masonstol06

Was wondering if anyone could help me out with a really odd idea for my Subaru Legacy 2007 B-sport Sedan.
Saw these double din bezel / climate control things for sale at around 300 nzd; https://avojdm.com/dual-zone-av-panel-set-h6217ag911/
and decided its too expensive and am now trying to find a way to do it cheap. (currently have the Japanese nav system and its gotta go)

Im thinking ill get this model 3d printed from a guy online who said it will be 75$; https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5203967
and then add filler and sand and sand and wetsand etc and probably wrap it in vinyl to get it to look matte and solid. (also planning to add metal strips or something to the back to make it thicker and more solid. super straightforward but the only issue is getting the climate controls into it.

Have a few cars with the same climate control button layout lined up to view at a wreckers, and am going to strip them down and get out the climate control modules.
these are connected to the stereo with a ribbon connector (down the bottom and slightly right in the pic linked here https://www.garaget.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=332812 (note the 6 ribbon connector pins on the circuit board/s.) the smaller circuit board is the climate control unit, completely separate from the radio bar the ribbon cable.

in the jdm version that is sold for 300$ nzd, this harness is used; https://ae64.com/images-e41/Legacy_O...VAC_wiring.jpg
On the climate control module / circuit board thingie in the link two links above, there are 6 ribbon connector pins on the circuit board.
Plan is to pull the six wires from the back of the plug in the harness (the plug labeled "to jdm ac panel") and sandwich them between two bits of tape and evenly space the wires so they line up with the 6 connector pins. then just trial and error untill I can get the correct order to make the climate control panel fully functional and then finally put a big blob of flux and solder to fuse the 6 wires directly to the board all neat n tidy (bear with me please)

From there, i have essentially created the $300 dollar frame for maybe 100$ / 120$ (i may even be able to get the 3d print for free through a friend with one so this could easily be more like just the cost of just the harness and filler + sandpaper + vinyl. and the radio which I can get at a wreckers for 10$. and some super glue to connect the module to the frame as there are no mounting pins. rest of the stuff is cheap and already have filler laying around.

so yea from there id have to just go ahead and buy the sony xav xa1000 on discount and go through the rest of the conversion.

so;

- Can i solder wires directly to the ribbon cable pin things.
- is there a better way
- would i destroy my fusebox by the trial and error method for the order of the wires.
- should i just fork out 300$ for a plastic frame

awesome cheers


this would take the roughly 830$ conversion down to 460

xav xa1000 on discount is $400
roughly $50 - 60 for the budget double din bezel and climate control if my mate comes thru