Door speakers in my Lumina

[1990lumina]

Alrighty, I did a search, found some of what I wanted...but left me with more questions...

The search answered one of my questions which was can I use my door panels I have right now and cut a hole in them for a speaker...the answer was yes, but I would need the Bose speaker enclosure, and the speaker grille.


A few questions for everyone...

After considering what some people have told me, I am thinking of putting door speakers into my Lumina Euro Coupe.
If possible, 6.5" component speakers is what I'd like to put in - if they will fit.

I have yet to pull the door panels on my car, so when I pull them,
1. will I be able to easily find the stock mounting location for the door speakers...or will I have to fab up everything to make this work.

2. IIRC, the stock size is 4" for the doors, well as I've said, I'd like to run 6.5" components, do you guys think they would fit?

3. Do anyone have any pictures of what the factory speaker grilles look like, and are they Lumina speicifc ones, or are they all the same?

4. Does anyone have any pictures of the door panel off and where the speaker is mounted in the door?

5. Since I will be cutting my door panels to make this all work (I'll never be able to find blue 2 door door panels in good shape around here)...could someone tell me the dimensions that I would be cutting in the door panel??

6. If I go ahead and put in 6.5" speakers, will the factory grilles even cover such a large hole? Or should I just use the grilles that come with the speakers.

7. Will all this work be worth it in the end? I'm running the factory HU, but an aftermarket 50wattx4rms ampliefer which will be powering the rear 6x9s and the front speakers - which ever I choose (dash or door)

8. Anyone have an suggestions on a 6.5" component speaker? Infinity, etc??

I remembered that my Dad's Suburban, and my Mom's Acura CL have 6.5" component speakers, and the setup sounds pretty good....

Anyways, thanks for any replies...if the factory grilles will still work, then I'll have to try and get some blue ones from a 4 door car at the boneyard....but if I go 6.5", they probably won't fit anyway..

Anyway, I tried to number my questions...so when you answer, please just say which question you are answering....it will make my life a lot easier..
I don't mean this in a mean way...just trying to simplify everyone's lives so people viewing can see which questions have been answered already.

THANKS GUYS:D:D:D:D!!!!!!!!

- Jeff L.

[DiscoStudd]

Well, the first thing I'd do is pop off one of the door panels and "assess the damage" so to speak. If you have factory door speakers, then you have a good starting point (you can fab up some brackets out of MDF or plywood to house the 6 1/2's using the stock bracket as a template.) If you don't have any speakers in there, then make your own template by tracing out the "dimpled" area in the door where you'd naturally mount a bracket and a speaker.

I have some pics of my Regal's door apart, along with the factory speakers, and pics of my 6 1/2" Boston Acoustics separates mounted in there. My speakers fit perfectly underneath the stock grilles...

http://www.likeabigdog.com/stereo/rtdoor1.jpg
http://www.likeabigdog.com/stereo/rdoor2.jpg
http://www.likeabigdog.com/stereo/ldoor1.jpg
http://www.likeabigdog.com/stereo/rfact1.jpg
http://www.likeabigdog.com/stereo/rfact2.jpg

Hope this can point you in the right direction...

[Bake82]

1. will I be able to easily find the stock mounting location for the door speakers...or will I have to fab up everything to make this work.

In my cutlass there were holes in my doors big enough for my 5.25's. I had to fab up a speaker rim made of MDF to attach the speakers to and then attach to the doors. I even think the door had holes already drilled.

2. IIRC, the stock size is 4" for the doors, well as I've said, I'd like to run 6.5" components, do you guys think they would fit?

I think they will. see above.

3. Do anyone have any pictures of what the factory speaker grilles look like, and are they Lumina speicifc ones, or are they all the same?

Sorry no lumina here

4. Does anyone have any pictures of the door panel off and where the speaker is mounted in the door?

sorry can't help you there. if you don't get a reply by Tuesday maybe I'll take apart my door to show you the doors of my cutlass.

EDIT: Looks like disco has pics. Good work disco!

5. Since I will be cutting my door panels to make this all work (I'll never be able to find blue 2 door door panels in good shape around here)...could someone tell me the dimensions that I would be cutting in the door panel??

Can't help you, but i know i just eyed mine where i thought they should go.

6. If I go ahead and put in 6.5" speakers, will the factory grilles even cover such a large hole? Or should I just use the grilles that come with the speakers.


I found it easiest to use the grills that came with the speakers. They mounted fairly easy, but i know my hole isn't in the best spot but they sound good as it is, even if a bit of the speaker is blocked a little.

Also remember you want to mount your speakers to your doors and not your panel, so the grill will sit on the outside of the panel and you cut the panel to match your grill.


7. Will all this work be worth it in the end? I'm running the factory HU, but an aftermarket 50wattx4rms ampliefer which will be powering the rear 6x9s and the front speakers - which ever I choose (dash or door)

Definetly run new wires from your amp to your door speakers. If you are running components, i'm going to guess you will probably not even need dash speakers. I found in my car with coax's that the dash speakers threw off the imaging BIG TIME. I have a PG tantrum running 50x2 to my door speakers and even tho they say 90 is the max, they sound great at 50. Amp your door speakers and you'll be set!!

And it will DEFINETLY be worth it. noticed a HUGE difference going from 4's up front to 5.25's in the doors. World of difference, i would not even consider running dash speakers anymore.

8. Anyone have an suggestions on a 6.5" component speaker? Infinity, etc??

I have infinty reference coax's in my sunfire, don't like them all that much. Cutty has mb quart discuss 5.25s and they blow the infinities away bass and highs. However the highs can get quite high as they have a metal tweeter. But sound better than the infinities IMO

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

This is what it looked like on my old car...

pretty ghetto, but I managed to put the 6.5" brackets on with a few screws

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/canadianbadass2k/1988%20GP%20SE/547630be.jpg

Then I just cut a hole in the door panel, and used the speaker grilles

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v142/canadianbadass2k/1988%20GP%20SE/ed278e78.jpg