VW OEM Phatbox in a Ford?

[rmicroys]

I'm new to all this.  I just picked up my Phatnoise box for my VW and I love it.  I was wondering because they are pretty inexpensive (the VW OEM box) if it's possible to hack the VW one to work in my Ford.  I know I'd probably have to make my own interface cable, but is it possible to reprogram the unit to work with the Ford box?  Would it be as simple as copying the files on to the DMS cartridge and flashing the box or is it more involved or impossible?

[A543]

I believe the Ford units actually have different internal connection wiring. They are not physically the same as the VW or Keg or standard Phatboxes.
I wouldn't attempt hooking a Ford box up to a non Ford headunit, or a standard box up to a Ford headunit without learning more.  Hopefully someone here can give you more information.

[denniz]

I have a Kenwood Music Keg that's perfectly in my '98 Sable with a PIE Mercury-to-Kenwood interface.

I don't know if the PIE Ford-to-Kenwood interface would talk to the VW PhatBox even if you found a Kenwood cable.  

[dafamous12]

Yes,it will work. You will have to load the kenwood firmware on to it.But it will work with the pie interfaces.

[snoggle]

Crutchfield sells PIE brand 13pin DIN to 13 pin DIN Kenwood compatible cables for $29, and  you could cut one of the DIN ends off and solder a Phatbox connector on the other end. You have to be a fairly skilled solderer to make your own cable. The pinouts are in the Wiki/FAQ and they do work.  I used them to make my cable because I couldn't find one to buy.

[rmicroys]

Cool... I just checked my head unit in my Ford truck, and it's compatible.  It does that 'NO CDDJ' thing when the CD button is hit twice.  So I may look at installing buying the veedub one and hacking it to work.  Sounds like an interesting winter project.

[Fritz_H]

A couple of q's - what head unit are you running in your ford?  I've been looking for info on whether I could do this with my '05 F150's stock head unit.

Second - have you gone any further with this project?

[rmicroys]

A couple of q's - what head unit are you running in your ford?  I've been looking for info on whether I could do this with my '05 F150's stock head unit.

Second - have you gone any further with this project?

I've been rather lazy trying to get another phatbox for the truck (2003 F150 with the OEM CD player which is CDDJ compatible) - I've already got a phatbox in my 2004.5 Jetta - I've never gotten around to getting past the car stereo acquistions and procurements committee.  She holds too much veto power to get ANOTHER phatbox for the truck.    So... I'll just have to live with CDs in the truck for now.    Never got around to getting all the details to make the install work.