6.5" speaker fitment

[Jand3rson]

It really depends on the design of the basket. Also if the speaker is a true 6.5in, or a "6.5in driver" that is made to fit most 5.25 openings/screw holes.

No really nice 6.5 is going to fit. There isn't much room to hack out the sheet metal to begin with, and even then... you still won't be able to sandwich the stock kickpanel cover over it and have it look decent.

What I see more often is people cutting out the grill in the kickpanel cover, and mounting the speakers to the cover. Lousy idea, and looks like shit.

There is a reason I made nice sleek pods...

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't want to mount the speakers to the plastic kickpanel, there's hardly any strength there at all. I'm also not going to be getting super-nice expensive speakers, just some good sounding ones. I'd like some MB Quarts though, I found a lot of them on eBay for pretty cheap. The shop here that used to stock them stopped carrying the line. Anyone have any reccomendations? They'll need to be component.

What I've seen done on one E30 at a shop here in town is they made a small-height spacer, and cut out the plastic kickpanel large enough to fit the spacer inside. They then drilled holes through the spacer, and new holes into the sheet metal, mounted the spacer to the sheet metal, and mounted the speaker to the spacer. After painting the spacer black, you couldn't even hardly tell it was there, since almost all of it sat inside the hole the cut in the kickpanel.

[parkerbink]

Keep in mind you have a cabrio, and your kickpanel area is quite a bit different then the hardtop crowd.

Sorry I thought it was the same.

[sweetride01]

What I've seen done on one E30 at a shop here in town is they made a small-height spacer, and cut out the plastic kickpanel large enough to fit the spacer inside. They then drilled holes through the spacer, and new holes into the sheet metal, mounted the spacer to the sheet metal, and mounted the speaker to the spacer. After painting the spacer black, you couldn't even hardly tell it was there, since almost all of it sat inside the hole the cut in the kickpanel.

Looks like I'm gonna have to do just that. My 6.5's are around an inch too deep.
The problem will be that pesky hood release. Any suggestions Jordan/anyone?
I really don't want to have to put the speakers into the doors.

[Jand3rson]

My hood cable is really stretched out, and I've never gotten around to replacing it, so I keep a long flathead in my driver side map pocket (wrapped in a towel so it doesn't slide around), and open the hood from the front, through the grill. Funny thing is, most people think it's pretty cool when they see me do it, like it's some tricked-out mod. :D

[sweetride01]

Haha that's pretty cool. Sounds more like a temporary solution than a permanent fix though.
They should make an handle that sticks out to the side horizontally so that it doesn't get in the way.

[a3ternus]

What I see more often is people cutting out the grill in the kickpanel cover, and mounting the speakers to the cover. Lousy idea, and looks like shit.

And most of all...sounds like shit!!!
Noway you can get a decent sound by doing this!
N.

[Jand3rson]

Haha that's pretty cool. Sounds more like a temporary solution than a permanent fix though.
They should make an handle that sticks out to the side horizontally so that it doesn't get in the way.

Eh, it works fine for me.

[808BMW]

And most of all...sounds like shit!!!
Noway you can get a decent sound by doing this!
N.

I personally don't have the plastic kickpanel on atm (just an MDF ring) but I'm sure if you sealed both side of the kickpanel piece it would be just fine.

[DrMcDave]

yeah i also have no kickpanels nor do i have a ring i just screwed them in, super temporary. lasting way longer than planned.

[DSchultz325e]

I'd like some MB Quarts though, I found a lot of them on eBay for pretty cheap.

Be very wary of the cheap Chinese made Discus line. Quart as of late has been really downward spiralling, much like Phoenix Gold and their godawful Korean crap. If you want to get some decent priced comps, go for JL's TR line or Eclipse's old stock. Diamond D3s are super cheap, too, if a little bright.

[Jand3rson]

I'm going to go with Infinity Kappas. I found a few sets on ebay with 2 speakers, 2 tweeters, and 2 crossovers, all of them uner $140. I contacted one seller, and he said that he's always got at least 3 sets going almost all the time. My brother in law has an older set in his MGB, and they sound great.

[dakro]

so i read this post correctly there is a way to mount 6.5 inch speakers in the front, but for the rear is it just better to go with 5 1/4? i would of just went for the right size but i got infinity component for the front brand new at 100$ from some kid that crashed his car and exchanged em under warrenthy lol

[BMWguy]

Did anyone say whether the 6.5 pods for the map pocket spots are being sold on a wide scale yet? I remember some discussion back in the day on E30sport about someone mass-making them and selling them... I would be interested in purchasing a pair...

[ian332isport]

They should make an handle that sticks out to the side horizontally so that it doesn't get in the way.

I've been working on a solution for this very problem (also fitting 6.5" speakers).

BMW did it like this:



I did it like this:



I used an Audi TT release lever. You need to make a mounting plate that screws in the original holes, and then screw the Audi lever to it. You also need to space out the cable slightly, but the standard cable fit's the Audi lever just fine.

You just need to open the glovebox to pull the release handle.

Cheers,

Ian.

[MrK]

Great job Ian! Looks really stock as well.

Now. What about the rest of the world's e30's that have the glove box on the other side? :D