Three 52mm Guage DIN Mount

My car came equipped from the factory with the optional CD Changer, mounted in the trunk. The changer broke and was removed before I acquired the car, but the controller was left in its place on top of the radio. For a good reason as I would find out. Apparently without the controller plugged in, the speakers receive no signal, because the signal normally passes through the changer itself. The fix was part FD01-66-BC9, which, unfortunately, is no longer available.

In any case, here was my original mounting solution:

Old HKS DIN mount that ended up not fitting...

This is an HKS mounting kit that I bought from the RX-7 store. The kit was designed for the 300ZX, however it is supposed to fit standard DIN slots. Because the panel was made for 43mm HKS gauges, I had a friend enlarge the holes in the plastic to fit my 52mm gauges. Well, as it turns out, the box barely (maybe by 2mm) didn't clear the plastic rim in the top DIN slot, necessitating either trimming the plastic rim or removing the top metal portion of the box. By the time I realized this, a new solution had popped up in the form of a SAAB 3-gauge panel, this one is a simple flexible plastic piece with no box. It was already made for 52mm gauges, perfect. Here it is installed:

Finally the right setup, SAAB 3-gauge panel.

The piece attaches with clips, and only needed some minor trimming with a file to create a factory-like fit. The clips engage with the plastic rim perfectly, and the flexibility of the plastic makes removal simple while still being rock stable. Although this solution is not in the direct line-of-sight with the driver like an A-pillar mount would be, I prefer the low-key look of the DIN mount. You can order the SAAB panel at any local SAAB Dealership for around $15, the part number is 0273235 and the description is “Gauge Adapter”.