New Face Plate for '05 Legacy Aftermarket Deck Install?

Has anybody out there swapped their deck for an aftermarket deck? If so do you know the source for the replacement face plate? All the local installers I talked to are saying that it's going to be awhile before one is available.

Your installers are correct. No one here on this forum yet has implemented a new faceplate. Many are just going the route with LOC's. There is a JDM faceplate, but that one is not only for RHD cars, but it has a single-zone HVAC system in it unlike our GT's dual-zone HVAC system. No one knows for sure yet if you could use the single-zone with the dual-zone.

Hey guys...I work at a stereo shop in the bay area(San Francisco) and it might take like 6 months for one to come out. Usually on cars like this (integratred a/c) you get a whole new replacement peice (knobs, etc. for a/c) but it looks like ass because it is made out of abs plastic so it doesn't match the dash at all. If you want, I guess you can sand it down and paint it. I thought that they wouldn't make one for this car but maybe the will. I didn't think they would make one for the new Honda Accord but they did (built in a/c). If you want them to make one, call Metra, American International, Scoshe and request one for a 2005 Legacy. If they get enough calls, they may make one if they aren't doing so yet. I will warn you thought that if it has the a/c integrated, the dash kit price will start at $80 and maybe go up to $180. I just suggest doing something custom.

It wil be even more expenisive because it is not just the user controls themselves (the switches and knobs), but the actual system controls are integrated into the same unit as the stereo, so someonw will have to figure out how to sepearate them and have it still work.

I can't see it happening, due to the sheer volume of Accords on the road versus the low amount of Legacies.

exactly

I think I am going to get my local and very reputable ICE custom shop to make something for me.. he will most likely fab up a new faceplate for me, if not, hack up the old plate and redo the AC unit onto a new plate.. but I'll have to see, it wont be an easy task.. Keefe

xenonk, if ur guy does it, tell him hell make a lot of money cuz there are more people intrested :-d

damn...xenonk is the first to always do everything.....put HRE's on car...hell...put more than three sets of wheels on car...first to get the grill...etc...now this...man

no offense to him....AT ALL....he clearly races and vendors have a reason to sponser him... but its different if you are paying for everything completely out of your own pocket and / or don't have the resources to necessarily do the work on your own. Besides someone has to be the guinea pig!

I don't think Keefe gets everything free, so don't get that impression. From what I recall he still works hard just like you guys to buy all those rims and stuff.

ok so i have another post.... Does everyone have the same/ similar image in their heads? The legacys ar e nice but they CAN/WILL BE AMAZINGLY NICE!!! black outisde, mabye a little lowering, a jdm/ sleek kit not racy just.. low profile... a tint... black leather, sun roof, dvd in dash navi pop out or somthing like it, subs, amps, HOLY CRAP these cars will be pimmp but its just wat I/ you all want... not flashy pimp or stupid just like... mature preppy raciness... I dont know, thats my 17 yr old impression of waht ide like to do with the leggy, mmhhhmmmm sounds sooooo goood.... dont flame! i wont rice it out i promise, it will be extremely nice! (excuse spelling ) -ALex

[quote name='D-2.5-GT']no offense to him....AT ALL....he clearly races and vendors have a reason to sponser him... but its different if you are paying for everything completely out of your own pocket and / or don't have the resources to necessarily do the work on your own. Besides someone has to be the guinea pig![/QUOTE] Axis is correct and I still have my day time job.. this is all just a hobby, an obsessive hobby of mine.. I participate in events and such and I present myself to potential sponsors that I am not out there to just have parts for the sake of having parts. I modify my car to fit my needs. IF I DID FOLLOW the "gotta be the 1st" for everything, I would have done a lot more with the car than you can imagine, with or without a vendor (just as I did with my WRX). My WRX was my first real car that I made payments on and such.. it was also my first really modified car with all the bells and whistles to make it a very trackable car (minus the missing roll cage). I work as a site plan designer and CADD technician for a civil engineering firm. I just get paid for what I do, and I still do side jobs for installs from time to time depending on my mood.. I rarely charge people when I do installs because I feel that experience is a very good payment as it is. I devote a lot of time to my car which I have lost a gf or two over, but hey, cars dont give me attitudes, and non-living objects are just easier to deal with. It's just a passion of mine to enjoy cars of all aspects. Back to the subject.. right now, the shop that is willing to do this for me is purely based on a custom show-car status kind of work.. it's really really custom.. it wont be something they will just pre-fab.. I have a few ideas but I haven't made my decision yet because the headunit I want is about $1400 full double din unit with 6.5" built LCD (not a flip out). Keefe

Guys, keep in mind that the climate control and the radio share a circuit board! In fact, the harness for the climate control plugs into the back of the radio. It is really impossible to separate the two. I do not see any aftermarket or custom solutions being possible unless you keep the entire factory radio connected and stashed somewhere. The level of integration between HVAC and stereo on the cars with auto climate control is kind of scary. As far as I know, the JDM double-DIN faceplate is only for cars with manual climate control. So US folks with the 2.5i model have a better shot at this than us guys with auto climate control. BTW, be wary of stereo shops and custom installers who can claim to pull something like this off. My experience (dating back to when I installed stereos up through my D.Sc. in mechanical engineering) is that installers go by the cookbook and are not capable of the brain surgery required to separate the stereo and climate control in an application like the Legacy. Heck, a lot of installers still can't hook up RF modulators or figure out line-ins to the factory radio because appropriate adapters are not out yet. Regular people on this board figured it out months ago. CRaig

Craig, the people I talk to is Excessive Audio.. they do a lot of the show car stuff here (and they dont skimp out.. they are pretty top notch of what they do.. they will gut the circuit board out if they have to, but this is something I am deciding to live with or not). Keefe

[quote name='c_hunter'] The level of integration between HVAC and stereo on the cars with auto climate control is kind of scary. [/QUOTE] You sure have that right! I believe that typically more american companies have that dependency though, in perticular GM. They like to run wires like the door chime, abs, airbag, through the radio. What a headache. I haven't seen too many companies from japan do that though. It would be interesting to see what they run through it though. I don't see a solution for this anytime in the near future, without shelling out some good money. We are talking about a complete re-routing of all the circuits within the board. Handle all the HVAC controls, needs to be able to effectively communicate with the car, etc, etc. Also be custom mounted, with custom controls. I doubt we will ever see any off the shelf product for this car like that, i don't think the market it large enough for it.

after tearing my radio apart to look inside(hey wth i had it out to solder antenna conenctors on) it's going to be alittle more than just taking a board out etc.

[quote name='Xenonk']Craig, the people I talk to is Excessive Audio.. they do a lot of the show car stuff here (and they dont skimp out.. they are pretty top notch of what they do.. they will gut the circuit board out if they have to, but this is something I am deciding to live with or not). Keefe[/QUOTE] I'm in Northern VA, so going up to Baltimore would not be too bad. Let us know.

Keefe - one more thing. How about getting that face plate done in brushed aluminum? That would look wicked - something I've thought about, but no idea on cost.

In for future pics if any :)

I've taken the radio/ac unit out and went so far as to remove the face plate and it is 1 BIG CIRCUIT BOARD. It's does not look like a simple job to me. Also, waiting around for a radio kit to come out doesn't seem likely imo.

[quote name='myst1k010']I've taken the radio/ac unit out and went so far as to remove the face plate and it is 1 BIG CIRCUIT BOARD. It's does not look like a simple job to me. Also, waiting around for a radio kit to come out doesn't seem likely imo.[/QUOTE] Does the circuit continue from the ac unit to the radio? or is there a break in between? Might have to get some kind of JDM unit to split it up huh? That would make it hard for those people with the GT Limited versions....

there are a ton of threads already w/ pics that answer most questions...

[quote name='RoundBoy']there are a ton of threads already w/ pics that answer most questions...[/QUOTE] I tried searching but came up empty. If you have links, please post them. I will try again.

[quote name='mobilezen']Does the circuit continue from the ac unit to the radio? or is there a break in between? Might have to get some kind of JDM unit to split it up huh? That would make it hard for those people with the GT Limited versions....[/QUOTE] You cannot split them up -- the radio and HVAC are integrated and share common circuit boards. Even the non-Ltd GT has the auto climate control by the way. Perhaps the base US 2.5i (with manual climate control) can be split up, but I would not assume so without seeing the internals first. The JDM cars with manual climate control seem to offer a DIN plate option, so it may be possible with the base US 2.5i. Craig