them? I'm mainly looking for the ability to play mp3's through my iPod while I enjoy some summer cruisin' with my wife.

I've looked around at Year One and OPGI and they have several options listed, but there weren't really any reviews to help out. 

Thanks for the help!


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

watch the adds directly above the threads, there is a forum advertiser that sells the retro radios with mp3 capability, their name escapes me right now i think it is retro-sound, just watch the advertising as you are browsing it will pop up.


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## 6tee7 (Feb 24, 2011)

Yep,retro sound is the name, put one in a chevelle and really liked it, has mp3,usb and a remote. You can put it in without hackin ur dash.


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## xconcepts (Jan 4, 2009)

Have you thought of keeping your OEM with the internals replaced? Mine is stock but I'm able to get FM stations and I have an AUX input and output. Its going to cost more but it looks stock.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Could always just put a stealth system in the glovebox like i did, MP3/remote/i-pod dock are wired to the console box and leave the stock AM in place. I have it all fit and fabbed just waiting for after paint to finish it with the interior and.....arty: 




























1966 Tempest pictures by instg8ter - Photobucket

Brian


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## Jeff's Classics (Feb 24, 2010)

I have the Custom Autosounds unit, and I like it. Looks mostly stock, and just minor trimming to the dash opening is required. My dash was already cut for a different old aftermarket radio from the '80s so I didn't actually do the hacking. Anyway, sounds good, has MP3 inputs, AM/FM, and decent power. I am running the rear 6X9s off an amp that was already in the trunk when I bought the car. I also ran a wire to the console to hide my MP3 player in easy reach, like INSTG8TR's photo.


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

I have a small pile of mid 90's 2 knob, tape deck, aftermarket radio's, from when they still where making them. Pioneer, Clarion, JVC and I think a Sony. My brother tried to get me to though them away when I move out to Ohio. He said they where junk. I told him he was crazy and you can't just go out and buy them anymore. Even with the ones I have, I am like 2 short for all my cars. Anyway I have a couple installed in my classics's. I use the cassette adapter from my old portable cd player and just plug that into the headphone outlet of my Mp3 player. They have them at the dollar store for around 5 bucks. If you go to the mainstream store, there like $20. It works great for the radio's that eat tape.

My Classic Car show as had a sit down interview with Custom Autosounds. They look super cool and have some nice options.


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for all the replies - I'm definitely going to check out some of those things!

clay


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

I'm going retro sound when I get the funds. I'm not to fond of the whole put it in the glovebox idea... How am I gonna reach it way over there while I'm driving? Lol.  Remotes dont always work very well either.

Looks clean and has all I need which is fm/am and ipod plug in.


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## injn37 (Nov 16, 2008)

Went with Retro Sound. Looks great, fairly easy to install if you don't have 4 thumbs, and the mp3 and using the SD chip work well. Only complain is that the radio ( it is a radio first) seems to have crappy reception. Haven't done a thorough search yet to see if I messed up something, but that is my only issue.

rich


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

Finally went in and bought the Retro Sound today; I think it'll be good with the aux input for the iPod and then not having to cut the dash at all for the install.

Can't wait to get this thing in and enjoy the tunes!


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Retrosound has the best "specs"....HOWEVER, it cant be used to control a CD player (if this is a concern).....Custom audio is second place, and there is an expensive unit that PY sells that looks like a stock AM/FM 66 GTO radio with modern guts...........none will have the S/N ratio or THD ratings that a modern head unit will have.....Gotta pic between looks and sound quality. IMHO....E


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

i got a thing that plugs in my cigarette lighter. plug in the mp3 player and it puts out an fm signal. works with every fm radio ever.


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

I don't think my wife and I even own a CD anymore :cool

We're mainly looking for the aux input so we can hook up the iPod. We've made some great playlists to enjoy on the road!

We were trying to find the best "meld" between a classic look and decent sound quality all along with the inputs for an iPod! I just need the system to get here so we can start enjoying this weather with some music!

-clay


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Clay, I am not that "musically advanced" yet....I own about 150 CDs...I guess I will eventually get the ipod/MP3 thing down. I like the option of both. Please let us know how the unit sounds and what speakers etc, you decide to use....Thanks:cheers, Eric


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## 68goatragtop (Mar 19, 2011)

you could always by a portable CD player and just hook up the aux input into the headphone jack on the CD player.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Yeah,but, then every time I do a burnout it will fly into the back seat!!!!!!!!arty:


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

Well I finally got the Retro Sound radio installed and put two new 3.5" speakers in the front. I had a local place fabricate a top for a pair of 6x9 speakers in the back.

It's taken me a while to get here with the shoulder surgery and engine rebuild in the middle of everything, but it's nice to have the new tunes now! It sounds great and I'm really happy with the Retro Sound radio - fit in the dash with no cutting and has a ton of options for inputs.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Clay, Looks great! Hope you feel better. Eric:cheers


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

looks good Clay, glad the shoulders feeling better, took me 4 months til i was feeling 90% after mine. i like the package tray they made for you i am cutting the holes in mine than wrapping it in the perforated headliner material so they will be invisible like the rest of the tunes. was even able to fab a little glovebox in with the head unit and EQ




























1966 Tempest pictures by instg8ter - Photobucket

Brian


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

Brian,

I'm a little over 2 weeks out of surgery now and recovery has been going real well - range of motion for my shoulder is way ahead of schedule. I was lucky and they didn't have to go in to the rotator cuff or anything, just had to screw the 'ole collar bone back down so my amicordial (sp) ligament could grow back in to place! I'll have to add some shoulder surgery scar pics!

I thought real hard about going the glove box route - I like your set up. What are you running for speakers? I just have the pair of 6x9 in the back and the 2 x 3.5" in the dash. I was thinking about getting some of the aftermarket kick panels for down by the doors. Are you running a sub in your trunk or anything? I want really good sound, but I'm not looking to sound "thuggish" or anything like that!


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## freethinker (Nov 14, 2009)

Claymation19 said:


> I don't think my wife and I even own a CD anymore :cool
> 
> We're mainly looking for the aux input so we can hook up the iPod. We've made some great playlists to enjoy on the road!
> 
> ...


i just converted my 2 gtos with stock am radios for an mp3 aux input today. cost less than 5 bucks each. its a simple conversion but does require a little soldering.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

yeah Clay, I had the works, two tears in the rotator, arthritis plaque around an old break in the collar bone (cut cap and put in prosthetic for re-attachment of ligaments). and i had a level 3 seperation to the other one (like yours) a year and a half ago and did not opt for the surgery. The wife says just wait until i F*** it up real good, least she has faith in me..... stereo is4 channels at 100watts each and separate sub amp at 240 watts JBL "GTO" speakers two way 4x6 in kick panel vents 3-way 6x9's and 8" sub in package tray box. Kenwood head unit with Clarion 7-band EQ with separate sub channel, and master volume control....love my music and the sub is just to tweak the sound not to rattle windows, is a clean 100 watts. ohh and the test was with the speaker box just laying in the bottom of the trunk before i mounted it in the package tray.







































1966 Tempest pictures by instg8ter - Photobucket

Brian


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

Alright Brian,

You've inspired me! I wasn't getting enough out of the 6x9's and 3.5's in the car (put it this way, the rebuilt engine could overpower them at its whim). I just ordered and received a new amp (JL XD 700/5), 12" sub (JL 12w3v3-4), and some 6.5" JL C2-650x's. I had a local audio place fabricate a box for the sub and I'm bracketing that in today. I should have everything wired up and ready to go EXCEPT the 6.5" speakers. I went to order the kick panels with pre cut speaker holes from OPGI, but the website said they won't have them in until mid August. A little bummed about the wait, but the sub should at least add a lot better sound quality to what I have.

I'll throw some pictures up later today.

Also got good news on my shoulder, the physical therapist said I could lose that dang sling! I still have to be careful about not using my shoulder to lift more than a soda can, but at least I don't look "broke" anymore!


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Claymation (Gumby & Pokey?)....Check out Ken Harrison for the kick panels also. Sometimes you need to moove the e-brake pedal a little to the right so it doesn't hit the speaker grills. I had a pair in my Blue 67, thought they looked good. Eric


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

I've got the sub and amp hooked up - sounds so much better. :cool Can't wait to get the kick panels for the 6.5" speakers. I ended up putting the amp under the driver's seat, but had debated putting it in the back with the sub. I love these cars, so much trunk space I don't know what to do with it all!

@Eric - the kick panels look great on your car. I'll check out Ken Harrison; I'm definitely impatient and don't want to wait for OPGI!


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## DukeB-120th (Oct 19, 2009)

Claymation19 said:


> Alright Brian,
> 
> You've inspired me! I wasn't getting enough out of the 6x9's and 3.5's in the car (put it this way, the rebuilt engine could overpower them at its whim). I just ordered and received a new amp (JL XD 700/5), 12" sub (JL 12w3v3-4), and some 6.5" JL C2-650x's. I had a local audio place fabricate a box for the sub and I'm bracketing that in today. I should have everything wired up and ready to go EXCEPT the 6.5" speakers. I went to order the kick panels with pre cut speaker holes from OPGI, but the website said they won't have them in until mid August. A little bummed about the wait, but the sub should at least add a lot better sound quality to what I have.
> 
> ...


Is you car "dynmatted?" I.e, did you install any sound insulation or anything like that?


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## onetwomany (Apr 22, 2011)

With the Harrison style kick panels do you lose the ability to operate your vents? Eric- that interior shot is sweet. Thanks.


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## Pontiacpurebrred (Jun 22, 2011)

onetwomany said:


> With the Harrison style kick panels do you lose the ability to operate your vents? Eric- that interior shot is sweet. Thanks.


Yea I was wondering that too, and do they have anything for the later models? 68/69/70?

Website is kinda hit an miss.


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## DukeB-120th (Oct 19, 2009)

onetwomany said:


> Eric- that interior shot is sweet. Thanks.


:agree :agree :agree :agree :agree :agree

Uncle E you sure stay top notch!


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Thanks fellas....Look in the PY catalog and Ames....there are pics of them all. You can still use the vent, but the speaker looks smaller....My blue 67, was a factory A/C car so it didn't matter....the 2 6x9s in the rear deck provided better sound....but a Vert is a problem.


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## Claymation19 (Jun 27, 2010)

@Duke - I did not go as far as doing any additional sound dampening. I'm pretty happy with what I'm getting right now and it should be just about perfect when I'm able to get those 6.5" speakers in the kick panels. I'm checking on getting those through Ames or PY since OPGI has been bothersome lately (thanking Eric for the reference).

As for the kick panels, my car had its original factory A/C removed years ago. Does it matter which type of the Ken Harrison kick panels you buy (i.e. with or without A/C)? My original concern is that the cars that originally had A/C would have a different fit than non A/C cars. Since I don't use/have A/C anymore it may not even matter which set of kick panels I get. I'll probably call Ames to confirm and make sure I buy the correct panels.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

When the A/C was removed, was the box undedr the dash changed, or just the compressor removed? If the car has WORKING vents now, you probably can use the vented ones....A?C car kicks are blank, and the passenger side one has a big square notch in the upper left corner as you are looking at it fron the drivers side...post a pic


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## xconcepts (Jan 4, 2009)

The trunk is very well insulated already. Honestly deadener is not needed, it doesn't rattle that much.


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