I have a W108 and wanted to listen to my own music, so being able to plug my iPhone into the existing Becker Europa radio is the way I wanted to go. I like to keep things as original as possible. I wanted to NOT see a USB port or 3.5mm audio input jack if I sat in any seat in the car. I mounted my USB and 3.5mm audio jack on the small access panel for the Air/con controls. Another good place would be to pull the wires under the carpet that covers the transmission tunnel, and put the USB and audio jack in the console between the seats.

Please see attached photos, as it explains it much better than my writing!

I read a good article by Doug Quance on how to make the necessary cable to tap into the original radio, (article located here http://web.mac.com/dakota/Projects/Becker_MP3.html) , and wanted to add to this knowledge base with my comments. The article uses a Europa II radio, where my radio is just a plain Europa; the difference is small in that I had it even easier as I had no jumpers to move (as there are none if you have a plain Europa radio). The most interesting thing about this wiring is the radio automatically switches to use your MP3 player as soon as you connect it to the 3.5mm audio input jack, with no need to hit a switch or a "source button".

I ordered 6 items to make this project work:
1. "PAC IS335 3.5 Audio Input" and is on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/PAC-IS335-3-5-Audio-Input/dp/B003B01AHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314063320&sr=8-1 . It costs $8.99
2. "HOSA MIDI CABLE, 3ft. Right Angle" and is on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/HOSA-CABLE-Right-Angle-Black/dp/B000068NUJ . It cost $5.18
3. "6' USB Cable with Mounting Bracket" and is on Amazon here http://www.pac-audio.com/productDetails.aspx?ProductId=871&CategoryID=31 . It cost $17.94
4. "Universal Hardwire Cable with Lighter Socket and Power Switch" from Amazon and is here: http://www.amazon.com/CLA-NHWC-Universal-Hardwire-Lighter-Socket/dp/B0035G7MV6/ref=sr_1_17?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1314061896&sr=1-17 .It cost $13.45
5. "Universal Mini USB Car Charger Adapter" from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Mini-Charger-Adapter-Black/dp/B001HZI2ZC/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1314061896&sr=1-20 . It cost $2.36
6. "Solderless Wire Quick Splice Connector - 14-16 Gauge - 25 Pack" from Amazon and is here: http://www.amazon.com/Solderless-Wire-Quick-Splice-Connector/dp/B0041PDJ0S/ref=pd_cp_e_0 .It cost $2.09.

I order everything from Amazon. I would order food from Amazon if they sold it.

Here is a better product photo of the flush mounting USB cable: http://www.pac-audio.com/productDetails.aspx?ProductId=871&CategoryID=31

Here is a better picture of the flush mounting 3.5mm audio jack. http://www.ipodcarpros.com/Dash_Mount_Aux_Inputs/c11/p223/Dashmount_3.5_Aux_Input_-_IS335_PAC/product_info.html

The "HOSA MIDI CABLE, 3ft. Right Angle" is quite important. It is hard to find a right angle (90 degree) DIN5 connector cable, and this took me a lot of digging to find this one (see item 2). You will need the "right angle" type cable, as it is needed for clearance on the back of the radio. Here is what a DIN5 connector looks like, and this is what is on the back of the Becker radio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_connector

Cable from Radio to 3.5mm jack: Making the cable that plugs into the radio and then ends with a 3.5mm female audio input is the only complex thing to make. It is well documented by Doug Quance in his article, so no need to re-hash the content here. My only suggestion is that when you make the cable, do NOT think the 3.5mm female audio plug will be the same plug that will protrude from your dash. Use this homemade cable as an intermediary cable that will plug into the dashboard facing 3.5mm audio cable. The reasoning here is that if you want to put a 3.5mm audio jack in your dash (or other place below the dash, like I did), you want to drill a hole as small as possible to flush mount the 3.5mm audio jack, and if you solder the DIN5 connecter on the other end of the cable, then you will need a hole in your dash as big as the DIN5 and it simply will not work as that hole will be too big to flush mount the 3.5mm audio jack. It is actually very simple, but a little hard to explain. Take a look at my pictures of the wiring, as this helps a lot.

Power to USB port: You will need power to the MP3 player. I wanted my hidden. I do not like the look of a USB adapter plugged into the cigarette lighter on my dashboard, and then have a dangling cable to look at for the rest of my life. The cigarette lighter I bought was designed to be wired into the cars wiring. It had a cigarette lighter on one end of a 2 wire cable. The 2 wires are simple: one wire is for power, and the other wire is for ground. The ground wire had a circular termination connector on it, so just find a grounded screw somewhere and screw it in. For power, I tapped into the 12V line that powers the radio. I figured it was a good supply of power, as the wire was very thick (could be 16 gauge, and perhaps 14 gauge), and this power source is switched to the ignition key so I would not drain the battery if I forgot to switch off the MP3 player (or any other USB powered device I connect to the USB port). I used a very simple "quick splice", so I did not need to cut any wires to connect the new cigarette lighter 12v line to the radio 12v power source. It is important to get the quick splice item for 14-16 gauge wire, as the next size smaller is just too small for the very thick wire that powers the radio. Item 6 (above) is the correct item.

It is a lot easier than it looks. Soldering the DIN5 and the female 3.5mm cable together is the hard part (and it is very easy), and the rest of the install is easy and almost fun.

Note: It is VERY easy to get the radio out of the dashboard. It took me less than 5 minutes. Here is what you do:
- Take off knobs (you will need a small screwdriver, as the knobs use set screws).
- Take off the flimsy plastic balance control levers, just behind the knobs. Be careful, they are flimsy.
- Take off faceplate. It literally falls off, as the knobs seem to be the only thing holding it on.
- Now, you will see two vertical pieces of aluminum with a screw in each one. Remove the 2 screws.
- Radio slides right out.

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
Pat
1972 Mercedes 280 SE with 4.5 liter V8