Why You Shouldn't Put Your Radio in the Glove Box

Installing a modern stereo in the glove box has become commonplace with classic cars. People want to keep their classic vehicle looking completely original but still want to have the convenience of a modern stereo. And let's be honest, there aren't very many companies out there making shafted push-button radios anymore. The only other option would be cutting a rectangle in the dash and completely ruining the timeless design of your classic car by sticking an ugly modern DIN radio in the dash. Because there aren't very many options, many classic car owners opt to hide their modern radio in the glove box. 

While putting a radio in the glove box might seem like a good idea to keep your car looking stock, there are several reasons why that is just a bad idea. Probably the most important reason is safety. Let's face it, it's just not safe to be leaning over the console, opening the glove box and trying to change channels while driving your classic. In order to safely operate the radio, you would have to first pull your car over to the side of the road, then lean over the passenger seat and open the glove box just to swap out your CD or change the dials – what an inconvenience! Besides that, you have to remove the actual glove box and build a mount for the radio – which may require drilling holes in your classic. And you'll still have to mount kick-panel speakers – which is already a dead give away that there's a modern sound system in your car. Plus if you have a CD player, you'll have to also find some place to store all those CDs so that they're out of site. And all the while, the factory radio will just sit there uselessly in the dash. 

A much better option is to replace the factory radio with a period-correct shafted push-button radio that looks like the original but has all the functions of a modern car stereo. RetroSound® offers period-correct shafted radios with modern features such as USB and Auxiliary inputs for playing MP3, WMA and FLAC files, built-in Bluetooth™ for hands-free calling and audio streaming, Apple iPod®/iPhone® compatibility, and is SiriusXM-Ready™. RetroSound® even offers a radio with a built-in DAB/DAB+ tuner for people outside North America. RetroSound® also offers replacement kick-panels, speakers, amplifiers, antennas, sound-deadening material, and even power window roll ups. And to top it off, they also offer officially-licensed static-cling screen protectors with printed vintage radio dials that affix to the radio display to make it look like an old analog unit. Now that's cool!

And if your dash has already been cut, no problem. RetroSound® offers a DIN repair kit which comes with a basket and faceplate to fit their shafted radio into a DIN opening.  

Going with a RetroSound® system allows you to keep the car looking stock, but gives all the modern features you would expect from a modern radio – plus you can control it all from the dashboard like you should. No more clutter, and no more hassle with trying to access a hidden radio. So don't cut that dash, and don't put your radio in the glove box.