Concert sound speakers question

[Bruce Urie]

I'm converting my lower front door panels in my '87 Grand National to the concert sound speaker panels. Just won a pair recently on eBay and anxiously awaiting arrival. Due to the discussion recently here on the board, it seems that the music will sound better on the door panels rather than on the dash. I intend to disconnect them and hook up the concert sound speakers. I didn't want to cut holes in the original panels, so will put them in storage and get what came with these cars as an option.

My question is: What size speaker goes in these concert sound panels? And does anyone know how much the depth of the speaker is? I do know (thanks to this excellent group of guys) that I'll have to cut a small hole in the door metal to make room for the rear of the speaker.

Another question: Am I right to assume that the speakers mount to the PANELS?

Another: Do I need those things that mount on the back of the speakers? Sort of like some type of protector or something?

The speakers I want to try and get are JBLs. So I hope I can find them in that size. The panels are from another '87 Grand National, excellent shape, (same color as mine), only it has the black concert sound speaker grills on them. Trying to make the car look as original as possible.

Sure hope some of you can help here. Just asking because the panels aren't due to arrive here until sometimes next week.

And I'd like to ask....any of you guys recommend any type of speaker that will sound good? I have the AM/FM radio, stereo, cassette player, with five band equalizer, and all controls are electronic controlled, not mechanical controled. What would sound good with my type of music? i.e. Ventures, Beatles, Creedence, AC/DC, Loving Spoonful, Kington Trio, Beach Boys, and my old rock band I was in. In other words, LOUD! So I can hear it over my exhaust. Any recommendations? Sure would like some. Any of you out there use JBLs in your GNs, Turbo Regals? I swear by them as that's the speakers I have in my Fender amp and pa system. Can't beat them. Had them for a very long time, still perform like new.

Ok, end of lecture.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[deftool]

you will need 5.25" speakers for the doors. and yes , you will need the black plastic cradles to mount the speakers behind the concert sound panels. pretty simple to mount, i put some jl audio c2 525 coaxials with a pretty large magnet and it cleared everything. sounds awesome too , then again, ive also got two amps , jl audio 3.5's, polk audio 6x9s, 12" sub, and it all looks stock, everything is hidden, except maybe the 3.5's, they rub the top of the dash since the upper portion is kinda tall.

i cant even hear my exhaust , 3 in downpipe , test pipe, and magnaflows on a slightly beefier 4.1 block.

 

[Bruce Urie]

you will need 5.25" speakers for the doors. and yes , you will need the black plastic cradles to mount the speakers behind the concert sound panels. pretty simple to mount, i put some jl audio c2 525 coaxials with a pretty large magnet and it cleared everything. sounds awesome too , then again, ive also got two amps , jl audio 3.5's, polk audio 6x9s, 12" sub, and it all looks stock, everything is hidden, except maybe the 3.5's, they rub the top of the dash since the upper portion is kinda tall.

i cant even hear my exhaust , 3 in downpipe , test pipe, and magnaflows on a slightly beefier 4.1 block.

Thank you, Deftool, that's just the information I'm looking for. Now all I can hope for is to hope the black plastic cradles come with my door panels. By the way, real nice sound system you have. I'm jealous.
I'm betting that system really kicks!

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[turbopete]

Watching the work

If you can make it to the NC meet next month, Gary K will be completely redoing my system, including the concert sound speakers, components in the lower door panels, amp and sub.
Just an idea.

 

[deftool]

Thank you, Deftool, that's just the information I'm looking for. Now all I can hope for is to hope the black plastic cradles come with my door panels. By the way, real nice sound system you have. I'm jealous.
I'm betting that system really kicks!

Bruce '87 Grand National

no problem!, i got most of my stuff off of ebay and sonicelectronix.com brand new, they are tons cheaper than what you will find in the stores. sonicelectronix has reviews on alot of its speakers, so you can find what is good and what is not.

if you are replacing the 3.5's on the dash, you might have look for speakers with a lower profile top half. and if you are plannning to replace the 4x10s with 6x9's , you will need adapters that are sold on ebay as well for about 20 bux.

 

[Bruce Urie]

no problem!, i got most of my stuff off of ebay and sonicelectronix.com brand new, they are tons cheaper than what you will find in the stores. sonicelectronix has reviews on alot of its speakers, so you can find what is good and what is not.

if you are replacing the 3.5's on the dash, you might have look for speakers with a lower profile top half. and if you are plannning to replace the 4x10s with 6x9's , you will need adapters that are sold on ebay as well for about 20 bux.

Deftool, thanks for the information. I will research these speakers you recommend. I did see the adapters on eBay and they are $9.99, made out of ABS plastic. One thing I'd like to ask you, did you convert to 6x9 in the rear with adapters? Reason I ask is my brother was complaining he couldn't put in 6x9 in the rear of his '87 Regal because he said the larger speakers interferred with the trunk tension rods. Did you have this problem or did yours fit OK? If they did, I'm getting the adapters. Let me know if you can.
If I get my GN ready by the time of the meet in NC, I'll see you there. (pray for a miracle here)

I got my Concert Sound '87 GN doorpanels today, but no speaker supports. Do the speakers mount on the door metal with these supports? I found a pair of speaker supports/mounts for the 5.25 concert sound speakers on eBay but they want $45 bucks plus $11.95 to ship...a little too much for my taste. Do you know where I can get some speaker mounts for my concert sound? Thanks.

Bruce '87 Grand National


Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[deftool]

Deftool, thanks for the information. I will research these speakers you recommend. I did see the adapters on eBay and they are $9.99, made out of ABS plastic. One thing I'd like to ask you, did you convert to 6x9 in the rear with adapters? Reason I ask is my brother was complaining he couldn't put in 6x9 in the rear of his '87 Regal because he said the larger speakers interferred with the trunk tension rods. Did you have this problem or did yours fit OK? If they did, I'm getting the adapters. Let me know if you can.
If I get my GN ready by the time of the meet in NC, I'll see you there. (pray for a miracle here)

I got my Concert Sound '87 GN doorpanels today, but no speaker supports. Do the speakers mount on the door metal with these supports? I found a pair of speaker supports/mounts for the 5.25 concert sound speakers on eBay but they want $45 bucks plus $11.95 to ship...a little too much for my taste. Do you know where I can get some speaker mounts for my concert sound? Thanks.

Bruce '87 Grand National


Bruce '87 Grand National

yes, my 6x9s are right on the rods, but it actually made mine fit better and i have some pretty big polk audio 6x9 magnets. the rods really dont move at all when you open and close trunk, or atleast mine dont. i could see how it could be a pain to some installing the 6x9s. you definitely have to mount the adapter first if your 6x9s are causing you any trouble. i think its definitely worth the hour or two worth of work, if that. i have thought of getting some 6x9s with smaller magnets, but i dont think mine are doing any kind of damage what so ever. i put them on cause i had them laying around, if i were to buy another pair, id get some jl audio 6x9s, i think the bottom end of their speakers are not as long as my polk audios.

and about the speakers being mounted on just the metal door, dont think thatll work if you want some decent speakers. you do need the supports, otherwise , size of speaker might get in the way of the window when rolled down.

 

[gculver]

Yes, The speaker mounts to the door using the cradles, you must cut a round hole in the door, bet you didn't know that. I can get the measurements of the hole placement if need. Best to PM me.

GC

 

[deftool]

Yes, The speaker mounts to the door using the cradles, you must cut a round hole in the door, bet you didn't know that. I can get the measurements of the hole placement if need. Best to PM me.

GC

cut a round hole in the door?

 

[deftool]

my t came with concert sound , dont know if a non concert sound door would be different. i didnt have to cut anything on my door and everything went on smoothly.

 

[gculver]

All factory concert II sound doors had holes cut in the door, non CII sound didn't. I have never tried to mount CII door speakers to a non CII door.,so I couldn't tell you if that would work. I would think you would have to cut the speaker cradle(basket) down. I have cut my own holes to mount them though.



GC

 

[deftool]

All factory concert II sound doors had holes cut in the door, non CII sound didn't. I have never tried to mount CII door speakers to a non CII door.,so I couldn't tell you if that would work. I would think you would have to cut the speaker cradle(basket) down. I have cut my own holes to mount them though.

View attachment 94046

GC

wow, did not know that! yea i didnt have to deal with any cutting. so were there any 5.25's in non-concert sound vehicles?

 

[gculver]

wow, did not know that! yea i didnt have to deal with any cutting. so were there any 5.25's in non-concert sound vehicles?

As for as being OE, Not that I know of!..But really hadn't researched much on the earlier Buick g-boby's. I mainly stick to 86/87 stuff.

GC

 

[Bruce Urie]

Concert Sound II speaker holes in door, dimensions?

Well, I don't think I have holes in the doors of my '87 GN as it didn't come with Concert Sound II. According to you, GC, I'll have to make some holes for the 5.25 speakers and they mount to the door with those speaker cages. Yet the other guy said he didn't have to cut a hole. If not, how in hell did the speakers mount? The Concert Sound panels I just got has the black speaker cover, and a opening behind it, but no mounts anywhere.

Looks like I'll have to cut a hole anyway. Don't mind that. So my understanding here, from you fellas suggestions, is I'll have to mount the 5.25" speakers to a speaker cage, then mount to the door AFTER I have cut out the proper hole size. GC, I would like the dimensions of this hole and how to locate it (from a datum point somewhere on the door) Please, don't go out and rip off your panels to get these dimensions...only if you already have them. I, in no way, want to impose all that trouble on you.

If you have the dimensions, please share them with me, as I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for all the help so far. You're a great, knowledgeable group.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[Bruce Urie]

you will need 5.25" speakers for the doors. and yes , you will need the black plastic cradles to mount the speakers behind the concert sound panels. pretty simple to mount,

So you're saying the speakers go onto the black plastic cradles then mounts to the panels? Not the doors? It looks like I'll have to cut some holes in the door...there's no mounting holes on the panel from the back at all. How big of a hole?

If I'm repeating myself, I'm sorry, tired, in pain, lot of work today. Forgive.

Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[turbo87regal]

All doors I have seen (even cutlass doors) have an indentation in the center of where the speacer should be as well as 4 indentations for the concert sound speaker bucket screws, all you have to do is locate them on your doors and drill them out with a hole saw for the big hole and either use self taping screws or drill small pilot holes for the other ones.

Here is a link to a post I made a while back to show someone the factory pieces for the concert sound option including some of the holes needed in the doors. Just scroll down to the bottom of the thread and look for my post.http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/car-audio/220598-concert-sound-csii-section-needed.html

 

[Bruce Urie]

All doors I have seen (even cutlass doors) have an indentation in the center of where the speacer should be as well as 4 indentations for the concert sound speaker bucket screws, all you have to do is locate them on your doors and trill them out with a hole saw for the big hole and either use self taping screws or drill small pilot holes for the other ones.

Here is a link to a post I made a while back to show someone the factory pieces for the concert sound option including some of the holes needed in the doors. Just scroll down to the bottom of the thread and look for my post.http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/car-audio/220598-concert-sound-csii-section-needed.html

Hey, Turbo87regal, thanks for your help and suggestions. I will look for those indentations on the door when I take the panels off and "trill":biggrin:the holes. I should have figured this was a production line thing, as for cutting holes for cars with this option and leaving it alone for cars without this option. Now, why didn't I think of that?

Your link was very, very helpful. It plainly clears up all my questions about it. I put your link in my "favorites." Thank you kindly, buddy.:smile:

I was thinking of cutting the dash speaker wires and putting the door speaker wires there. Is that a good idea? If not, where can I find that harness you are showing?


Bruce '87 Grand National

 

[turbo87regal]

Ok you caught me with the "trill" but thats fixed now:smile:

The harness is a factory piece only found in concert sound cars, all it realy does is split the wires coming from the back of the radio to go to the dash and doors so you could just tap into your existing dash speaker wires and get the same result. I would keep both door and dash speakers if I was you. If you are concerned about making aftermarket dash speakers fit under the factory grill you can just take the factory metal clips that the screws go into for the speakers on the dash and put them on the speakers themselves to mount the speaker in from the under side of the dash to get the clearance you need.

 

[gculver]

There are only three locator dimples. It moumts using only three screws and the hole is approx. 4&1/2". The easiest way to do it,drill the dimples, semi-mount the cradle upside down to the door and trace the round I.D.part of the cradle and cut. Tin snipes is what i use, then clean the hole up with carbide bit airwhizzer.
GC

 

[turbo87regal]

There are only three locator dimples. It moumts using only three screws

Its been a while since I had to do one and after looking at pictures I see that you are correct there are only 3 small holes.