Ok, to start: I am not an expert on electrical design, audio wiring, or really anything. I'm intermediate at these things, have done similar projects, just not to the degree I'm about to describe.

I love Guardians of the Galaxy, and I'm also an architecture student, so I like making shit. If you've seen the movie you will notice the cassette player n board Quill's ship. The design is pretty cool, very simple, and retro.

For some time I've thought of this idea and I'd like to see the expert's side of this. In theory, I want to remove the screen from the center dash (and any area I can remove around it) and replace it with a custom made retro radio player. This wouldn't just act as a radio player, the buttons and nobs can change to Bluetooth or radio. The main attraction would be an actual cassette tape that spins when music is playing. As I'm writing this I realize I would still need a screen of some sort, maybe a small one can be hidden behind a panel.

It's not the design and building of this I am concerned with, it's the electronics and inputs. The stock display and radio housing have their inputs already in various clip ends. THey're modular as is, I would just have to create the female inputs that actually work. I'm not even sure if I could replace the LCD screen with a smaller one that has touch ability. It's not a fully fleshed-out idea, but I'd love to hear some feedback to see if it would be possible.

Thanks for reading, if you wanna roast me go for it but I'd like to learn some more from this endeavor.

As a graduate electrical engineer, I can tell you that your project is far beyond your or my capabilities.

Modern car "radios" are integrated units (display, controls, power supply, AM/FM radio, interfaces, etc.) that work together and cannot have the separate units swapped out for something else.

My suggestion would be to explore replaceable head units that may have the features you are looking for.

JOHNNY had it done with his short lived Challenger in Cobra Kai.

I appreciate the response! May be possible to find something that has the features I want, then see how far I can take it apart to place buttons, etc elsewhere. Food for my brain, everything here’s just a plan in CAD at the moment but I like your input. Thank you!

I don't see the CAD.. but if you put your mind to it, anything is do able (with regards to time and cost).

I don't think it would be an issue creating the "tape" player, there are plenty out there that you can get parts from that are still working.

Your "brain" can be a raspberry pi as far as playing music/media goes. Raspberry pi would definitely be able to control more i/O such as the knobs and buttons. But you will be limited on what type of music you can play. If you don't have a screen, you may lose back up camera capability.

You would have to add an external audio amplifier, but something like this in behind the tape player would work.

https://www.instructables.com/Raspbe...-Car-Computer/

If you're going to do this, you will need to start from scratch, maybe with a Scosche or Metra faceplate. I've taken apart a stock Nav radio. Everything is connected and controlled through one large circuit board that runs the entire length. I guess you may be able to get some buttons to work, but you would have to be able to know how to do circuit board work. Seems like a very difficult task.

Wow, I’m surprised you’ve got the time to take on an endeavor like this while in Architecture school. I think sleep was a luxury to most of my classmates during that chapter of life. It sounds like you’ll have access to a lot of items needed that aren’t the electronics portion - I’m pretty sure every school has a rapid prototyping lab with at least a makerbot now and Arch supply places have lots of plastics. I can say that working on “simpler” electrical projects like car audio helps with understanding the concepts behind electrical work that goes into buildings, so that will be a plus in your future career. Good luck in your current project - I know replacing components on the LE’s JBL system was complicated enough for me!

I am considering buying an old vintage cassette deck with the aesthetic features I like, then possible taking knobs, faceplates, or other stuff I want to re-use. Major question I have is if I could simply dowsize the screen in the 4R. If I could perhaps make it roughly the size of a cassette tape, it could go where the tape would go. Just a recent thought, don't have room for a screen and a player, unless it magically could flip around hahahah in my dreams!

It wouldn't have space for flip around.. but what about flip down? Instead of an eject tape button, it would flip down the whole front fascia. The size of the tape is about 4"x2.5" do you really want that as a screen?

If you look at the stock head unit its actually quite deep. RPi is about the size of your phone but 2 two three times as thick.

There are plenty of low cost touchscreens that will fit behind it.

If you are trying to retrofit a smaller screen than what is available on the stock unit.. I would advise against that.. Lots to take apart, lots to modify.. in the end It may not do what you want. Rebuilding from scratch would be much easier.

I would have a spare set of center console to work on while you still drive your car. You can always put it back to factory.