Folks I've seen a few posts on whether you should or shouldn't put a radio in your car. Well I am. So here is my question what are the best Styles of speakers to run, please dont say the obvious and say component speakers. I mean like 5x7,6x9, 5 1/4, 6 1/2, etc. or does it just boil down to what fits? Next question, since our cars are old and some didnt come with speakers. How do I find out what fits without buying different speakers and trying them out? Is there a resource out there for this? Thanks
I'll throw my hat into the ring, although I have no clue what the vehicle is you're working on... Assuming you are going to stick with the traditional audio equipment (OEM radio and stock speaker(s))(on a related note, PM on its way...), just run what will fit in the dash. IMO, if you use a stock radio with a single speaker output and hang TWO speakers on it willy-nilly, you may be adding a lot of stress (and heat!) to the internal audio amplifier. (O/T, but a 'component speaker' isn't obvious to me... WTH is that?) IMO, you are better off having an original speaker re-coned because you have a guarantee that it will fit properly. If you do not have the original speaker available, have you either gone to salvage yards, their websites or the wallet-emptying world of ePay?
Just like I posted on a previous thread. Put in a stereo/radio..............hello STREET ROD..........goodby HOT ROD. Frank
All c'mon Fab.... If it wasn't for the radio in our rides when we were 18, how would we have ever learned about Smokey Robinson, the Ventures or The Beach boys and we certainly would have missed the British invasion of 1964. I would not do it today the way that we did it back then with huge holes in the kick panels and door bottoms cut out with tin snips. Now that I'm older than dirt, I just want to listen to my pipes.
In my 50 Chevy, I picked up an under dash Kleenex box to hide the radio in. Rear deck 6x9 speakers under old musical note flat covers. Kinda remember a HAMB tech post about retro fitting an old factory radio to use an mp3 player or ipod .
Sorry Guys I should have given more info.. As much as I am going with a traditional 50's custom to the exterior. The interior isn't going to be. I purchased a 1950 Mercury with a center consul. I'm going to keep it, because I like the bucket front seats. So I have plenty of space for a stereo in the consul. Here's a picture of it. This is being completely reworked so don't kill me GUYS... I have to have tunes... Without hijacking my own thread do any of you guys have photos on Center consuls?. Please post them if you do..
I agree, I need tunes sometimes when I am driving (especially long drives). I have mine in the glove box currently, but I am thinking of chaning my ashtray door to drop down so I can put the radio there and have it closer to me. As for the speakers, it is hard to recommend something- it depends on what sound quality you are wanting. I would suggest hiding them somehow, it just looks better. And PLEASE don't mount a new style radio in the dash.
Put the radio in the clove box or the one you stick under the seat or in the trunk . As for speaker hide them in the trunk , if you want the boom , boom crap , but in my 55 Ford I will have one in the dash like it came with and one in the rear deck like the option was . Sometimes it's hard to hear the music anyway due to the loud exhaust . On the other hand a small boom box works really well too ! Then at the car shows you can stick them into the trunk or where you are sitting to listen to . Just a thought ! RetroJim
I forgot this one , you can get your original radio converted to as am/fm stereo . I see them at car shows all the time ! You can also find the ads in car mags and other related mags . Those places were even on My Classic Car before ! RetroJim
Just a FWIW: a lot of new cars are coming in with a bass woofer mounted in the spare tyre. Easy enough to do, takes up no space that wasn't already useless, and gives a good sound. Woofers, BTW, do not need to be mounted in a specific location, other than in the car. Hit the 'yards!! Cosmo
Austin Speed Shop mounted two of my speakers under the back seat with guitar cloth(?) in front and two under the dash that come out at the same center speaker original grill location. Those boys are very cleaver and made me very happy. Don't even think that that hidden key holder is still there.
I'm all for the look of nostalgia....and hiding the equipment etc., but if you were really true to the cause, you'd live the life.....not just hide everything and pretend . Myself, I don't have any problems showing what I actually use in the car, at least I'm honest to myself.....lol....and no offense intended to either side, just my opinion.
IMO the issue is not about living the life or pretending, it's about what looks good and performs up to the person's standards. No way I want to hear a bunch of AM static outta my one orignial center speaker, nor did I want the focus on my dash to be the original radio sticking right out the top of the dash smack dap in the center. My new stereo sounds awesome especially for a convertible and yes my new stereo still shows even though it's relocated under the dash. It's just not the focus for my eyes when they sweep across the dash. Makes no difference to me what anyone else thinks about it.
They sound GREAT, alot better then the ones under the back seat. I drive with the top down all the time though so I don't expect perfect sound.
Wow...!!! Funniest thing,back when I was in high school, 1957-61, if you didn't have music (radio blasting out KOMA in OK City, KIOA in Des Moines, Ia or Dick Biondi at WLS in Chicago) in your car, you were a nobody...no one would cruise with you... That's the worst excuse I've heard in reference to hot rod/street rod...I have six 6 x 9 speakers in my Caddy...I love cruisin' music on my way to a rod run... R-
As far as sound systems go.. if you want really nice sound get a set of tweeters for the highs (quite a few sizes), some nice mid bass speakers (5 1/4 or 6 1/2) maybe a set 4" speakers for the sounds in between mid and high, and for that low end thump a woofer in what ever size you choose.. Throw an amp on the components and one on the sub, you could run it through a C.D. head unit, or rig up an iPod or MP3 to your amps. For a sub if you don't want a huge box in the trunk Kicker makes a Solo Classic sub that likes really small boxes, or you can go with a shallow mount that you could fit under a seat.. I've seen some interesting amp/sub combo deals that fit real nice under seats too, and they sound suprisingly good... As far as brands go Kicker, JL, Infinty, Eclipse, Rockford, Pioneer, and MTX all make good speakers/amps.. There are alot of really nice high end audio companies too but your payin' a whole lot more for a difference the average person probably couldn't tell..
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