The 'E' Type Forum

Hello again
Did anyone find a solution to replacing the original admittedly hardly hi-fi speakers with something that fitted in the space? I can find plenty but none that are as slim as the originals with a magnet as small - the larger magnets are what foul the console and prevent easy fitting of whats an already difficult enough part to fit...
Let me know!
I'd be happy to buy your old original speakers so long as the cones are in tact?
Thanks
Paul

Hello -

At one time I owned a JCNA National Champion 1961 E-type coupe. My surviving notes indicate my car was fitted with 4.5" RetroSound R-452 speakers.

RetroSound R-452N speakers
* 4.5" diameter
* 1-1/3" mounting depth
4 Ohms
40 Watts RMS Power
80 Watts Max Power
Cost: $60/speaker
- - - - - - - -
Eclipse SE4000 speakers (Note: I believe this model has been discontinued)
4" diameter
1-5/8" mounting depth
4 Ohms
25 Watts RMS Power
75 Watts Max Power
Cost: $40/speaker
- - - - - - - - - -
Note: I recall that the speakers must/must to be 4 Ohms.

Do you have a car hifi shop near you which you can visit (once re-opened)? But not a halfords.
When I was looking for speakers to fit in a series 1 console about 20 years ago. I took my centre console with modern DIN sized stereo fitted into Car Electronics in Leicester. They were happy to bring out and unpackage different speakers to try in the holes checking the depth.
A pair of slim pioneer speakers with plain black grilles designed for door fitting fitted best which I purchased and still have in the car, but now with a smaller period radiomobile in the centre console connected to an IPod located in the ashtray.

Hi Paul,

I struggled for some years to find modern slim versions before purchasing these and adapting to fit:
Data sheet can be found here: http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/2623759.pdf

The narrow fit is perfect but the mount holes were just short so I took the modern(ish) speakers that came out, removed the magnets and cut out the mounting ‘ring’. I bonded the rings to the new speakers which extended them perfectly to fit. They sound great with my Blaupunkt Köln (not that I listen to radio much) and at @£14 each (incl postage) were a bargain. You can find bigger speaker sizes by the same manufacturer if required.

Or you can just sling one of these behind the seats! Takes the signal from your phone.

I have purchased "upgraded" refurbished period radios with added Bluetooth at great expense, and by and large found them pretty awful.

The sound quality of these new wireless portable speakers is superb, and the battery life is excellent too.

I have recently purchased non-working period radios just to fill the hole in.

As for speaker covers, a pair of these does the job for £8 each.

I amusingly saw a second hand pair of "original" E TYPE speaker covers sell last week on ebay for £177!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2Pcs-Speaker ... 2642657259

I have one speaker that that does 4 cars!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-Charge-4 ... SwzsxdehRE

You can get spacers in different thicknesses to space the speaker out from the console. It doesnt take much thickness. Moving the speaker out will also allow you to mount larger speakers for better sound. I have 61/2” Focal speakers in my console with just 1/2 or 3/4” spacers. I am using black grills but if you go with smaller speakers i imagine you could use your stock chrome grills. Whatever you do on speakers get ones with a high efficiency/sensitivity db level. More volume per output watt of your amp and better sound at the lower amp level before you hit amp distortion.

I also have a small bluetooth amp inside the console driving them and it sounds great. Whole system comes out when you pull the console.

MOSS uk sell speakers that fit
They are in the front of their parts book for an e type
Joe

Be careful with some larger speakers as the larger magnets will come into contact with some classic radios and force your console out as was my case. I have original amp also so not much room for manoeuvre, great sound though albeit from the only 2 FM stations up here!

Yeah, hence rhe spacers needed. Also i have no radio in the console, factory blank. Bluetooth amp inside console.

Surely spacers add to the problem and space the speakers out towards the radio side casings..

No, the spacers are on the outside of the console between the console and the grill. They space the speaker OUT and thereby relieve the intrusion inside the console and allow for a larger diameter speaker since the portion going through the stock hole in the console is smaller due to the cone shape of the speaker. Bigger speaker, better sound, particularly bass which is an inherent problem with small speakers

See link for a pic.

https://i.imgur.com/V5f4mCz.jpg

Gotcha. As my grilles are not external I couldn’t for the life of me understand how you achieved it but a great mod for the extra Bass as you point out.

Hello,

Oh, I thought all the S1 had the push in from the exterior chrome surrounds with the removable chrome mesh in them. You must have a later console than I have. May still be an option for you.

Good hunting.

Late 64 the radio aperture finisher panel was modified with vacuum formed black plastic. The grilles sit inboard of the plastic. Not the nicest of finishes but serves a purpose.

I am just adapting those: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000058 ... 4c4d0EKFOz

Wow, incredibly cheap. Hard to believe the frequency response spec. Aren't they too big a diameter for you?

I recently purchased some 6.5" Infinity speakers (Reference REF-6532ex) that fit behind the stock grills. Everything else (Focal, Alpine, Morel, JL Audio) were all too deep to some degree. If you want to surface-mount the speakers, you can increase your options.

Having the L&R speakers out of phase should offer better fidelity.

Hi,

Do they fit the original mount studs?

Tadek

I found the dimensions of these Infinity speakers (Reference REF-6532ex):


I do not quite understand how they would fit - the diameter between the mounting studs for the original speaker grilles is 4.75".

The 6532ex speakers have a mounting stud diameter of 158mm - that's almost 6.25"!

You would have to drill the through the membrane to fit them....

Tadek

Don’t understand how out of phase speakers offers better fidelity. How does that work?

You typically make sure speakers are phased to ensure the best fidelity they are able to offer.