too late
It's too late for pics because I already fixed it.
I might take it back apart again to replace 3 bulbs that Radio Shack didn't have. I have to locate them first. But they did have the display lights so now the display is illuminated again. I decided to replace all the bulbs in there so I wouldn't have to go back in later, but I guess I will so my fellow 'vette bro's don't get robbed by the dealer.
It took about 30 minutes to remove the radio (first time in a Corvette, and since I have learned that every <*crack*> means at least $50 I was being real careful), only about 15 minutes to re-install it, most of the time being spent looking for a little screw that dove down deep behind the console. To take the radio out, you have to remove the center storage lid, the console around the shifter, then the AC vent above the system display (above the AC control), then the trim piece surrounding the radio/AC unit. Most of the trim pieces and radio are held in with 7mm trim screws, the AC vent is held in with torx-bit type screws. Don't forget the screw behind the AC vent for the radio/AC trim piece.... $50!! (or probably more). I also loosened the 7mm screw in the carpeted part under the dash closest to the radio/AC trim piece to get the lip of the trim piece out from behind it.
Once you get the radio away (dont forget the two 7mm screws underneath the radio way in the back, accessible from the front), you have to reach back and unplug the two electrical connectors.... then your a free bird.
You have to disassemble most of the radio, but it's fairly robust. All it really takes is a 3/16" socket for the housing bolts ( I removed all of them (about 15!)), a screwdriver to pop loose the front display, and a pair of pliers to remove these super small bolts (~3mm) that hold the circuit board to the button assembly. I then de-soldered the 3 lights around the display (being careful not to melt the display...that would have sucked because I would have had to replace both the radio and the kitchen window when I threw it out). There are two more bigger bulbs that light the knobs. One is in a socket, one is soldered. The replacements for these I found at AutoZone as the small interior lamps (I think Sylvania type 74 if I remember correctly). There were also three small bulbs soldered into the circuit board to illuminate the buttons on the radio. I could not find a replacement for these so I had to put them back in since they were not burned out. I will try to find some replacements and then do it again and take pictures.
Oh yea, you cannot just remove the display without take the housing apart (even though it looks like you can at first) because there is a circuit board attached that is screwed into the CD unit, so you have to unscrew it first before the face plate assembly will come away from the CD and Cassette units in there. Then there are two plugs that have to be unplugged inside.
All in all, as long as your careful there is nothing catastrophic that can go wrong. The CD/Cassette player is put together rather intelligently so nothing is too fragile that it will get distroyed by a slightly wrong move (except maybe with the soldering iron.)
I can see my radio at night again!
-Dave C.
:BOW
