6.5 Speakers in a 95

[Dbckham7]

I know you guys answered the question of 6.5's in the 99+ doors but how about 95s? Also, how much depth can the speaker have to fit?

[Matt95GT]

I toyed with the idea of 6.5's, but could not find any speaker that wasn't too deep. (you have to account for the glass when the window is down. Additionally, 6.5" was a tad wider than the opening in the metal, which may require grinding it down. I decided to go with 5.25". As it is, my MB Quart 5.25" mids are a tight fit.

You'll need to fab a conversion plate, and do something to protect the speaker from water. I made plexiglass plates, and used a high-density foam sheet behind the speaker.

I have some pics of the measurements I took and the final setup here:
http://fazeshift.org/pics/thumbnails.php?album=53

[WS6Formula350]

This will be a significant bump. I just 'inherited' my sister's '95 GT as a daily to keep miles off my Formula, and I'm looking at replacing those miserable 4x6's in the front doors... I just ordered the 6.5" adapters on eBay.

Now, if the mounting depth on the speakers is too deep (currently looking at the Pioneer 6.5" three ways), couldn't I just slap a spacer on and be done with it? How much clearance is there between the door panel and the speaker after it's mounted?

Thanks guys, I'm used to taking apart my Firebird :o

[WS6Formula350]

The mounting depth of said Pioneers is 1-3/4 inches, if that helps out.

EDIT: After browsing CC's website, it turns out the Pioneer's have the shallowest footprint of all the 6.5s they have too-- hopefully that puts things in my favor.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by Matt95GT
I toyed with the idea of 6.5's, but could not find any speaker that wasn't too deep. (you have to account for the glass when the window is down. Additionally, 6.5" was a tad wider than the opening in the metal, which may require grinding it down. I decided to go with 5.25". As it is, my MB Quart 5.25" mids are a tight fit.

I dunno why people keep saying this stuff about "too deep". The mids in my Focal 165V set are nearly 3" deep, well maybe perhaps about 2.75" mounting depth--that is relatively large for a 6.5" driver. Most sub-$250 US mids or co-axials are not going to be as deep as the 165V mids.

Use a 1/4" spacer/baffle (you have to make one anyway) and you're set. My mids fit, even with the rubber magnet cover and just clear the window track (there is space between the cover and the track, perhaps a few mm).

I've also had a set of Pioneer Premier 6.5" mids in there before the Focals and they were a good bit more shallow. I can't see how fitting a 6.5" of any brand is too hard.

Unless the 95 has less depth for some reason...

Also I originally made my baffles out of MDF but then they water-rotted a bit :( So this summer I made some out of polycarbonate (aka Lexan) and they're in there perfectly and I don't gotta worry about water anymore :)

I have pics somewhere, I can probably post one up or something.

[doobiess]

ok well i bought the adapter plates for my 94 and used a powerbase speaker 6.5" with a huge depth and just fit and replaced those with some pinoeers and have tons of room... so bassically there isnt much to worry

[WS6Formula350]

Originally posted by doobiess
ok well i bought the adapter plates for my 94 and used a powerbase speaker 6.5" with a huge depth and just fit and replaced those with some pinoeers and have tons of room... so bassically there isnt much to worry
:cool:

Is there any difference in clearance with power v. manual windows? Mine are power, I don't know if it matters or not.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by WS6Formula350
Is there any difference in clearance with power v. manual windows? Mine are power, I don't know if it matters or not.

That's an interesting question... I don't think it does because of the way the regulators are on 96-98 (and presumably 92-95) cars--they aren't much different manual v. power; but it could be an issue.

But yeah I've got power windows, not a problem. I noticed those adapters they sell on eBay are made from 1/8" PVC. If you're getting a speaker which has a depth over 2.3" or so, I'd say buy two sets of those adapters and double them up, so you'll get a 1/4" baffle altogether.

In fact I'd recommend doing this anyway because 1/8" PVC isn't that thick and it will vibrate/resonate/flex much easier with the speaker action-reaction-pair (speaker moves outward when it makes sound, therefore it pushes backward on the panel it is mounted against).

I didn't even realise those things existed because I probably could have saved time making mine out of polycarbonate... Oh well.

Oh another tip... Whether you're making the baffle or using the eBay ones, make sure you line up the speaker opening in the door panel with the speaker once it is mounted. The eBay ones may already be done properly but if you're making a 1/4" baffle you'll have to be careful that the speaker doesn't hit the door panel. When making mine the first time I kinda made that mistake...

On the new ones what I had to do was make sure to mount the baffle without the hole cut and then draw in the door opening through the panel, with the grille off and the panel on the door. Then made the hole making sure it was within that circle--with the Focals it was a near-fit because they are also quite large in diameter compared to most 6.5s. Then I actually had to ever-so-slightly dremel the door panel fingers until they just had enough material left to keep the grille secured.

Now with my "finished product" the speaker is precisely in the circle on the door panel and can't hit it upon excursion either.

[Big Joe]

I have 6.5 inch pioneers in my front doors. I had no clearence problems what so ever.

[WS6Formula350]

Outstanding. The only thing this car needs to make it a better daily driver is a better injection of sound. Its got the old Pioneer HU from my Formula in it and my old JBL 6x9's... now I just gotta replace those JBL's with the 300 watt Pioneer 3-way 6x9's (got a set in my Formula that I'm extremely happy with) and the factory 4x6's with those Pioneer 6.5" 3-ways and I'll be a much happier camper :o

Though I doubt I'll invest in another Basslink. I got one for my Firebird through my buddy that works at Circuit City for $200 complete. He doesn't work there any more though and I'm definitely not paying retail for it :o

[MantaGreen97]

OOPS! Just a correction to make to my above comments, my baffles are not 1/4" they are a HALF inch (1/2"). The ones on eBay are 1/4" not 1/8" but the recommendation to get two sets and double them up (to end up with a total of 1/2" in baffle per side) stands.

Sorry about that, I wasn't thinking right!

[Matt95GT]

Originally posted by MantaGreen97
Unless the 95 has less depth for some reason...


It does. The grill is virtually right against the speaker because it's recessed for the door pocket. Using a thick spacer is out of the question since the speaker (or tweeter protrusion on some 2/3 ways) will hit the grill. The 96-98's door/grill setup allow for more room to bring the speaker out of the door.

Originally posted by MantaGreen97
The mids in my Focal 165V set are nearly 3" deep, well maybe perhaps about 2.75" mounting depth--that is relatively large for a 6.5" driver. Most sub-$250 US mids or co-axials are not going to be as deep as the 165V mids.


Right, most will not have problems with co/tri-axials from common brands. My MB Quart 5.25" reference series mids are extremely deep making 6.5" and a thick spacer out of the question... although these were not sub-$250 either...
http://fazeshift.org/pics/albums/userpics/09-28-03/normal_DCP03978.JPG

Originally posted by WS6Formula350
:cool:

Is there any difference in clearance with power v. manual windows? Mine are power, I don't know if it matters or not.

No difference. The regulator is not in the front area behind the speaker... only the actual glass and guide which doesn't differ between manual vs power.

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by Matt95GT
It does. The grill is virtually right against the speaker because it's recessed for the door pocket. Using a thick spacer is out of the question since the speaker (or tweeter protrusion on some 2/3 ways) will hit the grill. The 96-98's door/grill setup allow for more room to bring the speaker out of the door.


You know Matt, you teach me something new about the 92-95 cars that is different from the 96-98 cars, every day! ;) Well that kinda sucks for you 92-95 ppl I guess. What would you say is the maximum depth, with baffle for the 92-95?

For the 96-98, I'd say 2.75" with a 1/2" baffle is the upper limit, because that is what I'm working with and it *just* makes it in there.

I guess an alternate would be to cut the door panel but that would look pretty bad unless you did something that made it look better. Perhaps using aftermarket grilles might work out, but yeah I have no clue--I'm not even sure what the 92-95 panels look like :lol:


Originally posted by Matt95GT
My MB Quart 5.25" reference series mids are extremely deep making 6.5" and a thick spacer out of the question... although these were not sub-$250 either...


Out of curiousity, which MB Quarts do you use anyway, Matt? Where do you mount your tweets? I'm still using the factory door sail panels for my tweeters in my car, though since the Focal tweeter is fairly large I had to make the hole bigger.

[WS6Formula350]

Yeah, I'm just going for some Pioneer 6.5" 3-ways, nothing high dollar and German like you've got there Matt. I'm gonna go snap a picture of the door panel for you Manta, just for shits and giggles ;) brb.

[WS6Formula350]

http://www.frankelefritzsux.com/brendansux/door1.jpg

voila.