[C1] '61 Speaker Install Technique
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,184
Likes: 40
From: Overland Park, KS
2017 C4 of the Year Finalist
'61 Speaker Install Technique
At a recent car show my long running project to get my '61 back together was casually discussed. Somehow we got on the subject of radios and speakers and I described how I install the speaker by myself. Someone said I should post it so here it is.
To understand what I do visualize the speaker as being under the dash pad and then you are going to run two equal lengths of fish line (about 5 feet) through the speaker holes on each end and then through the matching dash pad holes. I then remove all the slack, attach a soft coated rubber weight to hold the speaker in place, put in the grill and bezel and then partially install the speed nuts. I then next cut and remove the fish line and then tighten down the bezel.
The process takes less than 10 minutes.
To understand what I do visualize the speaker as being under the dash pad and then you are going to run two equal lengths of fish line (about 5 feet) through the speaker holes on each end and then through the matching dash pad holes. I then remove all the slack, attach a soft coated rubber weight to hold the speaker in place, put in the grill and bezel and then partially install the speed nuts. I then next cut and remove the fish line and then tighten down the bezel.
The process takes less than 10 minutes.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 17,571
Likes: 3,461
From: Fresno California
Having a '61 myself, and a newly acquired Wonderbar and speaker, I was unaware that it was that difficult....I haven't really looked at it, but it doesn't seem worse than a lot of cars. Is the fishing line method a timesaver, or a better way to do it? I would be inclined to hold the speaker up there from underneath and reach around and start a fastener and go from there.
Racer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 277
Likes: 31
From: Park Ridge NJ
Having a '61 myself, and a newly acquired Wonderbar and speaker, I was unaware that it was that difficult....I haven't really looked at it, but it doesn't seem worse than a lot of cars. Is the fishing line method a timesaver, or a better way to do it? I would be inclined to hold the speaker up there from underneath and reach around and start a fastener and go from there.
Holding the speaker and starting the speed nut is doable, but much easier said than done. I actually had the issue the stubs on my speaker grille were like 1/16' too short which took me a lot of frustration to get the speaker in. Not sure this would have saved me any time but it's an interesting idea!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 17,571
Likes: 3,461
From: Fresno California
The idea of inadvertently sticking a finger through the cone of a new speaker while trying to hold onto it makes this option more and more attractive! I'll look into it when I get around to mine.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
I must be more dexterous than some of the posters here...
I haven't had to think twice about installing a radio speaker in a C1...but I have long arms and spaghetti fingers...
This is definitely a 'first world' problem...
I haven't had to think twice about installing a radio speaker in a C1...but I have long arms and spaghetti fingers...
This is definitely a 'first world' problem...
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Pro
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 606
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From: Lake Norman NC
2020 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Corvette of the Year Finalist 2018
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2015 C1 of Year Finalist
I've installed front speakers in two C1's; the toughest issue was short/broken studs on the speaker bezels. John's tip would have helped immensely at the time!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,184
Likes: 40
From: Overland Park, KS
2017 C4 of the Year Finalist
Thanks for the comments. I find this to be easy and almost no risk. Oh - and my arms aren't really long, I'm "older" and not too dexterous any more and my thumbs are damaged from decades of computer coding and related work.
Enough said. On to figuring out how to run my car off the front carb only so I can pump a lot of gas through it.
Enough said. On to figuring out how to run my car off the front carb only so I can pump a lot of gas through it.