Alpine headunit install-FINISHED

[19stang66]

I went and bought the Alpine CDE-9852 headunit from Best Buy for $180. I also bought the iPod cable for $30. I had $80 in gift cards so i only payed $150 total. It looks really nice with my interior. It doesnt protrude at all, its almost totally flat. And the colors match too!

The install was very easy. The PO already cut the dash for a modern cd player. I just used the din plate and it secures the headunit pretty well. I'll be using a metal pipe strap for extra stability soon. I just used an inline fuse for the power wire that runs from the battery to the deck. I got it from Best Buy's install bay area for $.25. I couldnt believe of easy it was to install!

For my speakers i am using Sony 3 ways. Two 6x9s in the rear tray and two 6 1/2's in the kick panels. I only have the 6x9s installed, my kick panels with speaker holes came today so I havent put them in yet. The 6x9s sound amazing! I'll also be putting in a Rockford Fosgate 10" sub with a 600w RF amp, nothing over the top. Here are some pics. Enjoy!

Rear Speaker Tray

 

[85 Turbo Bird]

Looks nice. How are you planning on installing the sub, box wise?

 

[19stang66]

I made a box from MDF board. Its not pretty at all, but I have it installed in my Taurus right now and it sounds pretty good. I'm not sure yet if it'll fit in the trunk right behind the seat. If it doesnt I'll make a new box and put black carpet on it. I probably wont be screwing around with the sub this week. I just need my car to be ready for prom this saturday!

 

[1320stang]

Man, those rear speakers just scream, "STEAL ME!!!"

I think I would have mounted them from below, drilled the rear panel with a bunch of holes and covered it with some cloth. Or tint the peewad out of the rear glass.

I had an '89 Isuzu lowrider that had an Alpine CD player (they were about $500 for a base model back then, and that's non removable or removable face), an Alpine EQ, a Coustic amp and a pair of 5 1/2" two way Alpine speakers in the doors. The truck was lowered and had some custom wheels and 195/50/15 tires. Woke up one morning and the truck was gone. Actually, my mom called me and asked if my truck was missing (she was 100 miles away) as the sheriff in the next county over had called my folks house as that's where it was registered last. A farmer found it parked behind his tractor with all the tires flat, the stereo gone, all the windows and lights busted out, engine 2 quarts overfull and black as night (I had changed the oil the day before), tranny grinding, clutch burnt up, insurance wouldn't total it either. It had an Alpine alarm on it as well, but that night it was raining and blowing and the alarm kept going off, thought it was the wind....

 

[Gellpak]

Man, those rear speakers just scream, "STEAL ME!!!"

I think I would have mounted them from below, drilled the rear panel with a bunch of holes and covered it with some cloth. Or tint the peewad out of the rear glass.

I had an '89 Isuzu lowrider that had an Alpine CD player (they were about $500 for a base model back then, and that's non removable or removable face), an Alpine EQ, a Coustic amp and a pair of 5 1/2" two way Alpine speakers in the doors. The truck was lowered and had some custom wheels and 195/50/15 tires. Woke up one morning and the truck was gone. Actually, my mom called me and asked if my truck was missing (she was 100 miles away) as the sheriff in the next county over had called my folks house as that's where it was registered last. A farmer found it parked behind his tractor with all the tires flat, the stereo gone, all the windows and lights busted out, engine 2 quarts overfull and black as night (I had changed the oil the day before), tranny grinding, clutch burnt up, insurance wouldn't total it either. It had an Alpine alarm on it as well, but that night it was raining and blowing and the alarm kept going off, thought it was the wind....

Good god dude, that sucks. I'm getting a train horn and wiring it up to my alarm now.

As for hiding the rear 6x9s, take off the grilles, mount the speakers themselves to the metal tray, wrap the package tray board-stuff with the holes cut in it in appropriate colored headliner with some spray adhesive, put it back in place, and you have an invisible setup that the sound passes right through. Cheap and clean.

 

[19stang66]

I know they stand out a lot. But I i have them bolted through the metal tray with bolts and locking nuts. I just wanted sound and now I have it! I'll look into making them invisible sometime. I like the look of carpet though, not sure how black headliner would look.

And thats why I get to park my stang in a locked garage every night!

 

[1320stang]

Man, unless you put the bolts back in, the rear seatback just lifts up. There are only 4 bolts per speaker and I can get into my '65 coupe with a coathanger or a 5 gal. bucket handle and not break any glass.

Your car isn't that protected at the mall or the movies. I'm not trying to say you wasted your money or having a nice stereo is stupid, all I'm saying is do what you have to do to protect your investment.

My insurance company repaired my truck but wouldn't replace my system for some reason. I think because the truck didn't come with one, or I chose not to replace it and used the money for something else. I had about $1800 in that system.

 

[jes72mustang]

That set-up looks nice. I need to do that soon.

 

[19stang66]

Ya i know how easy it is to break into my mustang. I had to use a coathanger once because I locked myself out. It scared me because of how easy it was. I think I'll remove the silver grills and see if that makes it less noticable.

 

[1320stang]

Like I said, I just don't want to see any posts from you saying your car was stolen or broken into.

 

[19stang66]

Alright alright, I'll try to make them blend in 1320! Dont you worry about her being stolen!

Can you buy different speaker grills, like black ones? Or I could paint the ones I have. How would I prep them for paint?

 

[1320stang]

I'd look on Ebay. That's the funny thing about these new speakers, no real grilles. My five year old son would think it's fun to hold his fingers on the moving cone as it vibrates, and he would likely poke his finger thru it. Pink and Purple Nerds candy would look cool dancing on the cones as well.

The only bad thing about those speakers is that the cones are silver as well. This is why I think moving them to under the deck is a better idea. You said you didn't like the headliner idea but liked the carpet idea. What about some black tweed? Go to a fabric store and see what they have. If you do move the speakers below, you can still use your old package tray panel, just go to Home Depot or Lowes or Ace Hardware and get a piece of expanded aluminum metal screen to put over the hole, this will support whatever type material you choose to put up there.

 

[Taranis]

My five year old son would think it's fun to hold his fingers on the moving cone as it vibrates, and he would likely poke his finger thru it.

Ha! I just bought some Vienna Acoustics speakers for my home and we invited some friends over for dinner....Long story short, their 2yrold tried to put his fingers through my drivers. I almost had a heart attack.

Anyway. To get those speakers to blend in, you can make some MDF rings to surround the speakers using a plunge router and a circle-cutting jig. Then cover your new grille with a acoustically transparent cloth from partsexpress.com. Cloths not meant for acoustic use can actually mute certain frequencies.

 

[AdamInChains]

Looks nice but my dad would whoop my butt if i cut my dash.

 

[jasonn]

Man, those rear speakers just scream, "STEAL ME!!!"
....

Yea, I wanted some speakers for my pro street car. Just wanted a decent speaker with a nice old style BLACK speaker grille. They don't even make them anymore!!! Couldn't believe that! They have all of these funky ones. Most don't even come with a grille anymore! I ended up getting about the same speakers as you but in an 8" round. (Same best buy as you) I think I'll paint them black. Radio looks good man. Can't wait to see the car this summer!

 

[1320stang]

Looks nice but my dad would whoop my butt if i cut my dash.

His dash was already cut by a PO.

 

[19stang66]

Thanks. Ya I know I cant wait to get out and see all the other classics this year, now that my car is roadworthy once again.

I probably wouldnt have cut my dash if it wasnt already. Would have just put the headunit in the glovebox and put a stock radio in the dash, oh well.

 

[jeb134]

What size are the speakers? I think I still have some all black 6X9's that say Pioneer on them, but they're a lot more discreet than that if you're interested.

 

[19stang66]

They are 6x9s. Are talking about the speaker grills being black? Any pictures?

 

[jeb134]

They're at my parents' house right now, but they're basically a black screen, try doing a google image search