So this is for my on topic main car and well hidden. But as I hope to have a bit of discussion on it I posted this bit here. Final decision install will be in my regular thread but this will help keep it clean. Anyway currently in my 53 bel air I'm running a pioneer head unit under the seat with a single pioneer 6x9 with two built in tweeters in the stock dash location with two more identical pioneer 6x9s in the rear deck. I recently junked a 97 grand prix with a better Kenwood head unit I intend to swap to along with a pair of infinity kappa 6x9s i also intend to swap to in the rear. Which brings me back to the dash speaker. In all of my vehicles I've always run the biggest speaker I could in any given location. But from that same grand prix I also pulled two 4" infinity kappa speakers. Having used infinity speakers....both reference and kappa....in many of my other cars I think I know the answer. But I'm wondering how the two infinity kappa 4" mounted together on a plate in the stock dash location would compare to the single Walmart pioneer 6x9? Another advantage of the infinity dash route is id have stereo sound in the front too. For the time being I intend the dash and rear deck speaker locations to be the only ones I'm going to do on this car. And before anyone says anything yeah I know the only music I need is my straight pipes. But I like my surfer crap every now and then. And I have straight pipes so it needs to be powerful to hear it.
I think the 2 smaller speakers will give you better sound. I will have to figure out the sound system for the 51 at some point. I'm thinking you have the right idea with a hidden radio. In my case, I might go newer tech so I can blue tooth the surf music to the stereo and crank it up.
Yeah I just never liked the look of a modern stereo in a vintage dash. My brother had a 70 c10 that was one of the rare factory 402 big block trucks....those by the time he got it it had a 350(but getting to the bell housing bolts in the big tunnel was easy lol). . made me cringe when he cut the dash for a pioneer I gave him lol. And I personally have use for a glovebox on top of not wanting to reach that far to adjust the music lol
And I'm leaning towards the full infinity speaker setup. I know the infinity 6x9s will have more bass than the current Walmart pioneers. I initially had pioneer premier 6x9s in the doors of my Monte and kicker 6x9s in the rear deck. Kickers started dying so I threw some infinity reference in. Ended up putting the pioneers in rear and infinity in front because they overpowered the pioneers along with the better highs and mids getting a bit washed out with my sub. And the 4" infinity's sounded decent enough in the grand prix. I honestly thought they were 6.5" until I finally pulled them out lol
And I can take pics of my rear speaker location of you need ideas. Basically I looked at a a car with the option of a single rear speaker and simply mirrored the mounting
Pictures are always a good thing. With the cage in my 51 it might be more OT than I had originally hoped. I have to remove the stock seats to fit around the cage.
Just use the speakers you have from that 97 GP. Unless you have a bunch of sound deadening material and improved weatherstripping, the 53 will have enough wind and other noises inside that you will not really be able to have that great of listening environment anyway. It will make plenty sufficient sound for cruising, and that's all you need.
Oddly I don't have trouble hearing the current Walmart pioneer 6x9s even under hard throttle. I do have some sound deadener in it along with panel board backed door panels wrapped in foam and heavy vinyl. And despite not being exactly thrilled with the execution of the stitching of my headliner they used a high quality material that insulates well. And I will be doing some good weatherstripping at some point. That's just low on the list
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