Regal, meet Apple

[vonVeezelsnider]

A common source of kvetching from my brother since he began driving the Regal was that its OEM CD/Cassette stereo doesn't have an AUX jack for iPod purposes. Double-DIN sized head units that look like they fit with the car are more expensive and theft magnets. They also would sacrifice the functionality of the redundant steering wheel controls. Casette and FM modulators always seem to leave something in the audio quality department as well.Then, not too long ago, I was watching Saabkyle04 on YouTube review his new 1995 Roadmaster Limited and I noticed he managed to get his hands on a Buick Monsoon Audio stereo that had been refurbished and in this process had an AUX jack wired right into the head unit, from what I understand, cutting right into the pre-amplifier. I found the seller (http://www.ebay.com/...=&_trksid=p3686) "factoryradios" on eBay and found that the cost was only about $100 for an identical, fully refurbished stereo the style of which matched our Regal (except it had no CD Player, but who cares about that these days anyways?). Add on $50 shipping to Canada and that was about half the price of a Double-DIN head unit, maintained factory look, wasn't a theft magnet etc... The seller has stereos for all sorts of 90s-2000s GM stuff so you guys might be interested in this particular MOD

Purchased it and installed myself so you know the installation process isn't that hard on a 1997-2005 Regal and Century at least. All you need is a screwdriver and a trim stick/tool. Disconnect Battery, open glove box, remove glove box L/R side trim, undo bottom screws on kick plates, pry back top of trim across dash below stereo and then unscrew the stereo and IP bezel and carfully pry off. Undo the stereo and replace with new one, replace bezel, re-attach kickplate and insert screws, reconnect battery, good to go. I attached a video at the bottom to show how it works

New Unit:

<embed width="600"></embed>

<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid213.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fcc79%2Fvonveezelsnider%2FRegalStereo.mp4">

Edited November 9, 2011 by vonVeezelsnider

[Croc]

Doesn't have one for the Aurora...

By the way...anyone who is electronically-minded. I bought this a year or so ago and got stuck on what exactly I'd need to get this installed in my 2001 Aurora. At minimum, it sounds like I'd need a different cable than the one attached to my factory setup, but I couldn't discern which one out of the thousands of GM radio cables available online.

Edited November 9, 2011 by Croc

[SAmadei]

For the record, there are quite a few adapters out there that will make your steering wheel controls work with aftermarket stereos. They aren't exactly cheap... roughly $100 for a little box that converts the different resistances that the steering wheel buttons use to signals the aftermarket radios use.

[SAmadei]

Every radio is different, but I believe the instructions in this thread are what that dude is doing. This mod, supposedly does not require a tape or CD in the unit.

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=240045&page=2

I prefer a rear mounted jack and a patch cable, but I have no idea how the eBay guy gets that to work, as far as shutting out the FM signal when the unit is plugged into a device.