Literally : Dock Your Ipod to Your Car Audio Cassette Slot

I had this awesome Nakamichi deck for years now. It makes any crappy speaker sound better but as technology progresses, the cassette part of my deck is becoming more obsolete.. I was using those cassette adapter to hook up my ipod but it looks so lame with all the wires hanging out and the sound quality took a beating. So I came up with something practically works , cheap and looks cool ( trifecta! ).

Literally : Dock your Ipod / mp3 player to car audio cassette slot from cedric ranada on Vimeo.

Step 1: Tools and Stuff You Need

Important: You'll need a cassette player with an auxiliary input.
*This is where we will send the audio signal from the ipod. I was going to hack the tape head connections to send signal there but its sort of complicated and I had the inputs anyway.

Ipod or any mp3 player that can fit on the cassette slot

3.5mm stereo jacks with wires connected
*This will connect the ipod to the AUX input.

Micro switch
*You can scavenge the cassette mechanism for this.

Mighty putty like epoxy

Soldering Iron , cutter, screw drivers, electrical tape, zip ties.

Step 2: Open It Up

Opening your deck is easy, there would be metal tabs to pry or screws to unloose. The top cover usually comes off.

Once opened, there would be "modules" for the radio tuner, amplifier, cassette mechanism/PCB or cd changer.

We only need to modify/remove the cassette mechanism and its pcb.

Your deck should still operate without the cassette mechanism/pcb.

Step 3: Modify Cassette Mechanism

Start building back the cassette mechanism by removing things to open up space for the ipod.

I removed quite a bit of gears, spindles, motors, extra metals and plastic.

Test fit your ipod until you achieve your desired location.

Step 4: Wiring It Up

Solder the 3.5mm with wires to the deck's input connection.

Locate the ACC +12v source. Solder a wire in to it.

Solder the micro switch to the wire from the ACC +12v source and the AUX remote in wire.
*When the switch is triggered, it will make the radio deck switch to auxiliary mode.

Zip tie the the micro switch next to the 3.5mm plug. Make sure that the switch will be triggered when the 3.5mm jack mates with ipod.

Step 5: Setting Up the Docking Station

One you decided the final docking position of the ipod, place the 3.5mm jack /switch in it.

With the epoxy putty on hand make a holder for the 3.5mm jack/switch.
*Make sure the the surface is free from grease and dirt before placing the epoxy.

Let the epoxy dry.

If you have an mp3 player that is smaller, use the epoxy to make "walls" to prevent it from moving around the slot.

You can put some felt paper to protect your ipod from getting scratched or if you have a thinner mp3 player. You can also file the opening of the cassette slot if you want to use other bigger mp3 player .

My ipod fits snugly on the slot. Even with the bumps on the road the ipod doesn't move at all.