8 replies to this topic

[Killer Chewbacca]

I have had a 83 Subaru GL sedan for about two years now and I have wondered what the speakers sizes are for the two front speakers. I was also wondering how you would go about removing the speaker on the passenger side vent area. Any other info on the car audio setup on this Subaru would also be helpful because I'm trying to upgrade all of the original speakers to something newer and I'm probably going to stick a CD player in it.

[Flow]

I believe the front door speakers are 5". The closest common size for new speakers are going to be 5.25". The will fit but may need some slight modification. Check out Crutchfield.com and plug your vehicle into their search function. They don't have the lowest prices around but the customer service makes up for it. They also give you all the wiring harnesses and dash pieces free.

Dusty
86 GL 4X4 wagon

[GeneralDisorder]

The front drivers side is like a 2.5"x3.5" - there's no direct replacement availible. The passenger side front is like a 3"x4.5" or some stupid thing - nothing for that either. Also - you can't use the factory wireing because it's common ground, so you'll have to rewire anyway. Might as well replace those crappy speaks with something else while your at it. I got some speakers that were close in size, and just MADE them fit - lots of work with a dremel - they are in, but it was a pain in the rump roast (talking about my Brat here). On my wagon, I just disconnected them, and put the tweeters on the A pillar, and the mids in the forward section of the door.

Problem with the door speakers is they are really shallow, and anything you get that will fit in there is going to be deeper, so you'll have to space them out. The factory location is REALLY bad as it projects the sound right into the seats :-\ I built custom boxes and mounted them further forward after removing the map pockets.

It's a pain to wire in decent stereos into these cars, but it can be done. Had my car ripped up for days doing this....

GD

[MilesFox]

Originally posted by GeneralDisorder
The front drivers side is like a 2.5"x3.5" - there's no direct replacement availible. The passenger side front is like a 3"x4.5" or some stupid thing - nothing for that either. Also - you can't use the factory wireing because it's common ground, so you'll have to rewire anyway. GD

the passenger side "vent" speaker can be accessed by removing the inner glove box, and 8mm socket.
i used a 4 inch speaker from radio shack, you can fanagle the speaker to mount to the original speaker's bracket.
you can fit a 4 inch in the driver side dashboard, although you have to set it in there somewhat sideways, and in a way that the wires dont ground

you can hook up a regular type stereo to the factory harness. i put a pioneer cd in my 83 wagon. you have to use ONE ground from the front speakers, and ONE ground from the rear speakers, both connected to a COMMON ground on the stereo harness. the 2 extra ground wires from the radio will be taped off.
there are 5 connecters, you have to find the right one for the ground, it took me a couple tries to get the fade right.

i used the rca out for the amp and crossover, and the tweeters are connected parallel to the front speakers.

and all the high-output wire from the back of the stereo is connected to the factory wiring, factory speakers are replaced with better ones.

radio shack has quality speakers for a good price, optimus brand(a generic version of pioneer) although the radio shacks around here are phasing out optimus and selling pioneer brand

this connection was also used in the 87 rx, ask Myoss Feece

i got the stereo to fit flush with the consle, although i had to modify the internal radio mounts, and the hole for the screw on the side of the console is offset about 1/2 inch so the radio doesnt interfere with the heater core box

[edrach]

My '84 Brat is the same as your wagon and I installed a set of 2-1/2" round speakers from Blaupunkt (got them at Frye's). I installed them when I replaced the entire dash (thanks for the help to Turbone). Miles is correct about the right side speaker, but I don't know how you could replace the left side without removing the entire dash. GD is correct about rewiring the speakers to eliminate the common ground wiring.

[TROGDOR!]

I agree with the MilesFox method of stereo wiring. I've done this with 3 different head units in 5 different Subarus, and every single one worked fine. I can wire and install a head unit in about half an hour, and they've all worked great.

I've heard some people say that a common ground system can damage a head unit. I find this hard to believe, as all my stereos have LOTS of Subaru hours on them. I've used my wagons for tailgating before football games and for music for camping, and I also drive about 1500-2000 miles a month, stereo blasting the whole time. Never had any problems.

[Danbob99]

If you were to drop a deck into that car you are going to have to be realy careful, above all for that car i would recomend taking it to car toys, i did mine, but only to find that i could not slide the deck all the way back in becuase a heating vent runs right back bedind the original deck, this prevents any aftermarket deck from fitting. Car toys can make or find a dash kit to use so that it looks decent, but to do that yourself is going to be tough. You can see pics of the proble, on my site listed below. also, if you do install it, wiring diagrams are a pain in the butt to find for this site, so i would go ahead and buy the wiring harness that plugs straight into your stock wiring harness. The speakers in my car are exactly 6" on both doors, but my car is an 89, i don't know what yours will be.

Dan

[MilesFox]

Originally posted by edrach
My '84 Brat is the same as your wagon and I installed a set of 2-1/2" round speakers from Blaupunkt (got them at Frye's). I installed them when I replaced the entire dash (thanks for the help to Turbone). Miles is correct about the right side speaker, but I don't know how you could replace the left side without removing the entire dash. GD is correct about rewiring the speakers to eliminate the common ground wiring.

if i remember right, i removed the lower kick panel, and dropped the fuse block. there may be a relay hanging out with the fuse panel, you might have to loosen the hood release cable mount, you can get to the speaker that way. i installed the new speaker thru the speaker bezel itself thru the front

[Scrub2k]

When i installed a CD player into my car it was a PITA because someone had stolen the deck in the car before i got it, and cut the radio harness all to hell so i just ran my own wires for the stereo and i ran new wires to all the speakers cause i couldent figure out which wires were which, now that i know its common ground then i could probably figure it out but all the wiring is allready done. oh well it works now