Double DIN to Single DIN

My car has PCM1... which is crap. I thought about changing to an aftermarket double din but I know I won't use the screen so would ideally like a period single din that I can stream music to. Lots of posts from folk who've went from a single to a double but I'm wondering if anyone has went the other way and knows what's needed in terms of upper centre console "bits"? Ideally I'd like the stereo and AC controls up top and just a double cubby below. Extra points if anyone knows of a big single cubby so I can get an extra big bag of haribo in there.

I've looked at doing this myself but ran into the same issue - everyone seems to go from single to double and not the other way. I gave up in the end and just stuck with my Pioneer double din, which I spent ages fitting and getting the DAB working etc and now can't remember the last time I used it...

You need the twin dash frame that houses the head unit and HVAC rather than the one you have in.

Here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORSCHE-...-AIR-VENTS-996552B1-1999-CARRERA/293844518737

I did it. You need the rear metal support that holds the HVAC in place and the front surround. I love the look now I have got rid of all the rubbish. I replaced the PCM1 with a SONY unit because it had rear USB with good charging amps, was fairly simple looking and had colour variable display.

Excellent thanks gents. Maybe I'll add it back to the list at some point. Would much rather a more period/factory looking Becker than the Pioneer.

A bit pricy but perhaps look at Porsche's own stuff, in your car a PCCM or PCCM+ will both fit depending if you prefer single or double DIN and being only a year old is a very modern system for the car. Looks factory correct as was designed by Porsche as a modern replacement for our cars. I used to have a Becker indianopolis and a Becker Grand Prix in by Boxster and C4S respectively and both are really well built great sounding systems but unfortunately with most radio stations these days being DAB and the phone Bluetooth functionality being limited to just calls, no music means it is essentially a very fancy aux adapter though also works very nice with the optional classic ipod kit if you want to essentially have a hard drive of music in your car to browse at will on the head unit, that's how I used mine at least prior to getting the PCCM+. Though no personal experience for a single DIN solution I've heard very good things about the Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB which looks period correct with DAB, bluetooth, aux, USB, SD and is meant to have top sound quality. Don't let the picture when you google it fool you to think the display and backlight are red, it's variable and can be made amber to match the car.

Good to know that it also needs the metal frame. It didn't seem right that the plastic surround was the only bit required and it doesn't look sturdy enough to support the HVAC or a stereo. At the moment I'm torn between one of the period looking continental stereos and the Pioneer SPH-BT10 which I had in my last car. I liked it because it gives an optional phone mount that's good for nav and is basically just an amp that interfaces with your phone for most controls. The PCM units aren't for me. Far too expensive given the features. They do look OE with the exception of the big ugly box with all the plugs for the PCM+

The Bremen is a nice (if pricey) unit but think it's more a 964/993 styled unit myself. Would look good in my Corrado though...

I agree, this is meant to represent that cassette era not the turn of the century. I think most of us have similar requirements for a head unit. We should try to make a list to whittle it down. I couldn't really find the unit I would wanted. Fairly OEM looking Matches lighting when lights on Audio preout with good voltage (probably 4-5V for cars with amps or MOST) Decent onboard amps for more basic stereo setup. USB - ideally front and rear Good charging amp output(probably 1.5A, much lower than this if your using Waze, playing music etc you will not charge your devise) Phone and connects external mic I'm not sure the Porsche PCM does the lighting so it matches the orange of the rest of the interior. The SONY DSX-GS80 unit I put in does all but is a bit shinny for my liking. I ran the cord through the dash and popped it out the drivers side.

Loving the clean look there Drac 8) That's exactly what I want to do to mine. This will sound like a stupid question, but how do you route the cables for the climate control between the lower and upper sections? I was poking my hand in the upper section to feel for a gap and I could not detect one :?:

There is just enough space to get the cables up there but I think you have to do a bit of tidying/management of what's already there to move them out of the way. From memory the gap was right at the back behind the PCM and behind the metal support. The gap is larger on the right towards the dial cluster than the left. You need to poke the connectors through the gap first and then bring the cables back towards the centre. Thanks for the :thumb: , the clean, more retro look was what I was after.

It's not metal, it's plastic.

Your want list pretty much mirrors my own. The main thing would be factory looks and Bluetooth for me. I have an old Pioneer DEH-80 which has everything apart from factory looks, which is a huge shame because it is an excellent head unit. Think there was a Becker that ticked most of the boxes (Daytona maybe?) and there used to be how to's dotted around that showed you how to add USB ports on old head units too, but aftermarket car audio seems to be almost dead these days and most of the forums have disappeared. Plus the amount of work involved versus the amount of enthusiasm I have now doesn't add up.

Great thanks, I shall have another poke round. It looks so good on yours! Would you happen to recall the porsche part number for the lower dash delete kit? And are there any other brackets I should pick up at the same time?