Here are some pics of my stereo intall. I paid $200 for the car, and $100 for the audio: $80 for the AM/FM/CD/MP3 deck and $20 for the 6x9s. I sounds worlds better than that analog push-button factory radio with just the door speakers. Here's the finished product:

Thanks for the pics, they help me and my poor visualization skills. I'm wondering if there's actually a spare back there. I would love to do this with my wagon, but I don't want to start cutting unless I know what I'm doing. If it works with a tire back there, that's the way to go, I guess.
Might I ask how hard it is to wire those things? How did you run the wire? That is, what channels did you take? I've goofed around with stereo installation on lesser vehicles, but I plan on having this car for a while and don't want to do it half-assed. That said, I'd like to do it myself.
Any other wagon owners used this technique (speaker placement)? Where did you put them otherwise?
Thanks in advance.
cgreene

Yes, the spare is in there. At first I thought it wouldn't work, but I thought about it and pulled the spare out and flipped it around, and the offset of the wheel gives plenty of room for the speaker.

I ran the wire under the passenger-side door sill trim. I didn't remove the trim, just squeezed it under the edge of the plastic. I had to use a screwdriver in a couple of tight spots. Just be careful not to cut, short or breach the speaker wire with the screwdriver.

I used the front speakers, just wiring the radio fronts into the factory plug. I bought male bullet connectors at Autozone that push into the factory female square plug. You'll need a test light or multi-meter to determine which wire is hot with/without key, and which is a ground. You can use a regular D or C cell battery and a couple of wires to figure out which wires go to which speaker. The battery makes the speaker pop quietly, just enough to determine which is which.

cgreen

I ran my wires behind the cover panel at the rear and along the door sills to the front of the car. It is rather hard to explain, but a removable steel channel goes from the back seat floor up around the wheel well to the top of the wheel well. Two screws hold this on. If you choose this route be very carefull. The plastic at the top was very brittle and broke on one side of mine. I was able to stick it back in but I was trying for a proffessional install. You cant see it unless you are looking for it, but I will allways know it is there. Good luck with yours.

Joe

Cool, thanks for the wiring explanation. I'l go exploring this weekend. What about the spare tire side? Does the speaker fit with the donut behind it?
Best,
c

Nice install!

How much clearance did you have on the drivers side rear with the spare tire? I just put 6X9's in the back of my 88 wagon and there was not enough room. I had to build boxes and mount them close to the back seat. The sound is better but not what I had hoped. I think if I had mounted them in the locations you did it would sound better. TIA

Joe

If you flip the spare around, the offset of the wheel allows enough clearance for a speaker.

I am an idiot, there may be something to that hmmmm.

Thanks for the response.

Joe

Brilliant. Flip the spare... There's a reason I didn't think of that. Thanks again for the photos and description.
c

The stereo must me made in the same place alpine makes there. I think the layout is idientical. Looks good. I can imagine the sound quality is much improved over the two 4s in the front. I would like to improve mine too, but I have a sedan. That leaves me with just the back deck.
Thanks for sharing and happy bricking.

>>I would like to improve mine too, but I have a sedan. That leaves me with just the back deck.<<

Surely there's enough room on the back deck to cut a couple of holes and install some 6x9s. In fact, short of a dedicated sub-woofer, 6x9s in the rear deck of any car really rock. The whole trunk acts as a subwoofer box and the bass is usually amazing.

My bass isn't that great, I think because those cavities behind the speakers aren't airtight and/or are the wrong size to really work with the low frequencies.

I'd go for it if I were you.

"I think because those cavities behind the speakers aren't airtight."

[a] look at the right rear quarter panel of your car. See the exhaust vent? that's where your air is leaving. Why? Well, that's the JOB of an exhaust vent

ΐ] Newton's law. since the speakers aren't mounted in anything closely resembling rigid panels, the action of the cones moving has the equal and opposite reaction of flexing the panels. Result? Reduced air movement = less sound.

If you have some spare sheet lumber, try reinforcing the panels. The masonite one on the right is particularly flexible.
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'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '83 244, '86 244, '87 745T, 92 244 (for sale)

I did this same install on my old '74 Wagoneer, and the bass was awesome. Those panels were stiffer fiber board with vinyl coverings, and also were not airtight.

I'm satisfied enough with the sound that I probably won't put any more effort into it.

Nice job! do the door speakers work too?
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80 262C Coupe- (FSO black, M46, original) 82 244GLT- (auto)

>>do the door speakers work too?<<

Yes, I wired them through the factory plug in the console. They're pretty good for little speakers, have some nice treble, but the bass really comes from the rear now, and the sound really fills up the car.