Music Solutions For Vintage Cars

Because Custom Autosound makes products that can be completely concealed, they are an optimal solution for getting sound in the car. But there are plenty of other options. You can purchase an RF Remote Dock with FM transmitter. Scosche, among a slew of others, have these available. For example, the Griffin iTrip AutoPilot allows you to simultaneously charge your iPod, listen to hours of music wirelessly and, since it's RDS-enabled, you can get song info on your radio display if you have the appropriate source unit. Simply tune the adaptor to an FM station, match the station to your car radio and you are all set. The drawback to this solution is that you will have your iPod and the adaptor visible and of course sound quality will be compromised due to transmitting signals wirelessly on FM (and you'll obviously need an FM stereo).

Another option is if your stereo has an auxiliary input (jack). This direct connection would be a better solution in terms of audio quality and all you would have to do is purchase an 1/8-inch mini jack from Apple. This will not charge your iPod though. The mini jack can also connect other audio input devices to your car's radio.

Another type of solution is Alpine's eX-10 and Harmon Kardon's Drive and Play. Both offer wireless FM transmission and an auxiliary jack. Along with charging your iPod, these kits have a dash-mountable LCD display. The Alpine eX-10 boasts a full color 2.4-inch display. Both these units' displays emulate the menu style and general layout of the iPod to make this kit intuitive. The Alpine eX-10 can also communicate with your Bluetooth cell phone to provide you with hands-free calling. The di splays are small enough that they could be mounted in a glove compartment, for instance, so as to maintain the cosmetic integrity of your car.

Similarly, you can add another type of small device that's easily concealable. And it offers a different way of transmitting your audio to your car's system. That is, you can play music via Bluetooth. The Parrot MKi9200 not only allows you to have Bluetooth telephone functions, but it gives you the ability to listen to your playlists using the A2DP protocol (for your iPod, it needs to have Bluetooth capability). View and control your playlists from the Parrot 2.4-inch LCD display and remote. If you do not have Bluetooth capability, you can connect to the Parrot using a supplied cable proprietary to the iPod. Since a few states (and many more are sure to follow) have hands-free phone regulations, a Bluetooth kit that also solves in-car audio entertainment might be a practical and necessary option.

There are higher-end solutions from various mobile electronics manufacturers such as Kenwood, Alpine, Pioneer, and Clarion (just to name a few). Simply choose an AV receiver or CD Receiver with iPod or USB connectivity. The best option in this situation would be to have complete control of your iPod via the multimedia source unit (like the one you see here from Kenwood). A separate plug, located in a storage compartment, glove box, under the seat, center console (depending on where you have it installed) is all you will need to accomplish this. Once plugged in, your iPod will also charge. A double-DIN source unit (like this one from Kenwood) has all the bells and whistles but it's not exactly a stealthy option.

Another way you can go is to choose a less expensive single-DIN radio and just have partial control of your iPod plus charging. The iPod would connect via a proprietary harness from the manufacturer or through USB. For example, let's take a Kenwood KDC-X493. It has a USB port on the face of the unit (right side) along with a standard 1/8-inch mini jack. You can use a cable from Apple or a Kenwood KCA-iP101 cable and receive functions such as Alphabet Search, Skip Search, Reverse Browsing, and All Random Playback directly through the head unit. Using either cable (not the 1/8-inch plug) will also charge your iPod. This option doesn't have all the features on the multimedia unit, but the smaller radio is easier to integrate and conceal. With the right custom installer you could even mount the radio on the dash and then make a custom cover on a hinge system.