Printer Friendly Forum Posts - 2004 Durango HU into 1950 Ford

I just bought a CD/Mp3 head unit out of a 2004 Dodge Durango and would like to install into a 1950 Ford. I have a couple of questions.

1) Can I get a factory plug/pig tail or do I need to go junk yarding?

I also bought an Infinity amp and 6-speaker set.

2) Is the head unit (non-Infinity) going to work fine with this set-up?

I went this route because it's my daughter's car and I drive a 1997 Durango and think the system is great.

Any help is appreciated

Gordy

Honestly I think your gonna have problems getting this setup to work. What is the infinity amp out of? The Durango head unit uses the CAN bus to turn on and off your not going to be able to get it to turn on.

Mike

You can purchase the harnesses you're looking for at Best Buy and/or Circuit City. You will have to use your accessory wire as your remote turn on for your amp.

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Do it right the first time

Boy I hope I'm not in over my head. I have installed aftermarket stuff but thought I would try to save some dollars and put together a system thats like the one in my Durango.

1) What is a CAN bus?

2) Also, I've looked for pin out diagrams for the 2004 model HU I have and can't any?

Once again, thx for your guys' assistance. I still have some questions but I'll post a few at a time.

Gordy

Boy I hope I'm not in over my head. I have installed aftermarket stuff but thought I would try to save some dollars and put together a system thats like the one in my Durango.

1) What is a CAN bus?

2) Also, I've looked for pin out diagrams for the 2004 model HU I have and can't find any?

Once again, thx for your guys' assistance. I still have some questions but I'll post a few at a time.

Gordy

I don't think any retailer is going to have the plugs you're looking for. Most will have the opposite of what you're looking for, namely connecting an aftermarket to the factory plug. To get the factory plug, you'd probably have to visit either a dealer or a junkyard. But junkyarding is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon, so I have no opposition to that. Enjoy! Projects like this are always fun, just don't get frustrated.

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Life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around once in a while; you could miss it.

I am pretty sure that you will not be able to use the Durango head unit in that truck. The radio communicates with the rest of the car, via the CAN bus (controlled Area Network). With out the BCM in the Durango, the radio will not operate. This is not fact, but the research we have done so far implies this information. CAN busses are showing up more and more in domestic vehicles. European cars have been using it for years, they are getting more and more integrated into the rest of the vehicles. including the audio systems. I would love to be proven wrong on this. It sucks we can even take radios out of vehicles with out other systems dying along with the absence of the radio.

Jazzy

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Your not over your head.....just a bit out of your mind. Put a FORD radio in a ford......not a dodge radio.

It goes back to the old Ford, Chevy thing......parts DO NOT mix................

If I had a 50 ford...I would put something in from www.customautosound.com

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Thx for your opinion on what I should do, but the setup I have I got for $125 (HU, power amp and six speakers). It's going to be a car for my 15 year old daughter so I'm not looking to put $1000 into a system just thought an MP3 player would be slick. Didn't know about about the CAN bus. As far as mixing parts........kustoms are kooler.

You will not be able to power up the radio as the C.A.N. system tells the radio to turn on. In other words unless it is installed into a 04 Durango it is not going to function. That unfortunately is fact. I work on them and also own one. There is no key switch to tell it to turn on. It uses data instead. Way beyond the capability of the old Ford.:-)

Sorry,

DanDan