Jeep Entertainment Project

The first CD player I purchased was unceremoniously made non-functional by a failure of my mechanical oil gauge located directly above it. When I finally got around to replacing the stereo, I found an acceptable DIN unit with MP3 capability on eBay. At that point, I started looking at security consoles. It wasn't on the budget priority list to spend a few hundred dollars on a stereo security console, so I started thinking of other options. Then it occurred to me, that the stereo was never very secure when it was in dash, so why buy the security console. Just take the face plate with you. After some investigation of my current console, I realized I could fit a radio in the space below the two front cup holders if the radio was at an angle front to back. I ripped out the plastic cup holder inserts and built a wood frame to create the angle inside the dead area under the cup holders.

I had recently disposed of a "disposable car" I had been using as a daily driver, so I wanted to be able to listen the Sirius radio in the Jeep. Quadratec and a few others were selling a roll bar satellite mount for $28 plus shipping. The antennas can get signals through soft and hard Jeep tops because they're not metal, rol bar mounting makes a lot of sense. Being cheap (as usual) I built a roll bar mount using piece of PVC and other parts for $11, including black paint (I still have another half of the PVC if anyone needs it). I struggled to come up with a place to mount the Sirius receiver itself until I had an epiphany on mounting to a custom lexan piece mounted to the inside top of my center console.

In addition to all the audio crap I also installed an 12V plug in the console to power the Sirius receiver.

Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

Here is the original installation location of the Sony CD player I had. Notice the location of the mechnical oil gauge. FYI, CD players do not function after motor oil baths.

This is an overall look of the radio installation. The Sirius receiver unfolds from inside the console top where the custom lexan mount I created is attached. I purchased hobby wood and a hobby pack of leather to make the cover for the radio compartment. There isn't a lock on the radio section, but the main compartment lock is still functional.

Here is a view from above. The driver's hand hangs right where the radio and Sirius receive sit.

Here is the radio under the customer cover. I guess I could have painted the backside black.

This kind of shows how the Sirius receiver can pivot back inside the main storage compartment and be locked inside. The lexan was clear, but I painted it black.

Here is the 12V outlet and you can also see all the wiring coming into the front where the sunglasses holder is.

Here is the custom satellite mount that uses half of a 3" PVC coupler, a metal joint plate for briding two pieces of wood and two velcro straps. With paint, $11.