New Mods Complete - Kenwood and MGW
03-31-2014, 02:55 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
New Mods Complete - Kenwood and MGW - PICS
So, one thing I have wanted in my 2012 Grand Sport ever since I bought it was a backup camera. I researched all of the multitude of ways people have added one, but never found one that I liked. I really wanted to maintain the factory look of the car, and not have to mess with flip up, flip down, or stick on screens. So after seeing the new Kenwoods this year, I finally pulled the trigger on a DNX891HD from Dennis at DD Mods. He did the prewire on the GMOS-04 with Maestro Steering wheel controls. Made the install much easier. Just took me a little time (and a few e-mails to Dennis) to figure out where everything went. Still a lot of wires.
Since I knew I was going to have the console out, I also decided to install an MGW shifter at the same time. I was always missing 3rd gear on high RPM shifts. I would always seem to hit the gate between 3rd and 5th.
So now everything is back together, and here are the results:
First impressions:
1. Very happy with the Kenwood in both sound and operation. I now have HD radio, Bluetooth streaming, and Pandora. I also maintained the factory console USB plug.
2. MGW is SWEET, now I understand why everyone raves about them. I will NEVER miss 3rd gear again!
First, here is the patient, 2012 Grand Sport 3LT:
All in pieces (no radio, no shifter):
New Kenwood DNX891HD:
With custom startup screen:
A close-up of the startup screen:
...and the Backup camera:
Since I knew I was going to have the console out, I also decided to install an MGW shifter at the same time. I was always missing 3rd gear on high RPM shifts. I would always seem to hit the gate between 3rd and 5th.
So now everything is back together, and here are the results:
First impressions:
1. Very happy with the Kenwood in both sound and operation. I now have HD radio, Bluetooth streaming, and Pandora. I also maintained the factory console USB plug.
2. MGW is SWEET, now I understand why everyone raves about them. I will NEVER miss 3rd gear again!
First, here is the patient, 2012 Grand Sport 3LT:
All in pieces (no radio, no shifter):
New Kenwood DNX891HD:
With custom startup screen:
A close-up of the startup screen:
...and the Backup camera:
Last edited by GM'er; 03-31-2014 at 03:17 PM.
03-31-2014, 04:20 PM
#4
Team Owner
Well done.
03-31-2014, 04:31 PM
#5
So, one thing I have wanted in my 2012 Grand Sport ever since I bought it was a backup camera. I researched all of the multitude of ways people have added one, but never found one that I liked. I really wanted to maintain the factory look of the car, and not have to mess with flip up, flip down, or stick on screens. So after seeing the new Kenwoods this year, I finally pulled the trigger on a DNX891HD from Dennis at DD Mods. He did the prewire on the GMOS-04 with Maestro Steering wheel controls. Made the install much easier. Just took me a little time (and a few e-mails to Dennis) to figure out where everything went. Still a lot of wires.
Since I knew I was going to have the console out, I also decided to install an MGW shifter at the same time. I was always missing 3rd gear on high RPM shifts. I would always seem to hit the gate between 3rd and 5th.
So now everything is back together, and here are the results:
First impressions:
1. Very happy with the Kenwood in both sound and operation. I now have HD radio, Bluetooth streaming, and Pandora. I also maintained the factory console USB plug.
2. MGW is SWEET, now I understand why everyone raves about them. I will NEVER miss 3rd gear again!
First, here is the patient, 2012 Grand Sport 3LT:
All in pieces (no radio, no shifter):
New Kenwood DNX891HD:
With custom startup screen:
A close-up of the startup screen:
...and the Backup camera:
Since I knew I was going to have the console out, I also decided to install an MGW shifter at the same time. I was always missing 3rd gear on high RPM shifts. I would always seem to hit the gate between 3rd and 5th.
So now everything is back together, and here are the results:
First impressions:
1. Very happy with the Kenwood in both sound and operation. I now have HD radio, Bluetooth streaming, and Pandora. I also maintained the factory console USB plug.
2. MGW is SWEET, now I understand why everyone raves about them. I will NEVER miss 3rd gear again!
First, here is the patient, 2012 Grand Sport 3LT:
All in pieces (no radio, no shifter):
New Kenwood DNX891HD:
With custom startup screen:
A close-up of the startup screen:
...and the Backup camera:
.. On a scale 1-10 how hard was the install? thinking about install one myself
03-31-2014, 06:04 PM
#6
Drifting
Thread Starter
The install video from MGW is great, and makes taking the console apart a breeze. Hardest part of the MGW install is getting the boot around the new shifter. I'm sure anyone that has done one can attest to this, but overall not hard at all. There are a couple wiring connections still to make on the harness from Dennis, and if I was doing it a second time instead of the first, I could have saved a bunch of time. Overall not really too hard. Dennis offers a free prewire for the Corvette on the GMOS-04 and Maestro SW harnesses to forum members. This makes the install a LOT easier. I would highly recommend getting the radio from him just because of this. I could give some good tips on the wiring that still needs to connect to the car now that I've done it. Overall on a 1-10 scale 3-4.
Last edited by GM'er; 03-31-2014 at 06:14 PM.
03-31-2014, 06:21 PM
#8
Drifting
Thread Starter
The down and dirty:
Last edited by GM'er; 03-31-2014 at 06:23 PM.
03-31-2014, 06:41 PM
#10
Drifting
Thread Starter
03-31-2014, 07:03 PM
#11
Instructor
Member Since: Oct 2013
Location: Pennsylvania
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Great, thanks for the pics. It will give me some ideas of what I want to do with mine. I agree with you. I like it centered.
03-31-2014, 07:08 PM
#12
Team Owner
Member Since: May 2000
Location: Plantation Florida USAF(Retired) 1966-1990
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Nice job!
03-31-2014, 07:50 PM
#15
That looks great!
I am considering the same Kenwood and strongly considering driving the 6 hours up to DD Mods and letting Dennis do the install. He has so much knowledge and knows all the "little things" to make it work correctly that I am weighing the drive really hard.
Nicely done!
Bob
I am considering the same Kenwood and strongly considering driving the 6 hours up to DD Mods and letting Dennis do the install. He has so much knowledge and knows all the "little things" to make it work correctly that I am weighing the drive really hard.
Nicely done!
Bob
03-31-2014, 08:06 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
I have the 691 from Dennis, and Stephen installed the backup camera in the exact same spot.
Is the screen that has Nav, HD radio, etc., on it also custom by you? It looks different from mine, but it may be because you have the 2014 model.
Did you also change speakers? I have the non-Bose, and the speakers are not good at all. I'm going to get speakers from Dennis fairly soon and have Stephen install those too. I'm also thinking about a sub, even though I don't listen to the audio as loud as many do. I just want nice clean sound across the spectrum.
Saw in the paper today that all cars and trucks under 10,000 lbs will be required to have backup cameras in 2015.
Is the screen that has Nav, HD radio, etc., on it also custom by you? It looks different from mine, but it may be because you have the 2014 model.
Did you also change speakers? I have the non-Bose, and the speakers are not good at all. I'm going to get speakers from Dennis fairly soon and have Stephen install those too. I'm also thinking about a sub, even though I don't listen to the audio as loud as many do. I just want nice clean sound across the spectrum.
Saw in the paper today that all cars and trucks under 10,000 lbs will be required to have backup cameras in 2015.
03-31-2014, 08:08 PM
#17
Le Mans Master
When you say "centered", do you mean the icons? I've had my Kenwood several months, and I'm still discovering things. One is that the icons can be scrolled left and right, which means you can center them. I don't think that's the default position though. Mentioned this in case you didn't already know.
03-31-2014, 08:12 PM
#18
Drifting
Thread Starter
I have the 691 from Dennis, and Stephen installed the backup camera in the exact same spot.
Is the screen that has Nav, HD radio, etc., on it also custom by you? It looks different from mine, but it may be because you have the 2014 model.
Did you also change speakers? I have the non-Bose, and the speakers are not good at all. I'm going to get speakers from Dennis fairly soon and have Stephen install those too. I'm also thinking about a sub, even though I don't listen to the audio as loud as many do. I just want nice clean sound across the spectrum.
Saw in the paper today that all cars and trucks under 10,000 lbs will be required to have backup cameras in 2015.
Is the screen that has Nav, HD radio, etc., on it also custom by you? It looks different from mine, but it may be because you have the 2014 model.
Did you also change speakers? I have the non-Bose, and the speakers are not good at all. I'm going to get speakers from Dennis fairly soon and have Stephen install those too. I'm also thinking about a sub, even though I don't listen to the audio as loud as many do. I just want nice clean sound across the spectrum.
Saw in the paper today that all cars and trucks under 10,000 lbs will be required to have backup cameras in 2015.
03-31-2014, 08:14 PM
#19
Drifting
Thread Starter
When you say "centered", do you mean the icons? I've had my Kenwood several months, and I'm still discovering things. One is that the icons can be scrolled left and right, which means you can center them. I don't think that's the default position though. Mentioned this in case you didn't already know.
