530transam

iTrader: (2)

does any of the factory nav units swap into our cars easily? like the hummer version or the grand prix gxp version or the 07+ suburban version? theres a few for good prices on ebay. What would be rewuired to put them in our cars? more specifically my 99 trans am. Is it compatible for the most part? would it fit better than a pioneer avic-d2? the pioneer isnt as wide as our radio opening are these wider than those ones?any pics of an install?

blown00ls1

iTrader: (5)

i doubt itd drop right in, probably need a slight modification to the bezel, you do with most double din units. Personally havent done any looking into such an idea. But unless its only a 1.5 din unit, i doubt itd be a "drop in" swap

530transam

iTrader: (2)

well no i know it wont drop right in, what im talking about is the width. The aftermarlet units arent as wide as the bezel and it looks tacky when you have to fill that space in. But a suburban or hummer or grand prix i think is the same width. I will deffinately have to extend it down and up but width im hoping for a better fit.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

There are other problems besides fit. The newer (double DIN) head units from GM are wired completely differently from our systems. They have many of the BCM functions built in and communicate with the car using serial data cables. It would be difficult to connect them. I know there are some adapters available that allow replacing one of them with an aftermarket head unit but I don't know if there are adapters that work the other way (allow installing one in a car it's not meant to fit). Also, some of them have programming that is encoded to the VIN number of the vehicle (provided electronically by the PCM) as a replacement for the TheftLock system in our cars. Our PCM doesn't provide that data so the radio probably wouldn't work at all.

530transam

iTrader: (2)

well, also, im running all new audio component wires. Would there still be a problem? i could plug in all the wires for speakers and amps directly into the nav unit rather than using the radio harness that exsists. What other info would the car need to give? i think the vehicle speed sensor just needs to be placed in the windshield cowl and it would pretty much install like an after market unit. Yea that vin would suck but i think thats only the 07 corvette units from what ive seen on ebay. The hummer ones say "nice upgrade for any gm car truck or suv" as opposed to the 97 vette ones which say "depending on model of corvette unit, vin number may be required"

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

No, sorry...just about any of the premium double DIN head units from 03 and newer will be nearly impossible to wire in. They have an external amp that the radio recognizes via the type 2 serial data cable. They also have the VIN security function that communicates through the serial data cable. Even my wife's Envoy has both of those "features" and it's just an indash 6-disc changer without satellite radio or nav system. I would be very careful to check compatibilty before laying out any money on one.

pentavolvo

Basically have to go aftermarket, kenwood makes a killer unit with nav addon for cheap

530transam

iTrader: (2)

well guys i dont mean to shoot you down but these things are all over ebay. So there has to be a way around it because just going from one hummer to another hummer isnt going to have matching vins. Theres gotta be a way around it. If i have to do work to figure it out maybe itll be worth it sounds like id be the only one willing to do it which would mean id be the only one with it. I am interested in the aftermarket id like to see that kenwood system you got any pics?

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

I'm sure there is a way around the VIN check in newer vehicles just as there are ways around the TheftLock in our vehicles. So I'm sure you could install a premium Hummer head unit in, say, a late model Monte Carlo by reprogramming the VIN somehow. The problem is that the PCM in our cars doesn't even have the same kind of serial data connection that newer models have that is used to query the VIN number. So reprogramming is not an option. Unless somebody makes some kind of adapter that plugs into the head unit and fools it into thinking it's communicating with a new-style PCM I'm afraid you're out of luck.

But got ahead...if you can make it work you'll have a great write-up subject that I'm sure a lot of people here would be interested in reading. Maybe one of the eBay sellers could give you some information if you use the "ask a question" feature. They may have run into it before.

530transam

iTrader: (2)

yea i have asked plenty of them before. They always say "we dont know what this is compatible with" no matter what you ask them. I have a friend who made his own relay of some sort for his 03 impala becuase of that stupid serial data connection. He had to get around it to install a headunit so im going to talk to him and see what he says. Ill keep you guys posted

pentavolvo

http://sonicelectronix.com/item_6838...P-NAV6019.html ive put it in more then one car... here are some install pics from an audi i recently did http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i6...olvo/S4%20Nav/ i really like kenwood cause of the garmin nav its top notch and u can use all the features while driving

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

Aside from the fact that the question was about installing a factory nav system in an f-body, that Kenwood unit is double DIN and won't fit in the 1.5 DIN dash opening without making some modifications.

mattraypharbor

iTrader: (2)

aftermarket headunits and there navi are a total waste of money the chip to make it work and the reciver is gonna run 500-600 and thats after the price of your new 1600 dollar screen. i have the new kenwood flip and love it i just wish the navi wasnt so expenive i blive i paid 1200 for mine......

pentavolvo

he asked about which aftermarket one i recommended and its a very good price and unlike the factory GM ones it can be installed so you can enter nav info while driving and/or play movies... as well i thought all GMs with nav were dbl din

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

My bad...I posted without going back and rereading all the earlier posts. I lose track of threads sometimes. Maybe it's a sign of old age.