|
|
|
Upon removing my left door panel to lube the door release (which stopped working from the inside), I discovered that the particle board on the door panel was basically moldy mush. I found the right side slightly better - perhaps due to the presence of at least some of the original, butcher paper "vapor barrier" on that side (there was nothing on the left at all).
I went looking for replacements, found VP Auto who's website claimed to have or be able to get them - even in my original color, but sadly the claim could not be redeemed. I managed to track down a very good, used set in the wrong color at a fairly nearby salvage yard. I am not sure if I will try to spray dye them from blue to what I originally have (brown) but may not since I am not finding any maker of brown - only "sand" and "buff" which could be ok but not the same.
Anyhow, this presents an opportunity to replace the circa 1983 JVC CS-420 speakers in there now and I am looking for suggestions/details about what to install and how to install them. The store-installed JVC units I have are mounted only to the door panel itself using speed nuts of some sort. The original speaker grills are still partially held in place with a retaining clip on the few corner pins that remain intact.
Aside from the speakers not sounding that great any more, this whole method of installation seems pretty lame. I note that there are 4 pre-drilled holes laid out in a square around the speaker area measuring 4" on a side. Are these to be used for speak mounting? If a speaker were mounted atop the door vinyl and screws passed through and into these holes, it might make a pretty solid mount. Obviously, to remove the door panel would require removing the speaker. So should the speakers be mounted to the metal directly (maybe with something in between to avoid vibration)?
I understand that there is little depth available for a speaker in these doors and my JVC seem to be no more than 1.5" in depth. What is the max depth I can fit safely? And with my manual crank windows I think I have to beware of something that protrudes too far into the interior of the car and that crank arm.
And then there is the issue of the speaker grills. I am not married to the original, brown ones (the wife's 1980 244 doesn't have them) and they will likely not remain "whole" during the transplant to the new door panels. It seems I can still get these online in various places. But they are rather expensive and most new speakers come with grills. If I end up keeping/using them, is there some way to attach the grills other than with the seriously defunct, 4 plastic pins?
So can anyone offer some suggestions/tips for figuring this all out? Thanks very much.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be
on
Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [ RELATED]
|
|
But about your original door panels, do you think the moldy mush of the particle board could be revived with the application of some epoxy brushed on and soaked in to stiffen things up? perhaps along with some mesh drywall tape or other suitable reinforcement?
That might allow you to continue to use the panels as a means to hold the speakers, with those clip-nuts and screws. That method is preferable (IMO) to going through the panel and into the metal door frame, preexisting holes or not.
In the final iteration of my car stereo days I managed to fit quite a nice 4" midrange speaker and aftermarket grille into the door by making some adapters out of wood. The first piece was a spacer, round but with the top and bottom cut off, to fit the recess of the door panel. Then the second layer could be made the full round of the grill, thus providing a surface to mount the speaker and grill. It also bumped the speaker's large magnet out far enough so that it wouldn't interfere with the window glass.
Best of luck,
-Will
--
XC60 / Odyssey
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be
on
Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [ RELATED]
|
|
I didn't do a good job of searching before posting. My bad!
I found this thread (www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1598803/220/240/260/280/front_door_replacement_speakersfinal_word.html) which gives lots of info.
If I am reading this correctly, then securing to the door panel itself is the standard way of doing things. Still I wonder about those 4 holes on 4" centers in the door metal...
I don't have or see anything about speaker backing plates on my current setup. So not sure what that is about. Maybe only on later than 1983 models?
I see the reference to the now-discontinued Crutchfield install kit. I do see that WagonMeister sells something looking quite similar (www.wagonmeister.com/speaker-cover-adaptors-for-early-240) but it looks to be only part of the Crutchfield solution. And I am still not sure I get how these are installed or work.
So still looking for info if anyone can help. Thanks
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be
on
Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [ RELATED]
|
|
I have an 1980 and a 1987. the speaker mounting is different. The 80 mounts on to the metal of the door -- those pre drilled. the 87 mounts to the panel itself.
I think the mounting changed some time in the mid 80s. Also the factory grills changed. In my 80 the almost flush surface mounted grills are secured with plastic pins that are held to the panel with circlip type washers. Removing the grill is not possible without removing the entire panel. If you force it, the plastic pins break off.
The later style grills push on to the mounting metal backing of the speaker.
This is the later model stock grill mounting --- "above the surface"
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh77/nel6211/Kenwood4inspeakernotedamage6.jpg
for more pics this was the post
https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/volvo/1544055/220/240/260/280/front_door_speakers_240260_sort_blah_long_volvo_ht204_stereo_audio_radio_hat_shelf_speaker_amplifier.html
So when I changed the speakers in my 80, I took off the panel and attached the speakers to the metal of the door and kept the original look with the original flat grills.
When I changed the speakers on my 87< I did what is shown in that post. Cut out the old speaker and used that old metal frame, putting it behind the new speaker so I could snapfit the original grills to the frame.
You may want to do some creative mounting. The later 240s, I think 90, 91 and on came with larger door speakers, 5 1/4" rather than the 4" in the 80s series.
If you want to keep the stock look then you can't get larger than 4" and the depth specs limit your choices to very few.
One possibility is to just put a tweeter up front and install larger speakers on the rear deck. There, if you don't want to cut metal, you can use above surface mounts and just run the wires up from the trunk to the rears.
I've got 4 speakers in my 80 sedan---6" ones in the rear deck. The prev owner had cut larger holes in the rear deck, so that job was done.
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be
on
Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [ RELATED]
|
|
Thanks very much for your time and response. It is very helpful. My 1983 originally had no stereo or speakers as I could not afford them and figured adding my own choice might be a better result. So I had the stereo/cassette deck and speakers installed at an auto stereo place some months after purchase of the car. The install included some 6x9 inch speakers on the rear deck.
I never really got a good look at what, if anything, was under the stock grills. I never thought about it because the stock grills remained in place after the speaker install. To be honest, I still am not yet sure 100% what is under that grill. The grills are most certainly held on with what is left of the 4 plastic pins and clips. At this point, my experience is that the pins will snap when I try to remove the grills. But I am reasonably sure that there is no metal behind the grills or speakers as you show in the photo of the damaged speaker.
My grills look very much like the ones you show. I did note that the single intact grill that was still attached to one of my salvage yard door panels looks quite different. It is far thinner and more flush mounted to the door panel. It also has a different slot design in the grill openings. But it also has plastic pins and clips - 2 of which snapped during removal. Other than the grill's profile/slot design and the rubber window scraper strip at the top, the new and old panels seem the same to me. But I am sure there is no metal plate there either.
Since my car has the holes in the door metal on 4" centers, I am thinking I should mount the speaker against the indoor vinyl but try to get the mounting screws into those holes in the metal. It just seems this would be more secure and solid and avoid vibration and stress on the door panel itself. Of course, removal of the door panel would then require removal of the speakers first - but I could live with that, I guess. I am pretty sure that I have seen speakers with mounting holes 4" on center. But I worry that unless I am very careful the speakers will either penetrate too far into the door void and conflict with the glass or that they will stand too proud of the door vinyl and interfere with my manual window crank.
I have even located "modernized" HT-204 speakers here (www.swedishcarparts.com/models/22-volvo-240-260-1975-1982-and-1980-1993/parts/door-panels-and-trim). They seem quite expensive but appear to come with mounting plate and a snap on grill. However, the dimensions for the mounting holes they show in the very last photo is not 4" on center as I have in the door metal. So I remain a bit confused about them.
Cheers
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be
on
Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [ RELATED]
|
|
thanks.
I had a 75 245 with an AM (VOLVO) radio and a single speaker in the mId dash fast up at the windshield.
Update us on whatever you install.
cheers
|
|
-
posted by
someone claiming to be
on
Wed Dec 31 18:00 CST 1969 [ RELATED]
|
|
that's what I used in both installs
1 3/8 inches
|
|
|
|
|
