Hey all,

My sister got given a '95 (I think! Mfr Date says 1/95, but no materials elsewhere to say actual model year) Blazer 2 dr by a friend's family who was moving back to South America.

Well, it's a ****box the way they left it, so I've been trying to give it some love while she finishes getting her license and getting it on the road. For starters, they left it filled with garbage (I suspect these people were young judging by contents), and there's a lot of interior damage, namely, that the radio is completely gone, and the closest she has is an aftermarket Jensen tape deck presently living in the cargo area (unattached and non-functional).

Well, on a whim I tried to see if my '06 Corolla's stock HU will fit, no dice, there's no depth in that mounting bay as I suspect you all well know. Heck, not even that Jensen fits!

So for starters, does anyone have a recommendation on a cheap basic CD HU, preferably with a front aux port built in? Naturally, I'd prefer it fits in the standard location, but I don't think anything will at this point, shy of the stock unit.

The second question is how do I install it if it won't fit in the stock depth and still have it look good? I don't so much care if it has to stick out, I'd just prefer that it at least have decent trim around it. I looked at the existing threads and searched (here and Google), but I didn't seem to find anything (I'm going to keep looking in the meantime).

EDIT #1: This thread contains a good pic of a nice finished product: https://blazerforum.com/forum/audio-video-electronics-8/1997-blazer-radio-install-39624/

EDIT #2: The first pic attached (5344) shows the mounting hole pretty much as I found it. It had some chopped up and ruined mounting brackets in it that I yanked out in preparation to try my Toyota's CD changer, but to no good effect. The second (5345) shows the old crappy Jensen among other pieces on the floor on the passenger side until I know if I need anything from there later.

I have installed stereos before, so I'm already picking up wiring harness adapters and such in preparation for getting whatever it is I end up with, but I'm just trying to figure out the individual details.

I'll make another thread chronicling the crap I'm going through trying to fix this poor thing, and we'll see how that all goes. Thanks for all your help in advance!

- Matthew

 

Alright so if it is a 95 model it should be the first model of the second gen which has the more rounded body style. The thing about the Delco radios that came factory in these things is GM had to have them custom built for the vehicles because they were shallow lenth wise and tall. Where as most radios were longer lenth wise and shorter in height.

Crutchfield.com says that for a 95 s10 blazer that the cd player will protrude from the dash about a inch, 1.5 inch. I thought this was only for the earlier models but apparently not. On my 92 the Kenwood I bought stuck out about that lenth and it's not bad looking. Here's a pic.


And I know that you want to keep it cheap. But on Crutchfield.com, If you buy a radio that is $129.99, they will give you everything you need. Wiring harness, dash install kit, radio antenna adapter, and detailed instructions detailed to your vehicle. Plus the shipping is free at $129.99. Just something to keep in mind. Cause buying the installation accesories sepratly can be $40-50 alone.

But regardless heres a link that will help you install a radio,
http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/GM/PDF/460001.pdf
I know it's for a 99+ s10 blazer but it might help some. I'll come back and post if I find something else. Hope this helps.

 

Hey, thanks Screwed! That's just what I needed to know. Good pic of your install too, it looks just fine with a decent install kit, and that looks like the same exact one they have on Crutchfield too.

I'm going to give them a call some time next week and determine what options they have. I was hoping to keep this cheap, but between head units and install pieces it looks like it'll still come up to at least $90, not including S&H. I'll just talk my dad into going in on it as a birthday present to her and take it from there.

I wish my friend still worked at Best Buy, he got stuff sooo cheap there, it was awesome.

Now I just pray that the speakers still work and are in good condition, and I have to figure out how to fix the damned antenna mount.

 

Yeah, thats about how far my Sony stucks out with the same install kit. Yeah, I would count on around $120. Too bad the sale I got mine on isn't around anymore I got mine at Christmas not the most expensive thing ever but for $90 I got 4 speakers and a head unit.

 

Eh, I can live without the sale - it would be great to get new speakers, they have to be better than whatever was in here before, but it definitely won't kill me to leave the stock ones in there if they work fine (and I actually don't even know yet). Basically, if they don't work, we'll burn that bridge then, and if they do, peachy.

If my sister wants new ones down the road, I'll be happy to direct her to Crutchfield and install them for her, but otherwise she's on her own.

 

Like I said, if you have any problems or anything just let me know. Glad I could help