6x9's in the door - Yes Or No??

[heathbirkendahl]

Please post some pics of your door speakers and kick panels. I have the LMC kick panels but the emergency brake is in the way.

Thanks!
HB

[Bert W]

I say no, if you are going to cut 6x9 holes in the door. In the past I have made, as well as purchased, 6x9 speaker enclosures and attached them to the bottom of the door. They did not interfere with my feet and four small screw holes was better than one big 6x9. For my current project I moved the gas tank to the rear and purchased some behind the seat enclosures from a board member that builds them.

Several guys here have the LMC kick panels as well as home made/custom enclosures. I don't remember any complaints about the E-brake. There may be some adjustments you can make.

I don't know if you can do this or not (columns may be different, etc.), you may consider converting it to the 67/68 hand E-brake.

This is all food for thought. I'm sure you will come up with a good idea to get those big speakers in there.

[egaray281]

I also say no I put my 6x9's in the rear corners and I have the kickpanels but i made my own so it can clear the e-brake, in the rear corners the truck had the metal brackets for 5x7's i think? well anyways i took those out and just made a new one to fit a 6x9 out of wood painted it black and screwed it in and it sounds good!

[CC69Rat]

Roll the window down, prop your arm out and just listen to the truck. I wouldn't mind if my truck didn't have a radio really. My GMC has one but it doesn't work. It's on the bottom of my list to get it working. No way I'd cut my doors. Just my opinion. I'd say No.

Is the tank in the cab? There is a guy on the forums that sells custom speaker enclosures for the back corners of the cab (if that's an option)

[GMCJOE]

I got my truck with them already in place in the doors. I wouldn't have done it personally. I would have done the kick panels, and 6x9's in the corners behind the seat. There is a member that sells the metal 6x9 bracket for the corners of the cab. There is also a member that sells the kick panels that clear the emergency brake. There are several options, have fun choosing.

[heathbirkendahl]

Looks like NO is the answer. I'm gonna try CC69RAT's way and lean out the window a little more and leave the stereo as is for now. Tank will come out next year and then I can throw some 6 x 9's in the back.

Peace and chicken grease!!! Thanks for the feed back fellas'!!

[Hubscrub]

i just build a couple boxes and put them under the seat, and added two 3 1/2 in the center under the dash where the factory speaker was. I welded the hole in the door up darn PO got to fix the radio hole back to factory look also.

[SS Tim]

Here is a visual "why not". The rest of the truck was pretty much the same level of "improvement". To me door speakers knock about $500.00 off the value of a truck with otherwise, good servicable doors.

Hey this just gave me a good idea..... research time :-)

[leddzepp]

grab ahold of your e brake pedal, pull on it sideways, and bend it out a bit. it will clear the speaker panel. oh, and dont cut your doors!
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[special-K]

I don't know what the big deal is about putting speakers in the doors. I'm one of those guys who cut the doors you guys are griping about. Been doing it for decades. It's the best place for them. If GM offered stereos back then,that's where they would have put them. That's where they put them in many newer models. If you decide you don't want good sounding music you can always patch the doors easily enough. I just don't get the big deal,with all the other alterations many are doing. At least this one serves a purpose.

[69GWC]

My doors will get cut as well as the dash, is what it is and that's mine..lol
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[CC69Rat]

Different people will always have different input / opinions and priorities. Their truck usually has purpose in their life, and they want certain things from it. Me, I like a good sounding truck with snappy throttle response that handles like its on rails. Sometimes that means modifications that others wouldnt do.. Im cool with that.

Some like stock 4x4s .. good sounding radio / stereos, LS conversions, all require modifications. If the stereo is your priority, cut the doors.. no worries.. Im just not really a stereo person. However I do like em low and big billets. Just sayin.. thats just me.
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[MusicMan70]

No. I put some box speakers under the seat facing the firewall and they sound nice.

[Dano69c10]

Not to hijack, but do you need something to protect the speaker from water that gets inside the door?

[CG]

Personally I don't care if the doors are cut for speakers. You can insulate the door with some sort of sound deadener. You can put some type of water proof over them if you are worried about moisture. And with a little bit of imagination and effort you can make em look fine.

When you look at giant holes in beat up doors of course that's gonna make you wonder if its a good idea.

[Dano69c10]

My doors are already cut for 6" x 9"s, I was just wondering if they make a cover for the back of the speaker?

Thanx in advance,
Dano

[70cst]

Its a personal choice. The only issue I see is you can't undo the holes cut in ones door.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Dano69c10

My doors are already cut for 6" x 9"s, I was just wondering if they make a cover for the back of the speaker?

Thanx in advance,
Dano

I've never had an issue from water. With good window seals you really shouldn't get much water in there. I always worried,too,but never had a speaker get ruined. I always considered using marine speakers or ones made for outside. Even Bose makes outdoor speakers. You could make a deflector to shed water.

The holes from speakers can be repaired just like any other patch in the sheet metal. There are even inner door bottoms made.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by special-K

I've never had an issue from water. With good window seals you really shouldn't get much water in there. I always worried,too,but never had a speaker get ruined. I always considered using marine speakers or ones made for outside. Even Bose makes outdoor speakers. You could make a deflector to shed water.

The holes from speakers can be repaired just like any other patch in the sheet metal. There are even inner door bottoms made.

Unless you had to have someone to do the repair work it might get a some $$$ into it...but as you said it could be patched up.

[leddzepp]

The bottom line, like always: It is your truck; do whatever you want with it. They make patch panels for nearly every piece of sheetmetal on these trucks...however those panels don't weld themselves in, do the accompanying bodywork, and paint back to match. People like to make it sound so easy when in fact it isn't.

[RPIcka]

The PO cut 6x9s into the doors on my truck and I hate them. I think they look like crap but thats just me. I have no problem just listening to the truck and enjoying the ride. If I ever put anything in it will be in the original location with an aftermarket speaker.

[LIGHT EM UP]

To each there own but I would say no. Good OE doors just get harder and harder to find
Under the seat or cab corner
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[CG]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

The bottom line, like always: It is your truck; do whatever you want with it. They make patch panels for nearly every piece of sheetmetal on these trucks...however those panels don't weld themselves in, do the accompanying bodywork, and paint back to match. People like to make it sound so easy when in fact it isn't.

When I had my panel done there were holes in the doors and the barn doors. He patched all four ... it was quite a job. Im glad the rears were done, but now I kinda wish I would have left the fronts alone. Because of the work he put in, and the fact I had to pay for it, Im leaving em whole lol!

[ls1nova71]

I cut mine. Stereo sounds better with them in the doors in my opinion. Now that I said that, I can tell you how to make them look good, almost factory, and almost unnoticeable. Find some speaker grilles from the package tray of many GM cars from the 70's. they look OEM because they are, just not in this application. Paint them to match the door, mount the speaker with the nuts from behind (no screws show) and you're done.

Not the best pic, but what I could find, since it's too dark right now to go out and take a pic. You get the idea.

[CG]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

I cut mine. Stereo sounds better with them in the doors in my opinion. Now that I said that, I can tell you how to make them look good, almost factory, and almost unnoticeable. Find some speaker grilles from the package tray of many GM cars from the 70's. they look OEM because they are, just not in this application. Paint them to match the door, mount the speaker with the nuts from behind (no screws show) and you're done.

Not the best pic, but what I could find, since it's too dark right now to go out and take a pic. You get the idea.

Good idea and execution!