speakers in kick panels

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm trying not to cut up some nice door panels for speakers, and am eyeing the holes in the kick panels under the dash. Anyone know what they are for? I could enlarge the holes and mount my 6.5" component mmid-range speakers down there, with the 1" tweeters mounted somewhere up higher (possibly even in the door).

Ian

'76 M2

[Guest Anonymous]

I had some original kickpanels that had what seemed to be a factory speaker installation. Those panels are only really there to keep out a bit of noise, provide some insulation, make the under-dash look less ugly, and to provide an obstacle to accessing the stuff you want to get to.

Mike

[Guest Anonymous]

as factory speakers in US delivered cars. All US cars had the radios installed by the dealers. Some used a single speaker in the center console and other used various other places cut out. The dealer where I bought my car mounted stereo speakers under the dash in the cardboard panel on the far right and left. I've seen a few under the back seat and others in the doors, but most dealers went for the easiest install. Same applies for radios. Most had Blaupunkt radios but other radios like Clarion, Becker, etc. were used by the dealers. Big booming high output radios were not the craze when these cars were new. I had what was the first stereo cassette Blaupunkt offered (also first Japan built).

[Guest Anonymous]

These cars are simply not acousticaly friendly. Even I have waay too much into the stereo in mine, but mostly to keep it loud enough to cover the wind noise at hiway speeds. With all the glass in these cars, and the small open areas in the passenger compartment, it is hard to get "decent" sound.

That being said here's a summary of my setup.

Kenwood CD + MP3 In Parker Performance center console.

Boston Acoustics 6" under dash in aluminium panels cut to match the original carboard panels. I fabricated these of very heavy gauge aluminum sheet metal, and bent an painted them to match. The 6" Bostons barely fit, you can't really go bigger down there.

Boston Acoustics 5*7 in parcel shelf

Dual Fosgate 6.5" subs under rear seat. Mounted to rear seat support with holes drilled to be like a "grill" of sorts. These were needed to fill in the bottom end because the glass reflection on the parcel shelf speakers tended to lose the botoom end.

Kenwood 5 channel 800w amplifier in trunk.

Kenwood 10disc changer in trunk. (This was left-over from when I sold my last RV, so hey, why not?)

Sound is pretty decent with this setup, and loud enough to cover wind noise at 80mph.

Good Luck.

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BigDog

'76 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

I'm refering to the holes in the vertical metal panels under the cardboard, that extend up from the rockers on the right and left side of the cabin under the dash. I'm guessing that behind the existing factory hole is the outside fender?

Ian

[Guest Anonymous]

I had small speakers in the kick panels holes in my previous 02. They worked fine. Getting a 6.5" speaker in there would be tough due to the lack of depth. I think you only have about 1.5" tops.

[Guest Anonymous]

URL: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/talkshop/forum/messages/35926.html

Do a FAQ search for "speaker install" or "speaker placement" and you will find a lot of info on this topic. Not discussed frequently but when addressed, there was some good information provided. The following link was particularly useful. I believe "Dewar" posted some good stuff about placement for best sound as it relates distance equity, etc. which also had diagrams.

I opted for 4" in the kick panel in the front and in the rear, 5.5" on the hat shelf. I also put a box in the trunk with two ten subs and an amp, then and "vented" the rear seat back (two circles) to allow sound to penetrate back into the vehicle. This adds weight to the vehicle and many on this board who prefer performance over the extracurricular stuff would frown on it. But it looks good and my car doesn't see the track. Good luck with your project.

Roger

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/talkshop/forum/messages/35926.html

[Guest Anonymous]

to accomodate 6.5", 5.5", or 4" speakers. I opted to go with a 4" so I would not have to do a lot of cutting. And yes, the fender is behind and there isn't much depth, maybe 1 to 1.5" as posted before by someone else. You can apply a sound deadener to the inside of the fender.

[Guest Anonymous]

RecentEbay purchase of a NOS Blaupunkt like I originally got from the dealer, installed and never turned on, interferes with all the engine and wind noises.

[Guest Anonymous]

(nt)

[Guest Anonymous]

I had a parts car with the kickboard speakers, and the paperwork in the glovebox identified the stereo. Must have been dealer paperwork.

Me, I don't have a radio in mine. Of course, my car is sitting in storage, completely disassembled, but when I reassemble it, I think I'll skip the radio.

Mike

[Guest Anonymous]

I made these by tracing the original panels onto some heavy gauge aluminium sheet metal. I hope these pictures show what I did...

Driver's Side

Passenger's side

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BigDog

'76 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

Here's the trunk mounted amp/changer...

And the head unit in console

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BigDog

'76 2002

[Guest Anonymous]

Do you get much buzzing?

How's the bass with the open backs?