Auto speaker "bars" - are they extinct?

Dear Station Wagon Lovers,

I'm pondering a audio system upgrade from my trusty wagon. It seems relatively easy to get new speakers for the dash of my 1965 Buick Special. However, I have now what I consider to be a nifty solution for rear speakers in a wagon. It is a "bar" of speakers that looks like this:



Here is the side view:



Finally the view from the cargo area:



This particular unit came from Custom Autosound back about 1997 or so. Alas, Custom Autosound no longer makes it. This speaker bar is working fine and still looks in good shape. The only disadvantage is that these are 8 ohm speakers while everything in auto sound is 4 ohms. Still it will work fine anyway. My only worry would be if this unit were ever to get damaged or fail.

I took a look around and cannot find anything like my speaker bar except items like this Vertically Driven Product for Jeeps:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Vertically Dr...wd={keyword}&gclid=CJ2-q8rOuLQCFSPhQgod4i4A-A

That isn't suitable for anything else. Does anybody know if a product like this still exists or even exactly what the correct name for it is?

Any leads would be greatly appreciated

Cheers, Edouard

 

Unfortunately, the picture of your speaker bar didn't come through. I love the older 8 ohm speakers. They have a sound that the new low-resistance speakers just cannot match. My 89 Grand Marquis had 6-8 ohm speakers all the way around. I'll have to start thinking about sound in a wagon soonish. I really need one!

 

Thanks, took better pictures.

Dear MikeT and Station Wagon Lovers,

Oops!! Haste makes waste.

I had a hard time taking the first picture and I should have known better. I just took 3 more photos and this time I provided much more external lighting. So now you should be able to see what I'm describing!! I updated the original post to include the better photos.

I think I prefer the 8 ohm standard too. I have a feeling that the shift to 4 ohms is just cheap and unfortunate. However, everyone has been suckered, so that's all we can find these days.

Oh well!!

Thanks for your thoughts.

Cheers, Edouard

 

If you can find an 88-89 Grand Marquis, Crown Vic, or Lincoln Town Car with the Premium or High Level sound system in the wreckers, you will find a set of 6 premium JBL speakers that are either 6, 6-8, or 8 ohm, depending on which pair you see. The sound quality is amazing. They were very early with the polypropylene speaker cones, and they stand up to the test of time extremely well. That's what I'm going to be looking for.

 

Thanks for the speaker tip.

Hi Mike and Station Wagon Lovers,

Thanks for the tip, but I'll probably stick to some brand-name new speakers. This trusty wagon project has gotten - way - out of control and I need to simply at least a few things!!

Cheers, Edouard

 

I found one of those for my Jeep Wrangler, it was at my local stereo shop, they did have to order it in however. Came with speakers and ready to mount, as I recall it cost me about $100.00.

 

The "extinction" may be quite recent.

Dear Dewey Satellite and Station Wagon Audiophiles,

It seems clear these things had been made for a quiet a while. I made a search again yesterday and still came up empty. When did you buy this? Perhaps the shop knows of some remaining inventory, but retail outlets have stopped carrying it.

Oh well,

Cheers, Edouard

 

I will go to the shop, my buddies actually own the place, and find out where they got it. Now that I think about it, I don't even remember the brand name. I will do a little homework and get back to you Edouard. Has good sound and 8" speakers I believe.

 

My sounds cometh from 2 1/2" tailpipes. Sweetest music a car guy can hear.

 

Ditto.

 

Right now that's what I have also, dual 3" exhaust out of two flowmasters then out the back of the mufflers about 6" and straight down. (axle clearance is the reason) but the sound is incredible...everyone guesses I'm running the 440...shhh its only a 360.

 

Actually the old 55 wagon has one of those USA Sound systems from Classic Chevy that looks original. I installed a speaker in each front door, a duel speaker where the original dash speaker was, and don't laugh........ a butter bowl in the rear wheel wells for the 6" speakers within them. These are coated on the outside in the tire area with spray foam. So far been working since late 80's.

 

Well hell Cat you can't knock something that has worked that well for that long. I had quite a stereo in the Shwag at one point with four 8" Boston acustic mids, four Boston 2" tweets and two 12" Fosgate Punch super subs. This time it's going to be tamed back quite a bit, I'm getting a bit too old for all that noise.

 

Don't remember the last time the radio was turned on in the wagon. When our son rode with us him and my wife yapped so much I couldn't hear any music. She still makes up for him not being along but I like hearing the wind, the exhaust, and other squeaks and rattles. .

 

I definitely have some sound deadening to do, when I fire her up right now it sounds like a Harley in an empty tanker. The hollowed out interior just amplifies it like crazy.