Stereo Options

[Nova_Cobra64]

Well, my next, and hopefully final project for the 69 is to install a better stereo. I am going to swap most components over from my beater to the 69.

First I will start with replacing my crappy old aftermarket deck with the newer 160 watt pioneer that I have.

Right now I have plans for a home-made box for the roof. It will go right in the middle of the cab, and be bolted to the rear view mirror holes and the dome light holes. This way we can run wires through the dome light hole. It will have a tweeter, then two 6" triaxials, then another tweeter. Then some swivel lights at the back. It will branch out from the back, with one 4" coaxial on each side.

I also intend to leave the two 6" triaxials that are currently under the dash alone.

Now for my only hangup, the subs and amp. I don't know what direction to take The truck currently has a small rampage amp in it, either 50 or 100w. Now that the deck has higher output I won't need that to power the speakers. I also have three 8" subs and a 200 watt amp from my other truck. There are currently 2 8's in the same box and one in a bass tube with a messed amp. I was thinking of building smaller boxes so they will fit under the seat (I have that dreaded behind the seat gas tank), powering 2 off the big amp, and one off the small one. My friend also has the same 8" subs in the same box with the same 200 watt amp. I could buy them off him since he wreaked his ford and put 2 8's per side with a 200w amp powering each set.

Or my other option is to buy a couple of 10's (and possibly an amp) and use one on each side. The only problem is I don't know if 10's would fit under the seat.

Do you guys have any idea's for me?

[Seke69]

if you did the 10s you'll need about one cubic foot of space for each (standard). I have no idea how much space is below a stock seat, but mine are no where near that. In my s-10 however I have two tens behind the seats, and my amp is below the seat. the boxes are something like 21"x15"x5" (there are issues with the magnet of course), and a pretty standard size for a 300W amp is in the area of 12"x9"x2" so you'll need to find a place for that as well. keep in mind that an amplifier gets pretty hot, and can shoot some static during installation (minor slip ups...). AND I have seen the result of several speaker fires lately (none in my car or cars I've worked on), all of them have been kenwood 10s with the rigid cone (they're blue)... steer clear of those.
just some things to consider with the gas tank right there.

building pods for the three ways, etc. up high is a cool idea, especially considering you wont need to run visible wiring. we'll need pics.

[Mike C]

My recipe for a good stereo with very few mods to the truck:

Door PANELS, Kicker 4" Impulse separates with crossovers mounted on kick panels. At any time a new door panel can be used and you'll never know the door was modded.

I cut the dash. Just can't get a cool shaft knob receiver for the most part. (I have pullout head units that I swap between 4 of my cars and my boat.) I also have a CD changer under the drivers side of the seat.

Kicker free-air 10 mounted in an infinite baffle. Basically a box with no back under the passenger side of the seat.

Crossfire 4x100 amp mounted under the center of the bench seat. 100x2 into the separtes and 200x1 into the 10".

[Riveted1]

For starters, don't mix different subs together. Either go with the 2-8's or 2-10's. Also, make sure you run a crossover for the subs, preferrably an electronic one. Maybe you could by a better quality amp w/a built in crossover for the subs. You would also want to use passive crossovers on your mids and highs.
I personally would scrap the over-head console idea. Try to keep your speakers to the left and right of you. Think "stereo!" And unless you really love tons of high-end, you don't need that many tweets! Just run a triaxial in each door or kick-panel. Or, spend a little more cash and get some good component speakers, (mid/high separates) with an external passive crossover. The sound quality will be much better!! I personally would get rid of the speakers in the dash, too.
Just my .02! Find a good car stereo shop near you, and they could probably point you in the right direction.

Austin

[Nova_Cobra64]

As of right now I plan to go with 4 8" subs, providing my friend will sell his 2. I don't want to put anything in the door panel because I just covered them.

My main objective is to put in a stereo with as little cost as possible (seeing that I have only owned the truck for half a year and have already put 2 grand into it, and it isn't even a project truck). I want to use what I have in an effective way. I have found that in these trucks, there is little room for speakers unless you put in a fuel cell or have buckets. That is part of the reason I am building the overhead deal. Another reason is because I am deaf in my left ear and want to get as much music as I can to my right.

What exactly is a crossover?

[Riveted1]

Crossovers are needed to keep the high frequencies out of your subs and the low frequencies out of your midranges/tweets. They will really clean up the sound if you've never used them. An oversimplified answer, but that's the idea. Go here http://www.caraudioforum.com/vbb2/sh...threadid=97296 to read more on the topic.


OT, but aren't you afraid of losing your hearing in your right ear?