So after messing with it for a while I'm having to switch away from my tablet dash. The cold in Alaska is too much for the tablets and they keep going bad. It has to do with the lion batteries failing due to the cold. I've messed with programming for a while to have it try to use the truck for main power and it eventually just got over my head. After the cold took out two tablets I decided to switch. Kenwood had a new head unit coming out, standard stuff, double din, touch screen but was built to be super android friendly and two camera inputs. So I waited about 3 months for them to finally release it. Ordered it, it got here. Install began. Realized I didn't like how double dinS mount in these trucks. The previous owner had chopped up a bit behind the dash anyways so I built a custom mount allowing the stereo to move forward. Also didn't like trim rings so I popped off the beauty cover on the stereo to mold permanently into the bezel so it would look like a factory unit. I wanted all gaps to be identical around. So of course welding my new mounts to the stereo basket was tricky because the metal was so freaking thin. Used an old trick and copper spooned the back to help this. Got it mounted, the dash piece molded and starting to sand and finish it out before airbrushing. Stereo is awesome, connects automatically to my phone flawlessly, call quality is great. I'm happy. Now need to start airbrushing my pieces and clean it all up. Pics to follow
here welding on my new mounts after much measuring remolded factory dash piece, wanted to keep it almost unnoticeable, evercoat filler to help the transition, 3m plastic bonding for molding the two pieces into one. sanding started to smooth it all out, ppg primer. you can see the trim ring in the side profile and the slot for the removal keys. evercoat filler to help the transition, 3m plastic bonding for molding the two pieces into one. Which are useless because the stereo comes no where close to being able to come out with the bezel in place. quick test fit test fitting, the black stuff you see all over is plastic shaving from the dash molding and trimming. super dry in AK so the static made it stick to everything!
Mixing the basecoat, burnt orange timber. Spraying with my devilish Tena copper. Absolutely love this gun