A6AvantErik: MCS

Doug and I have been talking about putting together our stereos on and off for a while now, and I provided him with this a while ago.
Being in school right now, I have had no time to continue writing / finish my write up. Its been about 4-5 months now since I've had this written?
Anyhow, I'm going to post what I have for now, incase anyone is in the process/thinking about doing their stereos. Any further questions ask me and I'll reply as you are going along!
I think im also going to just throw the rest of the photos at the end of this without actually writing what I did, incase it helps anyone. Good luck!
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After STFA for hours on end trying to figure out a way to rewire my bose delta with a new head unit(HU) and new speakers.

Email me: erik.kong@uconn.edu for any more questions.

In order to complete this the correct way, you will need to re-wire all speakers that you plan on installing. All speakers are pre-amped, the front two speakers amp'd right behind the speaker, and the back door speakers are amp'd in the trunk with the bose sub box.

The hardest part of this install I would say is taking the time to run wires the right way, and fitting speakers into the front door.

I chose to use 5.25" speakers all the way around, so I needed to retrofit my own housing into the front doors(not THAT hard, as I will explain later).

Lets start it off and I'll explain more as I show the pictures.

Starting off, removing the door(I'd do the drivers door last, as that is the hardest because of the master window switches and memory switches) (front door=5 screws) (Back door=4):
First two screws to remove:
At the two ends of the door, you will find two screws, remove those.
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPLuyiW_I/AAAAAAAAAmc/qszJCPJMk8I/IMG_2080.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPMOyiXAI/AAAAAAAAAmk/u5yi8OGCS2Y/IMG_2081.JPG?imgmax=512">
The third and fourth screw can be found under the handle that you use to pull the door closed.
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPNeyiXDI/AAAAAAAAAm8/TQ8Lbq12s8Y/IMG_2084.JPG?imgmax=512">
Remove the door handle cover by using a small flathead screw driver on the underside of the handle and prying up a bit. You should feel two clips unlock themselves; pull.

This will reveal the two screws at the top and bottom of the door handle fixture. The second one in the yellow arrow is set deeper in, so use a long phillips screwdriver to remove this. Once you remove both screws, remove the handle assembly.

Once this is done, there will be one more screw located under the door latch:
First, to get to it, remove this piece:
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPM-yiXCI/AAAAAAAAAm0/AZjRZFqYPkQ/IMG_2083.JPG?imgmax=512">
This is the piece under the door handle that you just removed.
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPMuyiXBI/AAAAAAAAAms/g1zRIWY9PeY/IMG_2082.JPG?imgmax=512">
Next, now that you have a gap with the piece you just removed, push the door latch forward (yellow arrows) and push the chestnut trim backwards (red arrow) They will slide a bit, and the door latch should be able to pop forward, up, and out.
There will be two things holding the door latch in place: the window switch wires, and the cable that releases the door.
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPOeyiXGI/AAAAAAAAAnY/FO6uTwlqJxQ/IMG_2087.JPG?imgmax=512">
Unclip the window switch from behind (blue arrows) and lift the whole door handle assembly up to reveal the last screw (aqua arrow). This screw is kinda hidden behind the leather, so just use the phillips screw driver to remove this. Be careful not to drop the screw when pulling it out!

This next part is to your discretion:
Since the width of the door latch assembly does not fit through the small opening that the door release cable is fed through, I decided to remove a piece of the plastic(snapping it off) so that the whole assembly can fit through. You can try to unlatch the cable from the assembly if you want, but I didn't want to bother with this: so this is what I did:
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPPeyiXII/AAAAAAAAAno/DCAU-yuUk3k/IMG_2091.JPG?imgmax=512">
Where the red dots are, I used pliers to break off so that it would open up the hole on the right more to make the width of the blue lines to fit through. This does not affect the strength of the door in any way, but its up to you.

Once you get this part through, use a little strength and lift the door straight up, the clips should slide off of the door frame, and pop right off.
One last thing to disconnect is the speaker wire, which you can either snip or carefully remove if you are planning on replacing it later on; I removed them carefully.

You'll be left with something like this:
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPP-yiXJI/AAAAAAAAAnw/igFEftSYhss/IMG_2092.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPQOyiXKI/AAAAAAAAAn4/4rbCPUkHWRY/IMG_2093.JPG?imgmax=512">

Next; removing the bose speaker from the front doors:
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPQuyiXMI/AAAAAAAAAoI/oCrD4ftWV9c/IMG_2096.JPG?imgmax=512">
Pretty simple here: just remove the screws that surroud the large casing here. The whole casing is part of the bose system, which includes the housing, and the preamp.

While under the door panel, I decided to apply some sound deadening material under there to the door frame: dynamat
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPQeyiXLI/AAAAAAAAAoA/Mbjv06rqFMc/IMG_2094.JPG?imgmax=512">

The speaker cover can be removed with 3 simple screws from the outside of the casing, and I believe you'll need a Torx screw driver to remove the speaker inside (I might be wrong and it might just be a phillips head)

Next: Running wires, you will

(Back door to HU)
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPSuyiXSI/AAAAAAAAAo4/7IlBIYuctJs/IMG_2104.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPTOyiXTI/AAAAAAAAApE/lI_4yn5aIqU/IMG_2105.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPTeyiXUI/AAAAAAAAApM/kIwz5DN7HwQ/IMG_2106.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPUOyiXWI/AAAAAAAAApc/VjPCPNk39Eo/IMG_2109.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPROyiXNI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/LMhLR9MQyXg/IMG_2097.JPG?imgmax=512">
Front door to HU

(Both Front and Back speaker wiring continues through here:
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPReyiXOI/AAAAAAAAAoY/gxiuNxF8_Zg/IMG_2098.JPG?imgmax=512">

<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPRuyiXPI/AAAAAAAAAog/FUsnjXpGg88/IMG_2099.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPSeyiXRI/AAAAAAAAAow/CuLJDkqmVV0/IMG_2103.JPG?imgmax=512">

<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPSOyiXQI/AAAAAAAAAoo/oxbzDPbtEkw/IMG_2100.JPG?imgmax=512">
^^^YES, I am in the process of finding new covers!! eww. I wish I had ones like Doug has on his



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MESSYYYYY
HU Wiring &amp; IPod connector allowing controls through HU while charging ipod in glove box
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPUeyiXXI/AAAAAAAAApk/cNc81MMDHMU/IMG_2145.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthPUuyiXYI/AAAAAAAAAps/rGAXmteO_u4/IMG_2146.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ0eyiXaI/AAAAAAAAAqU/o4cixYus83k/IMG_2110.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ0uyiXbI/AAAAAAAAAqc/-fy_2_CFICE/IMG_2111.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ0-yiXcI/AAAAAAAAAqk/jC_Rj8myhoA/IMG_2112.JPG?imgmax=512">


Driver Door panel removal:
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ1eyiXeI/AAAAAAAAAq0/XzdJN5Q2-r0/IMG_2114.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ1uyiXfI/AAAAAAAAAq8/cUxCuova1tg/IMG_2115.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ1-yiXgI/AAAAAAAAArE/WljfkxfHywM/IMG_2116.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ2OyiXhI/AAAAAAAAArM/Z7c0RfWfNy0/IMG_2117.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh4.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ2eyiXiI/AAAAAAAAArU/sLYBz4uiczc/IMG_2118.JPG?imgmax=512">
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MDF board cutout for front speakers
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ0-yiXdI/AAAAAAAAAqs/KHJ8bzOPk5k/IMG_2113.JPG?imgmax=512">
Cutting off excess screw from front reverse mounted speakers.
Hardest part is making the cutout large enough to not disturb the cone during movement from music. Success after dremel work and sanding till it fit.
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ2-yiXkI/AAAAAAAAArk/zrEpv5k4kPg/IMG_2127.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ2-yiXlI/AAAAAAAAArs/riZYAI646Rk/IMG_2128.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ3OyiXnI/AAAAAAAAAr8/0NqZI3qGOWU/IMG_2130.JPG?imgmax=512">

<img src="http://lh3.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ3OyiXoI/AAAAAAAAAsE/bM5xSDez1aI/IMG_2131.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh5.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ3uyiXqI/AAAAAAAAAsY/uFsRlMK_qDU/IMG_2133.JPG?imgmax=512">
<img src="http://lh6.google.com/gameoverphotography/RthQ3-yiXrI/AAAAAAAAAsg/ypvslBOEum0/IMG_2134.JPG?imgmax=512">

4Driver4

Wow. Great work...both the install and the write up.

CarIsScrewed

got the great german sound with wicked bass, can't get any better, nothing like original bose! However, once it goes all wacky on me, I guess I'll have to replace the system, hope it's not for a long time, love the great stereo imagery and frequency control. Oh those germans.

A6AvantErik: MCS

...so i thought....

little did I know, when I swapped out all the speakers for infiniti's and a new, more powerful headunit- the sound was so much more clear and crisp.
Reminded me of my custom stereo in my C220 benz back in the day.
You don't notice the difference till you experience whats 'better'.

islingtonaudi

Nice work! I'm finishing up mine this week, expect pics as well.

A6AvantErik: MCS

are you actually finished with it all now?

this has been one longgggg project for you.

I couldn't wait and just spent about 30 hours in 72 hours to finish it. lol