Dash frames and pads question

[Gumby]

Hi everybody, are all dash frames stamped for outboard speakers - even if they didn't come with them? and can you use a single peaker pad, and just install the outer grills onto it (ie- do you really need a three speaker pad?) Thanks!

[Cuda Cody]

Dash frames are all the same and will work with 3 speaker or single speaker dash pads.  Single speaker pads will not work well with 3 speakers.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Dash frames are all the same and will work with 3 speaker or single speaker dash pads.  Single speaker pads will not work well with 3 speakers.

 

   

All the frames have provisions to punch out the outer speakers, but I don't know how you would do that to the dashpad and still make it look good.

[Gumby]

What could be the difference? You would just be cutting the foam where the grill overlays. Wouldn't the contour and everything be the same? I realize I will need to hog out the metal frame to get bigger speakers (magnet wise) in there, but the basic pad can't be different is it? I just want it to look stock from the outside in. Underneath the dash will be the hidden upgrades. The only reason I am asking, is that I'm in the middle of BF Egypt, and don't have anything to compare except small crappy pictures of the dash pads. Customizing is not a problem, unless the dashes are completely contoured differnetley. My pad is single speaker, and I just want to add speakers to the outsides. I basically just want to know if the grill contour will fit the single speaker dash. What would be the difference between a dash pad with no outer and a dash pad with outers? Just a hole in the Vinyl? My pad is brand new and I didn't want to have to buy a different one if it is shaped different. My goal is to have 2 pairs up front. One pair outboard, and one pair in the middle slot. I would not have thought Mopar would have spent so much on so many variations! lol Thanks ahead of time!

[MEK-Dangerfield]

OK, I understand your situation better now. As far as contour goes. the single and 3 speaker dashpad are the same. I just have never seen someone modify a single speaker dashpad to a 3 speaker setup. I'm not saying it can't be done, so you may be the first to actually try. I assume you have the outer speaker grills already?

I'm anxious to see how this turns out for you. Are you installing your middle speakers in the door panels?

[burdar]

My original single speaker dash pad core had provisions for the side speakers.  They were stamped in the metal but weren't cut out.  That means that the pad cores are the same...the speaker holes were just punched out if three speakers were called for.  I don't see why you couldn't convert a single speaker core pretty easily.

I guess I don't know how the side speakers attach but I assume just like the center speaker grill....a couple screws into the metal core?

[Cuda Cody]

Anything is possible.  Since I've never done that type of modification I don't want to say the outside speaker grilles are a perfect fit on a single speaker pad, but they should all be the same basic shape.  Remember if you're working with new restored dash pad, that could be a whole other deal with the shape.  I've seen some really good ones and some that could have been done better.

There's also many other ways to get a good sound out of a single speaker front dash and rear speakers.  Look at this stock looking set up that Mike sells on ebay....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-74-Mopar-AM-FM-Radio-E-Body-Cuda-Challenger-/300414152730?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item45f214301a#ht_2300wt_1396

I've used this radio and he has some nice speakers that give a good sound, iPod capable with a 100% stock look.   You can find them here....

http://www.retrosoundusa.com

Call Mike and he should be able to help you out a ton.  Good luck and let us know how it turns out.   

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I guess I don't know how the side speakers attach but I assume just like the center speaker grill....a couple screws into the metal core?

Not really. They have some kind of brace underneath. I just know this by watching E-Bay for years.

[Gumby]

OK, I understand your situation better now. As far as contour goes. the single and 3 speaker dashpad are the same. I just have never seen someone modify a single speaker dashpad to a 3 speaker setup. I'm not saying it can't be done, so you may be the first to actually try. I assume you have the outer speaker grills already?

I'm anxious to see how this turns out for you. Are you installing your middle speakers in the door panels?

No, haven't decided yet. Polk and Infinity make some very nice small speakers. Crutchfield even has a sale on the Infinity's - buy one pair get one free. They are high quality and handle pretty decent power for small speakers. I would put 1 pair out bound, and 1 pair mounted on a plate in the middle. I have some nice Polk 6 x 9 MOMO to mount under the rear shelf, and will do it so no grill is visible. Maybe a sub, maybe not - depending on how it sounds. Someone previously cut the doors and door panels, but mounted the speakers so they were completely behind the dash when the door was closed. WHAT? lol. Cheapie Spark-O-Matics to add insult. Maybe mids in kick panels. I'm hoping the 2 pair in the dash will equalize the 6 x 9 in the rear, maybe have to add a sub. UPDATE! WELL bummer on the Infinity's - Cyber Monday only deal. I just tried to order them and no luck. $99 bux for 4 NICE speakers. Would have been a heck of a deal. Oh well. Crutchfield is great. Prices are good and always an American who knows English to talk to. Worth every penny. Back to the thread - I just ordered the grills off ebay yesterday. I will make this work and look factory stock from above. And it will sound good. I just need a little help and input here from you guys! lol. I'm used to B bodies. I don't know sqaut about E bodies. The learning curve is fast and expensive! lol.

[Gumby]

OK, I understand your situation better now. As far as contour goes. the single and 3 speaker dashpad are the same. I just have never seen someone modify a single speaker dashpad to a 3 speaker setup. I'm not saying it can't be done, so you may be the first to actually try. I assume you have the outer speaker grills already?

I'm anxious to see how this turns out for you. Are you installing your middle speakers in the door panels?

Actually, this will be a 4 speaker set up in the dash. 1 outboard pair and 1 pair in the middle section. I was raised in the Tim The Tool Man Taylor era. If one is good, 4 is better. lol. No there is a reason behind this, mostly because of the lack of speaker mounting place without hacking and looking tacky. I like stock look on interior. And exterior. Stealth.

[peterro]

I'll throw in my $.02 since I just went through this. I purchased a restored pad a number of years ago and my core was a single speaker. I ordered a 3 speaker pad. What it looks like they did was take a single speaker pad and used some templates and cut out the proper holes. This was likely based on previous cores/restores that had the real 3 speaker setup. As previous posters mention, the location is on all the pads. I have no knowledge of the contour on the surface of the pad but my grills fit nicely.

If I had to do it over again, I would only go with a single dash pad. What I found was that the frame holes for the outer speakers probably fit the standard 3" speaker technology from 1970 but current 3" speakers have magnets nearly as large as the speakers and won't fit into the frame below without some custom work.

I used the custom audio (or something like that) 4x10 dual channel speaker and left the outer speaker holes empty. I'm not sure how good the speaker is but I've always thought the music comes out of the tailpipes so I just want something reasonable.

Hope that helps.

[Gumby]

LOL! yes Peterro, the good music does come out of the tailpipes. And that is where I will most likely listen to it. But when I want to hear " Highway Star" or "I'm in Love With My Car", I want to crank it up a bit. To each his own! lol. I plan on driving every day in the good months, so I want a good sound system. In my old 73 Charger, I had 4 6 x9s in the rear shlf and coaxils up front. That was before they had good speakers or good sound systems. It worked fine. loll! Plus you aren't really limited to three inch speakers. The sky is the limit depending how high you want to go. I just want the stock grills on the stock pad. I really do appreciate your experiances. I figured on pulling the entire dash for Gauge work and everything, and thought this would be the way to go.Do it all at once. Thank you.

[JayBee]

I've done 2 of these "single speaker to 3-way speaker" mods in my time. The holes were cut out using a pattern from a factory original 3 speaker dashpad, you can see that they aren't round. The frames were also opened up (butchered) to accept the newer larger speaker magnets. The vinyl was easy enough to cut, the metal was cut with tin snips and finished off using a die grinder. The die grinder's large stone did a nice job of finishing/smoothing off the foam in the dashpad too. I did notice that once the grills were put in they did compress the pad's foam a fair bit to sit flat. Someone on here put they're grills on a press to lessen the curvature and not compress the foam as much, I didn't do that. One thing to keep in mind, if the grill screw holes in the mounting brackets were enlarged the grills will never tighten down far enough to sit flat. As a precaution I peened those holes just to be sure. The last picture was taken off ebay, they aren't mine.

[Gumby]

Thank you everybody that responded, and thank you JayBee for the info and the pics. This site continues to amaze me with all the good people and all the good info!