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MG MGF Technical - CD Changer behind passenger seat?

Hi
can i fit a cd changer behind the passenger seat? I think this would be an easier job than putting it in the boot but im worried about how 2 fix it 2 the panel behind the seat. Is it ok 2 drill into this panel? I saw a thread in the archive where they said they drilled into the petrol tank, is this possible? BTW my changer wont fit in the glove box.

Thanks Gary
Gary

I remember seeing same ,don't drill,petrol tank is there,could you not fit under bonnet,if you havn't got abs there's a nice space that looks like a batt should be there,Dave
DC MORRIS

The petrol tank is behind the firewall on the passenger side (UK spec vehicles) so extreme caution is required if drilling this area.

Under the bonnet - make sure that any CD unit (or such) is waterproof as the under bonnet area is not.

Ted
Ted Newman

To reiterate, the F has, for want of a better description, a vertical petrol tank and it backs onto the partition wall between the engne bay and cabin, behind the passenger seat (UK spec cars).

This means that, although there is a little clearance, you should not drill into this area. There are however 2 alternatives.

Timber panel. Remove the carpet and you will see the partition wall is a bolted on panel. Using a piece of MDF or similar cut a large piece out and drill it so that you can use the bolts that secure the partition panel to clamp this timber to the pane under the carpet. You can now fix the CD Player to the timber panel through the carpet.

Velcro. This works surprisingly well! Stand the CD player on the floor pan and attach velcro to the back of the player, tip the player until the velcro sticks to the carpet!

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Other places to install a CD player include in the glovebox (if the player is small and you do not have air con), under the front bonnet (within a waterproof container), inside the boot (this is how MGR do it) and suspended under the glovebox (intrudes into passenger footwell and is on display within the cabin).

SF
SF

There's been a few horror stories over the years where HiFi fitters unfamiliar with the F have indeed punctured the fuel tank.

Andy has covered the autochanger installation options very nicely (nice one mate). Personally, I'd make myself a metal braket in the same vien as the MDF mounting option that Andy mentions.
Rob Bell

I have fitted two into front boot with no problems. Put piece of angle iron or ally from just behind battery to similar position on other side. This allows access to all necessary items.
Then mount unit on angle iron. Wire through grommet on passenger side near wipers.
Put a piece of foam pipe insulation along top of valance so that water does not run down plastic cover thingy. Job done.
T Green

T,

I am very interested in your under bonnet mounted solution for the CD changer.

Having jumped through several hoops to try to obtain a waterproof "bonnet box" which is available for left hand drive F's, I was resigining myself to using up the glove box.

Can you provide me with more details about the pipe insulation bit.

Sam
Sam Murray

I've had my Pioneer CD player fitted behind the passenger seat for over 2 years in the past and, although this was a practical location, it skipped badly ans that was very annoying.
After that I fitted it in the glovebox and I'm very pleased with the result. No more skipping, nice & easy fit. (I just had to saw the upper right corner of the glovebox - LHD car)
Fabrice
Fabrice

Don't forget the glovebox option

Brian

Thanks guys, i think its gunna have 2 be the boot if i can find someone who knows what there doing or try 2 modify the glove box like some people who have cut the corners away. If i could get half an inch more depth it would fit perfect.

Thanks again.
Gary

Well I found that my car has aircon so there isn't really a glovebox at all, and in my son's his Sony 10 stack would not fit in his normal glovebox. Also, is it horizontal or vertical?
With under bonnet mounting, you just have to stop water actually running onto the unit. To do this, fit a piece of pipe insulation to the very front of the valance where it joins the plastic thingy that covers the brake cylinder etc. Its just to stop water running from the heater plenum intake area down the plastic thingy.
In practise I have not had any problems with either unit. Mine about 3 years and sons about 18 months.
I could probably e;mail some pics if you need them

T Green

Thanks T.

Pictures would be good.

Sam
Sam Murray

My advice: check the specs of the changer, 'cause it will be mounted with a certain angle, if fixed to the wall behind the passenger seat.

Many of them have a switch to specify the mounting method: 0°, 45° and 90°.
Erik

I found that cutting the corners of the glove box did indeed liberate an additional half inch of depth - my Sony CD 10-disc autochanger fits very nicely :o)

http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/installing_cd_player.htm
Rob Bell

Rob you are a life saver, i have exactly the same autochanger as the one in the pics from my previous car so now i know i can fit it in the glove box.

Many thanks for that link, i'll be following those instructions closely very soon.

Thanks again.
Gary

I had my old 6 disc pioneer CD changer fitted under the bonnet. I used many of the methods mentioned above. I mainly used velcro and ty-wraps to hold everything in position. To keep the unit waterproof I used an old laptop bag that my friend gave me (it doesn't get that wet under the bonnet, I had my changer fitted all winter with no probs). I attached the unit to the plastic covering over the pipework as my changer wouldn't quite fit in the battery sized space on the drivers side. As mentioned above the wiring went into the car via the grommit on the passenger side of the car.

Under the bonnet is good as it saves space in the boot and glove box and is out of view, however it is a bit of a pain when you want to change CD's.

Got bored with changing CD's and I now have an MP3 player fitted. This required a separate amplifier which I fitted behind the drivers seat. 4 self tappers straight into the sound deadening stuff. I find that's plenty strong enough and no drilling!
Jodi

Fitted mine in the boot in about 20mins, there are instructions somewhere in the archive and is very simple as the wiring channels are already in place.

I've got a Kenwood 10 disc autochanger and it sits snuggly on the floor of the boot with velcro on the bottom.

My advice would be to try several places using the velcro technique and see which one you prefer before doing anything permanent.

DJ
DJ

This thread was discussed between 10/10/2002 and 16/10/2002

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.