Factory CD player for my GMQ?

[marquisman]

now that i think of it, the one i had in the '91 was out of a 93-94 SHO

[Ike Clanton]

Ancient thread bump, but I felt like I had struck gold when I found one of the facotry CD pods for my 88 TC today at a yard in OKC. Today was also my birthday, so go figure.

It came out of an '88, I think, but there is a small possibility it could have been an '87. I had read several times that '87 was actually the first year for the pod, not '88. I'd know for sure which year mine came from, but the driver's door wouldn't open on the donor car. FYI, the donor car was a loaded-up Signature, not a Cartier like you'd expect. It was NOT an '89, as those are easy to spot. Almost positive it was an '88 because the fake woodgrain is the same as my '88's fake woodgrain, but without seeing that production date, you really don't know. I think the fake woodgrain was different each year '87-'89.

The lower dash trim was crudely cut to allow for the mounting of the unit. I got the impression that the factory just made the normal lower dash trim fit with the unit, as production volume was low. The rest of the mounting is just screwed to the bottom of the normal TC ash tray area with crappy Ford stuff and 4 chintzy steel brackets. The padded vinyl trim on each side of the unit jus presses on with those barbed nylon thingies like on door panels.

The vinyl parts of it are the wrong color for my car, so I think I will try making it blue to match mine, but if it isn't convincing enough, the entire thing is going to be black, and three 2" gauges are going in it. I recently deleted the idiot light pod to the left of the instrument cluster and replaced it with an oil pressure gauge, but now that will go back to stock and gauges will go in my new treasure. (Want convincing woodgrain matches for small areas like that idiot light area? They have FREE laminate flooring samples at home center stores. The oil pressure mount I made with a free floor sample is so close to my dash's grain I almost don't want to remove it! Everyone I showed it to had to be instructed where to look multiple times.)

Anyway, the CD unit is made by Sony, with the Ford logo on the face. It is identical to the one pictured above, and it appears the display LEDs or whatever they are are blue, not green, though I have not fired it up.

The entire unit must weigh 10 pounds; it is absurd. The pod itself is surprisingly well built. The vinyl is a better quality than the rest of the dash areas. It appears to use the stock ashtray but just mounted lower on the bottom of the pod, but I took the one from the donor car just to be sure.

I had never seen one of these pods in person either, and I just had to brag a little about my find. I had seen this thread a long time ago while reading thru GMN, and I had read about the optional CD player many times in many different places, but except for this one picture and a really terrible Motor Week episode dub on YouTube from 1988 (Townie beat the equivalent Caddy!), I had never seen one.

[tjc78]

When I had my 89 LTC I was never able to find a CD player POD. My car had the factory JBL but no CD player. It is probably the rarest option of any of the 88/89 TCs. The other rare option is the auto-dimming mirror, those do pop on Ebay from time to time though.

[rick99601]

Ancient thread bump, but I felt like I had struck gold when I found one of the facotry CD pods for my 88 TC today at a yard in OKC. Today was also my birthday, so go figure.

It came out of an '88, I think, but there is a small possibility it could have been an '87. I had read several times that '87 was actually the first year for the pod, not '88. I'd know for sure which year mine came from, but the driver's door wouldn't open on the donor car. FYI, the donor car was a loaded-up Signature, not a Cartier like you'd expect. It was NOT an '89, as those are easy to spot. Almost positive it was an '88 because the fake woodgrain is the same as my '88's fake woodgrain, but without seeing that production date, you really don't know. I think the fake woodgrain was different each year '87-'89.

The lower dash trim was crudely cut to allow for the mounting of the unit. I got the impression that the factory just made the normal lower dash trim fit with the unit, as production volume was low. The rest of the mounting is just screwed to the bottom of the normal TC ash tray area with crappy Ford stuff and 4 chintzy steel brackets. The padded vinyl trim on each side of the unit jus presses on with those barbed nylon thingies like on door panels.

The vinyl parts of it are the wrong color for my car, so I think I will try making it blue to match mine, but if it isn't convincing enough, the entire thing is going to be black, and three 2" gauges are going in it. I recently deleted the idiot light pod to the left of the instrument cluster and replaced it with an oil pressure gauge, but now that will go back to stock and gauges will go in my new treasure. (Want convincing woodgrain matches for small areas like that idiot light area? They have FREE laminate flooring samples at home center stores. The oil pressure mount I made with a free floor sample is so close to my dash's grain I almost don't want to remove it! Everyone I showed it to had to be instructed where to look multiple times.)

Anyway, the CD unit is made by Sony, with the Ford logo on the face. It is identical to the one pictured above, and it appears the display LEDs or whatever they are are blue, not green, though I have not fired it up.

The entire unit must weigh 10 pounds; it is absurd. The pod itself is surprisingly well built. The vinyl is a better quality than the rest of the dash areas. It appears to use the stock ashtray but just mounted lower on the bottom of the pod, but I took the one from the donor car just to be sure.

I had never seen one of these pods in person either, and I just had to brag a little about my find. I had seen this thread a long time ago while reading thru GMN, and I had read about the optional CD player many times in many different places, but except for this one picture and a really terrible Motor Week episode dub on YouTube from 1988 (Townie beat the equivalent Caddy!), I had never seen one.

lookin to sell it?

[gadget73]

hey I have one of those parts. No, its not for sale.

[87gtVIC]

hey I have one of those parts. No, its not for sale.

Were your plans to install some gauges inside it? If so..will that still happen?

[gadget73]

once I find the right gauges. As of now, I have a standing agreement with Nate to buy the gauges out of p79 when he changes them unless he changes his mind about changing them.

[87gtVIC]

Ahh yes. I recall that conversation.

[P72Ford]

once I find the right gauges. As of now, I have a standing agreement with Nate to buy the gauges out of p79 when he changes them unless he changes his mind about changing them.

I didn't change my mind.

I have Autometers to replace those, and the tach.

But, I haven't touched the car since November, since its in storage.