klopas

I'm using the original stereo that came with my 280zx, but I'm interested in possibly replacing it in the future. I've been thinking about getting an old school aftermarket alpine hu, but I'm not completely sure it'll fit without fabrication. Anybody have experience with this? I suppose I'm just looking for headunit suggestions and compatibility issues. thanks!

newb81280zx

You probably won't be able to find a wiring harness so make sure you keep track of your wires and what your cutting while your cutting it. I installed a cd player in my car and made an installation kit by cutting the old radio face plate so the new player would fit in. Then I covered it with vinyl. Do it that way and you can hook up whatever player you want pretty much. Good Luck.

280Z4ME

MSA actually makes an adapter for that. I put one in my 81ZX with a Pioneer HU.

Heat Rave R

I find those faceplate adapters at the junkyard pretty often. I even have a spare one since I custom made out of a pearl material.

Bleach

I hope they're not plastic. I had a plastic one before. A theif ripped it right out. The CD player was held to the frame in back by some metal bands I installed so it was safe.

Now I made one out of thick aluminum plate. It is much more solid. oh, and get an alarm!

81 Black L28E

We did this along time ago if you cut everything out of the head unit HOLE. There are peices of metal that run along the side we dirlled into them and i cut a new face plate out of a thin piece of wood i coverd it with blue felt .I then wired the head unit in . the best way to do this is to find a good ground and then do the switched ignition wire next make sure that you are hooking into the {switched wire} that went to the old deck .now that.. is done run a new full time power use good wirer ,with a fuse block and make sure EVERY WIRE IS GOOD AND TAPED UP. after that hook up your speeks make sure that you plug it in to see if every thing is right and good ... unplug it and screw the new face plate that you cut and felted , into the face-plate hole useing the pieces of metal that run along the side. If you did your felting right you wont see the screws and its theft safe. unlees you get a smart theft screwing in the back part of the deck will help for that if you did your wireing right when you plug in your deck you will here it kick on and ajust the cd eject setting {on most new decks} i have put six diff decks in and out of the blue bird and lots of dif amp setup over the years right now just a sony and four speeks sick of base.

Bleach

Good install! I see you have a "Turbo" console emblem. Nice touch.
You mention taping the wires; if you don't already I would highly suggest crimp connections for all your speaker and power wires. Tape or zip tie the main power wire from the battery to keep it in place as it runs under the dash.

This is mine. I painted the aluminum with high gloss black spray paint.
I have also included some other pics that I saved with different ZX stereo installs.

newb81280zx

Bleach, I'm liking the second install. I need some cup holders somewhere too. Does anyone else have any ideas on a nice place to install some cup holders?

Bleach

for the 2-seater, there is a different arm rest you can get with cup holders at the rear. The 2+2 has rear wing window controls at the back of the arm rest so I don't think it works with those. MSA has them.
That guy with the aluminum cup holders has the white "clean" 280ZX in a recent issue of Sport Z magazine.