Speaker replacement - (3 Viewers)

[tucker74]

Wanted to post my weekend project since I've read several posts on how to upgrade the factory speakers in the 80s. I went with Eclipse SE8253s up front and SE8243s in the rear (5 1/4"/4") - same dimensions as the origional speakers. The Eclipse speakers have the shallowest mounting depth available in any speaker of these dimensions - so that was my biggest reason for going w/ them. Anyway - here goes..

This is the front speaker installed with some 1/4” spacers (to clear window guide)…..

Front door panel before….

After a little modification to make the speakers sit flush…

…and here’s the finished product. Stock on the outside…but man do they sound better! Now for the back…

You have to cut the back out of the factory mounting bracket if you want to use the grills.

Then I had to modify the speakers housing a bit ….

And there’s the finished product. Nice and original – but better!

 

[erics_bruisers]

that's decent -- I had a bitch of a time wrangling the front doors in my '94 -- the Eclipses, but it eventually worked -- without duct tape --

With my '91, there are no door speakers -- just lower dash -- those went in easily and sound surprisingly good --

eric

 

[Wayne]

Thanks for the pics....... they look great. I'll do this upgrade at some point.

Wayne S

 

[GXO]

My 91 had lower dash AND door.

I upgraded the doors and disconnected the dash...

The dash became my location for dual CB external speakers mounted in dash.

Now I can turn on my Cobra that is mounted in dash and have it as loud as I want it to be and broadcasting left and right up front in dash...weee

 

[Lothar80]

Great post tucker, Thanks for the pics.

I was wondering where you found the speakers.
I searched for the 8253s but can't find em, while the 8243s are no problem. I've been
putting this upgrade off long enough thanks again!

 

[tucker74]

I picked the speakers up off eBay - they don't make the 2-way 5 1/4" any more, they replaced them w/ a three-way (same dimensions though). I went with these because I was able to get them from brand new for pretty cheap. They really make a big difference in sound - my stock speakers were gone though.

 

[G-Cat]

Tucker,

Are you still running the stock deck? In other words, which went frst, the deck or the speakers? Just curious...

 

[turbocruiser]

Good work! Are you running an aftermarket amp? If not, are the speakers louder at all ( IOW more efficient ) than stock? How would you describe the sound from the eclipses - bright, warm, clear??? Thanks for posting the pics and the post. Cool!

 

[amt]

Very nice! My Eclipse 6.5 speakers for front and rear doors are on their way. I hope the spacers I bought work. Anyone know if the Lexus version came with a seperate stock amp?

 

[tucker74]

I just replaced the speakers with the stock head unit, it sounds MUCH better then before (still skips like mad though).

The eclipses actually sound really good - listened to them at my local stereo shop next to some really high end MB Quart/Polk Audio seperates...and they held their own (on the bright side - crisp).

The Lexus does have an amp...but I'm not sure if it's just for the console mounted sub or the whole system.

 

[Greddy0]

The Lexus has an external amp that powers all the speakers and the subwoofer. Its located behind the dash right of the glove compartment. I've replaced my HU and ext amp already. Looking for some speaker replacement that are drop-in without moding the speaker or the grill... any out there? ???

 

[tucker74]

The one's above are as close as it gets, I didn't notch the door panel on the passenger side front - and it fit flush. On the rear your pretty much out of luck - pull the grill off and take out the speaker and you'll see what I mean (you don't have to remove the door panel).

Tucker

 

[Cruiserhead05]

Just interested. what is the depth of the speaker and how deep is the hole in the door.

 

[amt]

[quote author=tucker74 link=board=2;threadid=11202;start=msg101746#msg101746 date=1076299788]

The Lexus does have an amp...but I'm not sure if it's just for the console mounted sub or the whole system.


[/quote]

I didn't realize that was the sub -what a piece, not to mention a total waste of space. That is next on the list

 

[bkgiii]

The Lexus has an external amp that powers all the speakers and the subwoofer. Its located behind the dash right of the glove compartment.

Not mine.....it's in the center console, behind the 'sub'....

 

[sjcruiser]

Mine (a '97) is behind the USPS tweeter that's accessed through the glove compartment. I personally don't think that Lexus would run all speaker wires from that center console - so may be the LXs have two ext. amp. ? I haven't dig into the center console so can't be for sure.
Frank.

 

[bkgiii]

.....duh.......I wasn't paying very close attention to the post, I guess...the CHANGER is behind the sub in the console, the amp is where stated. I retract my earlier dumb post!!

 

[Junk]

Great write up Tucker - I just linked it as a faq.

FWIW, I used MB Quarts in mine.

 

[cary]

[quote author=turbocruiser link=board=2;threadid=11202;start=msg101651#msg101651 date=1076290680]
Good work! Are you running an aftermarket amp? If not, are the speakers louder at all ( IOW more efficient ) than stock? How would you describe the sound from the eclipses - bright, warm, clear??? Thanks for posting the pics and the post. Cool!
[/quote]

The eclipse are much more efficient than Stock, probably on the order of 4-5 db's more effiecient. The two way and three way eclipses do sound different. The two ways are very nice and warm sounding, the three ways are brighter sounding. The three ways are still not as bright sounding as many of the newer speakers are (something I can't stand). For the money they are really great speakers.

Cary

 

[Ben6]

I went to Best Buy today at lunch. They didn't have the eclipses, but said that pioneers would work. Then the guy told me I was wasting my money unless I either changed the radio or added an amp. He said that the stock setup just didn't have the power to drive the pioneer speakers. I'll admit to knowing virtually nothing about audio equipment, but his remarks appears to be inconsistent with what I have read on this board. Did I get bad information?