I bought a new Autotek M1000.4 amp and an Autotek 7007 equalizer for my system, got both at Sonic Electronix last week. I had an old eq in the glove box, and it was hard to use while driving. I had seen once before on a Jeep Cherokee with the rounded dash opening for the radio where they had a single DIN CD player and half-din eq mounted together in the factory radio location. It looked good but took a lot of custom work to make it fit. I wanted to try the same thing in my truck, so I also ordered a Metra 99-6505 installation kit from Sonic. It has a little storage pocket below the radio opening and I figured I could cut it out and make room for my new equalizer. The kit looks like this:



I spent along time working with files and my Dremel tool to cut the kit out to accommodate the deck and eq. The kit has provisions to do an ISO-mount and includes a nice ISO trim ring. That is what made this installation possible. I worked on it last weekend, but did not like how it looked in the dash. I took it all back apart today and did some more work with files and re-positioning the kit and the dash bezel, and here is what it looks like now. I am pretty well pleased with it and am glad to have the eq controls right there at the radio location:





Here's a shot of my new Autotek amp:



I like the Autotek amp and eq a lot. The amp is very clean and has a lot of power if I need it, and the eq helps to clean up the sound a lot so the whole system just sounds phenomenal now.

So if you have a 2001-2004 Dodge with the rounded-corner style radio provision, yes it is possible to do an in-dash deck and equalizer. It just takes a lot of time and patience, and you have to be willing to practically destroy a Metra dash kit in the process....

Jimmy

 

If you are ever interested in putting a double DIN in that place let me know