- Thread starter
- #41
It's just above rear passenger heater (please excuse the mess) - this is center console area:
it should fit like this (u will need to bend metal plate to accommodate the new amp - hammer + anvil):
One more speaker / amp thread [2024]
- Thread starter wisemonkey
- Start date
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it should fit like this (u will need to bend metal plate to accommodate the new amp - hammer + anvil):
Thanks, mate. Super helpful. Have a merry Christmas.
I appreciate the contributions to this thread. I've been eyeing a sound system upgrade to my 97, but just not sure how "elabrate" I want to go, as with several others my days of "big" systems are gone, but my brother threw in a BOSS headunit and I'm fairly certain the cheapest pioneer speakers he could find.
I will be tearing the entire interior out anyways to baseline (had some sunroof leaking so need to make sure I have no fungi growing under the carpet lol) and clean, so figure I'll throw a little sound deadening mat down to help... I have been spoiled with how quiet my GX470 is
I think I've resolved myself to cut holes and use the new speaker grills vs trying to keep it looking OEM. it was never going to be a OEM restoration so honestly not sure why I took so long to make that decision lol.
I will be tearing the entire interior out anyways to baseline (had some sunroof leaking so need to make sure I have no fungi growing under the carpet lol) and clean, so figure I'll throw a little sound deadening mat down to help... I have been spoiled with how quiet my GX470 is
I think I've resolved myself to cut holes and use the new speaker grills vs trying to keep it looking OEM. it was never going to be a OEM restoration so honestly not sure why I took so long to make that decision lol.
Why do you think it MUST be non-OEM? Are you having a hard time finding speakers that fit retro? Because they don't make them or because those out there don't sound good enough?
- Thread starter
- #45
yes I started thinking I'll ONLY change headunit, that went south when I still have constant whistle.
Then went looking for in-place replacement, still nothing came out of it. So finally bit the bullet and went all in.
- Thread starter
- #46
Following is my experience (learning), if you can come up with better approach please update thread (or DM me)
Few things come in way if you want to use OEM speakers (if you can find them and if they are relatively priced) - I couldn't source them at all.
1. There are no amps driving at those levels (around 25 watt)
2. Front speaker + dash speakers are in parallel so effectively you have 2 ohm speakers in front and 4 ohm speakers in back.
a. AMPs are expensive for something like that
b. AMPs have way more wattage than 25watt - you will blow speakers (if end up increasing volume)
c. AMPs are physically big, you will be hard pressed to find place to put them and if you are relocating AMP then might as well do speakers.
3. Better approach is find speakers which fit in place (but have bigger watt), there are options for front (still need to drill screw holes), but I couldn't find rear.
OR
Get headunit that can drive around 25/30 watt each and bypass OEM amp, keep using existing cables and speakers (speakers may still be bad from all the years though)
Because of mounting depth mainly, and because if I'm going to have different grills, I might as well cut a little bit and get a bit bigger driver. I think it'd look a little cleaner as well, just in case the aftermarket grill doesn't quite cover the area... I should clarify that I'm taking about the rears. The front ill stick with 6.5s and hertz makes shallow low mount 6.5 component set.
I was in the car audio industry in the early 2000's before going in the military and though I'm not the "audiophile" I was, I still don't really like mixing brands for speakers (subs obviously exception) I just never heard a mix I liked. So that limited options as well
- Thread starter
- #49
Don't try to use nutserts on doors, just use self tapping screws.
This would avoid cutting into trim over door metal as well.
Door metal is too thin and not uniform to use nutserts.
With nutserts:
Using self tapping screws:
This would avoid cutting into trim over door metal as well.
Door metal is too thin and not uniform to use nutserts.
With nutserts:
Using self tapping screws:
Question, please....
Question, please..... Did your new system end up with 5 speakers? Do you have 1 in each door (front and middle rows), plus the 4" in the center console facing forward? And so you have no speakers in the rear? Are you getting good sound without a big subwoofer speaker? The 80s have a single speaker in the rear hatch area on the passenger side, but it's not a subwoofer LOL. Did you replace that, or is it just dead now? I'm interested in copying what you did. My 80 never had a disc changer so I don't know what's in that area of the console.
I can't speak for wisemonkey, but I put a powered sub back there with the mount listed in the thread below, and I think it was well worth it.
Here are a couple pics of the subwoofer install I just did...another option for filling that otherwise-wasted space. 
I didn't want to go through the work of building a box, and the free-air solutions don't seem like they'd work any better than the factory option did, in my mind. I also didn't want a box taking up my cargo space, nor have anything be a target for theft.
I ended up with a Rockford Fosgate PS-8, which is an 8" powered sub intended for under-seat applications.
If I put it approximately here, it will clear the cubby in front, and fit nicely behind the panel...
I didn't want to go through the work of building a box, and the free-air solutions don't seem like they'd work any better than the factory option did, in my mind. I also didn't want a box taking up my cargo space, nor have anything be a target for theft. I ended up with a Rockford Fosgate PS-8, which is an 8" powered sub intended for under-seat applications.
If I put it approximately here, it will clear the cubby in front, and fit nicely behind the panel...
Do you have the pics? They aren't showing on this thread.I can't speak for wisemonkey, but I put a powered sub back there with the mount listed in the thread below, and I think it was well worth it.
Here are a couple pics of the subwoofer install I just did...another option for filling that otherwise-wasted space.
I ended up with a Rockford Fosgate PS-8, which is an 8" powered sub intended for under-seat applications.
If I put it approximately here, it will clear the cubby in front, and fit nicely behind the panel...
I didn't take any pics of my install, but I used the same bracket as everyone else, and one of the same subs (there are a few with very similar layouts). If you're saying there aren't ANY pics in the thread loading, that's on your end: I just opened it and had pics.
- Thread starter
- #54
I've LX450 (Lexus).
Difference between 80 series and LX 450 - is that speaker in back.
LX 450 has very small sub in center console, 80 series has big speaker in the trunk area.
Now I've 2 component speakers in front (doors + mirrors) - removed the ones near knee.
and 2 in rear doors.
sub is removed (component speakers should handle sub frequencies)
Sound is pretty good but then again anything would have been better than 30 year old speakers lol.
For 80 series you can get 2 amps
(1 same as me, with similar speakers
2nd one in trunk area near that big speaker only for sub and put sub there - lot of space behind quarter panel
OR don't wire anything in trunk and use that space for something else)
I'm trying to acquire 80 series quarter panel just for this lol.
When you put that 8" in the rear hatch, did you have to run new wire for it? Or did you use the existing factory wire?
- Thread starter
- #56
Thing about wiring:
If you are moving amp location (almost certainly due to size and location of original) - you will need to at least reroute existing wires.
And if you are rerouting - might as well run a new wire. Running wire to rear panel is way easier than anything else that will involve in this project - trim by the door pops-up super easily and u can put wires under that.
pop up trim between 2 doors then pop up trim by the door
You say it won't be too hard to run wire from behind the dash to the area where the OEM subwoofer is in the cargo area? I can figure taking off the floor trim pieces to run wires under them, but how do I route them into the cavity above the rear passenger wheel where the OEM subwoofer is? I figure I need 4 wires run: 2 RCA, 1 hot, 1 signal (I'd ground the power in the area to the chassis).
- Thread starter
- #58
Getting in to quarter panel cavity is easy (there is hole behind trim to bring existing wires in there) - remove the trim and u will see.
But if u change other speaker wires - hardest part would be getting wire from car floor to door (This was hard enough that I almost regretted doing it).
I would say try removing trim and plan ur approach before starting on it, plan multiple times/ways lol.