I moved the stock radio down and used every piece of the full more expensive kit.

 

To cover the hole where the radio used to be, you can go buy a "radio delete cover" or some such thing from the Mitsu dealer. It's listed as an Eclipse part and you may have to convince the parts counter guy that you know what you're doing -- but it's just a DIN-sized plastic cover which snaps into place to cover the hole. Should cost about $6 -- that's what I paid.

And if you want to mount a 52mm gauge or two where the radio used to be, you can Dremel out the proper sized gauge holes in the radio delete cover. I mounted my boost gauge using that exact technique, and I have room to put other hole and another gauge if needed. Three 52mm gauges might be pushing it -- I think it might be possible depending on what kind of mounting brackets the gauges use behind the panel.

Here's the relocated radio, radio delete panel, and a boost gauge mounted in the hole I cut out:

 

in that panel above how can u mount an apexi s-afc in there and have it in securely??

 

bump

 

So has anyone verified this? Is a cheaper kit all I need if I have the aftermarket radio?

 

bump

 

Yes the cheaper part works for aftermarket, but comes only in black ... search for the part number on this forum if you want to verify it for yourself

 

is that a dealer part number,is that a bezel? got cd/radio kit do i need that part number also?

 

MZ598263EX - CD Changer Install kit (converts lower tray to DIN panel, comes with rails to accomodate stock radio - read: required to move stock radio down)

MR626799 (black) - Lower DIN panel (same panel as above, but WITHOUT the rails ... much cheaper and works with aftermarket radios ... worked great with my Alpine )

...and yes, those are dealer part numbers. The el-cheapo lower DIN panel cost me ~$17 if I remember correctly... it does not have a bezel, it just converts the lower coin tray into a DIN sized bay/hole.

l8r)

 

so how do you get the stock radio out of the bottom hole?

 

sorry to bring this back from the dead... but can you remove the stock rails out of the upper din... get the lower 17$ din... put the rails in the lower din and install the radio down there?