Removing dash pad to replace speakers.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,180
Likes: 297
From: Sarasota Florida
Removing dash pad to replace speakers.
I know, I know. This topic has been beat to death. Here's a question for those who "cracked" their dash pad while trying to remove it. Where does it typically crack?
I assume the "frame" is made of a material similar to the plastic that is used for the front and rear consoles. I ask, because both of mine were cracked badly. and I was able to make a strong repair with fiberglass mat.
Old man Russ
EDIT: I'm tempted to abandoned the dash speakers and just go with the kick panel speakers. Anyone do this?
I assume the "frame" is made of a material similar to the plastic that is used for the front and rear consoles. I ask, because both of mine were cracked badly. and I was able to make a strong repair with fiberglass mat.
Old man Russ
EDIT: I'm tempted to abandoned the dash speakers and just go with the kick panel speakers. Anyone do this?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 779
From: Persona Non Grata
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Are you replacing the radio? It uses, IIRC, 10 ohm speakers. You can put speakers in kick panels. I believe 68 & 69 were there, so you should be able to get speakers suitable for that installation.
I put, I think, 5x7 in mine, back in the long ago days, in the kick panel.
I put, I think, 5x7 in mine, back in the long ago days, in the kick panel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,325
Likes: 721
From: Marietta GA
I read tons of how to’s on the Forum. I have a 73 and wanted to go back with original radio and new speakers. Since it was the middle of winter, I couldn’t leave the car in the hot sun to warm the dash pad. After a couple of days of thinking, I used my wife’s trusty old
heating pad. I let it sit on the dash pad (around the middle) for a hour or so (on high). Once I was satisfied that the pad was pliable, I pulled the middle of the pad up toward the rear view mirror, so the right and left sides would not touch the A Pillars. It worked like a charm. Once I installed the new speakers, I used the heating pad once again to get the middle of the dash pad pliable, and reinstalled it in the car. Go slow and let the abetting pad do it’s job. Take your time.
Eli
heating pad. I let it sit on the dash pad (around the middle) for a hour or so (on high). Once I was satisfied that the pad was pliable, I pulled the middle of the pad up toward the rear view mirror, so the right and left sides would not touch the A Pillars. It worked like a charm. Once I installed the new speakers, I used the heating pad once again to get the middle of the dash pad pliable, and reinstalled it in the car. Go slow and let the abetting pad do it’s job. Take your time.
Eli
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,180
Likes: 297
From: Sarasota Florida
I read tons of how to’s on the Forum. I have a 73 and wanted to go back with original radio and new speakers. Since it was the middle of winter, I couldn’t leave the car in the hot sun to warm the dash pad. After a couple of days of thinking, I used my wife’s trusty old
heating pad. I let it sit on the dash pad (around the middle) for a hour or so (on high). Once I was satisfied that the pad was pliable, I pulled the middle of the pad up toward the rear view mirror, so the right and left sides would not touch the A Pillars. It worked like a charm. Once I installed the new speakers, I used the heating pad once again to get the middle of the dash pad pliable, and reinstalled it in the car. Go slow and let the abetting pad do it’s job. Take your time.
Eli
heating pad. I let it sit on the dash pad (around the middle) for a hour or so (on high). Once I was satisfied that the pad was pliable, I pulled the middle of the pad up toward the rear view mirror, so the right and left sides would not touch the A Pillars. It worked like a charm. Once I installed the new speakers, I used the heating pad once again to get the middle of the dash pad pliable, and reinstalled it in the car. Go slow and let the abetting pad do it’s job. Take your time.
Eli
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,958
Likes: 577
From: Pittsburgh PA
I replaced the dash pad in my 68 a few months back. someone had put in a later dash pad with speakers, i went back to original. I had no problem removing it using the instructions from Willcox. removed the old and installed the new without a single crack
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,117
From: Crossville TN
If your dash speakers are still functional, you might consider just leaving them as-is and adding some good quality kickpanel speakers. If they still work, the dash speakers probably do a decent job of reproducing higher frequencies. And that is what you want from them. They reflect highs off of the [hard] windshield so that those frequencies are aimed directly at the listener's ears. The lower area speakers can do a good job of providing the mid-range and bass frequency reproduction.
Stock dash speakers are 10 ohm units. If you have a more modern stereo set with 4 ohm output impedance, wiring the 10 ohm dash speakers in PARALLEL with 8 ohm kickpanel speakers would result in [close to] a 4 ohm total speaker impedance (on each side R/L). If you don't want to risk your upper dash pad, that's how I would approach it.
P.S. Ideally, you would want the dash speakers and the lower speakers to be "in-phase" with each other. But since those speakers are producing [primarily] different frequencies, that may not be a big deal.
Stock dash speakers are 10 ohm units. If you have a more modern stereo set with 4 ohm output impedance, wiring the 10 ohm dash speakers in PARALLEL with 8 ohm kickpanel speakers would result in [close to] a 4 ohm total speaker impedance (on each side R/L). If you don't want to risk your upper dash pad, that's how I would approach it.
P.S. Ideally, you would want the dash speakers and the lower speakers to be "in-phase" with each other. But since those speakers are producing [primarily] different frequencies, that may not be a big deal.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,180
Likes: 297
From: Sarasota Florida
[QUOTE=AdamMeh;1599940805]We are running 6x9 in the rear and 5 1/4 rounds in the kick panels. The 5 1/4 fit well - no cutting of anything except the plastic kick panels.
/QUOTE]
I've got the 6X9's ready to install. There's no way I could fit 5 1/4 rounds in my kick panels without chopping. However, I've got some new 4X6's that I'll put in. Right now my new radio is back to the manufacture for a glitch repair.
/QUOTE]
I've got the 6X9's ready to install. There's no way I could fit 5 1/4 rounds in my kick panels without chopping. However, I've got some new 4X6's that I'll put in. Right now my new radio is back to the manufacture for a glitch repair.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 23,367
Likes: 1,061
From: Virginia USA
If you are pulling your dash panel pulling the A pillar moldings will give you a little more room. Makes the job a whole lot easier IMO. Someday I'll replace my cracked dash in my '71 and Willcox said he could get a '71 without the speaker holes and that is what I'll do because I only listen to one channel when I drive my Vette. Channel V8
