So, if you want to hear music, radio, podcasts or other stuff in your classic car, what do you chose to mount in it?
I once had a Ford Mustang from 1968, where a previous owner had used a hacksaw, to retrofit a modern 1-DIN unit, which probably was OK, if it was done as a newish used car, but to do that today would be frowned upon by many.
In a series Land Rover it’s easy to retrofit a 1-DIN or 2-DIN radio, in anything from headliners to cubbyboxes, but somehow I havn’t found the perfect solution yet, and until I do, I’ll stick with my iPhone and portable hardy Land Rover green Ultimate Ears Wonderboom speaker.
It fit’s perfectly in the front compartments, and a charge lasts a week.
FM and AM radio is being phased out in these years, and even DAB is getting replaced by DAB+
Besides “Radio”, Podcasts, and music streaming services have gained more and more daily users.
The old FM/AM radio is going to be useless, and extinct as the 8-track and the Dodo (and so is the CD).
What am I considering myself
Personally I’m one of those who have moved from Radio to Podcasts and music streaming.
If I was going to buy a head-unit today, it would look a lot at CarPlay enabled units, and probably end up with a as basic as possible Bluetooth enabled unit from a trusted brand.
CarPlay compatible units
Porsche has just launched two headunits for “classic” cars. One 1-DIN unit with oldschool knobs and a discreet looking 3,5 inch touchscreen, and a larger 2-DIN unit with a large screen and a more 1990s vibe.
Bluetooth head-units
At the moment I’ve got a very basic 1-DIN headunit in my “other car”.
It’s a Clarion FZ502E, that’s basicly a no frills 1-DIN unit with a single button/joystick, FM/AM, Bluetooth and a USB port. No CD slot and no SD card slot.
I Never use the radio, instead I either use the iPod connectivity to plug my iPhone to the USB port and charge while I listen to music, or as i most often do, stream the audio via Bluetooth.
I like the simplicity of it, but Bluetooth seems to magically forget to reconnect every 3rd or 4th time you want to use it.
What I want is a stable wireless connection, that automatically plays what my phone is playing, every time I get into my car.
This is also why I don’t mind using the UE Wonderboom as a “head-unit”.
I’m probably just looking for a set of Bluetooth stereo speakers that can be mounted behind the seats, and be connected to the battery as soon as i turn on the ignition.
I’d love to hear what you have chosen, and why.
Please leave a comment on the bottom of the page, and tell us your story!