I know it has been discussed before, but in my search I haven't found a satisfying answer yet... In this thread:

/forums/ubbthrea...true#Post110294

it is discussed, but I am still looking for a good pic of the different options for the rear speakers in a 67 convertible. John has this nice pic on his helpfull website where the speaker is mounted in the side rear panels. But what is this "stock position" that people referred to earlier?


With my car came this speaker that was loose in the trunk. Is this an original Firebird speaker? If so, where does it go?? In these pics I placed it on the console, just for the picture, but it seems to fit nicely there. Does it go under the dash, where my temperature gauge is situated?

Any pics of speakers in convertibles anybody?

Wouter,

I am interested in this as well for my '67. Good question, I will follow along.

Craig

Convertible speakers were low power shallow paper cone 6x9s mounted to the trunk floor in fiberboard (thick cardboard) boxes. The convertible top well was cut for grilles, but with the top folded down they may as well not be there at all.

I tried that first, before I installed mine in the piston covers. The problem is that "normal" 6x9 are too deep to fit in the factory cardboard box, and deeper boxes will take up space where the rear window folds down, potentially causing folds in the viny.

I installed Blaupunkt Overdrive 5x7, exceptionally shallow with good sound and synthetic cone. Did this in 2004, I am still happy with the results.

Another reasonable location would be in the armrest base.

That speaker housing shown is not a Firebird OEM part.

Thanx Vikki,

those pictures are helpfull.

I still have the original FM radio in my Bird. Not sure if its working since there are no speakers installed, not even in the front. This surprises me. In a standard FM-radio equipped car, where would the speakers have been? Always in the front kick panels AND in the back or only in those cardboard boxes in the back? Or is it probable that my front kick panels have been replaced, since there are no speakers there, or were there other places the original speakers would have been?

I am thinking of upgrading my radio and installing speakers at the same time. However, I do want to keep the original look to the radio and dash. i know CI sells a repro radio that looks like the original one, but has a CD player and every thing in it. Anybody any experience with those? Do they install easy and look the part? Any pics?

Wouter

Not many cars had the kick panel speakers(original). And very very few had the rear speakers in the convertible. Vikki has the best location for the rears if you can/will cut. I've seen them just below that in the arm rest too. There's a very good speaker that you can mount under the seats made by Secret Audio. For the rear speakers in my verts, I like to mount 6 x 9's in small boxes and put them on the floor. It isn't the best when your riders have to put their feet on them. I make them so you can move them around to accommodate. Here are the custom installed kick panel speakers on my 67;

I see no pic Jim

Now I do, my fault, my computer was @#$%^&*..

Any pics of the speakers you put on the floor in the back?

They are just 6x9 with fiberboard boxes. You could either make them or buy them at the stereo store. They have to be made fairly small to let you put the seat back all the way. They are great for jambing a picnic! LOL You can take them out and put them anywhere your wire reaches.

The stock speaker for AM/FM is in the dash, under the grille on top. It's a single paper cone 10 ohm speaker, and even when reconed don't have very good audio quality, like a transistor radio.

Only when equipped with stereo receiver or stereo tape were the stereo speakers installed. My convertible came with both the kick panel and rear speakers from the factory.

Here are the kick panel speakers (now new 4x6 speakers) in the stock location and stock grills just for reference. I also installed Tweeters in the pillar moldings up high for extra fill. Bass Shakers under the front seats, dual speakers in the dash (more fill) 6x9's in custom boxes in the trunk facing forward, an infinity 10 powered sub Basslink in the trunk. An amp and a cd changer all hooked up to an Alpine deck in the glove box.


http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i78/brettNheather/1967%20Firebird%20progress%20pix/e037.jpg
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i78/brettNheather/1967%20Firebird%20progress%20pix/100_0523.jpg

Pretty much all hidden and nothing done that can't be undone (bought aftermarket pillar moldings etc) There are LOT's of different ways you can go and lots of options. Like Secret audio etc... The Bass link or even a KENWOOD KSC-SW1 woox powerd sub is small and easy to add to any system. You can do the 6x9 in boxes in the back seat, store them on the floor, or go all out. Anything you can imagine.

Still working on mine and adding as one of my winter projects...

Brett! 67 Drop Top 455!

Nicely done Brett, looke good.

Anybody built in one of those repro radios in the original position?

Construction zone, work in progress ;

Looks good Jim.

I have the "wooden" dash & radio, and would like to keep that appearance. Does anybody have experience with those original looking repro's?

First pic is my original radio, second is from www.soundmove.com, as an example of one those repro original looking radios.

I had mine converted, but I don't believe that the claimed 45W RMS/channel is accurate. It is probably more like 45W Peak/channel. Mine works well but needs an amp or more efficient speakers. I bought my speakers based on the advertised power ratings.

You can skip sound move and let Custom Auto sound rip you off directly.

My first radio was DOA, the second one lasted 6 mos.. it will come on every now and then, but it no longer controls the 10 disc changer and has horrible reception when it is operable.

Now I do have the factory antenna, so that may contribute to the reception issue. My 10 disc changer is for sale.

I'm going back to a Kenwood KRC-2006 (2 shaft style radio), and buying a lil FM transmitter for my MP3 player.

JM,
I wouldn't buy that FM transmitter. They ruin good sound. You can put an amp under your seat and hook your MP3 directly to it. Either that or buy a Kenwood with the cassette and use the cassette adaptor for the MP3. That gives you great quality sound too. You are definitely on the right track with the MP3.

Nice, an AMP is my next purchase, already have the Kenwood and Speakers on the shelf!

I like Brett's component front speaker solution too.

thanks

Nice.

When putting something in the gloce compartment, do you cat up the compartment to make it fit? It isn't so deep...

Jim is 100 pc right...forget the FM connection, I had it for my XM at first, lousy quality...switched to direct input to the amp, now like CD quality. Simplicity is the key!

my 67 vert has the option with teh speakers and the stereo and even the 8 track on the console ahead of the shift, however that part is gone. I do have a speakers

and here is how it looks

so they little boxes that attach and face away from you towards the back, interesting set up, huh? I hope that helps!

Now everyone knows how ratty my ragtop looks now! LOL!

Crazy place to put a reart speaker indeed. I have to look in mine if there are any speakers there LOL!

I like the Snow Cruisers converted radio with the added MP3 input in this thread:

/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=118068#Post118068

Pic: http://www.frojdh.com/bilder/main.php/view/ta74/radio_02.jpg

Question is if that would work on my 67 radio... If I can find a company that would rebuilt that..

I beleive that http://www.autoradio-wagner.de in Leverkusen, Germany would be fairly close to your location?

They're offering the same kind of conversion (the equipment used are licensed by Antique Automobile Audio, FL).

I drilled a 1/4" hole in the support and attached my speaker there. However, I removed the speakers a few months ago to build small box enclosures.

Here is another..

How is the sound with the top down with your speakers in this position?

JM, are those pointed to the seat back? Can ya blast enough watts to get decent sound thru the jute and padding?

Exactly, can't imagine that it goes right through the seat..

Does it?

good questions... at first it sounded great.. but after one summer I lost thump and db..

I suspect it was due to the lack of enclosures and not the direction the speaker was facing... or possibly the cheap Custom Autosound radio..

I'll try facing the speakers in both directions once the boxes are built and the radio is teplaced and let you know the results.

So Jim, this is the AMP I've been looking at... do I just plug the MP3 player into a L/R channel input??

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7652426&type=product&id=1134701297748

Yup. I've got an adaptor that goes from headset jack to RCA. And since the amp has 4 channels, I have another adaptor that splits the RCA's into four males. That way you can input into all four channels and get the most out of your amp if you have front speakers. The only down side is I have to unplug the indash stereo to do it. But if you aren't going to use the indash much then it's not a big problem...

hmmm.. I have a cable 1/8" mini plug to a Red/White RCA plug when I hook my MP3 to the home stereo.. so are you saying to split that cable again to hit all 4 speakers?

AND.. knowing that I must unplug the stereo to use the MP3... tempts me to just put the old AM back in the dash and run everything off my MP3..

I'm just into the old hippie stuff that nobody broadcasts now anyways....

thanks!!

JM,
You got it... Just use what you have and split it into 4.

I hear what you are saying about the old AM/FM in the dash... I would do the same but the stereo I have in the dash is custom fit and really nice. I'm not tired of it yet. When I do get tired of it I'm going with an old style AM/FM cassette. The adaptor for the cassette to MP3 is awesome. The sound is perfect. The AM/FM convertors suck!

Are you just using one of those cassette interfaces Jim, I always threw those on the shelf in the old days when they came with port. cd players thinking the interface would be crap.....

I'm going to simply leave in the AM radio (until I find a good stock amfm) and use the amp/mp3 route...sounds good to me, but that may be later this summer, Im still just listnin to the engine!!

I use the cassette/MP3 adaptor in my newer car and truck. It works excellent. Great sounds. Clear as CD, maybe clearer....

Glad I did not thro them away then!

Autoradio-Wagner@gmx.de does sell new repro radios for Firebirds, as seen in this ad. It is a bit expensive though... 795 Euros, or about 1150 dollar (!)...

At the end of the ad (not in the pic) it reads further:


7/16 shafts for mounting exactly match original radio!

LED dial lights will never need replacing!

Digitally tuned AM/FM/Stereo front end provides stable, high quality reception!

All installation hardware and instructions included

Any ideas on cheaper repro radios that would fit...?

personally, i would steer clear of some of the cheaper ones...you may get the look but lousy sound. Im leaving the original restored AM in mine, and going Mp3 and a nice big amp discreetly hidden away. Bingo bango....good tunes and the original look..

thats where I am headed too... who restored the original AM?