Speaker wisdom needed

[DH Comet]

Hi all,
I'm finally getting the non-functioning radio in my '53 Manhattan rebuilt with modern innards, but my radio guy says that the speaker should be replaced as well.  I have the radio out, but upon looking at the speaker up there inside the dash I found that the nuts holding the speaker in place seem to be turning on non-secured bolts.  I have two concerns: one: that I won't be able to get the nuts undone to release the speaker, and two: that if I do get the old speaker out I won't be able to install the new one.  Is there a trick to taking out the speaker?
Thanks!

[konrad]

are the bolt heads exposed (raised) or flush?

If raised, you should be able to cut enough of a slot into them to hold them with a flat head screwdriver while removing the nuts?

I am curious as I haven't looked the the front speaker in my 51 yet, but my radio should be completed (like you having the guts replaced with modern) in the next month or so, and I plan on replacing the front speaker and using it in a hafler circuit with two rear mounted speakers in enclosures that will sit on the rear package shelf.

[jmxkf1]

Hi,
I've pulled radios and speakers out om a
'53 and never encountered the unsecured bolt head problem.  Have you tried unscrewing the nut while pulling up on it?  Maybe the screw head will hold while you do this.  As you've noticed, you can't get at the bolt head without removing the grill.   

[DH Comet]

Ah, yes. How do you remove the grille?  That would help a lot!

[konrad]

Ah, yes. How do you remove the grille?  That would help a lot!

If it's anything like the front speaker grill in my '62 Plymouth, it was held by clips at top and bottom and you had to essentially press upward from the bottom edge to free the bottom clips (the pressure compressing, bowing the grill outward) or vice versa from the top of the grill.

But I confess I don't know it's the same on the Kaiser grills and would like an answer to this question as well...

[DH Comet]

I got the speaker out and learned about the grille.  The speaker is held onto an oval frame by four small nuts and bolts, one at end corner of the 6X9 speaker, and the grille is bolted from the other side to the frame by four larger nuts, which screw onto long studs at each corner of the grill.  It's a bit awkward getting the two top grille nuts undone because you have to reach way up inside to the top of the dash where there's not much clearance.  If you get the four large nuts undone the grille pops out with only a little coaxing. The grille, by the way, will never flex: it's solid steel or pot metal and weighs over two pounds.
I feel more confident about reinstalling the whole thing once the radio is rebuilt, now that I see how it all fits together, although getting the holes to line up when doing the lower dash may be tricky.
I'll see if I can get a picture to accompany this.  It shows the back of the grille, the speaker with its oddly-shaped gasket and the radio (with its back off - I was curious).

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Just a reminder.  The radio needs to be positive ground 6 volt; ditto on the speaker unless you've changed the car over to a 12 volt negative ground system.  The radio repair man should understood this.

[DH Comet]

Yes, I made sure he knows that.  He's been doing the work for a long time. I was at his shop today; it was interesting.  He has '53 Cadillac and '59 Corvette units on his bench right now, and a serious collection of parts radios.  I took a picture of part of his storage shed.  I'm looking forward to the finished product!

[Terry T]

with that upgraded radio. it deserves a better speaker
I went with these under seat ones

https://www.classiccarstereos.com/under-seat-speakers.html

[konrad]

with that upgraded radio. it deserves a better speaker
I went with these under seat ones

https://www.classiccarstereos.com/under-seat-speakers.html

I'm going a slightly different route...got a 4 pack of cerwin vega 6x9s and a pair of speaker enclosures that I can mount on the package shelf in the rear, and one of them will replace the original speaker in front, which will then be hooked up in a halfer circuit.

[DH Comet]

It's getting a new speaker, too.  In the two-speaker optioned cars how was the rear speaker mounted?  A hole cut in the package shelf?  Was there a painted grille back there or silver like the front?

[MarkH]

My Aero came "radio delete" and after much consideration I decided to leave it that way. The metal package tray panel does have round holes on either side and a centered oval for a 6x9. I ran an 8 track & pair of round speakers in the round holes when I was a teenager.
I did still want some music so during the restoration I mounted a hidden amp under the dash & a pair of 6x9 dual cone (dual channel) speakers, one in the dash grill, the other in the oval in the center of the package tray. The amp has a jack for an MP3 player, and my MP3 player is also an FM receiver. For the back grill I used a '57 chevy oval metal "mesh" grill, & painted it one of the dash grey colors. The metal mesh looks close enough to "period correct" to me, and reproductions are plentiful & cheap.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

When our cars were n ew it was standard practice to ship them to distributors and dealers without the radio unless the car covered a Factory Rerail Delivery  order.  Exceptions were the 1953 Kaiser Dragons (part of the Accessory Group) and a small number of Kaiser & Frazer cars built during the 1949-50 model run and a very small number of Henry J Corsair deLuxe models in 1952 (part of the car's Accessory Group). 

Eventually, the car makers came to realize that making some kind of radio or radio/tape (ahd later radio/dvd) unit manditory was a guaranteed sale for them and could buy the units for less.  They also realized there was good mark-up if they stopped using the cheap speakers and go to the somewhat better higher quality set ups.  There is still a marked for really good quality vehicle sound systems (and still is today).

[konrad]

It's getting a new speaker, too.  In the two-speaker optioned cars how was the rear speaker mounted?  A hole cut in the package shelf?  Was there a painted grille back there or silver like the front?

Yes, two speaker cars had one 6x9 mounted in the package shelf, not sure what sort of grill they put on them.  There was also a front to rear fader that was mounted on the dash near the headlight switch.  I've opted not to cut holes in the package shelf for my speakers, hence the enclosures I can mount on the shelf with something non-destructive like Alien Tape.