Hello all,

Well I did something crazy a couple months ago: I bought a new car without giving my empeg top consideration when deciding which model. I love my Chevy Impala and wouldn't be happy with anything else, but I've decided it's time to investigate possibilities of how to get my empeg installed.

I've attached a picture of what my dash looks like. This is from the brochure, but mine looks the same. Well, it's hard to see from that shot, but the ideal location would be below the climate controls in that little cubby area. The picture on the right shows what that section looks like if taken out of the car. Unfortunately, GM wasn't kind enough to make that wide enough for an easy install inside there. It's about an inch too narrow. Therefore, one option I could consider is to somehow modify this piece to accomidate the docking sled. Of course I'd get a second hand one from a junkyard to play with, but I can't imagine any way that it will look that pretty. Well, for now I'm just playing around with ideas, so maybe someone out there has a solution.

If location isn't difficult enough, there is also the matter of integrating it with the current sound system. I don't really want to lose my factory stereo, because for one I think it looks nice, and if I can I definately want to retain the steering wheel controls, but also, the head unit is the interface for many programable features of my car, including the key fobs and tire and oil monitor system. Plus, OnStar also interacts with the factory head unit.

In the worst case, it is possible to relocate the head unit to the trunk via an adapter cable to retain the programable features, which would free up the dash for the empeg, but I am hoping for a better alternative. I just thought I would throw this out here first and maybe someone out there has some ideas I haven't considered yet. I've also posted this on an Impala board that I frequent and at the same time put in a good word for rio car. :) I know this is going to be quite a project and I will definately be giving more thought to the matter. Thanks,

Duane

The empeg isn't designed to be mounted in the trunk-- without being able to see the display, you can't control the unit. There are other trunk-MP3-changer products on the market if that's the route you want to take. They're not as good as the empeg, though.

The pocket under the climate controls might be too small. You've already stated it's too narrow, and I'll bet that it's not deep enough either. If you're serious about putting the empeg there, I recommend geting a custom installer to do the work for you. There are some stereo shops which specialize in that sort of custom-mounting work.

From the looks of things, you should really be considering putting the empeg in its intended location, replacing the factory radio.

This isn't as big a problem as it sounds. You can get adapter kits that allow the empeg to be mounted attractively and securely in that location. Any professional installer will be able to help you with it, or you can get the parts and do it yourself.

This also solves the problem of trying to integrate the empeg with the factory radio, which is usually a big pain it the rear anyway.

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Tony Fabris

you should really be considering putting the empeg in its intended location, replacing the factory radio.

Ummm, Tony... you need to re-read what he said:

I don't really want to lose my factory stereo, because ... the head unit is the interface for many programmable features of my car, including the key fobs and tire and oil monitor system. Plus, OnStar also interacts with the factory head unit.

I think he is pretty much committed to retaining the factory head unit -- he will give up too many things other than sound if it goes away.

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

I must assume, then, that the factory radio is more advanced than the cheap taiwanese cassette player pictured in the attached photo.

Factory-integrating an empeg is tricky. I'd say it's time to take the vehicle to a professional installer.

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Tony Fabris

Thanks for your input. Actually, maybe I wasn't clear, but if I decide to put a head unit in the trunk, it would be the factory unit, not the empeg. So far, I think that is what pretty much every Impala owner has had to do to retain the extra functionality. It isn't that the factory CD/cassette/radio is all that advanced, but I'd like to keep it, and I don't know what usefulness my steering wheel controls will be without it. It may look cheap in the attachment but it does have RDS, not that any stations around here use it, but....
Actually the existing setup isn't that bad as far as factory goes and there is an external amp in the trunk. I've been satisfied with the sound quality so far. It was nice to listen to the radio again for a couple months anyway, since I was alienated from the radio waves in my old vehicle with only the empeg. Yes, I know that should change very soon.

I may consider installing the empeg below the glove box. Look at what one lady did to her Impala. No, she doesn't have an empeg yet, but she certainly needs one. http://members.cardomain.com/chevyimpala2000

Anyway, if you look at the bottom picture, you see that the factory head unit was relocated. That is what I would do if I abandon the idea of leaving it as it is. Thanks,

Duane

Well I haven't decided location yet, though under the glove box looks like a good possibility for now. But I have thought of an easy way to go about things and leave everything in tact for the time being. I don't recall how I came across the idea, but why not try an FM modulator? I guess the downside is perhaps a lack of quality, however I happen to have a cheap modulator that I just tried out tonight for a little while as I drove around the block a few times and it seemed to work well. This makes much more sense for me right now as I'm not eager to start ripping into my two month old car and rewiring everything. It will basically allow me a simple hassle free install, that I can always scrap and rework later if I am not satisfied. (Oh btw, this idea was in the FAQ. I didn't notice until after I searched to see what others have said in the past about modulators.) Any further comments on this idea are welcome.

What would have been ideal is if I could have used the CD changer interface into the factory head unit, but getting it to accept the signal is more trouble than I care to deal with. Too bad though, as there is already an easily accessable harness installed in my car.

Now if I could just simplify my docking sled. It seems silly for me to install my current one with it's menagerie of wires when all I really need is power and the two line outs. I took the docking connector off the sled and my next goal is to build it so that the power and line outs are in place for easy docking.

Duane

It seems silly for me to install my current one with it's menagerie of wires when all I really need is power and the two line outs.

Well, if that's all you're using, and you aren't fully installing the unit into the dash, then you can skip the docking sled completely and just run two RCA cables and the 2.1mm center-positive jack.

I still think you should put it in the factory radio spot, though. The empeg is very attractive when it's properly mounted.

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Tony Fabris

Check out www.peripheral-aamp.com (I think thats the address). They sell an adaptor box to hook up a kenwood changer they also have (I believe) a 10 wire adaptor for the harness you may already have in the trunk. What's nice is the adaptor box also has RCA inputs for an aux. device (DVD, MP3 player etc.) To play the empeg one simply grounds the adaptor box (simple to mount a switch somewhere) which switches on the aux. device and plays it thru the cd changer channels of the stereo. The ONLY catch is that you REQUIRE a cd changer to "trick" the headunit into accepting the aux. signal. As far as locating a mounting place - I would like to know if you come up with anything as my friend wants an MKII in his 2000 Monte Carlo which has the same radio as yours.

Good Luck

Thanks for that link. I am adding it to the FAQ.

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Tony Fabris

I know on the newer suburbans with onstar there is a module you can buy to keep onstar after removing the factory radio. Sorry but I don’t have a link or any information. Any professional install shop should know about this as more GM cars are coming with onstar.

Tom

It would be nice to know that link. I used a peripheral-aamp adaptor in my Yukon Denali and replaced my indash cd changer with a kenwood cd changer and ran my empeg thru the auxillary rca ins of the peripheral adaptor. By LEAVING the wires that ran from the radio to the stock indash cd chnager and connecting everything to that my onstar still works except now the empeg (or kenwood changer) will not automatically mute when onstar is activated. My temporary fix is to switch to FM when using onstar. It would be nice to auto mute (maybe that box your talking about does that?) Anyone know?

Actually I was searching the web and ran across this link:

http://eclipse-car.freeyellow.com/OnStar.htm

It explains how to run onstar thru the auxillary of an eclipse headunit. It should be simple enough to use aux in of the empeg if anyone is interested.

Ran across this and throught I would bring up an old thread.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=596799241

Tom

Tom,

Thanks for the info. I actually placed a bid for it jusy for kicks.

Bob