Aftermarket 6 1/2"

Ok. I picked up 2 new 6 1/2" 3way speakers for the doors on my '97 Z28 because the drivers side was blown. Called Circuit City to have them installed and they are telling me I can't install just 2, I have to replace all 4. Does this sound right? I plan on replacing the rear seat speakers as well.

Do I have to do a full speaker replacement at once? I've replaced the head unit already.

Anyone.. please help. :)

What stereo do you have in your car right now? Monsoon, Bose, or just the std 4 speaker setup?

The old head was an AC Delco I believe, I have 6 speakers, 2 6 1/2" front, 2 6 1/2" rear, 2 Component (4") in hatch. I asked about the monsoon and they told me no.

Thoughts?

sound to me like you have a monsoon... the rear speakers (4") is what's flaggin me on that...

The Monsoon is a tricky thing to work around, and to replace the speakers is pretty much an all or nothng thing with that, as well as replacing the HU. Basically it's a VERY strange system to work with, and in all reality requires either replacing with factory components, or ripping everything out and starting from scratch.

Do you have an aftermarket HU in there now? if so the just replace all 4 at once... if not you may have to look into a HU.

Wierd. I have an aftermarket Pioneer HU, which Circuit City installed and didn't have a problem with. So I'd have to replace all 6 speakers then, hmm.. guess I'll have to wait on those 2 speakers then :(

And after looking at the hatch, i noticed it has a 4" but next to it is a smaller hole for what looks like a tweeter. Is it possible to put a 4x6 plate in there similar to
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-aCltmLCzSul/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=10&g=400&I=1086402CFP&o=m&a=0&cc=01&avf=N ?

Is there a way to confirm that it's a monsoon system? any branding on the original HU? or somewhere in the car?

Even if they did have to rewire the whole system, I don't see why they couldn't just do the door speakers, and do the rest later. Telling you 4 are required at once is just ignorant and greedy.

It's hard to tell if you actually have the Monsoon, because if I remember correctly, only some models actualy had the monsoon logo on them, some just said Delco.

You'd be doing a lot of butchering if you wanted to fit 4 x 6 speakers back there.

If you'd just have components custom installed up front, you wouldnt need sail panel speakers at all, and you'd have better sound. I don't know that Circuit City does custom work though, you'd have to take it to an installer.

Yeah that's what I thought as well. Another joint I talked to told me that they would have no problem installing into my car.

Yeah the old HU had Delco on it and I didn't see monsoon labeled anywhere on the machine. And about the 4x6 plate, I'll just have to put some new 4" speakers back there. Thought maybe I could utilize the tweeter hole back there :)

BTW, if your Head unit install was just a normal charge. They probably just used a standard wiring harness which connected your stock speakers to your head unit. I don't think that would have been as easy if you had the Monsoon system.

I wouldnt use Circuit City for an install anyway. If you have any high end places around you, they'll charge about the same and do a better job.

Yeah we have a place in Bradenton that is pretty popular for car stereo installs etc. But I called them on the phone before purchasing my new HU and they were complete priks so I don't think I'll be going there. I'll have to look around and price. The other place quoted me $36 for the 6 1/2"s.

That's pretty cheap for a speaker install. Make sure you get them to atleast verbally agree that they'll fix anything they break. Installers seem to be ignorant when it comes to removing the door Panels on LT1's, and they broke the clips off both of my door lock/window control panels when they took mine off. Then they were just like, oh, you can get new clips at the dealer. They never offered to fix them. ButtWads!

That's pretty cheap for a speaker install. Make sure you get them to atleast verbally agree that they'll fix anything they break. Installers seem to be ignorant when it comes to removing the door Panels on LT1's, and they broke the clips off both of my door lock/window control panels when they took mine off. Then they were just like, oh, you can get new clips at the dealer. They never offered to fix them. ButtWads!

damnit that sucks. If I have someplace install it i might have to sit and watch them. Thanks for the tip.

I wouldn't put squat in the back that far... just the front's and some nice mid-bass speakers in the sail-panels... those rear ones are just screwin up your soundstage and making things sound strage... Take the $$ you'd spend on those and buy the midbass for the rears, or a amp/sub..

You can install those speakers in the front without too much hassle, and even the rears without much trouble. Just wire the 4 speakers to the speaker outs of the HU. Most inexperienced people can do an install like that in a day or so. The hardest part is running the speaker wire for the speakers, because I don't think you can use the wiring from the stock stereo with the monsoon, although I maybe incorrect on that.

Oh, and a quick list of what you'll need if you are going to do it:

Wire strippers/crimpers
bunch of Blue Butt Crimp Connectors
50' roll or so of 16 gauge speaker wire
Phillips & Flathead screwdrivers
8mm socket/nutdriver to remove the speakers/stereo
Metal Coathanger (to feed the speaker wire through the door grommet.

that's the basic tool list...

Well I have an Amp and Sub that I'll be installing.. still need to build the box. Those will be going in after the door speakers. So you're saying leave the hatch speakers (the 4" dealies) alone? I thought about getting alittle highend via those speakers. Although the new 6 1/2's are 3ways and with 4 of those and an EQ I should be able to get ample amounts of tweet out of those.

I'd get rid of and not even hook up thise 4" speakers in the hatch. I'd also only run the highs (tweeters) in the front, and just run some midbass speakers, similar to the Kicker RB6 (I think that's just the midbass), or I'm running the Audiobahn Midbass Drivers in the rear. That way when you listen to the stereo it mainly sounds like the stage is in front of you, like it should if you were really listening to it.

I'd personally just re-wire the whole thing running those speakers you have already in the doors, looking into some midbass speakers for the sail-panels and adding that sub you're already planning on. With that, you should have a really nice sounding system.

Thanks for the tip, I might have to do that. The Pioneer 3-ways I got for the front are the TS-A1670R. I'm looking at the kicker RMB6 on ebay and the price is not bad. And totally disconnect the rear 4", gotcha. I will be installing a JL Audio 10" sub.

Thanks for the help man..

Whoa! Hold on there guys!! It is entirely possible for him to have the monsoon system. '97 and early '98 model Camaro's Monsoon head units simply said "Delco Electronics" just like the non-Monsoon systems. Check your door codes to find out if you have the Monsoon system:

ULO = Monsoon Cassette HU

UNO = Monsoon CD HU

U1S = 12 disc changer

And yes, you can swap out the monsoon headunit for an aftermarket headunit with NO odd modifications. So it's quite possible Circuit City didn't even notice you had the monsoon system. If all else fails, look for the amp! It's a small black box very close to the spare tire. Next, I agree with 97Formula. Disconnect the rear 4"s all together. And I'd just do the install yourself. Running the wires is the hardest part but not even worth $20 to me. Power your new speakers directly off your aftermarket headunit until your can afford to amp them. Wait until you are ready to install the sub/amp as well. Then just set aside a day and install it all at once.:)

Whoa! Hold on there guys!! It is entirely possible for him to have the monsoon system. '97 and early '98 model Camaro's Monsoon head units simply said "Delco Electronics" just like the non-Monsoon systems. Check your door codes to find out if you have the Monsoon system:

Yup UL0 is on my door, so the monsoon cassette system is what I had. Haven't checked the back to see if the amp is there.

Yeah I was just going to have the front speakers installed cause I'm tired of hearing the blown speaker :) I have a cousin that is real good at installing car systems, building sub boxes etc. So he's helping me install and build the sub/amp. I didn't want to bother him with the door speakers. Well maybe I will now :)

Thanks for that bit of info. I had been wanting to know if I had it or not.