Custom speaker location 126
 

I have an 86 126 with the old 4 speaker system. I am looking to put an awesome stereo in it, but it seems that a 4 in the dash is not the greatest location or size, hindering the "awesomeness" of the system. Is there a good place I could put a 6.5 component system? I thought about custom kick panels, but the the e-brake pedal is in the way on the driver's side. The only other thing I can think of is cutting out a place on the doors. I see that the 91 560SELs (at least) had the 10 speaker system and a speaker grille on the rear part of the front door. I guess I could try to find some door panels of a 126 with this setup, or like stated before, just cut holes...either there or farther up on the door. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

Put the saw down and step away from the car. Are you in a great hurry to upgrade you system or are you willing to spend a few weekends learning to fabricate with fiberglass? There are several websites that will teach you to work with fiberglass, believe me it is not hard but it does take a little practice. I had the same problem with the e-brake pedal on a 1978 MB 280 a few years ago. I had a friend cut it and weld in an extension that moved it over 3 inches and angle it up. That was rather extreme but it worked great. Then I put Infinity 5.25 seperates in custom made kick panels. I put Oz 8" subs in the front doors in custom made door panels but I had to cut the door panels to do it. The only thing I regret was cutting the doors for the subs. If you are interested in 'glassing I would be glad to point out the better sites for you to check out.:)

I'm not cutting anything anytime soon if I do it at all!! :) That is why I am doing my homework. With the kickpanels, if I went that route, I think I would let a pro do it. I'm not sure I want to twist my e-brake pedal every which direction, though. What did you think about the idea of getting some door panels from the 10 speaker system? The only reservation I have about that is that the speakers are at the back of the door....is that the best location? Looks like it would be playing music into my a$$...not exactly the optimal place!! Or...I could just keep it simple and put 4s in the dash...do you think I could get a more-than-just-adequate stereo with that setup? Nak, MB Quarts, PG amp? Thanks for your help.

I am also interested in this, I am planning on Putting my component speakers into the Door panels, do you guys have any suggestions to go about doing this? thanks

The closer to the listener a speaker is, the more dominate it will sound all other factors being equal. Proper alignment of speakers in the factory locations will improve stereo image and staging. If you use 4" seperates in custom made kicks you can avoid the e-brake extreme I described earlier. You can do it yourself with a little practice and patience. Door pods are even easier and would be a great place for 6.5" midbass drivers. If you let the pros do it you will pay around $350 for a set of kicks if QForms does not make a model for your vehicle. I made kicks for several friends for the cost of supplies and a case of Corona (proof of a Divine presence) because it is easy and fun. :)

do you have any pics of the work that you have done?

I will post pics of my next install starting in April. I have not installed anything in any car since I moved to California from Hawaii in September.

just an idea. well in my other car i bought these out door lawn light holders. i got them from home depot, and they look like simple door pods, they were around 15 bucks a pair. and u can mount the speaker mount onto it. so it can fit a 6.5 component one (i had a 5.25 component in there). i screwed it to the door panel. but if u don't want to make holes in your doors, then u can velcro the back to the door. just a suggestion. the material cost 15 bucks and it sounded nice. just my idea of poor-man's door pods

ZLA, just wondering, have you done any work to date?

300SDL
Been really busy doing minor installs for my new relatives. Nothing major but they appreciate free labor just as much as the next person. One good thing has come out of it though, they got me a 1980 VW Vanagon in great shape and absolutely no stereo in it. This will be my first install in a rolling house. If you can teach me to put pictures on the web I would love to show you my install step by step.:)

Don't blow off the 4" speakers in the dash quite yet . . . just replace them with Infinity or MB Quarts, filter out the bass to avoid distortion . . . put 6.5" co-axials in the rear deck, then put a sub enclosure in the trunk, ported through the rear deck.

when you post a reply scroll down to where it says attach file you should be able to do it right through there, is this what you meant? thanks,
bob

300SDL
O.K., I will pick up a digital camera tonight (Wednesday) and I can post the first set of pictures Sunday. Be advised that this install will be in a 1980 VW Vanagon but the principles will be the same for virtually any other car. Thank you for the interest.:) Now I have a wife proof excuse to work on one of my own cars:) :) ;)

I agree w/MTI
 

I just opened the dash to handle 5.25" cdt audio coaxials, which sound amazing. Their 4" coaxial model will be available any day now, which I'll put in my rear doors (87 300td). These are both less than $90/pr. I got the 5.25's off ebay for $35, new. CDT also makes a component 4" system for about $270/pr. where you could mount the tweeter on the dash or pillar. One pair of these up front and a good sub would probably be amazing. You will want to add a 4ch bridged to 3ch for the speakers or some like set-up. No cutting or fabricating, amazing sound.

This is a shots of a targeted area of a new sound system in my VW Vanagon. I know this is not a Mercedes but what I am about to do can be applied to virtually any car with a few minor modifications. Notice that my front stage consists of a set of 5.25" coaxials one each in the front doors. The problem that I have noticed is that most of the midrange and higher frequencies are directed at my calves. By constructing kick panels and aiming the speakers at their intended audience I can get a better sound with less power applied. The holes in each door will be filled with a midbass driver and between the front seats I will put an amplifier rack that will also provide storage to compensate for the glove compartment that I plan to remove. Hopefully I will learn how to attatch more than one image to a post so that I can cover several steps in one post.

what did you use as a ring around the speaker to make it stick out from the door itself?

300SDL
the doors had empty holes for speakers when I acquired the van but they were too small for the speakers I was given after a recent install. I made a spacer ring out of 3/4" particle board that gave me the clearance for the rear of the speaker. If you feel the need to do this remember to use gasket material on both sides of the speaker ring to make it as air tight as possible.

thanks,
Im still trying to find a way to mount them so they can be atleast a little more flush u know? either via kick panels or finding a door from a 560 with the speakers in the doors..hmmm
thanks again,
Bob

300SDL
Sorry for the long silence, I just got a new job and I work from midnight till 8am. Not a lot of time for anything else but I will start to post the kickpanel construction photos at least one per day as I can only spare one hour for my projects. The door speakers in my VW are an emergency temporary measure only. I only had about an hour to install a complete system in the VW. Headunit, 2 frontstage speakers and 2 8" subs and a four channel amp. It is not pretty now but it will be when I am done.

300SDL
This is step one: Apply tape and foil in your target area to protect from accidental fiberglass resin application.

300SDL
Step two: Cut fiberglass mat into 3" x 3" strips, mix resin and hardener and brush strips onto target area. Keep windows rolled down to allow fumes to escape. It is better to make this layer larger than you think you will need because it can be trimmed down.

i see..... :D

300SDL
This next photo shows materials needed for the next step; MDF, resin, activator, rubber gloves, paintbrush, acetone, baffle template, fiberglass mat, polyester fabric, flex-board, glue and mixing container.

MTI...?
 

Which Infinity Speakers fit in a W126 dash? Some people say certian 4X6 speakers fit there. Did you put 4X6's in there or 3 1/2 or 4" Infinity speakers in there.

4x6 speakers can be trimmed. wait, some if not most of them can be. i have a infinity 4x6 that sits in there, not held on by screws (the screw points had to be shaved off. but it wedges in there nicely.

ned, which Infinity model do you have? I've got to get the same one, they're the best speakers I've heard. I put the 4" in my 300D. They actually don't fit. The speaker cover sits on top of them about a 1/2" but they sound great. But for my wife's 300SD, I don't think she'll go for the raise speaker look, hehe.

they are the old reference series. its not the oval ones, but the speparate ones ( a 4" woofer, and tweeter). the covers do not fit on mine since i had problem with the woofer hitting the platic when i had it on. they sound nice but one of them went out because of the hot weather making the glue from the cone and rubber separate. i need to fix that.

here's a link if u want to chack it out.

http://www.cardomain.com/member_pages/view_page.pl?page_id=335117&make_type_query=make%3DMercedes-Benz&model_brand_query=model%3DS-Class&tree=Mercedes-Benz%20S-Class

<< the covers do not fit on mine since i had problem with the woofer hitting the platic when i had it on.>>

ned, the MB cover didn't fit over the speaker? Is this because the speaker is raised so the cover doesn't fit on top or because the speaker is hitting something underneath and can't sit in deeply enough?

Thanks,
edge

the problem was that since the thickness of the black plastic surrounding is about 3-4mm thick as appose to the 1-2 mm stock metal speakers mounting surround. i hope u know which part i am talking about. so the "clips" for the speaker cover will not go in all the way, also the infinity rubber woofer surround sticks up about 2-3 mm. so when u put the covers on it will push down because of these 2 added thicknesses. and under heavy midbass it will rattle (cone hitting cover).

not sure i explained that as well but u can see what i am saying right?

I hear you, maybe the other 4X6 model will fit: Infinity REF6402CF

correct me if i am wrong, but don't the stock speakers have inverted surrounds? (i might have made up that word), but by this i mean the woofer surround is curving downwards (opposite of those ones). i forgot how the stock ones look. but if they are similar then those should be fine. the mounting points on those look to be thin metal and therefore won't have the same problem.

one other thing to keep in mind tho. the stock speakers are not 4x6. they are some weird 5x3 1/2 or something like that. so i might have been able to pull mine off because i ahd "separate" aka plate speakers where there is a tweeter and a round 4" woofer. the 4x6's u are looking at have oval woofers (and they have more cone space and should sound better than mine, mid bass wise). anyways the way i trimmed mine i did not make them into an "oval" shape. but a tear drop shape. i suggest u should go to walmart and buy those cheap 4x6 that are like 3 bucks and test them. good luck.