Frustrated with front speaker install

[leftfoot]

OK so for the past two weeks I have been working to remove my speaker pods from my 89T and replace them with an option that will let me install larger than a 4" crappy (now overpriced to rebuy) speaker. Reading the many forum posts on this subject I see that the 91 and 92 supra's came with a new pod that could handle a 6.5".

That is where the hunt began. Lots of calls to national, local and broker of parts, searches on the internets, and visits to potential junk yards that thought they had the doors I needed without any luck.

Yesterday afternoon I took the day off (because this has been eating at me to accomplish) and picked up some 3/4 cabinet grade plywood (on sale at HD) to try and build my own box or plate to allow me to install a set of larger speakers (I was looking to make a plate that would be stable and not vibrate). A template and scroll saw experience later I have a replacement plate that has the attach points I need, but without the surface area needed to mount anything more than a 5" or 5.5" speaker. To go larger I would need to cut the panel of the door away or mount the speaker inside the plate without getting in the way of the window itself as it moves.

So here it is:

I can either beg (which I am now) to someone that has a 91-92. Would you please take a picture of your speaker pod to show me what it looks like... or better yet be willing to sell me one?

Or:

Ask for reference designs of how others have mounted their larger speakers on the front door. Which I am also attempting to do now?

Thanks and happy holidays
:aigo:

 

[OfnaRcR4]

The 6.5's baaaaarely fit in there as is so its kind of hard to replicate them. Just use some quarter inch or half inch MDF and mount the speaker to that, then mount the assembly to the door. Expect a decent amount of trial and error. If they are coax and they stick out it'll be harder. My biggest reccomendation would be to make sure the door pannel will fit and the door will shut and doesn't hit the speaker cone.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

I had a set of '91 speaker pods, and put them in. The problem is that they're open baffle, and in the end, I put my 4" separates back in, because there were sound issues that bugged me and I couldn't get rid of.

I've got a prototype design for a 6.5" speaker pod which has a 0.31 cubic foot sealed airspace, optimised for a set of MB Quart 6.5" separates, but I haven't done the final stages of building moulds for it yet, since I've had higher priorities for my car.

I'll be in the garage this weekend, so if I come across the '91 speaker pods, I'll take pics, but it's a pretty simple thing.

It's essentially a rectangular plate, which goes to the 4 bolts which hold the speaker frame in, with a ring that the speaker mounts onto. The rectangular plate inside the ring is cut away.

I could replicate the thing in MDF easily enough, it's a very simple shape. (Maybe what I need to do is draw it up in CAD, and have it "printed" on one of the 3D deposit printers that Staples is starting to offer services from. )

 

[leftfoot]

Dan_Gyoba & OfnaRcR4

Thanks for the great replies. Good point OfnaRcR4 I was wondering about the cone hitting the door card (or metal) when the speaker is actively moving (whoops, there goes that investment). On your install do you have reverberation because their is not a complete seal with just a plate? On mine, three of the bolt holes are at a different level than the 4th. The fourth sticks further out from the door and made a single panel harder without offsets and some kind of sealing. I am probably over thinking this....

Dan_Gyoba, does the 91 also have a bigger speaker hole in the card and a larger space in the metal of the door frame? If you have a template design I am willing to do the CAD and 3D printing for you. I have access to that equipment. I know we can't be the only ones wanting to upgrade their front speakers and now that the 91-92 pods are no longer available from Toyota it would be great to create audiophile solution. Thanks also for the offer to take pictures of the pods. Can't wait to see how they did the angling on the speaker and made it all fit in that space.

If either of you or anyone on else is really looking to feel great this Christmas season about what good people you are I would love to see what your MDF solutions look like installed without the door panel on. Only takes 5 minutes to remove and you would make me happier than James Bond in a waterproof tuxedo shop.

 

[leftfoot]

OfnaRcR4 I found this in your build pictures. http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?65052-OfnaRcR-s-Wanna-B-Build-Thread/page9

Is this that the setup you have now? Who did your fiberglass work, it looks nice? I guess that is how you got around the MDF swelling issue if you fiberglass the whole thing. What kind of angle did you set your speakers to or did you even worry about it? I see you did have to cut some metal to make the speakers fit (great to see it wasn't just me that thought you needed to make that adjustment.

 

[Grandavi]

Maybe this will help as well? I bought a pair and have them sitting beside me.. lol. Havent put them in the car yet...


http://www.supramania.com/forums/sh...ront-door-speaker-pods&highlight=Speaker+Pods

 

[leftfoot]

Maybe this will help as well? I bought a pair and have them sitting beside me.. lol. Havent put them in the car yet...


http://www.supramania.com/forums/sh...ront-door-speaker-pods&highlight=Speaker+Pods

HAHA are you saying you want to sell them?

Those are great pictures. Thanks!

 

[Grandavi]

no These are waiting for my car to get the interior finished, then going to be putting in 6" up front and get a new amp for my rear subs.

But they do exist. I dont know if the seller of that group buy has any more in stock or not, but if you search for speaker pods on here, you may find some for sale already.

 

[OfnaRcR4]

OfnaRcR4 I found this in your build pictures. http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?65052-OfnaRcR-s-Wanna-B-Build-Thread/page9

Is this that the setup you have now? Who did your fiberglass work, it looks nice? I guess that is how you got around the MDF swelling issue if you fiberglass the whole thing. What kind of angle did you set your speakers to or did you even worry about it? I see you did have to cut some metal to make the speakers fit (great to see it wasn't just me that thought you needed to make that adjustment.

Thats the setup i have at the moment and i did the fiberglass work. Glass is hard and i'm still not very good at it at all but the pods came out okay. I angled them as much as i could toward the opposite passenger but you can't get much angle in that location without it starting to protrude or aim at the inside of the door panel. The only reason i modified my doors was because i wanted a bit more enclosure volume. I like the setup but even feeding the componet set 200RMS it does lack midbass. MK3's are just hard to make mids loud.

 

[MarkIII4Me]

Here's how I did mine.
http://www.supramania.com/forums/sh...5-quot-with-cast-basket-into-your-door-*Pics*

Should give you a few ideas. Also, check the link in the thread's last post for how I sealed the doors.

 

[Insidious Surmiser]

I just made custom wooden mounts myself *shrug. just make sure it mounts to the door, and make sure the speakers mount to it

 

[leftfoot]

Here's how I did mine.
http://www.supramania.com/forums/sh...5-quot-with-cast-basket-into-your-door-*Pics*

Should give you a few ideas. Also, check the link in the thread's last post for how I sealed the doors.

Those are great pictures and exactly what I am looking to reproduce. I have a shop that has the ability to laser scan the brackets and reproduce them out of ABS plastic similar to what KevinM did with his. Anybody in the central Florida or south region that would be willing to let me scan theirs?

 

[leftfoot]

I just made custom wooden mounts myself *shrug. just make sure it mounts to the door, and make sure the speakers mount to it

Did you or would you take pictures of your handywork 89JDM7M?