Factory floor /console mounted cassette question

[Skdmark]

What are the dimensions of the housing opening for the factory cassette player that mounts to the floor / console?
Note: Image is an A-body / C-body pedestal.

[Skdmark]

[Cudino]

Hi Skdmark, you are mounting this into an Ebody, right?  I'm sorry to say the setup in your picture is for an A or C Body.  The A/C body version in your picture mounts symmetrically over the top of the tunnel.  But the lower mounting base and bezel on the E-body cassette setup has a longer leg on the right and shorter on the left, kind of half-moon shaped, so when it's mounted the left mounting hole is kind of at the peak of the tunnel and the right mounting hole is about a quarter ways down the passenger side of the tunnel.  I think the B-Body used this same asymmetrical setup as the E, but I'm not 100% sure.

- Wade

[RzeroB]

Now I'm curious as to WHY the B/E mount would be offset while the A/C one wasn't?? I find some of these unusual "quirks" to be interesting ... in that I want to know the logic behind it and why it was they made it the way they did.   

[Skdmark]

Hi @Cudino

Thanks for the reply.That's just an image I grabbed for reference to the cassette unit.

What I'm after are the dimensions for the opening around the cassette player face for a custom project I have in mind. Instead of using the cassette player, I would build a faceplate that could mount a couple of USB jacks and integrate in a Holley Sniper display.

I have a buddy that can mold and cast parts in resin. If I can source and supply him with clean original housings I can have castings made. The metal brackets appear to be pretty simple to have fabricated.

[Skdmark]

Now I'm curious as to WHY the B/E mount would be offset while the A/C one wasn't?? I find some of these unusual "quirks" to be interesting ... in that I want to know the logic behind it and why it was they made it the way they did. 

Probably to clear a pistol grip.

[Cudino]

Hi @Skdmark,

I used to have a complete setup (console version), but unfortunately I gave it away to support a friend's project about a year ago.  I looked in my stash and all I have left is 1 top piece, but it is pretty busted up (broken in half, and a lot of the inner lip portion that goes around the sides of the cassette is gone).  Here's a pic.  If this would be at all helpful to you send me a PM and I'll ship it to you, no prob.  I also have one of these floor-mounted setups in one of my cars, and I can take some measurements for you if you'd like, but I'd prefer not to take it apart.  This old stuff is pretty brittle.  Let me know if any of this will help.

Also, as I remember the top bezel is universal, but the bottom bezel is different for console vs. floor.  The console version of the lower bezel has a ~1/2" lip around the bottom, like a small post that sits cleanly on the top of the console.  The floor-mount version of the lower bezel is like in your picture, with a flat bottom and larger underside hole, to clear the larger moon-shaped bezel that goes around the floor mounting bracket.  So the console version will have 2 plastic bezels, while the floor version will have 3.  Of course the mounting brackets are also completely different.  And while the top 2 bezel pieces are universal for both floor-mount setups, as mentioned there's 2 versions of the bottom mount bracket and bezel, one for the B/E and the other for the A/C (the one in your example picture).  FYI the B/E floor mount setup with the asymmetrical base is pretty hard to find.

- Wade

[Skdmark]

Thanks @Cudino for the generous offer.
If you could take some measurements on the one you have that would be great. No need to disassemble anything.
I'm just looking for the height and length of the faceplate opening.

[mccannix]

Here you go.....7.5 inches long, 3 inches wide

[mccannix]

As discussed above...top plastic shroud is same on all.
Cassette metal tray holder is same for all except there were two versions, one being the seldom seen anti-theft one.
First photos shows the two bottom plastic shrouds....top one is for floor model, bottom one is for console mount having the lip described by Wade.
Second picture shows console mount lower plastic shroud with the correct metal mount pieces.
Third picture is again of the lower plastic shroud used with the floor mount.
Last two pics show the different floor mount plastic supports with their corresponding metal mounting brackets

[mccannix]

Regarding the two different floor mount shrouds and their metal mount brackets, I could be wrong but I was always under the impression one was for 4 speed hump and the more rounded one for automatic hump, A, B, C and E.
I once owned a 71 Superbee  4 speed non-console that had a factory installed cassette player.
I removed it and it had the longer right side leg ( one on right in photo ) which I always assumed fit the contoured right edge of the more squared 4 speed hump...parts book shows it as well.
The parts book is hard to navigate the cassette player various parts , but there are different numbers for 4-speed and automatic hump mounting parts.
I cant see why that one would be any different than an E-body 4 speed hump, but perhaps there are other opinions...

[headejm]

Question: the cassette player is a cool option and I assume pretty rare. Even with it's rarity, do you think it adds a little or a lot of value to an original type E-body?

@6bblgt Any idea on the years and numbers sold for the cassette deck option?

[Cudino]

Awesome pictures Terry!!!  Perfectly shows what I so clumsily tried to describe. And thanks for taking the measurements, saved me some effort.

And about the two different bases, you may very well be right about Auto vs. 4-speed.  My application was a '71 Cuda with a 4-speed with floor-mounted cassette, and it definitely used the lower bracket/shroud version with the longer leg on the right.  I assumed this was an E-Body thing, but sounds like just 4-speed as you say.  That may also further explain why this asymmetrical version is so much harder to find.  Thanks for the correction/clarification!

- Wade

[mccannix]

This a picture @71vert340 posted once of his factory 4 speed floor mounted cassette player.
Kinda looks like the base and bracket on the right with the longer right leg.
Hoping he'll chime in here.
Wade..thanks for that info....your E-body had had the long right leg, my B-body had it as well, both 4 speed humps being the same ...

[Skdmark]

Thanks @mccannix for the measurements.

I had seen your older postings on this. Great pictures and info.
Now to see if my "mind's eye" matches reality and I can get a Sniper display and USB ports to fit in that opening.

Other ideas I had for alternative faceplate variants:
Add-on gauges
Add-on indicator lights
Additional switches (electric fan, James Bond gadgets etc.)
Slot / pocket for mobile phone