Best Center Console for EB's? & Speaker Questions

[IVIaverick]

I am going to start working on my sound system shortly because I can't stand not having music. lol I love hearing my Bronco's V8 and Dual Flowmasters rumble but I miss having some tunes to listen to, especially on long rides. I enjoy "cool stuff" just like everyone else but I'm also trying not to ruin the antique and vintage originality of the Bronco by putting a bunch of flashy lights and gizmos all across the dash.

My '74 Ranger has its stock am/fm radio still in it so I need your advice and opinions on what is my best option to set up the head unit. It makes me a bit nervous to put one in the dash as I've heard several horror stories about people ripping them out of the dashes and not only stealing the head unit but destroying the dash in the process. I only have a hard top for now and will probably be that way for a while but will most likely pick up a soft top in the future, also. Not far from where I live, someone actually sliced into my brother's jeep soft top with a knife and ripped his stereo out of the dash. I know it's not something that is going to happen every day but I'm just thinking ahead.


Option 1: (Far Less Expensive but Riskier)

Remove the stock radio and install a cd player to be able to play cd's and mp3's from my IPhone.


Option 2: (More expensive and safer but also more inconvenient)

Leave the stock radio in the dash and buy a center console to mount the head unit into. If I went this route, I would most likely just play my IPhone wirelessly through the head unit instead of needing to open/close the console and swap out cd's since I listen to a lot of different stuff so the IPhone might be the better option, anyways.


Speaker Questions:

1) Are there any center consoles that are large enough to mount a Sub in the bottom? My Jeep had that setup (pre-installed when I bought it) and it performed well and stayed hidden & out of the way. The largest console I've found is the Max-Bilt Command Center but I still have no clue if there's a way to mount a Sub inside.

2) Is the B.C. Broncos Wiper Cover worth the investment? It is around $335 including shipping. It's an attractive feature and certainly makes sense as it adds two extra speaker slots and an IPod mount while also covering the wiper assembly but puts a huge dent in the wallet.

3) Is it better to get a sound bar to mount to my roll cage w/ 2x 6" woofers, 2x 2" midrange drivers, and 2x 1" tweeters or to snag two of the Wakeboard Tower Speakers and mount them to the roll cage?

4) Is it fairly easy to make a box to mount speakers in to go underneath the rear seat? I honestly can't figure out anywhere else to put speakers. I've seen a few people cut holes in the rear quarter trim but I only have the original lining for mine and I don't want to put huge holes in it.


Any other advice you guys would like to offer will also be appreciated. I searched before I posted and couldn't find much on the subject.

I need the most cost effective way to install a nice system without sacrificing too much quality. I'm sure there are quite a few of you with plenty of experience with this so hopefully you can guide me in the right direction.

Thanks for the help!

 

[TN1776]

I slapped together a sound system in my EB using spare parts a couple of years ago with the intent being a temporary solution until funding permits putting in something nice, however I've actually grown to really like the simplicity of it all.

I run a small audio amp hidden up on the firewall behind the dash with a simple RCA to headphone jack extension cord that comes up behind the stock speaker grill in the dash, and is run by a small Sirius radio receiver. The amp powers two 6x9s in small boxes on the wheel wells and while the sound isn't great, its there. I've also played music from my Android-based phone through the same cable. Works like a champ.

I will never install another CD player in a 4x4 - they tend not to last well in all the dust and moisture an off road vehicle tends to encounter. I will upgrade my setup one day but life keeps getting in the way and the house has been winning the battle for funds over the Bronco.

As for your other questions - a sub would probably work well under the back seat if you still run one and don't remove it. I removed mine 4 years ago and never re-installed it...

Wakeboard boat speakers do work well up on the cage and are completely out of the way there. Some of those actually put out big sound when driven by a sufficient amplifier too.

Good luck.

 

[fatboy4211]

take a look at my thread..."my new door panels are coming together". the same thought crossed my mind too. the radio is not too high end and the faceplate comes off. have a tuffy under seat box to store it in. we plan on a center console to complete the install that will hold a ultra slim amp and ultra slim kicker 8" woofer. im old so i really dont want the loud stuff, just good clean music. besides...a badass system attracts flies! just ask those kids in high school.
the kickers in the door panels and rear panels are ultra slim kickers. a little pricey but we wanted the grill to be flush in the back panels. i did not want to cut any holes in the doors either.
good luck and put rocks in your billfold cause its gonna get very light.

 

[IVIaverick]

I was already dreading the total cost for it and now I'm dreading it even more. haha

I listen to mostly rock-type music and I do enjoy to blast it when I'm on the highway or something. When in town, I try to be considerate and reasonable. However, my Bronco is quite loud between the road noise, tire noise (Maxxis Bighorns that were already installed make a pretty distinct humming noise), and Mufflers it will be tough to hear it so I'm sure I will need a fairly decent system for it to even be useful. However, my Bronco won't be off-roaded. The toughest action it will see is Virginia winters w/ snow and salt so there shouldn't be much of an issue of dirt or mud ruining the components.

@ TN1776, so you don't have a head unit at all? That would be ideal for me if I could find a way to swing it. I plan on playing everything through my IPod since I rarely listen to CD's anymore. I am also still in college and work so I don't want to have to take my faceplate off and lock it up every time I stop to grab food, go to class, or go to work. I know it's minimal work and inconvenience, but I'm assuming after a while it would get old. I know the B.C. Broncos wiper cover is set up to run the IPod standalone through the two speakers w/ a small amp but I need to figure out if there's a way to route those to a larger amp to power 2-4 more speakers and a sub or two. That would be perfect. ;D

@ fatboy, your setup looks incredible. Your friend did some amazing work. However, I don't have any friends who are that talented. haha I noticed that a lot of ppl were asking about him selling those front door inserts. Did he ever decide whether or not to? I would LOVE to have a pair of those and probably a pair of the rear inserts as well. That is incredibly clean looking work and your Bronco looks great.

It would be perfect if I could find a console large enough to house a Sub and Amp. Then, I could use the BC wiper cover and either a soundbar or wakeboard towers and call it a day. One nice Sub should be plenty for music listening and 2 speakers in front and 2 behind me should be sufficient. If not, I can stick another Sub and two more speakers under the rear seat or something. I can definitely see the added convenience of removing the rear seat, but I do have friends and family who ride with me on occasion and it was a real pain to only have a two seater car when I did. Most likely, mine will be staying.

Thank You guys for the help and suggestions.

 

[SpareParts]

I second using the iPhone, Mp3 player or whatever you have to drive your sound instead of a radio. I killed 2 in mine then switched to a small amp under the dash with a volume control mounted under the steering column. That way I don't have to fumble around with the player to turn it up or down. I bought it from a car audio shop, they use them for sub amps to control thier volume over the rest of the system. Mine works great!

 

[lonesouth]

Option 3

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149765

 

[IVIaverick]

Thanks for the input! I know a little bit about car audio honestly never thought to just run it through my iPod without a head unit until yesterday. I have no use for a head unit because I don't listen to the radio or CD's so it makes much more sense both financially and logically to just run it all w/ the iPod.

@ Lonesouth, that looks great and is what I am wanting to do but I want to have the Amp and 1-2 Subs in there. What are the measurements of the interior of your box? I am trying to figure out if one of the pre-built consoles would be able to house what I need and then I could install MDF to separate them.

I'm thinking it would work great to have that centralized and then it leaves me a few options for speakers. I can either (as I mentioned above) get a Soundbar w/ Speaker Slots or get Wakeboard Tower Speakers to mount to my roll cage. What do you guys think would be the better option?

As for the iPod and connecting it, the BC Broncos Wiper Cover has a mount to connect it to a small amp that powers the 2x 5.25" speakers it is included with. However, is there a way I could connect all of that to the rest? Do I need amp power to everything or just the Sub(s)?

There are some excellent ideas in here I just have to make sure I know what I'm doing before I decide which route to go. haha

Thanks!

 

[lonesouth]

there are multichannel amps that you could power everything with, though I prefer dedicated amps. 1 for the speakers and 1 for the sub. Keeps everything modular.

Not sure on the dimensions off hand. I know I built it about an inch wider than optimal, it is definitely wedged between the seats. The next one will be built specifically for a 10" with a padded armrest. Speakers will go in the doors or in a speaker bar. CD player will be in a separate compartment facing up in the console.

 

[IVIaverick]

That definitely makes sense to separate the Amps.

For consoles, I have seen 8" and 10" consoles but most of them don't tell the size of the storage area. I would like to mount the Amp in the bottom and one Sub mounted near the front pointing in one direction and the other near the back pointed in the other direction. I'm thinking that would fill the cab nicely with bass and allow me to not install anything under the rear seat where I can remove it and such if I need to. However, I need to figure out if it is possible in one of the pre-builts or if it'd have to try to build one.

The BC Wiper Cover has a 100w amp pre-installed which should be plenty of power for two 5.25" speakers, right?

The sound bar or marine towers are where I'm stumped. It shouldn't be hard to install them but I'm not sure how to amp them and how to connect them to everything else. I would have to find a way to connect the BC Speakers to the center console and then a way to amplify the roll bar speakers and connect them as well to where the iPod is running through everything....It's going to be a bit complicated. lol

 

[mikeginn]

I put some 5" focal subs in the doors of my regular car. Small, and the bass is amazing from such a small speaker. This may fit in a center console easily.
http://www.crutchfield.com/s_09113WS/Focal-Utopia-Be-13-WS.html?search=focal+sub&nvpair=FFCategory%7c%5brank500%5dCar+Subwoofers

I also put a shallow mount jl audio 13 inch sub in the floor of the passenger side foot well. May fit somewhere easily in the bronco as well.

http://www.crutchfield.com/s_13613TW53/JL-Audio-13TW5-3.html?search=jl+thin+sub

Neither are for the faint of pocketbook, but some of the best small space subs I have found.

 

[IVIaverick]

Those do look nice but yes I'm trying to keep this reasonably cheap. I still have rust repair to pay for, a bit of body work, and then lining the tub and a new paint job so there is a lot of demand for my money at the moment. haha

I would love it if I could find a console with plenty of storage space and simply cut out slots to fit two 8"-10" Subs in it or even one LARGE Sub if that would be better w/ an Amp mounted below. I can do that for relatively cheap if I can make it work. I'm just trying to find a way for a clean install of everything so that I don't have wires running everywhere but it's going to be a challenge. lol

 

[IVIaverick]

Here is another important question.

Would any Center Console work for my Bronco as long as there is room? I mean, does it have to be an EB-Specific Console? I know that my Jeep Sahara's Center Console had an 8" Sub Compartment installed from the factory. If I could find one that had enough room for a 12-15" Sub and sufficient space for an amp then that would be perfect. However, I need to know if that's possible.

Thanks!

 

[fatboy4211]

hey maverick.
lots of folks have asked about buying the door panels. i am waiting to have some finished product pics (from a real camera) to post when the sun returns. im really happy with it.
i didnt pay too much but he has an ace in his pocket. just dont know when he will pull it out.
good luck with your decision.
kinda like the idea of ipod/amp setup. it would have been cool to have kept the original radio in place. the po had already destroyed that

 

[IVIaverick]

I think you definitely need to push it on him to put them into production. ;D I'd say it would be impressive how many people would order them simply because they look fantastic and it is extremely difficult to place speakers in the EB's since they don't have factory speaker slots. I'm not sure how much it would cost to produce those but I'm fairly certain he could make admirably nice profit from the venture.

The iPod setup just seems simpler and less expensive in my mind. I was going to buy an iPhone already and already have an iPod so that saves me from having to buy the head unit and makes a $200-$300 console to mount it in unnecessary, also. However, connecting everything into one system, I think, will prove to be a huge headache but I hope not.

I just love the original look of the Broncos and so I'm trying to preserve that as much as possible. However, I'm not 100% sure that mine has the original radio. The PO assured me that it was and it certainly looks old enough to fit the bill but the Used ones that Tom's sells look quite different than mine. I'll try to borrow a phone or camera from a friend to take pics because unfortunately I dropped my phone while working on the Bronco this weekend. haha

 

[fatboy4211]

im with you. it dont look original...but its definately dated.
i just wanted some good tunes without cutting holes. i figure that when my kids take my keys from me they will appreciate it. haha

 

[IVIaverick]

Well, if you look around the edges of the radio, it looks like there are places where either some type of bezel or a different radio was mounted in there. I just have a feeling that it's not the original but if not, I will find an original and install it.

I feel the same way. I don't want to put holes in my doors or holes in my lining just to fit speakers in.

I've been speaking with zoob, a fellow CB member, who made me rethink my setup today and I can install his method for far cheaper than my original plan and he said his system is crystal clear at 70+ mph on the highway which is impressive. He installed a VDP 6-speaker sound bar (it's a Jeep sound bar) in his Bronco w/ a head unit in the console. I found a Bronco stereo console for $99, I can get the Sound Bar w/ 6x speakers for $125ish, and then a decent head unit w/ iPod connectivity for $50-$100 and have a decent system for $250-$300 that will treat me well for a while. I still like the BC wiper cover system and will likely pick one up later, but for now this is like 1/3 the price of my other plan and I'm always happy to save money. haha

Here is the picture that Tom's has of Used Original Stereos. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

[IVIaverick]

Tell me what you guys think of this system. I have been working on this sh|t all day and my brain is tired. lol I am going to order it in the morning and hopefully have it installed this weekend.

Head Unit - Sony DSX-S100 for $80
http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666086157#features

Console - Tom's Locking Security Console w/ Stereo Port for $99
http://www.tomsbroncoparts.com/product/locking-security-console-wstereo-port-black-66-77-early-ford-bronco-new

Speakers - 2x BOSS Audio MRWT69 Marine Tower Speakers for $150
http://www.bossaudio.com/main/712

Total Price: $329


POSSIBLE Additions:

B.C. Broncos Classic Media Console
http://www.bcbroncos.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2064

2x More BOSS Audio MRWT69 Marine Tower Speakers to mount either sideways on the floor posts in the middle of the Bronco or on the other two bars extending toward the tailgate.

Let me know what you guys think. Thank You so much for all of the help.

 

[DirtDonk]

The one in your dash is vintage, but definitely not the semi-unique radio that the Broncos sported. Like in your picture.
They were AM only, no push-buttons and there was no hole for a radio in the dash. The "holes" were simply a round hole or three that some things protruded through. There are some pictures of stock and uncut dashes here, but I don't have any links to them unfortunately.
The "head unit" on that stock radio in the pic comes off, the body mounts behind the dash, and the face mounts to the surface of the dash. So the knobs and dial are on the front, while the main electronics are in the back. With the dash sandwiched in-between.
No rectangular hole, like we're used to seeing. Yours was cut.

I may be off on a detail or three, but you get the concept.

Paul

 

[IVIaverick]

The one in your dash is vintage, but definitely not the semi-unique radio that the Broncos sported. Like in your picture.
They were AM only, no push-buttons and there was no hole for a radio in the dash. The "holes" were simply a round hole or three that some things protruded through. There are some pictures of stock and uncut dashes here, but I don't have any links to them unfortunately.
The "head unit" on that stock radio in the pic comes off, the body mounts behind the dash, and the face mounts to the surface of the dash. So the knobs and dial are on the front, while the main electronics are in the back. With the dash sandwiched in-between.
No rectangular hole, like we're used to seeing. Yours was cut.

I may be off on a detail or three, but you get the concept.

Paul

That makes me extremely sad. One of my main goals was to keep the dash and interior as vintage looking as possible so it sucks if they cut it. If I find an original radio and reinstall it, will it cover all of that up or will it still be obvious that it was cut?

 

[DirtDonk]

That IS an original in the pic in post #16 at the top of this page.
So no, you'd have to weld in a patch panel to cover the larger hole that is needed for just about any non-Bronco radio.
It's doable though. Lots of people here have customized their dashes with minimal effort, so I'm sure you could find someone to weld in the correct piece.
In fact, you could probably just catch someone who's cut theirs out and is about to toss it!
For the price of postage and an envelope, you could probably be ready to go as soon as you found a welder to do it for you.

Of course, you could still just get another dash and avoid the hassle, I'm just pointing out other options.
Good luck finding an uncut one though. Probably cut even more often than fenders!

Paul