I want to put some tunes in my Belair. Please keep in mine that I know NOTHING about car audio. I did some searching on here and it looks like the Ipod/MP3 player setup would be a good option ( I don't have one yet). What should I get for a amp? speakers? I want to put them in the front kick panels and in the package tray. I am not a stereo nut so I really can't tell a good system from a bad by listening to it. I don't want to spend a buttload of money but I want something halfway decent. Any ideas? Thanks, Todd
Look at Ryans write up, ive sent that link to a few of my buddies asking the same thing. Any name brand speakers and amp will work. Make sure your grounds are good and its easy. I think the last time I was looking at amazon some of the kicker speakers are cheap and the sounded great in my buddies jeep.
I'm sure you don't want to piss money away but if you walk into any Bestbuy and tell them what you want to do and they will hook you right up, probably even install it pretty cheap. Its all really simple. The first thing I learned to do on cars was wire car audio, now I can do it in my sleep (I even beat the dreaded Corvette engine ground noise)! Any name brand 4 or more channel amp(don't get too hung up on the wattage), a headphone to rca splitter, or I-pod to rca addaptor, 4 name brand speakers that will fit where you want them to go, some wire, and an amp instal kit and your good to go! As shocker said make good solid grounds, and be sure to use fuses! Let us know what you decide to do! I'm about to tackle mine so the wife will be happy. But not till after I cover the gapping hole around my shifter or she won't even get in it any way!
Acoustics play a large part. Kick panel spkrs sound terrible, regardless of quality. Door and pkge tray MUCH better. Problem is, most people won't cut the doors. But it does sound MUCH better. If you have a car, or a friend that has door speakers that sound really good....remove them and let them hang on the floor while the music's playing. You won't believe the difference. Kick panels offer non friendly acoustic value similar to the speaker just hanging in mid air. Same with spkrs in the stock dash position-worthless no matter how good the spkr is. However, if you have an amplified sub woofer it'll make up for the lack of depth in your kick panel spkrs. JMO
What year bel-air Todd? In my 54 150 I made a bracket to mount two 5 1/4" speakers behind the grill in the middle of the dash. I then mounted a small two channel amp basically right behind where the OEM radio was in the car. Drilled one hole in the dash for a volume knob (PAC piece). Ran the ipod cable where it comes up through the seat. The best part is you can't see any of it. You can hide the ipod cable under the seat and no one thinks you have any tunes in the car. Its not super loud or anything but definitley loud enough to cruise with the windows down on the highway. I would compare it to the stereo on a bagger harley maybe? When I do the audio in my 53 - 210, I plan on using this: http://www.kicker.com/pxi502 Pretty cool little amp designed for powersports. Would work awesome in a hot rod. Good luck man. Chris EDIT: Anderson beat me to it.. exactly what I did on my 54 as well..
If you leave the kickpanels as they are then,yes,they'll probably suck. Do them up as one would in a "modern" model w/fibreglass,etc.,and the acoustics will be phenomenal! You don't need the best equip.,you just need to know what to do to make it the best.
I followed the ipod thread for my 64 Belair, except I installed 2 speakers (6x9) in the package tray. I used $100ish infinity 6x9's and a 350watt? Kenwood amp. It ROCKS! I wouldn't have thought that 2 speakers could do what these do. My 2 cents - spend the money you were gonna spend on 4 good speakers, and dump it all into 2 great speakers. You don't "get more mileage from a cheap pair of speakers".
My other "advise" is to buy an Ipod with a radio tuner. I got 1400+ tunes on my Ipod, but they get old????? I like the randomness of the radio, and they have alot more than 1400 tunes - for free.
Just put the setup from Ryan's thread in my brother's '50 coupe last week. It works great and is totally hidden from sight when you want it to be.
i have an inexpensive sony which came with a remote and aux input for an ipod. i use a usb thumb drive as it has a usb port on the radio 800 or so songs and more room to go on the drive
I'm not an audio freak so run speakers in the kick panel of my '32 3 window was fine with me. The AM/FM/CD was mounted under the dash. I burn my own CD's so that set-up was fine. My Biscayne, I had 2 great speakers mounted in the doors and since no one rides with me, I had none in the package tray. My gauges were mounted where the radio use to be so the stereo was mounted again, under the dash. For my ears, both systems sounded great, but then again, I'm not picky.
Hi guys, I can build you a fully self contained and rechargeable stereo that connects to your mp3 player without cutting up your dash. Nice thing about it is its portable. You're welcome to PM me if its of any more interest. Best, Steve.
Hey Tugg, I have an Extra AM/FM/CD/MP3 player that you are more than welcome to have. I have wired many stereo's over time and would be more than happy to help you out. There is a place in Norwich where you can get top rate speakers for good prices. Let me know, Chuck
Some of it depends on how much you care about things being hidden. Ryan's thread is a good one and is the route I am considering. One thing about his setup is that it has a volume control...his is on the dash with an old window crank knob but you could hide the volume control pretty easy. I think this is the most important feature if you are going the Ipod to amp route...adjusting the volume while driving on an Ipod is a pain. Plus, with the adapter he used the Ipod uses line level output which sound better than the headphone jack...plus it will charge the thing. For me one big consideration is my car is a noisy POS so I am not going to invest in super high quality components, I'll leave that for my home equipment. Finally, in regard to the kick panels...the same applies for anywhere you mount a speaker where you don't get the "bass reflex" effect of an enclosure. So, anything you can do when mounting speakers for give them some sort of "enclosure" will tighten up the sound.
Chuck, That would be cool. Is what you have what I am looking for?? Like I said I know NOTHING about audio shit. I understand women more than car audio, so what does that tell you!!! It sound from the other input that I may want to not go with the kick panel speakers. They do make a dual speaker that goes in my original dash speaker spot. It may be a better option.
I think the best way to go about it is let me look at it and then you tell me what you are looking to do. We can make this happen brotha! The big question is how loud you want it? LOL...... Shouldn't be a big deal at all! Chuck
I am getting ready to attack the audio as well in my ole' truck. Right now I'm thinking of putting a portable BOSE sound doc in on a removable mount. I have done some research into these and they hold an 8 hour charge, run right off your iPod and you can re-charge them in the car. <O</O <O</O Think it will be neat to be able to pop it out and tailgate with it at the car shows. I am just curious about the sound quality inside the truck (although every other BOSE I have heard are awesome). I'm still debating it right now.<O</O <O</O Here is a link check it out. http://www.bose.com/controller?url=...ounddock_systems/sounddock_portable/index.jsp
Chuck, I am not a stereo NAZI by any means. I just want some tunes in my car. Bumper to Bumper on rt 12 in Groton is having a cruise night Friday night if you want to stop by. I will be there for sure. Or give me a call. Thanks, Todd
Cool mang! I am going to Attelboro Friday night for a nice Portguise dinner with some peeps, but I will deffinetelly have time on Sunday. Private message me your phone number and we can possibly meet up if you are around. Chuck
I used a RediRad with the original radio in my 54. Plug n play type install and is easily hidden under the dash. http://www.rediscoveradio.com/
after 10 years of cd's (in my kenwood 10-cd changer) skipping everytime i hit a bump, i changed out the receiver for one that uses a usb thumb drive,, it was still a kenwood, so it plugged right in.. i went to best buy with a thumb drive and shopped for a model i would like and then saved around $30 by getting it from ebay. (i know, not too ethical) then i use a 6 x 6 speaker under the dash where the original was, and an 6 x 9 speaker in the rear shelf, with an amp in the trunk..and that's it.. i went for an original interior look, one rear seat speaker only (for the rt channel) and the dash speaker for the left.. kept the original radio in the dash (non-op) but ran its radio light wire into the headlight wiring harness so the light comes on when the dashlights come on and then mounted the receiver under the dash in a mountable tray.. good luck with your project. please, go with all American music.. no British!
Ok. I've been doing some research on this and here's what I "think" I'm gonna go. A dual speaker in place of the original speaker, 2- 6X9's in the package tray. My stock radio does not work so The Redirad is out. So I'm just going to go the Ipod route. Any suggestions for a decent amp at for a good price? Thanks, Todd
I've got dual speakers too... with chrome extensions coming out just under my rear bumper. That's the only "tunes" I need!
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