sound system in my '72?

After all the hoopla about music to drive to I got thinking about music for my new 911E. It has what looks like to be the stock stereo and four speakers (2+2). The rear ones look really funny, like orbs on a stick.

So how do I go about putting in a single shot CD player and maybe some new speakers without it looking too unoriginal?

Thanks,
Phil

PS: Is it possible that the car has an electric aerial?


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Aubergine '72 911E

Phil,

That isn't an original system, at least the speakers! The 'original' Blaupunkt AM-FM radios weren't stereo in 99% of the cars, just a single speaker in the dash center! If stereo was available, the speakers were probably under the dash, above the footwells. I never saw a 'factory' stereo at a dealership in '71-'73!

Back then, the [radio] sound was just CRUDE, as the important action was behind the shifter! Even 'added-on' speakers in the doors looked 'odd' for those models, and rear-deck speakers did not come along until several years later, and those were ALWAYS aftermarket, even in $48K Turbos in '78!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Warren,

Have a look at the speaker in the door, and obviously there is one in the other side:



looks like it is meant to go there to me.

It looks like a standard size to me - hope so could get a nice pair of Sony speaker in there.

[This message has been edited by layzee (edited 01-10-2001).]

[This message has been edited by layzee (edited 01-10-2001).]

Phil,

Those are MAP Pockets ... that is why the top is open! Sorry, not original speakers!

And, what is that material on the door panel that matches the 'colored' strips on the dash? It isn't original, either! The doors were all black! The strips on the dash were either black, or matched the seat leather, if equipped with the leather option, and that doesn't quite match the seats!
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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 01-10-2001).]

Wow, Warren....
That color on the door panels and the dash strip sure looks original to me. I've seen more than one car with tan interior here in Switzerland, and they were definitely original. BTW the stipe looks like it matches the side of the seats to me. Looks great, but hard to keep clean on the long run.
I agree about the loudspeakers, though. Only ever saw 1 in the middle on pre-74 cars.
MHO, GeorgeK

hey layzee,
i decided i wanted an in-dash single cd player in my '68 and didn't see the point in spending a *****load of money since i can't always hear it. so i bought a blaupunkt from costco(of all places) for a $130. i've also seen this stereo avail thru performance products for almost 2x as much! it complements the interior quite nicely as it does not light up like the space needle in seattle on new years eve at midnight. it's simple and clean much like the dash of the early vehicles. granted it's not a high performance sound system but that's in the engine compartment.

Warren,

The scan is not clear, if you zoom in you will see it is a speaker. I can see it in the original photo I have.

bob,

thanks. I'll have a look at the blaupunkt range - when I've convinced these guys my car actually has speakers!

As far as making it look original the only thing i think you could do is make it so you cant see it. I went with a blaupunkt cd player, it fit in perfect with no modifications in my 73t. this also looked sweet in the dash, it blended in just right. As far as speakers i put a set of 6.5 inch in the doors. These also fit perfect i just had to drill some holes for the screws. Needless to say i made some custom door panels with openings for the speakers out of panel board. For the rears i put some 8 inch subs in the rear seat tubs, it didnt lok original but it worked. To add any other speakers in the rear you'd have to cut some sheet metal. Good luck with the project.
Craig

Layzee,
To clarify: I can clearly see speakers in your car, but Warren is right that they are not factory fitted. It's the best way to fit them, though.
Regards,GeorgeK

George,

You may be correct about the doorand dash trim, ir may have been available that way in Europe, but I am sure USA models never came that way. The only doors I have ever seen on US models were all black, in a combination of leather and vinyl, period. On my doors, the pockets are covered in black leather, the rest of the door is in black vinyl, very high quality vinyl, no cracks in 28 years! The interior on my car had the leather option in a medium brown, not dark, and not tan, and the trip strips accross the dash match the seat leather exactly!

Phil, I saw the speakers in the door pockets, and the black grilles do look nice, and perfectly match th black pockets. Are the pockets covered in black leather?

As far as I remember there were three radios available in the USA: an AM only model I have only seen in 912s, an AM-FM monaural model like my car came with, and am AM-FM stereo model that was quite rare ... all were Blaupunkt. I have also seen Euro models with metric gauges that had a three-band Blaupunkt, AM-FM-SW (shortwave) that 'matched' the style of the other USA-available radios! I have also seen a stripped 911T that had a color-keyed blank panel and no radio, just like many VW Beetles in the late 50s and early 60s!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

My car has/had those door map pocket mounted speakers too, but they were feeble and not up to the fearsome task of competing with a sport muffled mill.

My present soloution is to remove the map pockets (with big holes in them, grrrr)completely until I can get replacements.

I tried new Blaupunkt speakers in the holes first, but they were useless. Absolutely. Then I discovered the original mono speaker in the dash. It had blown, but now I'm thinking about replacing it with a grunty Blaupunkt mono on the same factory size (which you can actually get) and just putting up with that. There really isn't anywhere decent on these cars in my opinion to fit a proper system without spoiling the originality or covering up the rear window.

If my mega-mono idea fails I think I'll stick to the sounds coming aft of the gear stick, as has been previously suggested.

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'72 911 TE

layzee,

My 1973T had a single speaker in the center of the dash, along with 2 blau speakers on the rear deck(probably weren't stock). Anyway, I put a sony cd head unit in my car, and it looks great. I also put 2 JBL 3.5 speakers in the center dash hole after constructing a piece of sheet metal that would cover the hole. They sound good. I haven't had time to put any more speakers in, but I know for a fact that each of my doors has a factory speaker hole in them. I believe that each hole is 5 1/4" in diameter.

You could easily mount door speakers here. I am not sure how deep you could go though. I would check your Crutchfield application guide(in their free catalog) to find out. As far as rear deck speakers go, they must be top mount(in their own container, not just top mount). The ones that were in my car contained 4" speakers.

Let me know if you need help with the radio install...take a look at my webpage...

Bill


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William Armentrout
1973 911T
2.7 carerra rs specs
www.geocities.com/william_armentrout

Did you find a way to buy this car or is this just a what if post?
I do hope you are able to get that car , it looks even better out of the garage. Good Luck!

Yeah, going to pick the car up tomorrow. I am excited

Thanks for the tips, I'll post more when I get a good look at the car again. Unfortunately, we are going to get the car and I go back to University the same day so I have to wait 'til the easter vacation for a good play.

I believe my car had a cork interior, originally, including door panels the same as in Layzee's picture. Of course, somebody might have done it after the fact, but the installation looked pretty original when I took it apart, i.e., no extra set of staple holes from a previous cover.

I think in this year range, anything beyone the one-speaker system was dealer-installed, which explains why Layzee's looks practically original. But I don't believe a four-speaker set-up was a factory option.

Here are my old cork doors. They look to even have the same textured look as Layzee's.



The speakers that used to be in mine (as well as the new ones) were definitely not stock.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

I recommend MB Quarts. They seat the tweeter in the cone like a standard 2-way speaker, but they are true separates with a crossover. This means you get component speaker performance, but you don't need to cut any holes for a tweeter. I was able to fit a pair of 6 1/2 inch ones under the factory grills. My amp is mounted under the passenger seat. The only visible changes are the deck and the 8 inch sub behind the seat.

Keith
79 930