installing speakers into the door skins - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

68 TT · 08-24-2009, 04:36 PM

After installing a CD player into the stock dash and nearly laughing myself to death after hearing it through the stock single center dash speaker I decided to put some speakers I had sitting around into the doors.

I originally wanted to put them into the door panel where they would be at a better position acoustically but after pulling the door panel and seeing the door structure behind that area unsatisfactory for the job I gave in and cut a hole in the damaged drivers door as a test. I will need to replace the drivers door down the road due to the damage it has so if this didn't work out it was no big loss.

I put the speaker template where I wanted it to be and started cutting with my air body saw. I ran into a brace behind that area but it was no big deal to cut the area of interference away to make room for the back of the speaker.

It turned out pretty good and the speakers sound great. I still need to pick up a set of water shields for them but they are in and working.

Driveway Dreams · 08-24-2009, 04:47 PM

Good job. Speakers...I wish I had them.

68 TT · 08-24-2009, 04:53 PM

I still need to make a small filler piece to go in the recessed area under part of the speaker but that will be pretty easy.

kamel · 08-25-2009, 02:10 AM

Nice. I need to do the same. Im not diggin the non functional tape deck/single speaker setup in mine. haha

68 TT · 08-25-2009, 10:55 AM

I had the same POS non-functional cassette deck and single center speaker. It made driving the truck more than a mile get a little boring.

My girls love to ride in the truck now that it has a decent sound system.

harnalien · 08-25-2009, 11:14 AM

I did the same for my 6X9's. I love 'em!

68 TT · 08-25-2009, 11:24 AM

I thought about putting bigger speakers in the doors but had a matched pair of 6-1/2's and 6x9's sitting on the shelf for anther project car that hasn't made much progress so I used what I had on hand to make the truck more user friendly.

Once I get rid of the school bus transmission and antiquated carburetor this will be a much more pleasurable truck to drive.

Right now it is just a lot of work to drive. I have a ten mile commute through the city to get to work and our stop lights are not timed at all so with the 5.13 gears I am shifting the truck up and down four times every block for ten miles. It gets tiring pretty quickly but at least with decent tunes it is bearable.

My worn out knees aren't liking the constant use of the clutch either.

Citrix · 08-25-2009, 11:31 AM

That looks cool, i had seen someone with mid/highs type speaker in their door done the same way, that is how i am going to do mine as well. What i would like to do, is gind someplace to mount the tweets....

68 TT · 08-25-2009, 11:46 AM

I have a set of separates I thought about using too.

I was going to flush mount the tweeters high on the door panel with the mids down a little further on the panel and put some 8's into the lower door kick area but I decided to keep it simple and use the regular speakers in the truck.

Citrix · 08-25-2009, 11:51 AM

Im prolly gonna take out the bench and put in either 2 buckets or 2 captain chairs in it and build the center console to house a sub too

asphaltburner · 08-25-2009, 07:13 PM

Yo! This came out well, but I have not completed head unit installation, so I've not heard them yet:

Name: 082109 006 (Custom).jpg
Views: 347
Size: 69.9 KB

Name: 082209 026 (Custom).jpg
Views: 353
Size: 76.1 KB

Nice installation 68TT! Those Sonys will sound great,...had a similar installation in my ol' '81.
Todd.

68 TT · 08-26-2009, 11:28 AM

They sound pretty good now but I know it will get a lot better when I get the voids filled so they are not running partially free air and when I get the sound mat installed in the doors & cab corners.

You can hear a bit of metal resonance right now and that will have to get fixed soon. I hate tin can noises interfering with the music plus it will help the doors sound more solid when they close and block out some of the road noise.

68 TT · 08-26-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asphaltburner

Yo! This came out well, but I have not completed head unit installation, so I've not heard them yet:

Attachment 490508

Attachment 490509

Nice installation 68TT! Those Sonys will sound great,...had a similar installation in my ol' '81.
Todd.

Your housings turned out great Todd. I didn't feel like making that kick out on the back face so I am just going to fill the void with a small separate piece and screw it to the main panel when I make the curved top filler piece.

I am probably going to paint them body color when I repaint the truck and do a complete color change. I used plastic laminate faced material so they are pretty smooth to start with. they will just need scuffed up to hold the paint.

asphaltburner · 08-26-2009, 06:54 PM

Yo! 68 TT!
Thanks, man! Damn things took about a week working on them off and on! LOTS of test fitting and shaping. And then another week to cover, build brackets for, and finally install everything. Ya just gotta love fabrication!!
I need to try for a better pic with more ambient light.
I'll look forward to seeing yours' finished and speakers installed.
I think alot of folks will get some good ideas from our two approaches to installing speakers in these types of trucks. They're just not user-friendly in this department!
Todd.

68 TT · 08-26-2009, 07:14 PM

I have all of about an hour into them start to functional tunes right now including the time it took to run the wiring up to the CD player. Quick & simple.

Probably add another hour to get the infill pieces done, seal them up and paint them.

Yours are a work of art, mine are bang for the buck.

I have so little time I can devote to car projects that I have gotten pretty good at optimizing output vs. time invested. My projects tend to be 20-footers because of it. Good enough to function well but they just don't look the greatest up close & personal.

asphaltburner · 08-27-2009, 12:19 AM

Yo! 68 TT!
You DO have to take into consideration that I've spent a year and a half producing a single 3/4 ton 4x4 from a donor '73 flatbed and a nearly complete identical '78 P/U! I spent six months online discovering the way to, and the consequences of, mating a TH400 and NP205!! And specifically with a 4.11:1 rear gear set. That's how I found out about the twin stick ORD NP205, etc,...please peek at this:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=301610
I'm as anal as they could possibly come, and so far I've spent a good part of each afternoon for the past several days working on, and planning, the cut in the dash of FRANKENTRUCK for the DIN Kenwood. Got lots of other stuff going on, but I,...like,...multitask projects,...because they take me FOREVER!
And yet, FRANKENTRUCK has this spotty, stabilized surface rust appearance that shocks everyone 'cause appearance is secondary to functionality in MY book.
AND I've got an iM7 portable iPod speaker/dock that substitutes in my truck in the meantime!
Todd.

68 TT · 08-27-2009, 12:04 PM

I am that way with my 68 Camaro. I think things over for so long I end up changing my mind several times about what I want to do before any work ever gets done. It drives my wife insane.

08-24-2009, 04:36 PM	#1
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	installing speakers into the door skins After installing a CD player into the stock dash and nearly laughing myself to death after hearing it through the stock single center dash speaker I decided to put some speakers I had sitting around into the doors. I originally wanted to put them into the door panel where they would be at a better position acoustically but after pulling the door panel and seeing the door structure behind that area unsatisfactory for the job I gave in and cut a hole in the damaged drivers door as a test. I will need to replace the drivers door down the road due to the damage it has so if this didn't work out it was no big loss. I put the speaker template where I wanted it to be and started cutting with my air body saw. I ran into a brace behind that area but it was no big deal to cut the area of interference away to make room for the back of the speaker. It turned out pretty good and the speakers sound great. I still need to pick up a set of water shields for them but they are in and working. Attached Images Last edited by 68 TT; 08-24-2009 at 04:37 PM. Reason: typo

08-24-2009, 04:47 PM	#2
Driveway Dreams I have car A.D.D. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greeley, Northern Colorado Posts: 4,147	Re: installing speakers into the door skins Good job. Speakers...I wish I had them. __________________ -Gerald Building vehicles in memory of the first "car guy" I ever knew, my Grandpa. Bob Dunham 1935-2009. Rest in peace. 61 GMC Suburban SOLD The 86 build thread SOLD Are you a Colorado member?Click here.

08-24-2009, 04:53 PM	#3
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I still need to make a small filler piece to go in the recessed area under part of the speaker but that will be pretty easy.

08-25-2009, 02:10 AM	#4
kamel Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 20	Re: installing speakers into the door skins Nice. I need to do the same. Im not diggin the non functional tape deck/single speaker setup in mine. haha Last edited by kamel; 08-25-2009 at 02:11 AM.

08-25-2009, 10:55 AM	#5
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I had the same POS non-functional cassette deck and single center speaker. It made driving the truck more than a mile get a little boring. My girls love to ride in the truck now that it has a decent sound system.

08-25-2009, 11:14 AM	#6
harnalien TruckincrazY Join Date: May 2004 Location: Haslet, TX Posts: 493	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I did the same for my 6X9's. I love 'em!

08-25-2009, 11:24 AM	#7
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I thought about putting bigger speakers in the doors but had a matched pair of 6-1/2's and 6x9's sitting on the shelf for anther project car that hasn't made much progress so I used what I had on hand to make the truck more user friendly. Once I get rid of the school bus transmission and antiquated carburetor this will be a much more pleasurable truck to drive. Right now it is just a lot of work to drive. I have a ten mile commute through the city to get to work and our stop lights are not timed at all so with the 5.13 gears I am shifting the truck up and down four times every block for ten miles. It gets tiring pretty quickly but at least with decent tunes it is bearable. My worn out knees aren't liking the constant use of the clutch either.

08-25-2009, 11:31 AM	#8
Citrix Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 172	Re: installing speakers into the door skins That looks cool, i had seen someone with mid/highs type speaker in their door done the same way, that is how i am going to do mine as well. What i would like to do, is gind someplace to mount the tweets....

08-25-2009, 11:46 AM	#9
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I have a set of separates I thought about using too. I was going to flush mount the tweeters high on the door panel with the mids down a little further on the panel and put some 8's into the lower door kick area but I decided to keep it simple and use the regular speakers in the truck.

08-25-2009, 11:51 AM	#10
Citrix Registered User Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 172	Re: installing speakers into the door skins Im prolly gonna take out the bench and put in either 2 buckets or 2 captain chairs in it and build the center console to house a sub too

08-25-2009, 07:13 PM	#11
asphaltburner Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ault, Colorado Posts: 862	Re: installing speakers into the door skins Yo! This came out well, but I have not completed head unit installation, so I've not heard them yet: Nice installation 68TT! Those Sonys will sound great,...had a similar installation in my ol' '81. Todd. __________________ '78 3/4 ton 4x4 custom "Todd-built" FRANKENTRUCK!

08-26-2009, 11:28 AM	#12
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins They sound pretty good now but I know it will get a lot better when I get the voids filled so they are not running partially free air and when I get the sound mat installed in the doors & cab corners. You can hear a bit of metal resonance right now and that will have to get fixed soon. I hate tin can noises interfering with the music plus it will help the doors sound more solid when they close and block out some of the road noise.

08-26-2009, 06:54 PM	#14
asphaltburner Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ault, Colorado Posts: 862	Re: installing speakers into the door skins Yo! 68 TT! Thanks, man! Damn things took about a week working on them off and on! LOTS of test fitting and shaping. And then another week to cover, build brackets for, and finally install everything. Ya just gotta love fabrication!! I need to try for a better pic with more ambient light. I'll look forward to seeing yours' finished and speakers installed. I think alot of folks will get some good ideas from our two approaches to installing speakers in these types of trucks. They're just not user-friendly in this department! Todd. __________________ '78 3/4 ton 4x4 custom "Todd-built" FRANKENTRUCK! Last edited by asphaltburner; 08-26-2009 at 06:55 PM.

08-26-2009, 07:14 PM	#15
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I have all of about an hour into them start to functional tunes right now including the time it took to run the wiring up to the CD player. Quick & simple. Probably add another hour to get the infill pieces done, seal them up and paint them. Yours are a work of art, mine are bang for the buck. I have so little time I can devote to car projects that I have gotten pretty good at optimizing output vs. time invested. My projects tend to be 20-footers because of it. Good enough to function well but they just don't look the greatest up close & personal.

08-27-2009, 12:19 AM	#16
asphaltburner Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ault, Colorado Posts: 862	Re: installing speakers into the door skins Yo! 68 TT! You DO have to take into consideration that I've spent a year and a half producing a single 3/4 ton 4x4 from a donor '73 flatbed and a nearly complete identical '78 P/U! I spent six months online discovering the way to, and the consequences of, mating a TH400 and NP205!! And specifically with a 4.11:1 rear gear set. That's how I found out about the twin stick ORD NP205, etc,...please peek at this: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=301610 I'm as anal as they could possibly come, and so far I've spent a good part of each afternoon for the past several days working on, and planning, the cut in the dash of FRANKENTRUCK for the DIN Kenwood. Got lots of other stuff going on, but I,...like,...multitask projects,...because they take me FOREVER! And yet, FRANKENTRUCK has this spotty, stabilized surface rust appearance that shocks everyone 'cause appearance is secondary to functionality in MY book. AND I've got an iM7 portable iPod speaker/dock that substitutes in my truck in the meantime! Todd. __________________ '78 3/4 ton 4x4 custom "Todd-built" FRANKENTRUCK!



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

08-27-2009, 12:04 PM	#17
68 TT Still plays with trucks Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,556	Re: installing speakers into the door skins I am that way with my 68 Camaro. I think things over for so long I end up changing my mind several times about what I want to do before any work ever gets done. It drives my wife insane.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.