Upgrade e30 radio

["dan" <dan@xxxxxxxx>]

Jim,
I upgraded my '88 iX to the '89+ Alpine "magic fingers" radio from the later
e30 "premium sound package" car so my wife could use a factory cd changer.  It
was simple.  I also cannibalized the external fader control to create a plug
so I wouldn't have to cut any wires (so the old one will still plug in) and I
could use the fader built into the newer radio.  I bought a $12 blank to fill
the hole the fader left. The only difference between the two radios is the
external fader--you have 4 speaker plugs out of the radio instead of two.  The
other plugs (power, antenna power, etc) fit into the radio.  Note these are
the Alpine-based radios, I do not have experience with the Pioneer based
radios that came with the "standard" sound.

I took out one like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6774&item=1875953582

And put in this type
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3288&item=1948897683

If you want a newer one, the plug is different (e36 radios have just one plug)
so you'll have to splice wires, but if you've ever wired an aftermarket unit
in it's about the same I suppose.  I've never wired an e36 radio into an e30.
Dan in kc