I thought some of you may benefit from seeing one of the possibilities of installing a double DIN receiver. I installed a Pioneer AVIC-F7010BT. Although I didn't take any pics during the install. there were only two simple mods needed.

First, to relocate the vent controls, a hole was drilled in the metal side mount (just like orig. position) to allow the temp control cable access to the new location. that was all.

Second, check for yourself (i can't remember), the back two support pins (ones that hold up the back of the orig. radio) were cut off to allow the new stereo to slide all the way back. I used the orig. stereo brackets and the ones from the lower storage tray (4 total) to mount 8 screws in front using the orig. holes. Using the orig. brackets the new stereo does have support in the back (I believe in 2 or 4 places, but maybe only the bottom 2).

Sorry I cant recall the second part. It was just so easy that I didn't pay that much attention.

There is a similer thread here: another vent relocation thread

Other additions:

1. New 4ga powercable from battery and split under center console to 8ga (one for each amp).
2. Alpine pdx 2/1ch sub amp under passenger seat. these fit great under the seats just had to make my own carpet stops so the wouldn't slide
3. Alpine pdx 4ch amp for other speakers under driver
4. new wires to all speakers (hardest part of the project was feeding wires to the door through the small rubber weather guard. soapy water helps alot)
5. 10" sub and custom box. yes it's not pretty, but all cuts were made freehand with a cir saw. designed on google scetch-up.
6. sound proof entire truck

I'll post new pics when (not if. I like to tinker) I take the dash off.

Nice! It looks like you don't have the limited edition. The PDX is still too thick to fit under the power seats of the limited Montero. I had to go with the Sony XM-1S mono amp and XM-4S 4ch. Lets just say anything more than 8-7/8" L x 7-3/4" W x 1-3/4" H will not fit under the power seats of the Limited edition Monteros. So that pretty much left out any other amp. The sony isn't bad, 50w RMS @ 4ohm load powering my components up front and some coaxs in the rear. The xm-1s is a mono amp feeding my 12" FUBAR DVC sub 500w rms wired @ 2ohm. I got a prefab box that fit perfectly. its ported too! I did not want to have to remove the third row and/or put the sub in plain view.

The optimal position to have the double din would be at the very top spot, where the info screen (limited edition), or in your case the clock and pocket reside. Because it has that shade which would help tremendously with glare.

Unforrunately the depth behind it is limited, and you would have to bore the whole of the dash panel as it is not full size double din. Didn't want to go through the trouble.

Nice to see someone else do something with their Monty.

i also mounted a 2DIN pioneer cd-player in my pajero/montero.

I thought I will share mine also - note i;m in the UK with AVIC D1 USA version currently researching hacks for UK use everything else works ok even the GPS positioning

wow can you give us more insight on your info screen at the top, the stock one, what does it display?

the US one only looks cool, it doestn really display much except a cmpass, the clock, miles left on the tank