Original Stereo Removal

[Alexmp79]

Hi All.
I’m trying to remove my original Blaupunk Radio with the right tools but it’s not budging. Any tips or advice? TiA

[BarryDalHerbert]

There is usually a mounting attachment point on the rear face of a car radio. There is certainly provision for it in the Elan. I dunno about your Blaupunkt item, but I'd be fairly confident that it would also have either a nut or bolt connection to attach to the next-to-impossible-to-see-or-get-at metal strip near the equally inaccessible monster-size fuses in Fuse Box D (see here: https://wikilec.com/view/Fuses).
Good luck!
BdH
NSW, Oz
Sun 19-Nov-23 12:28

[BarryDalHerbert]

WARNING:
Those in the keep-it-original and frightened-of-the-electrics camps should look away immediately!

I thought that I might be able to take a picture of the zinc coloured thin, narrow and flexible metal strip that (from memory) runs up behind Fuse Box-D and both provides an electrical earth to and supports the radio at the rear. But no. Even with this much (pictured) access, I still could not see it.

This much access you say? I couldn’t remove the radio that had been installed in the S2 car before I bought it. I needed far more access than “through the ashtray hole” provided. So (shock, horror), I cut that hole!

Rather than buying the appropriate standard plug from any car parts or electronics shop, all of the radio wires had been cut off flush with the face of the socket provided by Lotus. Oh thanks. The previous “electrician” to blame for that had used insulation tape, those nasty piggy-back piercing-the-insulation, snap together to close clips and no insulation at all (yes, really) to install the radio I removed. And two of the four speakers had their plus and minus wired reversed, so the end result was distinctly naff.

That ugly hole is neatly covered by the hatch with the USB connector socket. Stainless steel Allen key bolts screw into Rivnuts. So it is nothing like as scary as the pictures suggest...

BdH
NSW, Australia
Sun 19-Nov-23 16:07

[dapinky]

Barry - not a mod for the purists (and I understand their point) - but certainly the sort of thing I would do if it makes my personal life with the car easier/better!

I really don't know how Lotus fitted the radio units (physically), or at what stage in production, but getting to the rear strap is not an easy thing.... luckily, I have never had one attached to it, so have never had to remove one - and in the modern world of mechless headsets with a light weight and no great depth, they are unnecessary.

I make no comment on the size of your hands, and that they must resemble shovels, other than to say that I can get enough access through the ashtray hole to slide the headset out and between the 2, I can access everything needed.... maybe I have dainty little digits???

I wouldn't be able to cut a panel where you have done it - not because I don't want one, or because it would damage the dash, but purely because I have already butchered that bit by drilling holes through it to mount my flexible phone holder arm! Ah, well, such is life. I just put a flat panel where the ashtray was (where my Satnav used to be) with my 2 x USB sockets and switch for the fan override. On Angies car, I still have to decide (or listen to her decision) on what she wants to do for a phone holder - but the ashtray space is now taken with a screen for the reversing camera, which also has an input for dashcam and/or rear-view side cameras.

[Tuga2112]

WARNING:
Those in the keep-it-original and frightened-of-the-electrics camps should look away immediately!

I consider myself NOT in that group. and I understand the challenge to access the area. I know it from experience and i also know the alternative to remove the fascia panel to be a extremely annoying task.
HOWEVER, I do think the integrity of the dash (and original looks) are worth the time and effort spent, specially when you take into consideration how often you need to go back there (twice in 9 years in my case).

and yes.. you will probably find i am one to very quickly start a rant about the "craftsmanship" of so called "auto-electricians" in any cars from the 90s. I definetly undesrtand the frustrations of dealing with someone else's wiring mess.

there are many ways to Add USB chargers to an Elan without damaging anything while keeping original looks. this is my appraoch, which it cost me less than 40 quid.


I always encourage people to make their Elan's suit them best. even if some of the mods i see are certainly not to my taste (a certain orange car with chromed exaust pipes on the sides and bonnet scoop comes to mind) still... I Wish i had the oportunity to talk you out of this one.

[BarryDalHerbert]

Today I drove the car out of the garage which allowed me to fully open the passenger door, not be folded up like a camping chair, and take the attached picture.

The space behind my ashtray shows shows many more wires than you will have. They are for a work-in-progress that may or may not involve a Raspberry Pi. You’ll hear about this in full when it is all working (or not if it doesn’t!).

After the huge fight that I had to remove the radio that had been installed by a previous owner, I changed the ludicrous Lotus mounting system. I recycled a broken polycarbonate Subaru headlight cover to create a bracket that curves up at the rear to connect to the Lotus metal support that is the subject of my responses to this posting. This now allows the radio to slide into place, be supported by the acrylic bracket and be secured in position by the standard fixings that all radios have either side of their front faces. Subsequent radio removals will then be easy-peasy.

I can confirm that I can indeed get one of my shovels in through the ashtray aperture, but the other shovel was also needed to be able to get the previous radio out, and I am fairly sure that even as dainty as dapinky infers that his pinkies might be, he can’t get them both in the ashtray orifice. And that is why I cut a hole what is reputed to be Lotus’ absurdly expensive dashboard.

Adding the USB socket was an afterthought having butchered the dashboard, and I agree with Tuga2112 that there are indeed more elegant solutions.

I hope that my information has shone some light for Alexmp79 and not caused any heart palpitations for the purists.


BdH
NSW, Australia
Mon 20-Nov-23 13:22