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  1. #1

    Default Stupid question- front speaker location

    I've got a 1986 Mustang GT Convertible. The PO hacked up the door panels, and then afterward added speaker pods that cover the entire bottom side of the door (the carpeted area). They don't look "awful", but they fall off all the time, and are very annoying. I ordered new door panels through TMI, and I am waiting for those. In the mean time I've been doing some brainstorming. I would like to end up with a 7 speaker system, which means I need to retain the 6.5"s in front in some way.

    This is a very stupid question, (because there's probably no good answer) but anyone have any ideas on where to put front 6.5"s if not the doors or kickpanels? Kickpanel speakers IMO are dumb, and I'm trying to avoid cutting up new door panels... (but this will ultimately probably be the solution).

  2. #2
    Moderator wraithracing's Avatar
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    The OEM 87-93 cars had a 5.25" front door speaker. The door shell stamping is different, but you could try and do the same thing with your Vert. I will still require cutting your new door panels, but it can be made to work. I am doing a similar install for my 82 GT, but I am using different door panels than your set up.

    IMHO there is no way to fit the 6.5" speakers in the doors without some type of pod or just cutting up the door shell. The 5.25" into the Four Eyes is tough enough as it is. Best of Luck!
    ​Trey

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  3. #3
    FEP Super Member sowaxeman's Avatar
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    Speakers in the kick panel or door panel are both "sonically" dumb if you ask me. You are throwing good hi-freq sound right into your legs to be absorbed/obstructed by your clothing. Why not do a custom 2-way mix in the dash....put a mid-range 4-5" driver in the center dash opening, and 1" tweeters in the factory speaker locations. With a good crossover and 2 or 3 channel amp, that can get you ALL the sound you need out of the front. This sonically makes sense as all the mid to high frequencies would hit you in the ears after reflecting off the glass. Use the factory rear locations for a set of full range speakers, and add a sub for a killer sound system....all while maintaining your new door panels.
    Last edited by sowaxeman; 04-20-2017 at 02:38 PM.
    Jason Smith
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  4. #4

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    My current setup includes 6.5"s in the doors, 3.5"s in the dash, and a 12" CompR in back.

    I have noticed that unless I hold my leg a certain way I can hear the speaker on the drivers side being muffled. I would agree that it's a dumb place to put speakers (especially when I would have to cut up brand new panels to do so), but I guess its been convenient for manufacturers all this time.

    Between my 3.5"s and 12 I can cover everything but the higher midbass. Your solution sounds worth investigating. I like it.

  5. #5

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    This is really a can of worms.

    The real questions to answer are how far you want to go with the system design and how much you want to spend.

    Putting mid-bass speakers in the doors is not a bad idea. They just need to be cut off at the proper frequency so they blend well with the dash speakers and (if you have a sub-woofer) integrate the bass speaker in the back so that the staging comes from the front. The latter requires a band pass filter for the front woofers. The whole "leg movement" issue is do to the fact that the door speakers are crossed too high if at all. The other thing you want to avoid is the door skin vibration and window linkage rattles that can be associated with a door mounted woofer. The rattles can be very annoying and very hard to trace down and fix with even modest power levels. This can however be worked out with a little time and attention to detail.

    Mounting a mid woofer in the center of the dash also has its merits and its trade-offs as well. The staging can be easier than door mounted woofers.....sometimes. Everything is where you need it physically, but depending on how you want to control the center driver you will need a mono signal, a dual voice coil driver or some type of circuit (active or passive) so that it blends well with the left and right dash channels. Another issue with this set-up is power handling of the center driver. Depending on how loud you want to play the system it can be hard to find a single driver that small (5x7?, 4x6?) that will handle much power or cone excursion down low, say 50 cycles or so crossing to a sub. After all we are talking mid-bass duty here. There can also dash vibration to deal with at high volume levels. Again, attention to detail

    There is no real reason to need a 7 speaker system. And more good news, if your system is well thought out and you use quality components it doesn't have to break the bank either. Keep it as simple as possible. It is a convertible to start with and my 86 vert is pretty noisy inside unless it is sitting still so you are not setting up a sound studio. If you choose to keep the woofers in the front you really only need 4 good clean strong channels for the front (2 for the dash and 2 for the woofers) and one strong channel for the sub. Pick your crossover points carefully and you will be fine.

    One other thing. The head unit. I am not sure what you are planning for this but there are many ways to go including factory. This decision will have some bearing on the rest of the system.

    Hope this helps
    Matthew

  6. #6

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    I agree that a 7 speaker system isn't necessary, but I like the idea (I had it in my old car). I run a KDC-BT562U head unit. I have my 3.5"s and 6.5"s crossed over at 100Hz (they're wired in parallel, and crossed over at the head unit. I have my 12" CompR crossed over at 85Hz. I had this whole stereo + KS series 6x9's in my old car (2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible), and the setup would about blow you out of the car.

    I've thought about moving the 6.5"s into the rear, and getting tweeters I could put in the air vents, and run them parallel to either the 3.5"s or whatever I would end up putting in the center (if I do that, and it would have to be dual voice coil in that case).

  7. #7
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Tweeters in the air vents plus small boxes for 6.5" midbass woofer under the seats can work great. A downward firing setup with a bounce board would let you suspend the speakers themselves off the bottom of the spring assembly of the bucket seats while ensuring a forward staging is achieved

    Amps have to go in the trunk with that setup but it's ok with a cooling fan.

    rear speakers and dash speakers would round out the system.

  8. #8
    FEP Power Member smitty54's Avatar
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    Speakers in the door panels can look almost stock if tastefully done. I've got an 84 GT convertible. I've got a six speaker system and it sounds fine. I've got two Rockford Fosgate tweeters in my dash, 2 Rockford 5.25 speakers in my door panels, and the two stock 6.25 speakers under the carpet in the rear quarters panels. Name:  P1040627.jpg
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    "Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac."
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    Rick
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  9. #9

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    Clean install Smitty.

  10. #10
    FEP Power Member smitty54's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 86FOX4EYE View Post
    Clean install Smitty.
    Thanks!
    "Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac."
    George Carlin, Rest in peace

    Rick
    84 GT Convertible
    68 Cougar XR7
    14 Ford Explorer Limited

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