Can any of you guys with an 80-vette,tell me what kind of job is ahead of me for a radio swap?I'm looking at a new radio in a ECKLERS-MID-AMERICA catalog;that states,"direct fit"One of my question is,does the whole bezel have to come out,or just the radio section; and are the speaker wire conectors,power antenna hook up easy to get at?Can someone help, before I get in to something over my head,and end up taking it to a shop;or should I take it to a shop in the first place?+are these radio's really a direct fit?Has anyone used them? I could use the help.....THANKS-- shady

Do you have the stock unit in now? There are 3 plugs in the back left side on the stock unit. Blue, white and black. Blue for front dual speakers, white for rear dual speakers, and the black for power and power antenna, maybe ground on the black plug also.
I believe Eckler's would have the conversion plugs to change over. Call them and ask a tech. If so, it is just plug the conversion in, hook up to your radio, and you are there. The most work is taking the console sides off, unbolting the radio, and setting the new unit in. Make sure you unhook your battery before messing with wires.
Stock GM Delco speakers are usually 8 or 10 ohms. You may want to get some info on speakers, and if you take the old 8 ohm speakers out, keep them as they are getting rare. You should keep the original radio also for when you sell your car some day.
Someone may respond here with more knowledge then me, as I only took out an aftermarket unit and put a unit in that came with the car. You can also get your radio converted to a modern unit with the same face, cost in the $400.00 + range.
Boatman

Shady - On the bezel. When you pull the old unit out, you will have the left and right knobs, plus the face plate. Now you have 2 holes left and right, and the rectangular center. The new unit should just slide right in. The nuts on the left and right knobs hold the unit up into the face plate. They are behind the knobs. There is a brace on the passenger side connected to the chassis that you will have to remove and hook to the new unit also. I have not seen these Eckler units, but it should just be a bolt in, easy 2 hour job.
Call Eckler's and talk to a tech rep about wiring the speakers, etc. If you have the original radio and wiring, then they can guide you through with the right parts to buy.
Boatman

BOATMAN; thanks alot man!!!!One thing;I have the original radio in there now,tape player is busted,and I need to replace,you did say; I must take the counsel apart!!!!!Damm allready gettin into more work.Well thanks again BOATMAM,If anything else comes to mind;drop me a line!!!!

question about the tape deck??

ive had two 1980 gm products (one im driving now)

both had am/fm 8TRACK...

is that what you have in the vette or did they have cassette by then??

On my '81, I did not have to take the console apart. All I had to do was remove the seats. then remove the carpet-covered hardboards pieces that cover the sides of the "tunnel". That gave me all the access I needed.

remove the seats ????

the panels i assume your talking about are the ones in front of the center console but under the central gauge cluster on the side of the tunnel ?

just dont know what the seats have to do with it

That's the ones. Mine have three screws attaching them to the tunnel. No way I can get to the screw in the middle of the panel without removing the seats...

oh... yeah...

i forgot.. some people actually put those screws back in..

i use a right angle screwdriver to get them out and conveniently forget to put them back in

Chesh - You are right to correct that, console meaning what we lean our elbows on, and of course the radio does not go there. Side panels, carpeted pieces, etc.
That is what I called the console, etc. Maybe that correction helped him out a lot.
Boatman