I Hate My Cassette Holders!

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Early B.
Early B. Posts: 7,900
edited April 2008 in Custom Fabrication
I have a 1998 car that has an in-dash cassette holder. I wanna rip the damn thing out. It's cheap, plastic, and worthless. Problem is -- there's no aftermarket option for replacing it with say, a CD holder. Besides, the cassette holder is an odd shape -- it's trapezoidal.

Is there an inexpensive alternative to removing this thing and putting something else there? Maybe it becomes an extra compartment to keep change or something. I don't care.

I looked at removing the "guts" of the cassette holder so I could create an open compartment, but I couldn't figure out how to do it without cracking the plastic outer case.

Thanks.
HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

"God grooves with tubes."
Post edited by Early B. on
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,712
    edited April 2008
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    Ummmm....if you told us what KIND of 1998 car you had, we might be able to find some pictures on this new-fangled Intarweb thingy and see what you are talking about.


    Otherwise, I'd remove most of the interior material with tin snips and then use a sharp chisel or dremel tool to dig out the rest. Then get yourself some felt to match the color of the plastic from a fabric store or a craft store and use 3M General Trim Adhesive to glue it in. You can get the adhesive from any car parts store like Pep Boys, Autozone or something. The felt will help hide the chewed up plastic and help keep whatever you chuck in there from sliding around a whole lot.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited April 2008
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    in for pics.
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited April 2008
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    Pics Please
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,712
    edited April 2008
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    Another idea, if you get out enough of a center section to use a chisel, you can use bull-nosed or snub-nosed wire dykes to clip out the sections at the back of the pocket.

    Something like this will work:

    31GGHY0ANSL._SS500_.jpg

    Just make sure you get ones with long enough handles. Not only is the extra length good for room but improves leverage so you aren't killing yourself. Any Radio Shack should have them but you can probably get ones with long handles in the electrical sections of Home Depot or Lowes. Lowes would probably be a better choice because they seem to stock Klein tools and every electrician or tech I know swears by Klein for electrical tools.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2008
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    Jstas wrote: »
    Ummmm....if you told us what KIND of 1998 car you had, we might be able to find some pictures on this new-fangled Intarweb thingy and see what you are talking about.

    Sorry. It's a Mercedes C280. No pics yet.

    Great ideas, Jstas. I can do what you said. In fact, while riding to work this morning, I pulled out all six of the cassette holders thingys. Now I have six thin rectangular compartments. It looks fine right now, but it's not functional. So I can temporarily remove the cassette holder, hollow it out, add felt, and reinstall. I have all of the tools to do it, but I have to admit -- I'm the guy who can 'eff up some stuff even with the best of tools.:p
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2008
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    OK, I got pics...
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2008
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    OK, so in my efforts to cut out the individual cassette holders, I got a little overzealous. Let's just say that I gutted the damn thing. The pics show the sketeton that remains. It's OK, because the faceplate is intact. Now I need to figure out how to fashion a box for the rear of the faceplate in order to make it a bin to put stuff in.

    More ideas are appreciated.


    BTW -- the opening is 2 1/8" x 5 3/8". The box can go 5" deep. It's actually a good size for storing CDs.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • honda cber
    honda cber Posts: 267
    edited April 2008
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    dude, were those spring loaded? those germans---- always thinking.
    a
    gear list:
    1 down, 4 up....
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,712
    edited April 2008
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    At this point dude, get yourself a plastic welding kit like this:

    http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41592

    or if you want to spend a little more coin, like this:

    http://www.malcomheatguns.com/product.php?id=1

    and build a box. You could use 1/4 inch plywood and cover it in felt or paint it with an epoxy resin and then felt it too. But if you go the plastic welding kit route, a hobby shop should have sheets of plastic you can use. Some home improvement stores might have it too. You could also use sheet metal and pop rivets too but that requires a bit more finish work and you'd definitely have to cover it with something so it wouldn't look ghetto.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2008
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    Jstas -- a welding kit? C'mon. That might be the correct way to do it, but I need a "keep-tools-far-away-from-this-guy" approach that won't look ghetto.

    With my skills (or lack thereof), I think I'll just get some 1/4" plywood or thick cardboard and build a box around it. I'll just need wood, glue, and a dark colored liner (felt, suede, leather, etc.). I'm thinking and insert would be best instead of attempting to mold the box with the faceplate.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,712
    edited April 2008
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    Early B. wrote: »
    I'm thinking and insert would be best instead of attempting to mold the box with the faceplate.

    Yeah cause otherwise you'll mess up the face plate and then Ghettofabulous is most certainly in your future.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited April 2008
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    Jstas wrote: »
    Yeah cause otherwise you'll mess up the face plate and then Ghettofabulous is most certainly in your future.

    Very good point and a distinct possibility.:eek:

    I'll post pics of the final product and let you know how it goes.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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