Rear Speakers

Hello,

I own 1983 Mid Night Blue 280sl, since March 5th 1983, and to this day is has always been dependable and fun to drive car, it has had mechanical wear, but I would not own anything else. I drive to work every day, and I think there is nothing better then taking the top down after a hard day at work, to me it is like a min vacation without all the hassles.

My problem is my hearing over the years has deteriorated to the point I’m having difficulty hearing any clarity from the radio with the addition of the wind noise. Since the majority of the wind comes from the rear of my seat I installed a wind breaker which did help, but I want more. So, what I want to do is install couple speakers in the storage compartment – (behind the seat), and maybe even a amplifier to boost the signal.

Any and all advise is appreciated.

Thank you.

[G-Benz]

www.************************

They have a Bose setup that is designed to fit nicely in the rear compartment area. They make them for the R107 series, and the fabrics available are color-matched to blend all interiors.

Check them out.

Thank you for the information, it is greatly appreciated, sound like Bose has good possibilities, but where would go to check it out?

[G-Benz]

I've never actually "heard" the system, just seen it in the catalog.

They have a great return policy, so I guess if you install it and don't like the way it sounds, you can just return it.

Btw, rear speakers would help a little, but what you need is more volume from the front. I can't recall how the R107 speaker setup is, but an additional set of speakers in the kickpanels would help a great deal. They are located low enough to be isolated from exterior noise, yet can be aimed directionally to hear them very well.

I see kickpanel kits available from companies like Q-Form that also can custom fit them for your car to where they look factory installed.

Thank you for the help.

Replaced the speaker in dash with 4 inch infinty, and had 5x7 speakers placed into the doors. Now it has a full sound and I'm able to here with the top down.

If anyone knows how to install speakers in the rear it would still be appreciated. I would like to add couple 6x9 in the rear sides.

I don't think there's enough room to mount them on the sides of the parcel shelf. By that I mean depth for the speakers. I'm pretty sure you might run into clearance problems with the soft top hardware. Also you don't really want to cut up the interior more do you? I would not even consider cutting up my doors to mount speakers. But you can certainly do what you want with your car. I was lucky enough to have a speaker enclosure come with the car when I purchased it. You just raise the soft top well cover and hang it on and close the top, no holes to cut. I replaced the 15 year old French brand speakers with Boston Acoustics components, 5 1/2 and a 1 in. I put 3 1/2 Infinity Kappa's in the dash. Blaupunkt, Florida CD in the dash and a Blaupunkt 200 watt amp mounted in the trunk. Sounds very good. I'm thinking of putting a bass tube on the parcel shelf.
In your case I would check on mounting a small sub under the parcel shelf. Just put your hands in the hand holes and pull up and out. Or as a last resort you could mount 6x9's in the bottom piece of the shelf, good baffle. That piece can be replaced if you want to restore it back to original. Check into a bass tube. Crutchfield carries them.......good luck

sbr
'79 450SL
77,000 miles
'89 ASC/Maclaren Mustang #123
46,000 miles

So...how did you run your speaker wires from the stereo to the package shelf? Down from the radio, and then through the carpet on either side of the center console to the back?

Thank you for the advise.

Your system configuration sound exactly what I'm wanting.

I do have couple questions:

Never seen speakers enclosure which hang on the soft top well. Do you have any picture, or a vendor?

Where did you mounted the Blaupunkt amp in the truck ?

Is the parcel shelf the area for storage of the soft top ?

I check into a bass tube sound like a great idea.

Thank you again for the advise.

Down the sides, under the carpet along the floor and door sills. I apoligize if it sounded as if I did the work myself. It was professional's. I saw the car at different stages of the work. I know they had problems of a tight fit getting wires for everything under the carpet and through the soft top storage well. I believe they used the existing wiring holes as I wanted no holes drilled unless absolutely nesessary. My crossover is under the parcel shelf. Very clean job.........sbr

Beverly Hills Motoring Accesories offered the speaker enclosure in their catalog in the eighties, haven't seen one since then. It really wouldn't be all that tough to make. A plywood frame, insulation, grill cloth and bend two pieces of 1" metal for the hangers. That's literally what it was. Sorry, no pictures, I'm film based and don't have a scanner yet.

The amp was mounted in the trunk, on the back, center. CAREFUL, don't drill to deep, your gas tank is on the other side.

The parcel shelf is the flat area directly behind the seats.

sbr

Thank you sbr, for the excellent advice and additional options.

I am going to try and build an enclosure like you mention. I think that is excellent location.

I did install JBL amplifier other night; I mounted onto a ½ oak, which is mounted against the rear wall, with 3/4 industrial rubber garments.

I like the idea for the base tube, so purchases coupe and wired them up last night; it does make a difference.

Thank you again,
wfs

wfseverance,
Where did you mount your subwoofer tubes (which brand / size did you end up going with)?

Mark

Mark1754

Brand Bazooka
Type : Amplified Bass Tube Subwoofer
Size: 6 1/2 inch

Reasons:
Voice coil of 1" high power
20oz magnet
Impedance Dual Voice Coil 2 ohms
Did not require any cutting.

Does a good job, I can now lesson to my music when I have the top down.

Thank every one for the help and advise it was greatly appreciated.

[benjylafond]

Run the speaker wires under the dash kick panels and under the door sill plates.