Hard-wired hands-free phone system

My Truck
My Taco is a 2005 double cab with 6-disc CD player (non-JBL sound system).

Reasoning
1) I was bored, and like figuring stuff out.
2) I wanted to be able to listen to music on my phone through an aux jack for better sound quality than you get with any other method.
3) I wanted to be able to talk on my phone through my car because I thought it was cool. (Yeah, I know. It’s kinda nerdy.)
4) I don’t like Bluetooth because it cuts out sometimes and has usually been poor quality in my experience.

*Note: This process will likely not work with older phones. It works with my BB Curve and a friend’s Samsung Galaxy, not with a Nokia I tried that is at least 5 years old. I would even bet closer to 10.

Things you’ll need
1) Audio splitter to take the 3.5mm, 4-conductor jack on your cell phone and split it into a designated microphone jack and headset/speaker stereo jack – Looks like this and can be found here - http://www.everbatim.net/store/index.php/headphone-microphone-jack-splitter.html
Or here
http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/category.cgi?item=SP-IPHONE-CABLE&source=froogle
See Image 1

2) An audio adapter designed to allow you to install an auxiliary jack in your dash instead of just having a CD player (for older cars where this wasn’t stock). I chose one from GROM Audio and it works great. You’ll see some mixed reviews on all of these just like you will on everything else in this world, but I recommend this one and if you get a bad one for some reason just send it back and exchange it. Here is the link to the GROM page that has stuff for Tacos: http://www.gromaudio.com/store/all-toy.html (Note: The Bluetooth mentioned on the site does not allow for the use of a microphone. It is playback only.)
3) 4-pin feed through jack for your dash – found here: http://www.markertek.com/Connectors...ni-Connectors/Calrad-Electronics/30-707.xhtml
Looks like this:
4) Velcro for mounting the GROM unit inside your dash. The unit is very light so Velcro will hold with no problem, even if you wreck. I got this stuff here:

$8 VELCRO Brand - Industrial Strength | Indoor & Outdoor Use | Superior Holding Power on Smooth Surfaces | Size 4ft x 2in | Tape, Black - Pack of 1, (Model: 90593)

http://www.amazon.com/Velcro-Brand-Industrial-Strength-Inches/dp/B00006IC2T/ref=pd_sim_op_1
5) 3.5mm stereo dashboard mounting cable like this one I used (and the short double male extension cable that is included):

$13 iSimple IS335 Dash Mountable Auxiliary Input Adapter

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003B01AHS/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00
6) Double female 3.5mm stereo coupling like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003L151AY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
7) Drywall putty knife or something similar to pry off the first piece of your dash, and the ceiling unit when it comes time for that.
8) Number 2 Phillips head screwdriver for the ceiling unit (That’s what I needed anyways. Different models may require different types.)
9) 10mm socket and matching screwdriver handle (I recommend the screwdriver handle instead of a ratchet because it reaches the screws better. And again, yours may not be 10mm.)
10) 3/8 drill bit and drill to punch the hole in your dash and your ceiling piece (maybe a half inch as well depending on where you mount the jack.
11) Any computer microphone will do fine as long as it is small and can be tucked away easily. I used this one and it is fine for this: http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Flexibl...VD02/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1335888602&sr=8-4
It is pretty low quality, but works for use in a car. It isn’t a recording studio.
12) Metal coat hanger that you can use to feed the wires throughout your car.
13) Needle nose plier; for holding wires and equipment in tight spaces and bending the coat hanger.
14) Two ½” washers to get the feed through jack right where you want it
15) Black caulking to seal around the feed through jack and make it look good.
16) 4-pin male to male 3.5mm cable to go from your dash to your phone. This type of cable will also work fine with stereo equipment if all you want to do is plug in an mp3 player sometime. If you use this type of cable you won’t have to switch it out for different devices. You can get them here: http://www.brtbent.com/brtb/laptop-....5mm-4-pin-trrs-plug-to-3.5mm-4-pin-trrs-plug
Or here
http://www.techcables.com/6-ft-3-5mm-4-pole-mini-av-to-mini-av-camcorder-a-v-cable-p-36.html

Ok. Now for the process:
Unfortunately I did this whole project without taking pictures or video of anything so I’ll put in links to other people’s work where I can and take some after shots of my own car already put together. If you need clarification on anything feel free to ask.
1) Use the putty knife to very carefully pry off the AC control panel.
2) Use 10mm socket to remove the four screws that hold on the CD player.
3) Pry out the CD player.
(For a video of steps 1-3 use this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_lhVFJGIKs)
4) Connect GROM adapter to back of CD player as described in the GROM instructions.
5) Velcro GROM unit to back of CD player or underside of dash.
6) Remove screw from ceiling unit with Phillips screwdriver.
See Image 2

7) Remove ceiling unit by prying carefully with the putty knife and pulling. (You’re probably going to have to give it a hard tug. Mine required some effort and scared me a little before it finally came free.)
8) Drill a 3/8” hole in the back of the sunglasses/remote holder.
9) Pull the dash-mount cable through the hole in the ceiling unit which you just drilled. This cable is the primary one mentioned in number 5 on the equipment list.
10) Remove driver’s side safety handle from above the dash on the piece I will hereafter refer to as the strut.
See Image 3

11) Remove the plastic covering from the strut.
12) Send coat hanger up from the strut to the hole in the ceiling and attach the cable from the ceiling unit and pull it through to the strut.
13) Snap the ceiling unit back into place, and replace the screw.
14) Let the end of that cable hang there while you pull the accompanying male-to-male cable from the strut, down through the dash, over the steering column and to the hole in the dash where the CD player sits.
15) Use the double female coupling to connect the two cables now hanging out of the strut.
16) Pull the remaining slack in those cables so the end sticks further out of the CD player hole in the dash.
17) Plug the GROM unit into the headset portion of the 4-pin microphone/headset splitter and the cable coming from the ceiling into the microphone portion.
18) Use the putty knife to remove the little black cover from under the AC vent just to the right of the CD player.
19) Drill a hole in the plastic under that cover in which to mount the feed-through jack.
20) Put the two washers on the back of the jack before pushing it through the whole.
21) Mount the feed-through jack from the front, pushing it into the hole, and putting on the nut from the inside of the dash. This is where you’ll need the needle nose plier.
22) Plug the single end of the 4-pin microphone/headset splitter into the back of the feed-through jack. (You’ll have to use the plier and coat hanger again to get it there from the inside of the dash. This can be a bit tricky.)
See Image 4

23) Drill a ½” hole in the black plastic cover, through which the jack can protrude, and replace the cover.
24) Replace the CD player and AC control panel.
25) Use the black caulk to make a ring around the feed through jack, cleaning up the edges and making it look professional.
26) Plug the computer microphone into the jack mounted in the ceiling unit.
27) Plug the 4-pin, male-to-male cable into the dash. Plug in your phone and you’re ready to go.
28) Turn on your car and give it a try.