Mounting Radio Under Dash
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3807
Printed Date: January-16-2025 at 5:01pm
Topic: Mounting Radio Under Dash
Posted By: Keith
Subject: Mounting Radio Under Dash
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 12:55pm
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My '86 Silver Nautique came with a AM/FM CD radio mounted on top of the dash in a waterproof radio box. It's really an eye sore for me. I'll pull it out but the speakers are installed in the gunnel and it would be strange to have speakers with no radio.
Anyway, I want to mount the radio under the dash. I'm looking for a bracket that would allow me to mount it to the back side of dash but hang down below the dash for diver access. Any ideas? Thanks, Keith ------------- Former: /diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique 1994 Ski Nautique 86 Silver Nautique 79 Mustang |
Replies:
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 1:17pm
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I built a box and put one of those plastic covers on the front to protect the cd player. I put a toggle kill switch on the side to cut it off instead of having to open the plastic door. It's held up with two L shaped brackets on the front and the rear is held up with pipe strapping, that long flexible metal with a bunch of holes in it. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 1:18pm
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might look into something like this enclosure
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&classNum=562&subdeptNum=11156&storeNum=3&productId=47238 - enclosure ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: 77stang
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 1:19pm
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are you intending to keep the water proof box? it looks like the brackets currently on the box would certainly make the application easier in that you might be able to produce a bracket under the dash which would mount right up with the bracket on the box. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1360&yrstart=1971&yrend=1975 - '77 Mustang 17 |
Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 1:33pm
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Yes, I figured I would use the box which is very similar to what 79nautique referenced.
------------- Former: /diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique 1994 Ski Nautique 86 Silver Nautique 79 Mustang |
Posted By: Nautique2001
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 2:40pm
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Keith,
I surfed over to the2001.com. Look where this guy mounted his stereo.  ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1052&sort=&pagenum=4&yrstart=1986&yrend=1990" rel="nofollow - Nautique 2001 |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 3:20pm
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The enclosure 79 is talking about is nice, I looked at those but it would hang too low for me when mounted upside down under the dash. I need to keep the skin on my shins. ------------- Tim D |
Posted By: 77stang
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 3:35pm
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Skinning myself is why i choose not to go under the dash.
man, with that raised instrument panel it sure lends difficulty of what it was thinking, which was basically to grab some 1/4" by 4" aluminum and come down with it behind the dash to meet up with the bracket on the box. i like the mount in the pick above, just dont know if iut fits your instrument panel. by the way, if i didnt have so much tied up in my old boat i'd be headed your way in a instant. i really like you silver nautique ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1360&yrstart=1971&yrend=1975 - '77 Mustang 17 |
Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 3:46pm
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I just spoke with Bruce at MWCC. They do sell the lockable glove box that came in the 87 Ski Nautique (replaces the 'tray' on the 82-86). It has a slot for a radio. The problem is it wouldn't be orginial to the '86 and I would need to cut away more of the dash. It would look clean though. ------------- Former: /diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique 1994 Ski Nautique 86 Silver Nautique 79 Mustang |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 3:58pm
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I've also seen some mount them on the underside of the observers seat facing the driver, or on the side under the seat. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: wesman
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 6:04pm
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Keith, I have a 1984 SN and was wondering what "tray" you were referring to. I don't recall anything on the dash panel that resembles a tray, or something that can be modified into the locking glove box. I too am struggling with the thought of installing a stereo, but the "where?" question has kept me from moving forward with it. ------------- Wesman |
Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: June-07-2006 at 11:37pm
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wesman,
The 'tray' is to the left (observer's side) of the mirror in the top of the dash. You can see it in this photo of my boat 
The 1987 - 199X version of the lockable glove box can be seen in this brochure page for the http://www.correctcraftfan.com/reference/1989_brochure/index.asp?page=10 - 1989 Barefoot Nautique and also in this photo of an 1987 Barefoot Nautique 
-Keith ------------- Former: /diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique 1994 Ski Nautique 86 Silver Nautique 79 Mustang |
Posted By: NAUTI84
Date Posted: June-08-2006 at 7:17am
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Keith / Wesman
My 84 didn't have the tray either. (I had thought about adding a glovebox there though.) I bought an enclosure that has a clear curved splash cover on the face. It slides open when you push a button. I mounted this in the center of the dash, right below the emblem that's behind the corner of the observers seat. There's still enough room to reach behind the seat to work stereo or flip seat forward for better access. Not original but looks decent. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=421&yrstart=1981&yrend=1985 - EX-NAUTI84 |
Posted By: dans
Date Posted: June-08-2006 at 10:47am
| I used the metal thing from my car stereo that the cd player slides into. I screwed that with two screws to the wood up under the dash were the horn is but close to drivers side (looks like a 2x4) . Then slid stereo into it . Works great & you can slide it out if you need to. After a few trips out you can control it without looking while driving. 82 2001 |
Posted By: wesman
Date Posted: June-08-2006 at 3:25pm
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Keith/NAUTI84,
I don't think the 84 models came with the tray on the dash, so I was wondering, could we buy the lockable glove box and cut out a hole on the top of the dash where the tray is on the later models? It might be a kindof sortof stock way to install the radio even though it wasn't available for my year model. It gives me the heebie jeebies to think about cutting a large hole in my dash! ------------- Wesman |
Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: June-08-2006 at 11:01pm
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MWCC has the 1987 lockable glove box for $96. It is bigger than the 'tray' so even for those of us with the tray, we'd have to cut the dash a little (no turning back).
I guess it is about as stock as you can get for installing a radio. I'm still thinking it over. I might just do it. After all, my pylon is already from a 1987. -Keith ------------- Former: /diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique 1994 Ski Nautique 86 Silver Nautique 79 Mustang |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: June-09-2006 at 7:28am
Make it look like it was installed by the factory and no one is going to know the difference, well most, and you can always say It's a special trim piece only available on the Silver Nautique speciel edition model ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: Furno
Date Posted: June-10-2006 at 6:33am
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My 83 2001 does not have a tray or glove box. For those that have one, it looks like a good place to put a radio. I've been wondering where to put one also. If I wanted to install one, does it require additional bracing or reinforcement? ------------- Andy '83 2001 |
Posted By: Keith
Date Posted: August-02-2006 at 1:38am
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All,
After visiting the Green Lake Reunion and seeing how the newer boats have their radios mounted I got an idea. Up under the dash on the my '86 Nautique, close to where the steering cable tube extends, the gunnel continues for about 8". Careful to not obstruct the steering cable tube extension, I mounted a piece of 3/4" x 4" x 10" piece of PT vertically so that the opposite end just rests against the carpet on the inside of the hull. I then drilled new holes in my radio case mounting bracket so that the mounting bracket would attach flush to the case. Mounting the bracket to the vertical piece of wood I now have a radio that is vertically mounted, flush with the dash. It's easily accessible by the driver but also out of the way. Now I just need to add some gray carpet to the piece of PT and I'm ready to go. -Keith 
View from under the dash  ------------- Former: /diaries/details.asp?ID=6170" rel="nofollow - 97 Sport Nautique 1994 Ski Nautique 86 Silver Nautique 79 Mustang |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: August-02-2006 at 1:14pm
| Thinking about painting the case gray too? Install looks great, gray might make it blend even better though. |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: August-02-2006 at 4:30pm
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Just like the old Corvettes. ------------- Tim D |