Discussion
There should already be wires there for the rear speakers and then depending on what size you go for you can fit them where the vents are. I went for 6x9's so it took quite a lot of work to fit them. If you are cutting into the fibreglass, make sure you don't damage your petrol tank!!!!!
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
Beware... there are a two pairs of likely looking wires in the left hand and right hand sides of the boot. On my 97 they weren't connected to anything though 
There was, however, a wiring loom from the back of the stereo to the cubbyhole behind the passenger door (not seat, note). So I was able to buzz that out and run wires from there into the boot to hook up my speakers.
I had Offord cut the holes for the speakers for me, but do take care because while you might think the height of each speaker is correct when looking in the boot, you may find that things don't look so level *inside* the car.
You'll probably also need to fabricate your own replacement trim to go along the top of the fuel tank - the standard one doesn't fit with speaker magnets stuck out of the back. Not if they're magnets the size of mine, anyway.
There was, however, a wiring loom from the back of the stereo to the cubbyhole behind the passenger door (not seat, note). So I was able to buzz that out and run wires from there into the boot to hook up my speakers.
I had Offord cut the holes for the speakers for me, but do take care because while you might think the height of each speaker is correct when looking in the boot, you may find that things don't look so level *inside* the car.
You'll probably also need to fabricate your own replacement trim to go along the top of the fuel tank - the standard one doesn't fit with speaker magnets stuck out of the back. Not if they're magnets the size of mine, anyway.
In all fairness I wouldn't worry too much about the ventilation as there are plenty of other ways for the air to get in, i.e. little gaps at the top of the window and where the roof meets the back of the doors etc, I did not find that the vents made any difference to de-misting my rear screen either and Now that they are gone I have not really noticed any difference, all IMO anyway!!
I resisted the urge to mention the other "ventilation" points but it is a valid point.
It is well worth the hassle of adding rear speakers. After a few weeks of having mine installed and getting used to them I shifted the fader to full on the front speakers and it definitely doesnt sound as good.
It is well worth the hassle of adding rear speakers. After a few weeks of having mine installed and getting used to them I shifted the fader to full on the front speakers and it definitely doesnt sound as good.
Agreed - a good pair of hefty speakers (6x9s seem to be as big as will trvially fit) make a huge difference to the sound.
I have a Sony head unit rated at 4x50w, and only with the roof down at significant speed do I start to think about a bigger amp. Most of the time it's ear-bleedingly loud, without distortion.
I have a Sony head unit rated at 4x50w, and only with the roof down at significant speed do I start to think about a bigger amp. Most of the time it's ear-bleedingly loud, without distortion.
RCA can I see those pics? Reading the posts on speakers I went straight out to see if I could fit some Pioneers to the rear. I see talk about the wires behind the passanger cuby hole, which ones are they? When I find them how would you recomend connecting from here to the boot.
Many thanks Vince 450 98 Yellow.
I must get more umpf for the Le Mans rip
Many thanks Vince 450 98 Yellow.
I must get more umpf for the Le Mans rip
In the passenger cubby, there *may* be a grey connector with four wires going into it in a sort of rhombus shape (or is it trapezoid???)
You need to pull the head unit to find the corresponding connector in the dash, which should already be connected to the front speaker outputs from your stereo. Check that the spare wiring colours on that connector match the wiring colours in the connector behind the door, and away you go.
I was a bit cavalier and shorted out the connector behind the door so that I could get a meter across the connector in the dash and be sure I was using the right one.
You need to pull the head unit to find the corresponding connector in the dash, which should already be connected to the front speaker outputs from your stereo. Check that the spare wiring colours on that connector match the wiring colours in the connector behind the door, and away you go.
I was a bit cavalier and shorted out the connector behind the door so that I could get a meter across the connector in the dash and be sure I was using the right one.
always seems to come up this one, there have been a number of threads on the same topic - Perhaps Ted could make it an FAQ?
here's a couple of discussions about speakers, amps etc.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=2678&f=8&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=2992&f=8&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=403&f=8&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1958&f=8&h=0
here's a couple of discussions about speakers, amps etc.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=2678&f=8&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=2992&f=8&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=403&f=8&h=0
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1958&f=8&h=0
I've just fitted a full new system into my 4.0 Chimaera and it sounds absolutely a million miles better than the crap orignal. It covers a few of the questions in this thread, so here's what I did.
1st. Head Unit, I had a Nakamichi single CD from my previous car, so that went in.
2nd Amplification, I also had 2 Alpine V12 70watt RMS amps, so these went on an MDF board, trimmed to match the boot carpet, that I mounted above the fuel tank in the boot.
3rd Speakers, I took out the crappy Pioneers, and bought some JBL 3 way component speakers. These are really cool, the bass unit is a little too deep to fit into the standard door space (diameter is ok though) due to the huge magnet on the back of the speaker, and the window winder motor sitting in the hole, so I made a 18mm spacer out of MDF and covered it with vinyl to match the door trim, and then fitted the bass unit into this. The mid and treble are in a single seperate unit, which required me to drill a 60mm hole in the door trim and located it flush. The result is a very integrated looking pair of speakers, with alot more quality sound than that of the originals.
4. Sub, I had a 10inch boxed sub which I covered in the same carpet to match the boot trim, which sits in the boot, with the amp gain set to max. I found that if you do not obstruct the vent holes, you get plenty of air moving between the boot and the cabin, enabling you to hear the sub perfectly.
I didn't bother with rear 6x9's as I wanted the sound stage in the front (imagine a tiny Jay Kay singing sitting on top of your dash) which you wouldn't get with big rear speakers (the sound would be comming from everywhere). If you link all this up as I did with some 4 guage cable for the earth and power going straight to the battery (don't forget to put a fuse in)some reasonably decent speaker cable, not the riginal crappy bell wire, but some 189 strand from somewhere like richer sounds for 99p per metre and you'll be well happy.
Total Cost - head unit, keep yours if you dont have one to upgrade, but a new decent one about £350, amps, internet, I got mine for £90 each, speakers, shop around, I got my JBL's 50 quid off at £200 and sub about £120.
And don't worry, you don't sound like a knob when the roof is up, as not alot of sound escapes the cabin suprisingly, but beware with the roof down, as Chimaera owners don't really want to sound like Essex Boy Racers. It's not all about volume however, if you have powerful amplifiers, the the sound delivered to your speakers will be much more smooth and accurate, and you will enjoy a whole lot more.
Hope my findings help.
1st. Head Unit, I had a Nakamichi single CD from my previous car, so that went in.
2nd Amplification, I also had 2 Alpine V12 70watt RMS amps, so these went on an MDF board, trimmed to match the boot carpet, that I mounted above the fuel tank in the boot.
3rd Speakers, I took out the crappy Pioneers, and bought some JBL 3 way component speakers. These are really cool, the bass unit is a little too deep to fit into the standard door space (diameter is ok though) due to the huge magnet on the back of the speaker, and the window winder motor sitting in the hole, so I made a 18mm spacer out of MDF and covered it with vinyl to match the door trim, and then fitted the bass unit into this. The mid and treble are in a single seperate unit, which required me to drill a 60mm hole in the door trim and located it flush. The result is a very integrated looking pair of speakers, with alot more quality sound than that of the originals.
4. Sub, I had a 10inch boxed sub which I covered in the same carpet to match the boot trim, which sits in the boot, with the amp gain set to max. I found that if you do not obstruct the vent holes, you get plenty of air moving between the boot and the cabin, enabling you to hear the sub perfectly.
I didn't bother with rear 6x9's as I wanted the sound stage in the front (imagine a tiny Jay Kay singing sitting on top of your dash) which you wouldn't get with big rear speakers (the sound would be comming from everywhere). If you link all this up as I did with some 4 guage cable for the earth and power going straight to the battery (don't forget to put a fuse in)some reasonably decent speaker cable, not the riginal crappy bell wire, but some 189 strand from somewhere like richer sounds for 99p per metre and you'll be well happy.
Total Cost - head unit, keep yours if you dont have one to upgrade, but a new decent one about £350, amps, internet, I got mine for £90 each, speakers, shop around, I got my JBL's 50 quid off at £200 and sub about £120.
And don't worry, you don't sound like a knob when the roof is up, as not alot of sound escapes the cabin suprisingly, but beware with the roof down, as Chimaera owners don't really want to sound like Essex Boy Racers. It's not all about volume however, if you have powerful amplifiers, the the sound delivered to your speakers will be much more smooth and accurate, and you will enjoy a whole lot more.
Hope my findings help.
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