# 91' Civic Hatchback Radio Install



## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

installdr.com doesn't have anything for this...

Friend bought a used civic. Didn't come with factory radio. He ordered an aftermarket from Crutchfield. The 'dash kit' that came with it is weaksauce. It's a 2 part system: one piece is supposed to connect to the stock bar behind it, and the second piece connects to the first, and holds the cd player itself in a 'u' shape fashion... I mean, it's a very bad setup. The first piece doesn't line up the stock bar's cutouts AT ALL. Even if you reverse it... the cutouts in the bar are too far apart for the plastic piece to do any good.

We got to looking at his dash and there's no way piece one will work like CF instructions say... we'd have to drill the stock bar out without a doubt. Beyond that, it just looks really flimsy.

There's no stock brackets that are in his car that look like they would hold the deck in place and there's also a large gap around the cd player that I found from research, shouldn't be there.

So, I'm thinking maybe something's missing in my friend's car but we don't know for sure. The blowup pics on the honda parts websites don't really show a stock bracket; only the radio face plate trim.

Does anyone here have experience in installilng a radio in a 91 civic/crx hatchback? We can make something work with some time and a drill but surely there's got to be an easier way. Just wanted to check before pulling his metal dash piece out and putting a drill to it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

This is the installation kit he got from CF (note the poor reviews):
Honda/Acura In-dash Receiver Kit Fits select 1982-up modelsChassis size E at Crutchfield.com

Picture I found of a finished install:


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## Weightless (May 5, 2005)

So does it look like the dash has been modified? I've owned and installed in an 89' crx and a 91' civic hatch and used only a hu sleeve. Slide the sleeve in and bend the tabs to hold in place. Then slide the hu in. 

Like this:

eBay Motors: Pioneer Single DIN mounting sleeve (item 140314965882 end time Apr-27-09 08:53:43 PDT)

It has been awhile since I've owned either of these cars, but I don't remember anything too complex.

The CF mount you posted looks like a generic honda/acura mount, not worth 2 ****s if you ask me.


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## BuBz (Apr 9, 2009)

This kit is designed to lend extra support to the back of your new receiver.

I agree with Weightless pretty much any honda that year was an easy HU install no kit needed


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## BuBz (Apr 9, 2009)

This kit is designed to lend extra support to the back of your new receiver.

I agree with Weightless pretty much any honda that year was an easy HU install no kit needed


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## BuBz (Apr 9, 2009)

"This kit is designed to lend extra support to the back of your new receiver." That's what that link says

I agree with Weightless pretty much any Honda that year was an easy HU install no kit needed


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## BuBz (Apr 9, 2009)

does yer HU have the sleeve?


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

yea, it has a sleeve. but even using that, there's a large gap around the headunit which is why I was thinking something is missing. maybe the stock deck has a trim ring.

additionally, the bracket that goes into the stock bracket and allows the radio holder piece to snap into it... that plastic bracket doesn't line up with the stock holes at all. there's no way around it. 

guess we'll just use the mounting sleeve, but I wanted to make sure that something wasn't missing before we went with such a crappy mounting method. I like using factory brackets and screwing the headunit directly into that. Most every honda I've seen has this.


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## Weightless (May 5, 2005)

So are you saying there is a gap between the face and the center console bezel? 

If so, my Pioneer was the same way, but it did come with a "trim" ring that just snapped into place to give a seamless look. 

What kind of hu is it?


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## ErinH (Feb 14, 2007)

Yes, that's what I'm saying.

Even with the trim ring that came with the alpine, there's a gap that goes around the entire area between the faceplate and the car's dash. Probably about 1/4" gap all the way around. I dug up some blow up schematics and it looks like there's a piece missing from his setup right now. As I said, the original owner sold the car without the factory radio so it's very likely he kept that piece.


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