So I contacted Metra about making a double din dash kit for the gen1 Insight. I received this email as a response:
"Hello Bart,
I've added your request to our Market Assessment form. It is where the
powers that be see what's been requested, and decide from there what's
next to be tooled. Should they get enough requests for the Insight
double din kit, it would take about 6-9 months to come to production
from the time the started designing the mold.
Thank you for the suggestion,
Petros "
So I think it is obvious what I need you to do now. I've made the initial request. So the rest of you need to do the same so we can get the ball rolling on this. This is the only Insight forum I am on, so please re-post this on other Insight forums as well so we can get enough requests to get the ball rolling on this. I asked for a direct email for the Market Assessment team, and if, and when I get that I will update this thread. He said the best way is to contact them via this email:
You would have to trim some of the dash under the paneling. It would be no different, than the way that the JDM RHD double din dashes are made. Trimming dashes is nothing out of the ordinary. While I was an installer, I took the old air saw to thousands of dashes.
And are you providing them a sample to copy? If so, would it be possible to do the mod (cutting on it first) and maybe even ask them for the desired adjustments for the better fit before they replicate them?
They only gave me the info I shared. I would imagine it would not be very much. I've used their kits for nearly a decade, and most of them are around $25 retail, but they have some that are more. I am sure it would be less than $100. We just need every Insight owner to make the request so we can get this rolling. They did not ask for a prototype to be sent in. They would be responsible for building it, and everything. I could easily make one from fiberglass. I just don't want to.
The jdm one appears to be almost an exact mirror image of the left hand drive ones (except for the taller opening), meaning almost all of the mounting tabs would line up if it was exactly mirrored.
I know it will take a lot of trimming but like I said it is nearly a MIRROR image. If you could 3D scan the part, mirror it in CAD, then 3D print a new one I think only one or two of the tabs would not be in the correct place. Only the two tabs in the middle appear to be different, if the part was mirrored.
Great information guys. Make sure you email them, and make a request for this to be made. Maybe if they decide to do that they will do just that, and buy a JDM RHD dash piece, and make a mirror image of it. That would obviously result in a great looking, and fitting trim panel.
All of the better head units are double din nowadays. Mainly for touch screen navigation and iPod controls. I use my vehicle for work, and I've been using my iPhone for navi lately which is okay, but I would rather have a dedicated navi head unit. I am currently using a Sony media center single din radio which is awesome, but I miss the convenience of my AVIC-D3 that I have in my F150.
I figured. I was looking around for din touch screen stereos and found ones that drop down from the unit. I don't think the ones that flip up would work too well because of how the stereo is kind of recessed.
I've had the units like that before. I just don't like stuff sticking out of my dash like that. I prefer to have it all flush mounted into the dash so it looks like it belongs. If I have to, I can always just build a double din panel. To be honest my current setup isn't that bad. I really like the Sony radio I have. It's just not what I really want.
I just wanted to bump this thread up. I am sure more of you want to do this. When I first got this car, I vowed not to mod it much. I am a bit of a mod junkie, but if we can't get a kit made soon. I may just fabricate something. I miss my double din navi unit in my truck.
re: how to get a panel reversed:
The way they convert entire dashes right-sided to left in Philippines [where rhd to lhd conversion is required for all rhd cars imported there] involves carefully cutting the rt side dash into thin planar sections, [like a half inch or so] like a loaf of sliced bread, and reversing the stack order L<>R on reassembly. I forget if the fellow mentioned a jig or not but would be useful. Next sections are glued and smoothing the joins occurs to create a mirror image.
From there, maybe a mold could be created.
I have a right hand Japanese double din trim piece I have not cut up yet. It looks like it is a mirror image of what we need except for maybe two of the snap in tabs.
I would like to get it 3D scanned, in CAD have it flipped, and then 3D print a few pieces. A local (Rockford) company can do it all but at a cost of $1500-2000. I had asked for the breakdown, scan, flip, print, and am waiting for them to respond back with that pricing.
Anyone know of anyone that can 3D scan for me cheap? At this time I can cut it up and use it, but would like at least to get it scanned first so maybe others can do the 3D print.
I have a right hand Japanese double din trim piece I have not cut up yet. It looks like it is a mirror image of what we need except for maybe two of the snap in tabs.
I would like to get it 3D scanned, in CAD have it flipped, and then 3D print a few pieces. A local (Rockford) company can do it all but at a cost of $1500-2000. I had asked for the breakdown, scan, flip, print, and am waiting for them to respond back with that pricing.
Anyone know of anyone that can 3D scan for me cheap? At this time I can cut it up and use it, but would like at least to get it scanned first so maybe others can do the 3D print.
Just contact Metra via the link in the original post in this thread and offer to send it to them for them to 3d scan and produce a LHD version. Every member of this forum should be clicking that link so we can get this thing going. If you send them that dash piece I assume it would speed up R&D time considerably.
Got an email back from Metra - it came from tech support so they didn't have all the details, but it's still good news:
Metra Tech Support said:
Trust me…the interest is there. We have considered this kit and are working on a solution for the vehicle and it will be announced at the proper time. We in tech support do not usually know when kits are available until they are actually shipping. That being said, you can go to the Metra Online | Welcome to Metra Auto Parts Online Warehouse website and sign up at the bottom of the page to be on our mailing list; we will generally pre-announce the release of kits to people on the list. Hold out for just a little longer, have a nice day.
If you are going to start using a dremmel then buy the Japanese trim piece from an importer. I think it was around $100 shipped, took less than two weeks to get it.
Any word on a double din for the G1? I'm interested in installing my Nexus 7 2013 Android tablet for navigation and as a sound source for pandora, NPR app, mp3s, etc.
Has anyone put a Nexus 7 or other android tablet in their double din?
Emailed them. Hoping I can get a nexus 7 in there as well. Would be a great way to upgrade my stock stereo without using an aftermarket head unit...I sort of hate the way they look.
Though from the sound of it, it may be a while....
"....
Good afternoon. May I ask where you heard about a possible dash kit fir this vehicle? At the current time, we do not have an ETA on the availability of a dash kit for the Gen1 Honda Insight. While our R&D team is looking into a kit for these vehicles, it may be a little while before we do have a kit for this vehicle. I would suggest that you check the Metra website (Metra Online | Welcome to Metra Auto Parts Online Warehouse) periodically for any updates on a dash kit.
Mark...."
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