I just bought a nicely restored '70 GS455 convertible. Car is awesome -- but radio sucks. I haven't looked real closely yet, but it appears to have a single speaker at the mid dash. If I install a newer style radio/CD in the dash, where should I put speakers? I understand that cutting holes in anything may be frowned upon, but I can't hear the radio over the loud custom dual exhaust (and that ain't goin' ) I'm looking for ideas as to what would be the easiest to go back to stock if needed. I had a Cutlass convertible that had speakers placed in the kick panels. I really don't want to cut into the door panels. Are the kick panels an option on the GS, and are they easily replaced? Any other ideas?
I have a conv. also. I put 5.25" speakers in the kick panels. I put a 100 watt amp in the trunk and built a speaker box for two 6x9 speakers with quick disconnects. That way, if 4 people want to go for a cruise, easy to remove the rear seat speakers.
Several people have made a plate for a pair of speakers that fit in the center of the dash. Not much bass, but with an amp it can be heard on the highway with the roof down. 6x9's in boxes with quick disconnects are popular. One person bought surface mount speakers that resemble headrests for the back seat. I've seen enclosures built that rest on the trans tunnel and have the stereo, amp and speakers built in. If you use a hidden antennae in the enclosure you only need to supply power and ground making it easy to remove the whole stereo when you want. I've got 3.5 inch speakers in the dash and a WOOX subwoofer hidden in a center console. Sounds surprisingly good. Earthquake makes some shallow mount subwoofers that I'm considering building enclosures that replace the back seat armrests. If it's covered with cloth that matches the interior color they'll be invisible. I just need to see if I can get enough volume in the enclosure. Good Luck, John
I have a pair of 6x9 boxes. also my top well is rather deep and over sized. I put the boxes in the well and I can put the top down on them. when the top is up it's plenty loud. and can kinda hear them when the top is down. I also sometimes move the boxes to the back seat when the top is down and nobody else is riding. -nate
Clarion makes an under seat subwoofer with built in power supply and adjustments via a remote....might be worth trying out. later Tim
tpetty (is that Tom, Tim or ??) Congrats on your purchase of Bill Dini's red convertible 70, you have yourself a beautiful car, and welcome to the best damn message board in town! Chris
My '68 has aftermarket kick panels with speakers built in. Not sure where they came from as they were in the car when I bought it. If you don't want to cut up your original panels, this would be the way to go. Then just hold on to the originals. I Googled for it and Custom Auto Sounds has kick panels for Chevelles (naturally), but I think they will fit. But you could do a little more searching.
I put mine in the rear well also but the problem is that i drive the car with the top down and then you can barely hear them. I thought about the kick panels but from what i read you do not have the air vent working then. ED K
Yeah, Bill was great to work with. He installed the top and a few other tweaks after the sale, making my life a lot easier. I'm waiting until my '70 Cutlass convertible sells before I spend any $$ on the sound system. Todd
I just picked up a 69 Vert. Someone had put 6x9 in the rear side panels, right below the ashtray. You can have the panels if you want to try them. Just pay for shipping. They are red. Thanks, Rich
Thanks for the offer Rich, but I think I'm going to stick with upgrading the dash speaker and maybe installing kick panel speakers.
Yea, I wouldn't have done that either. Here's what I'd do though. Dash speaker, somone has made one that consists of two 4" or so, right and left, keep these for your higher Fq's, kick panel for mid range and a sub under the seat, or in the trunk. Get a crossover that's adjustable. I would cross to the sub aroung 100Hz, 6" mid should go up to about 3 to 5K and the top would take the rest. Should get you close and would keep distortion low. Rich
Dat be me !! Rear speakers are on sheet metal "L" brackets that slip into mount behind back seat - totally removeable for those Ultra-conservative shows. Tweeters are hidden in the upper Air ducts - doesn't affect airflow at all. Still working on a Sub setup.....
Head unit is mounted in the center A/C vent hole - my car is non-A/C. Picked up a A/C pad cheap ... Fit couldn't be better If I had spent 100 hrs on a custom install. Radio mount is simply sheet-metal screwed to the top structure.
Something else you could do for the stereo is go to a Radio Shack or another stereo shop and get an enclosure that the stereo sits in and it mounts under the dash.I put mine under the A/C controls and my knees don't hit it and it's easily accessible.They cost around $15-$20.The kick panels with the speakers already built in would be the way to go.Custom Autosound is who makes them and you can get them through Year One or Original Parts Group.
Speakers- Hey there- I bought the kickpanel speakers for my 72 Custom Vert from Custom Auto Sound. Here is my opinion. They fit PERFECTLY-literally 5 minutes to install, and the screw holes are dead on. However, I felt the speakers where of poor quality. So-I decided to head down to my local stereo shop, and upgraded to Alpines. They had to have new screw holes drilled, and they are close to the edge of the cutout for the speaker, but sufficient plastic to tap for the holes. The CAS speakers use the screw "clips" to grab the side of the enclosure-not holes. The other thing is that the driver side is TIGHT! You must have a shallow depth speaker-take the kickpanel with you when buying speakers. I also have modified my dash bracket and have 4" speakers there, running of a Pioneer 25x25watt head unit. It sounds fine, definitely covers highs and mids, but I need a underseat subwoofer for any wothwhile bass at volume...around town, and on the highway at mid-level volumn it sounds good, even very good, just lacks real bass. And I have a aftermarket dual exhaust too....fine to overcome that. Just my 2 cents-
