door speakers

Author Topic: door speakers  (Read 5328 times)

Offline userdead626

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door speakers
« on: June 30, 2012 - 02:59:47 AM »
Considering installing speakers in the door but still at odds with how to run the wires. I'm thinking i'll need something similar to modern cars, the flexible insulation, but I would love to see how others have done it or other solutions to step up the audio issue. I've done the dual 3.5's in the centre and 6x9's in the rear but it's just not cutting it.




Offline Super Blue 72

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2012 - 12:38:02 PM »
I don;t see alot of people doing the doors but do see several putting speakers in the kick panels and they don't show as much.  Depends if you want the stock look or more better sound.
1972 Dodge Challenger Rallye 340, AT, Code TB3=Super Blue, SBD=8/17/1971.  Yes, a Rallye without the fender louvers from the factory because of the body side molding option.

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Offline userdead626

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2012 - 09:16:16 PM »
Considering the kicks, I just think the door might be ideal placement for sound.

Offline Topcat

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2012 - 11:07:36 PM »
There are so many electronic gadgets today that you can run off an i Pod or I phone.
 
I don't understand why you need to hack plastic interior panels.  :2cents:

It's your car and do as you please that makes you happy.

« Last Edit: July 21, 2012 - 11:10:46 PM by Topcat »
Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline userdead626

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2012 - 12:26:03 AM »
Any input is welcome here!
The car is my daily and sound quality is quite important to me.
I've put in 6x9's in the rear and dual 3" speakers to replace the 4x10, and it just sounds terrible.
Obviously cutting the door panels and heck drilling into the doors themselves isn't something im real keen on, but given my desire for quiality sound, I think its the only option.
Cheers!

Offline burdar

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2012 - 09:37:06 AM »
I used to have a 73 Challenger with speakers in the doors.  You obviously need to cut a large hole in the inner door structure to incorperate the speaker.  You may have to reinforce it so you don't get any rattling.  I think the main thing is finding a speaker that looks good in the door.  Too many are large and fairly unattractive.  Something very low profile might look OK.  What about a speaker that fits behind the panel...not ontop of it?  You could drill a bunch of holes in a circular pattern infront of the speaker.(kind of like the factory package trays but with round holes)  That would let the sound out and have a clean look to the door panel.  You wouldn't even notice there was a speaker there unless you really looked.

This past winter my dad hit a dear with his Intrepid.  It took out the hood and drivers door.  He found a replacement door in a local salvage yard that we were able to go take off ourselves.  The Intrepid used a rubber tube between the door and the body that bolts inplace.(at least on one side)  Having something that bolts inplace would have a cleaner look.  There should be plenty of Intrepids in the salvage yards with junk engines.
« Last Edit: July 22, 2012 - 09:39:40 AM by burdar »

Offline MEK-Dangerfield

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2012 - 12:58:43 PM »
The trouble with putting any speaker in the kick panels is the depth. You can't have something too deep, so that leads to a smaller diameter speaker, which may not help you.    :dunno:

Mike

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Offline grimmey71

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2014 - 12:41:57 AM »
Any updates?

Offline 74 challenge

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2014 - 10:16:15 AM »
The previous owner of my car had speakers in the door panels. I want to find him and choke him.

If you want really good sound quality in these old cars it's so much more than just speakers and I really think it's not work it.

As for running the wire he drilled a hole in the door, used a rubber wire loom made for a GM vehicle and matched it up to another drilled hole in the door frame. It did not screw into either the door frame or the door itself as the rubber wire cover had an end that just stayed in place using drilled hole, much like a pastic body plug does. That part of the job looked alright and fairly unnoticable but the hacked appart door panels kill me.
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Offline bigblue73

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2014 - 11:24:34 AM »
Go talk to local stereo installer.  If they are any good they will direct you to some of the direct reflecting stuff that is being used in automotive and marine.  It's all in how far you want to go with this stereo stuff.

Offline grimmey71

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2014 - 10:34:12 PM »
I bought a set of green interior panels a while ago where the previous owner HACKED speaker holes in them I may try and use these to see if it will work. Kick panels won't work for me because of my roll cage location.

Offline GreenFishie

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2014 - 03:51:14 AM »
Doors make terrible enclosures. The older the car the more horrible the enclosure.

Unless you have power windows and locks, running wires to the speakers alone is a practice in futility ... nevermind that speakers in the doors ... in doors that were never intended to house them ... have relatively short life spans.

Then of course there's the direction of the sound. Speakers in doors usually fire into the seat, legs, under the legs and into the trans housing. If the door were the optimal enclosure, the placement is anything but.

The kick panel is your best bet. With E-bodies the mounting depth is the issue, but wiring is a breeze. Any route you go you'll have to hack into a panel. Unless you get the kick panels from Classice Industries. Those only house a 4 inch driver though. Better sound placement, but not much behind it to balance out the 6x9s driving the rear deck.

For the kick panel you're going to want something with a mounting depth of 2 inches or less for a bottom mount. Top mounting you're constricted by the parking brake pedal. You can off set it for clearance. If you don't ... well you've got about an inch of top mounting depth to work with.

Polk's DB651S fits the 2 inch requirement when top mounted, and is low profile to boot ... you'll have a half inch to spare.

Kicker's 40CS654 cuts it close with bottom mounting, plenty of room with top mounting. You would probably have to space the parking brake pedal with this one unless you did a custom grill ... which isn't hard to do.

Rockford Fosgate P165 can be bottom mounted no problem. Top mounting runs into the same issue as the Kicker.

The Infinity Reference 6032si is either or with room to spare. The tweeter doesn't protrude above the mounting ring.

The JVC CS-V618 is a good cheap speaker that just may squeak into a bottom mount, but a top mount would be no issue. 25 bucks at most places, on-line or walk in.

Personally, I'd go component.

Precision Power's PH2.65 is a top mount only I believe, but it's super slim and low profile. You can slap it almost anywhere without a clearance issue.

Or you can drop a half grand on a pair of Focal Polyglass.

If you're insistant on door mounting, get marine grade speakers and be sure to use dynamat or second skin for sound deadening.

Offline dave73chally

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #12 on: June 05, 2014 - 11:36:12 AM »
You could try building a small enclosure that will mount over the transmission hump, tuck it under the dash. Older Jeep's have aftermarket enclosures for this exact purpose, could look slick and hidden if it was fabbed right.
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Offline Topcat

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Re: door speakers
« Reply #13 on: June 07, 2014 - 10:40:32 PM »
Must be a typo.

ME176502 - 1970-74 MOPAR E-BODY KICK PANELS WITH 4" SPEAKER CUTOUTS

If years of faithful motoring have taken their toll on the interior of your A -Body Mopar, then these kick panels are for you. Manufactured from durable ABS plastic with factory style grain, these kick panels feature 4" speaker cutouts and will renew the appearance of your interior.

Update your stereo without hacking up your interior!

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Applications:
•1970-74 Barracuda
•1970-74 'Cuda
•1970-74 Challenger
Mike, Fremont, CA.