Date:         Sat, 16 Jan 1999 11:08:42 -0800
Reply-To:     Vanman <mckayaa@OIT.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Vanman <mckayaa@OIT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: audio system upgrades
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

-----Original Message-----
From: The Henry's <jch@VNET.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Saturday, January 16, 1999 10:11 AM
Subject: audio system upgrades


>hello all,
>
>My son has shamed me into considering options for upgrade of the audio
>system in my 84 westy. Currently the system is perhaps the worst generic
>manual am/fm/cassette unit ever made. The van obviously did not come
>with a radio, there is no external evidence of an antenna, currently a
>small black rubber antenna is located in the glove box.(reception is a
>very weak point but improves if you ride with the glove box open)
>
>The son is offering to loan me a fairly high quality Sony AM/FM/Cd unit
>(4 speaker, 40 watts per) to get me started.
>
>I have searched the archives, now I need to use a little bandwidth and
>collect current thoughts and experiences form the group.
>
>Questions:
>
>Door speakers? as of right now there are non. What are options that keep
>the window cranks working. I need my map storage in driver's door.
>
>Rear speakers? what should there be back there? Are there locations
>other than in AC rack in a Westy?
>
>Other speakers? I am not ready for bass units that will bounce the van
>(over 50 crowd, you know how we are!)  but??
>
>Antenna, I think a power antenna is a reasonable vandalism deterrent,
>where should (could) it mount? Who makes them?
>
>My own future thoughts are to replace Sony unit (when my son wants it
>back) and replace it with a cassette/remote cd system. Any good
>experiences here?
>
>
>Thanks to all in advance.
>
>jim henry
>
>84 westy
>84 rx7 gsl-se
>85 rx7 gsl-se
>assorted other transportation that always start but are never any fun.
>

What I did was I brought my van into a car audio shop, and had them install
a Pioneer tape deck w/ a CD changer controller, a 6 disk changer on the
front of the box that the drivers seat is mounted on (so if you kick your
heel back, you will kick the changer), a pair of Blaupunkt 6 1/2" speakers
in the door panel towards the bottom of the removable panel, a pair of 4"
Optimus speakers that I installed my self earlier to replace the originals,
and a pair of 4 x 10 speakers in the rear, that I built a fiberboard box for
and mounted on a set of homemade brackets (screwed to the ceiling by the
hatch) which allowed the speakers to swivel front to back. This way music
can either be pointed in to the cabin, or outdoors for a tail gate party.
If you want more info, we had a small thread on this with the subject line
"flush mount speakers" the week before last.  I hope this helps a bit.

-Aaron Mckay
                                 mckayaa@oit.edu
                                 college student in mechanical
                                 engineering at Oregon Institute of
Technology
                                 '85 vanagon GL

P.S.  My system cost about $525 - $600 installed, most of which was in the
receiver and changer, and there are some cheaper, decent alternatives to my
Pioneer equipment.