My FM tuner died this week, it won't lock onto a signal and when I try to search it completely freezes. Oddly the AM still works. I'm thinking I will need to get a new stereo and was wondering who here has already replaced theirs. Would love to hear recommendations and if you have already done a replacement would love to see some pictures on how it came out.

It's not too hard to install a modern stereo but there is some cutting involved. What I did was cut the plastic and then cut the metal behind it just at the top, bend it down and rivet the sleeve that came with the new stereo onto that, it looked factory. You can connect it to the factory harness, you will just need to connect the yellow wire to a constant source. I would recommend Kenwood or if you don't want to cut your dash there's these guys http://www.retrosoundusa.com/

Here is an indirect picture of a pioneer cd player that I put in mine. The hole had already been cut from the previous owner's son, and was a hack job, I have purchased a replacement metal bracket for the heater controls, and a new dash bezel, which I will install AFTER I buy a retro stereo that fits in the same way as the factory stereo.

CD players can be installed by cutting, but they are very hard to make them look professional.

There is also this company that will retrofit your existing radio with modern guts.

http://www.vintageautoradio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=64

Here is the picture that I promised earlier. DOH!

I really have to get you that horn pad Doug

Work in Progress. I understand that, too!

On the plus side, it's still on the bench

I have an am/fm CD player in my F-150 Lariat the brand of it is Dual and it am XD 1220 with an amp and speakers behind the seat. It was in the truck when I bought it from a friend last summer, and it sounds real good, I even turn a few heads with the truck and not with an insanely, stupid loud stereo either, I would highly recommend that brand to anyone. I get quite a few thumbs up from Cornell students, whenever I have my truck on campus, and I'm constantly hearing people saying Sweet looking truck. What's really wild is when kids in BMWs (Bavarian Milk Wagons) and Mercedes Benzes look and like wow Sweeet, I wish I something like that.

Easiest replacement..not cutting anything.

The pioneer supertuners were way ahead of their time!

fatherdoug said:

The pioneer supertuners were way ahead of their time!

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I've owned a few in the past.

I think I still have a bunch of cassette tapes somewhere too.

I have a pile...including a good amount of never opened metal blanks.

m78 said:

I've owned a few in the past.

I think I still have a bunch of cassette tapes somewhere too.

Click to expand...

cassettes are coming back, save them!!

I have a few cassette tapes also I'm guessing about 1500 or so.
Switched most of them to cd and mp3

So do you guys think it's worth the extra spend to buy a unit that will maintain the look?

http://www.classiccarstereos.com/product/1973-1979_Ford_Pickup_Truck_Radio/CAM-FD3_9PU-630.html
http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/details/id/331

I'd like having the new features of a recent car stereo, but I'm concerned it will look completely out of place. Especially since it seems like most of them have a high tech look.

I also figured I would reuse the speakers, but it sounds like getting some replacements would be worth it?

I would purchase one of the ones above.
I have seen the butchered plates in these trucks and it looks awful.
These radio's actually blend in fairly well and don't look out of place.
Upgrade the speakers well worth the time and money for the better sound.