New 2DIN radio receiver bezel for Maserati 4200 Coupe/Spider

k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
The available depth behind Maserati 4200 Coupe/Spider radio is only 35mm, There are many Narrow radio/GPS receiver units that fit, but they do not have acceptable sound quality.
For playing music or radio they really sound worse than old car original radio, upgrading car speakers will not solve the low quality sound problem, those receivers are good only
for GPS and phone use.
Amongst receivers that have acceptable audio quality ( THD<1%) Pioneer has a pricey car radio receiver with detachable screen that fits easily.(Pioneer DMH-C2550NEX).
A number of good brands make 178mmX100mmX75mm receivers that have acceptable sound Quality (THD less than 1%) amongst them are Kenwood and JVC, the models are:
DMX4707S, DMX47S, DMX7706S, KW-M75BT, KW-M750BT, KW-M740BT,KW-M56BT and KW-M560BT. They cost over $250.
I wanted to fit a 178mm X 100mm X 75mm receiver in my 2004 Coupe but depth behind the Current NIT display unit is limited to 35mm, so I modified radio bezel ALREADY MADE
and used for thinner receivers/displays to allow fitting of 75mm deep units. In the rear my bezel opening is 184 mm By 101mm, front opening is 174mm by 98mm. This modified
radio bezel adds about 44 mm to available depth behind where the NIT display was mounted before.

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I had my radio-bezel.stl file (2.53MB) 3D printed in hard black matte smooth plastic at:
Innosek USA
235 Main St.,
Tonawanda, NY 14150 , USA
www.innosek.com
It costs about $126 plus shipping charge.

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Installed brass inserts, placed the brass inserts over the mounting holes, heated each by a soldering iron and gently pushed it into bezel :

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Wet sanded with 400 grits and painted it, then Fitted the switch, mic and USB. The hazard switch is Mitsubishi MB652291 it mounted OK. Neither the panel mount USB nor the MIC
Fitted flush as I wanted them, so modified the CAD file to correct it for next 3D print ( if any).
Four M5 8mm fasten the receiver to this radio-bezel the mounting holes that allow the receiver (KW-M56BT)display surface slide Outward 5mm or remain flush with the bezel

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Attachments

  • radio-bezel-2.zip
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k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
DIY installation materials cost about $240 plus whatever you spend on receiver:

  1. Car stereo receiver , 178X100X75 > $250
  2. Radio bezel $126 plus shipping charge
  3. 3‘ antenna extension cable and adapter $10
  4. Panel mount USB extension $5.99 plus shipping charge
  5. Solder butts (red) , about $10
  6. AWG 16 and AWG18 wires , about $10
  7. Cloth electrical tape and foam , about $10
  8. Mating connector s $20
  9. 4 M5, 8mm bolts , four 5mm brass inserts $5
  10. Camera $25
  11. Hazard switch $20
Tools needed are a crimp tool to crimp connector pins to wires and a heat gun for solder butts. 6 cables connect to the receiver, 5 of them need to be routed thru center
console, they are antenna, speakers, power, subwoofer(RCA) and camera(RCA). The sixth is a small pigtail you make for hazard switch and connects to the white 6 pin that
used to power NIT’s display.For antenna you need a 3‘ extension and an adapter

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For power and speakers, 3‘ of wires must be added to the 2 receiver’s pigtails to make them reach where the NIT was, I prefer to use mating connectors at the end to just plug
them to 2 of NIT’s cables( If unfamiliar to making cable harness, I could provide these cables) add mating connector heads on the wires per following connection chart after
routing the wires under center tunnel console as the connector heads are to big to slide under console.

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Pic004 ,
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Hazard switch is connected by 4 wires to the white 6 pin in line connector that was used to power up the NIT display, the 4 wires are 2 for hazard switch lamp and 2 for it’s
On/Off switch. I soldered the 4 wires to hazard switch but there are mating connectors for it if you are patient to order from Overseas.The mating connector head that
plugs into car 6 pin white connector is 174930-1 , the pins are 173633-1 (If unfamiliar to making cable harness, I could provide this)pic008

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The pinout for the car 6Pin connector Is:
Pin 6 Yellow/Black wire ,????
Pin 5 Red wire ,Switched 12V
Pin 4 Brown wire , car battery 12V
Pin 3 Black wire , GND
Pin 2 Blue wire, ????
Pin 1 Grey/black wire , hazard switch

The switch connects pin 1 to GND and car hazard flasher blink.

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k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Step by step installation:

1. With car battery OFF, Pop out the NIT display unit by using a large flathead screw diver. There are slots on the sides for Flathead screw diver to pry it up, then disconnect the
2 cables and remove it.

2. Unplug cables and Remove the AC dials and gear selector


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3. Remove the center console, make sure you unbolt the front 2 screws under carpet before yanking it out. Once you took the bolts off, tape the metal tabs to prevent them
scratching surrounding leather when You take the console out or put it back in (this will be the hardest part of DIY). The cables there were wrapped by foaming tape that
by now likely crumbled and disintegrated, you probably need a vacuum cleaner, later wrap the cables again by foaming tape or cloth electrical tape.
https://www.sportsmaserati.com/index.php?threads/nit-units-or-whats-in-the-arm-rest-of-a-4200.679/

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4. Disconnect the NIT cables A and B ( 8 pin connectors) and the FM antenna cable. Optionally , you could disconnect all other cables from NIT and remove it.

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5. 3 cables that plug into NIT should be connected to receiver, 2 of them connect to the 2 receiver pigtails that 3‘ of wires been added to. For the 3rd, the antenna just add a 3’
extension and an adapter. Better to make extended pigtails plug to car existing connectors than to cut car connectors heads and solder the wires to extended pigtails ,
there are mating connectors for the 2 eight Pin connectors that used to plug into NIT, plug your receiver’s cables to them after crimping pins to pigtails Wires ends and
routing them under console,

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6. Connect receiver’s hand brake wire to hand brake wire at the switch. I soldered mine:

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Route rear camera cable to front, also lay your camera cable under center console, now you have all cables to be plugged into receiver in front.

7. Cover the wires with foaming tape and fasten with zip ties and reinstall the center console

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8. Plug the hazard switch. and Camera wire, The camera plug prevents receiver from being pushed in and must be replaced with right angle plug to fit in space behind receiver

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9 . Reconnect the car battery and check the receiver and backup camera.
 
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k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Ah, must be my eyes. It looked like the same model of receiver you posted on that thread.
The radio bezel in that thread is the same shallow bezel others had used before, I just cut a hole in it for hazard switch.
Shopped around for shallow receivers that have acceptable sound quality and found none except the expensive 2 piece
modular Pioneer.
Started with same perimeter of the old shallow radio bezel, made a deep bezel with cuts for hazard switch, microphone and
USB, merging the 2 thread may confuse some, the size and function of receivers in the 2 threads are very different.

SORRY
Looked at that post again on 1/29/21, you are correct it is mostly about same stuff, I was distracted by many side issues there.
But still if you leave the as is , it can be easier and less complex to look at.
 
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k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Am I seeing and reading correctly that your bezel doesnt fit flush with the leather surround and proud of the climate controls underneath?
That is very much correct, does not flush with surrounding and is about 13mm forward but does not block or make access to the climate control knobs harder.
How else you expected to fit more depth?
 
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Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
How else you expected to fit more depth?
Why would you though? As you noted elsewhere, the Pioneer model used succesfully for a seamless install by a few here is a European unit. That's not to say there isn't a NA equivalent. The optional extension cable could also be made up economically. As you have found, it is easy enough to fabricate your own cables when you know the correct part numbers.
 

k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Why would you though? As you noted elsewhere, the Pioneer model used succesfully for a seamless install by a few here is a European unit. That's not to say there isn't a NA equivalent. The optional extension cable could also be made up economically. As you have found, it is easy enough to fabricate your own cables when you know the correct part numbers.
Perhaps you are confused about Pioneer DMH-C2550NEX price, it is at least $400 more and in that extra cost you pay over $100 of it for the specialized Pioneer cable that connects the 2 modules (can not be hand made),
so if you are willing to spend that much more just for the sake that it fits well, fine, go ahead use the Pioneer.
Now the deep bezel does not flush with surrounding leather but that is hardly noticeable by driver or passenger as they do not view it from sides, this bezel saved me at least $400 from Pioneer alternative and spared me from
landline phone sound quality of the many narrow Android GPS receivers.
Besides: "Pioneer model used successfully for a seamless install by a few here is a European unit.", yes it's been installed but I would not
call it seamless, the installer placed the hazard switch elsewhere, it will be confusing for anyone else than the installer that gets behind
the wheel of that car to notice where the switch is, there is no hazard switch seen in the middle of dash as is common in all cars, this can
potentially become a safety issue in an emergency.
 
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Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
Well done for having a go and you're happy - thats all that matters. If starting from scratch today, for the US market, the DMH-C2550NEX is a good choice. Didnt think there'd be a $400 difference? Even with the cable? Which uses Mitsumi plug & socket for reference - their product catalogues give the specs.
 

k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Well done for having a go and you're happy - thats all that matters. If starting from scratch today, for the US market, the DMH-C2550NEX is a good choice. Didnt think there'd be a $400 difference? Even with the cable? Which uses Mitsumi plug & socket for reference - their product catalogues give the specs.
Looked at it again , DMH-C2550NEX is now cost less than early December and with the cable only be $550 so difference is now $300, is a good choice for anyone willing to spend the extra.
The "PE RGB Extension DIN Cable for DMH-C Head Units, 59 Inches" that sells for $100 is a molded special cable and not Mitsumi , the Mitsumi pigtails come free with receiver and just need a
different connector head to mate with 4200 harness.


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Gooner

Member
Messages
443
Thanks for such a comprehensive write-up. I wish I’d known about your tip of taping up the centre console tabs.

I’m happy with my Pioneer EVO62DAB install but it’s good to see another option. I haven’t fitted my Hazard switch yet either :). In a Spyder it’s even harder to find a slot.
 

k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Thanks for such a comprehensive write-up. I wish I’d known about your tip of taping up the centre console tabs.

I’m happy with my Pioneer EVO62DAB install but it’s good to see another option. I haven’t fitted my Hazard switch yet either :). In a Spyder it’s even harder to find a slot.
The very same hazard switch ( and microphone plus USB) that you see in my radio bezel can be fitted in the bezel you are using now.
Over Holidays I had spare time and spent hours making CAD file for my 13mm deepened bezel. Maybe if you gather few that intend
to install Pioneer in the shallow bezel you have, I could find sometime to modify that bezel too and spare you guys looking for a spot to
place hazard switch.
 

Gooner

Member
Messages
443
Cheers for that, it’s a kind offer. I think I’m going to stick with my bezel as it is; I prefer the clean look. Also I’ve mounted my microphone on my A pillar about 15cm from my mouth - you need all the help you can get to make phone calls and voice commands work with the roof down. It works surprisingly well.
 

Masera

Member
Messages
144
I too would like to use a bezel for the Pioneer unit without any cut outs. I also have a mic by the a pillar that I am happy with and don't mind relocating the hazard switch to the cup holder area. Problem is, I have no experience in 3D printing, but I am willing to pay someone for their help in getting one done.
 

k1coupe

Junior Member
Messages
99
Not that difficult to order 3D print, there are many 3D print shops and it pays to shop around, a lot of them you just upload your file online and get a quote( Google it). You need to indicate the material they use to print it. To the 3D print shop near me,
I just told in email hard black smooth surface plastic and did not get very technical, then few days later I picked it up.
Try uploading your file first at i.materialise.com and see it sliced in details first too.
This is the original file I received from folks here attached. Just double check with Gooner and Sablewolf that installed Pioneer to make sure it is the same as what they printed.
 

Attachments

  • bezel-updated.zip
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