HAVING TROUBLE with 83 GL Stereo/Speaker upgrade

[BrownEyes~83 GL]

So I drive an 83 GL and am sooo sick of bad radio, so I want to upgrade to a cd player and new speakers, I've read that I need a dash kit but I'm having trouble finding one and what speakers do I buy??? I'm so lost, Please help a girl out!?!?

Edited May 11, 2009 by BrownEyes~83 GL

[renob123]

So I drive an 83 GL and am sooo sick of bad radio, so I want to upgrade to a cd player and new speakers, I've read that I need a dash kit but I'm having trouble finding one and what speakers do I buy??? I'm so lost, Please help a girl out!?!?

 

Welcome. I went through the same thing with my Brat. Since the interiors are the same (I think), what I found should help you. Keep in mind that all of this was found by using the search function.

 

1) Instead of searching for a dash kit, you can pick up a "slanted console" in the WTB section of the boards. It'll allow you to mount a normal stereo. I used one with a cheap Eclipse stereo from Crutchfield.

2) I am running 5.25" MB Quart speakers. I took the stock speakers, cut out the speaker part, ground the hole left by the old speakers a little with a Dremel, then screwed the MB Quarts in.

3) Run new wires for everything:)

 

Jacob

[Twitch de la Brat]

Does your center console have the two step dash or a flat dash face?

If it's a two step you'll need to cut out the dash to make room for the new deck

and you'll need the mounting bracket for the new stereo.

You will then need to run screws through the dash into the bracket, and maybe some reinforcement in the dash.

If you have the flat face then Idk.

The PO destroyed my dash...

Hope it helps...

 

Twitch

Edited May 11, 2009 by Twitch de la Brat

[Major Lazy]

Here is the kit I have used for both a EA81 and an eA 82, you just have to run new wires, this will help you fit the radio in the dash.

 

http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=99-8900

 

If you can find the slanted console, it it much better but they are hard to find.

 

just fit some small round speakers in the door.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Major Lazy

[ihscout54]

Welcome to the board.

Depending on what setup you have (if its even still stock) it may require re-wiring, running pulling wires, cutting holes in doors, and other misc fabs. My brat only had 1 speaker I replaced the radio in it with a "Stereo" type from a later car, and got some of those mini boxed speakers, and put 'em under the dash. Something like these.

http://www.directdepot.net/popup_image.php?pID=14881

In my wagon I went aftermarket.

Your probably not going to find the slanted console, you can try, but you might as well do an ebay/google search for the item listed below, or just buy it off that site. I bought mine off ebay IIRC. I used 5 1/4" 3 way speakers from Walmart in the front doors. And 6x9's in the back.

[hatchsub]

If you dont mind doing a bit of fabing you can make an aftermarket stereo look like it was meant for that dash and center console. For the radio, to get the clearance on the back you will need to move the location down to where that small package tray is and move the package tray to the top where the radio once was. This will take some measuring and cutting and filing to get a nice tight fit for both. For front speakers, plate speakers work best. I have infinity kappas but others have reference (basically the same thing). These are both 4x6 speakers mounted in the stock locations. The passenger side speaker requires no mods to fit. The drivers sid you will need to remove that small 4x3 (or whatever ridiculous size it is) speaker out. You will see it it is held in with a bracket. Remove the speaker itself from the bracket and cut the bracket in half so that there is a top piece and a bottom piece so you can put it back in. Bolt the pieces of the bracket to your plate speaker and stuff it back in there. You may have to play around with getting it to fit right and line up but its really not that bad.

 

I have pictures of all of this on my cardomain page but for some reason cardomain is down so those will have to wait.

 

Also, those aftermarket mounting kits for these cars look terrible if you ask me. Ive had one and much prefer just having it mount in the dash like it was meant to be there.

[GeneralDisorder]

If you dont mind doing a bit of fabing you can make an aftermarket stereo look like it was meant for that dash and center console. For the radio, to get the clearance on the back you will need to move the location down to where that small package tray is and move the package tray to the top where the radio once was. This will take some measuring and cutting and filing to get a nice tight fit for both.

 

Unfortunately that only works on the 2WD consoles. The 4WD consoles have less room behind them where the map pocket is/was. I am in the process of doing exactly this modification on the 4WD console and I have to make about a 1/2" spacer for the deck to make it work. Not a big deal for me, but might be an issue for some.

 

GD

[hatchsub]

Unfortunately that only works on the 2WD consoles. The 4WD consoles have less room behind them where the map pocket is/was. I am in the process of doing exactly this modification on the 4WD console and I have to make about a 1/2" spacer for the deck to make it work. Not a big deal for me, but might be an issue for some.

 

GD

Hmm is this in the design of the console or whats behind it? I cant remember what the difference was other than the 2wd was one big piece and the 4wd was split (shifter section and then radio section). I might have also wanted to note that to do this i had to get a stereo that was not terribly deep. And even then i have virtually no room between the heater vents behind the console and the back of the stereo.

[edrach]

Mount your new speakers in the doors. The OEM speakers in the dash are TINY and extremely hard to get to, especially on the driver's side.

 

I managed a four speaker system in my Brat using the space for the original dash speakers when I was replacing the dash (not a project I would suggest to anyone).