I Installed A CD Player In My 1968 W110 Fintail - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Squiggle Dog · #1 04-10-2010, 11:59 PM

I have a 1968 W110 200D and I haven't been happy with my non-functioning Becker Europa radio, so I pulled it out with hopes of installing a new CD player and upgraded speakers.

The factory radio opening is too small for a modern head unit to fit so I would have to cut the opening larger. The factory Becker radio is DIN size like a modern radio, but the radio opening in the dashboard is smaller because it slides in from the back instead of through the front.

I attempted to remove the chrome trim below the radio opening, but first I had to unbolt the air conditioning unit, remove the interior windshield trim, lower the steering column, remove the instrument panel, and then remove the dashboard.

I traced the outer edges of the new CD player mounting sleeve (182mm X 53mm) onto a Gardenburger box and then carefully cut on the lines to make a pattern. I put masking tape around the radio opening and then rags on the surrounding areas so flying sparks wouldn't damage any delicate surfaces. I centered the paperboard pattern over the radio opening and traced lines onto the masking tape on the dashboard. I checked the lines to be sure they were straight, there was no skewing, and that they were centered in relation to the radio opening.

I left the upper edge of the opening alone but cut the other edges out wider. I discovered that there is a crease on the dashboard paneling that coincides with where I had the lower cut line marked--maybe the engineers were thinking ahead? I then took a rotary tool and first cut through the plastic dash paneling along the lines I drew in the masking tape. Once I had the plastic cut I went in deeper and cut through the metal. I kept my hands steady and the cuts appeared to be perfectly straight. I used a file on the corners to make them perfect.

I did a test fit with the CD player mounting sleeve and it was very close to fitting. I took the file and filed the edges until it fit in snugly and the edges were smooth.

I am very, very happy with how the opening turned out. It looks as good as factory. Actually, I think a little better than factory. The back of the CD player even lines up and fits into the factory mounting bracket!

The chrome trim that goes under the radio won't fit back in place now, so I will cut some material out of the trim directly below the CD player area. Even if I cut away most of the visible portion of the trim, there is material below that screws into the dash to keep it sturdy. You'll notice that unlike all of the other aftermarket radio installations that mine fits flush with the dashboard face.

The new CD player is a Blaupunkt Bahamas (a Bosch product). I had one in my 1979 W116 300SD, I loved it, and it looked great in the car. It does not look out of place in the 200D, either--in fact, I think it looks almost original. It is too bad that the Bahamas model is out of production (though it can still be found as clearance stock). I am going to install one in my 1980 W116 300SD as well.

I have to install the wiring harness and speaker/s, but I am happy with what I have accomplished today. I was going to order a 10" X 4" dual voice coil stereo speaker ( http://www.crutchfield.com/p_068R410N/Retrosound-R-410N.html?tp=99
) for the dashboard but the original speaker is 10" X 3" and I am not convinced there is enough room to fit a 10" X 4". If not, I might install two small speakers under the speaker grille. I also want to install speakers in the rear. I am not sure if my 35 amp alternator can handle an amp, but it would be nice since the engine is loud.

Now if I could just get rid of those annoying factory seat belts that flop around and tend to get caught in the door or sat on! W115 retractable front and rear shoulder belts bolt up but the sides of the front seats get in the way. I would probably have to use the more slender W115 seats in order for them to work. The rear retractable shoulder belts bolt in directly.

Squiggle Dog · #2 04-10-2010, 11:59 PM

More pictures:

Squiggle Dog · #3 04-12-2010, 04:46 PM

I decided to cut the lower dashboard trim piece so that the new radio bezel would fit. To do this I installed the trim on the dashboard and put masking tape over the trim. I then stuck the radio bezel in place and made sure it was perfectly centered with the radio mounting sleeve. I took a pen and traced around the lower edge and corners of where the radio bezel overlapped the dashboard trim. I then removed the radio bezel and looked at where I marked the corners to be sure it was symmetrical with the radio mounting sleeve.

I removed the trim and clamped it carefully in a plastic vice. I used a small steel rule to make sure the line I drew was straight and then I cut along it with a rotary tool. I cut close to the corners so I could perfect them later. I cut 7mm from the top in front. The rear has a felt piece to protect the dashboard face and tape wouldn't stick to it well, so I measured 6mm from the top and used a steel rule and razor to cut along the felt. Then I cut along the end of the felt.

The front and rear cuts of the trim were perfectly leveled. I used the edge of the cutoff disc to get the corners close and then I used a cylindrical grinding tool to give the corners the round edge that I traced on the masking tape. I think the trim is chrome plated copper or brass because it made a lot of "gold dust" when I was cutting.

I put the trim on the dashboard for a test fit and the radio bezel fit in with a little coaxing. I pulled the trim back off and then filed the edges that I cut out so they would be smooth and level. I then took a razor and deburred the inside edges.

I reinstalled the trim and put the radio bezel on. It fit like it was meant to be! There is almost no visible gap around where the bezel and trim meet, yet the bezel slides in there fine and the corners even match perfectly!

Squiggle Dog · #4 04-12-2010, 04:47 PM

I put the dashboard back together, but I still have to wire the new CD player and figure out what speaker I want to put in. I may be able to get away with a shallow 4" X 10" speaker if I install it under the mounting hole rather than above it.

I am so happy that I took a risk and cut the dashboard to fit a modern radio. I have no regrets at all. It was certainly a best-case-scenario and looking back I wouldn't have done anything differently. I don't think it could have possibly come out any better. If you want to attempt this, success relies fully on accurate measurements and no slip-ups.

Squiggle Dog · #5 04-16-2010, 09:56 PM

I may try out that 4" X 10" dual voice coil speaker from Crutchfield. I think I will order one that is opened out of the box because they are less expensive and it will probably be easier to return that way if it doesn't fit. I think it will fit but not seat down all of the way because there is only a 4" gap in the dashboard pad UP TOP before it tapers down. But, the speaker grille might still fit over it and help press it down. I may even be able to slide one edge of the speaker under the dashboard pad. I doubt there is room to mount it underneath the speaker opening in the dashboard because of the heat control levers.

One thing I did notice today is that both front speakers from a W116 or W126 (the oval ones) will both fit under the speaker grille if they are put parallel to each other and the rear ends are tilted down through the opening. The tabs on each side keep them from tilting too far and a brace would help hold them where they are. They may be lacking in loudness this way because the air above and below the speakers is not separated, but I only plan on this being a temporary fix.

If the new 4" X 10" speaker does not fit, then I may think about reconing the original 3" X 10" speaker and adding dual voice coils (converting it from a mono speaker to a stereo speaker). Or, just putting the dashboard speakers somewhere else (like in the pressboard covering under the dashboard) and maybe install tweeters in the factory speaker location.

I noticed that my car has factory speaker wire that went from the original radio back to the trunk. Unfortunately rear speakers were not installed. I noticed that there is a punch-out in the area under the rear windshield where a speaker can be mounted, but only on the driver side, not the passenger side. Lame. But, I guess the factory design was to have one mono speaker in front and one mono speaker in back, driver side only. I think I will punch that speaker hole out, but I would want to also cut a hole for a speaker on the passenger side (and make it look nice, not a hack job). Maybe they have tools that cut perfect circles for installing speakers.

There is a power wire for the radio that is always hot. I will use this for the battery connection to the new CD player. There is no ignition or ground wire for the radio, but I found this GREAT adapter piece from a W116 wiring harness that fits between the lighter and the wiring harness connector. It has two extra wires coming from it that I will attach to the CD player (the ignition and ground connections) because one wire is a red power wire that only has current when the key is turned and the other wire is a black ground wire. So now the CD player will be wired correctly and I will still have use of the lighter, all without having to splice anything.

I am thinking of hooking up the "Illumination" wire. What it does is dim the CD player display either when the dashboard lights are dimmed or the headlights are turned on. I probably don't want it to dim with the dashboard lights because the dash lights are too dim anyway. I would like it to dim when the headlights are turned on so that display is not too bright and distracting at night. I guess I can run a wire from a terminal on the light switch to the "Illumination" wire of the CD player, if it's this simple (I will research this).

I went to Radio Shack to get the wire connectors but they were all sold out. I may have to order them online. I want to use those ones that snap over the wires and can be removed easily. I don't want to do any crimped connections because you have to cut the connectors off if you want to change them. The "snappy type" can be removed without damaging the wire.

I can't wait to be able to play music in my car. I'd like to add an amp and a subwoofer, but the 35 amp alternator probably couldn't handle it. Installing a higher amperage alternator may happen if necessary, though I just bought this one.

After all of the time, thought, research, and effort I have put into this CD player install so far, I really cringe to think how an installation shop would have done it!