bxrman

Hey you guys, I need to replace the rear speakers on my '88 IROC-Z convertible, and had assumed that they were 6"x9" speakers like everyone refers to here. According to Crutchfield, these rear speakers are actually 6.75" ROUND speakers, with the only replacement size easily available with modification being 5.25" round Pioneers......can anyone verify this?? I currently plan to keep the factory head unit, as the car is COMPLETELY original/stock, and do not want to cgange the appearance. The speakers they recommend would actually be fine with me, and a step up from factory event hough I have the "premium" factory setup for that year. Thoughts.....?

bxrman

Oops - sorry folks....I neglected to run a search for past posts on this subject. Looks like it was well covered in 2003

One further question, though - I did not find any good reference to the detailed installation steps for gaining access to the rear speakers in the convertible....plenty of info on the coupe (removal of hanger, panel slides up, etc.) - anyone do this recently...?

MrDude_1

i havent recently, but i recall how to do it.


theres a top trim piece by the edge of the back where it meets the door, the seatbelt comes out of it... remove that (phillips screws)..
take the trim that runs down the back vertical part of the doorjam off.
take out the front screws for the back panel.
fold the seat down, remove the back screws.

panel should then come off.

bxrman

Thanks - I figured it out last night. This is actually an interesting installation - the factory speaker is installed with about 65% of the surface area exposed - the rest of the speaker surface is blocked by the side panel (very strangely shaped cutout in the panel). To install the 5.25" new speaker, Crutchfield supplies a bracket adapter that you install the speaker to, and then that attaches to the trim panel.

A couple of notes for those doing this:

1) I cut out the side panel (behind the grill) opening larger to expose the whole speaker for better sound.

2) You have to be VERY careful about speaker placement here - I mounted the speaker (centered in the opening) a bit too high, and the magnet BARELY clears the structural cross member behind the panel. This is a height issue.

At this point it is reinstalled, but I think I am gonig to take it back apart and move the speaker down a bit (all still behind the rectangular factory grill) to have a little clearance for the magnet. Interestingly, there is not a depth clearance problem here, but a height issue. This is why the factory (approx. 6.5") speaker is mounted so low and partially covered by the side panel.

MrDude_1

oh yea, i recall a prob i had....

when my speakers hit hard (loud volume) they would touch the panel...

i ended up taking the spacers off the stock speakers and using them to space the speaker back from the panel.

if you still have your stock speakers, cut the mesh from the center, then carefully pry the spacer back.

bxrman

Yeah - I know exactly what you are talking about What I did was reverse the bracket from Crutchfield and mount the speaker to the BACK of it, basically creating a spacer for it. Same goal - you need to move the speaker back to avoid having it touch the grill and vibrate.

Since the depth clearance does not seem to be a problem, this was no big deal. It irritates me that I need to remove it all and move the speaker down a bit, though....

allgood

i have a 92 ta vert with 6.5's in the rear