White 71

I have a 71 cutlass convertible w/factory stereo and 8 track. 8 track has been removed to make way for aftermarket. Was there a rear speaker? Where would it have been? What color is the rear speaker wire?
Thanks Kevin

Fun71

The rear speaker was mounted behind the rear seat, on the vertical panel. It's basically useless. I use two 6x9 speaker boxes with quick disconnects so I can put the boxes on the floorboards, on the seat, in the top well when the top is up, or in the trunk if I have rear seat passengers and the top is down.

White 71

Hey what a ride bet it sounds great. What exhaust do you have? Thanks I have been reading and finding things in my car(blue wire chopped at the back seat) and just figured out how they wired it and made it possible for dealer to upgrade. The front rear on radio did just that but balance on 8 track is really also a fader. Behind glove box is an amp for rear or a multiplexer? Whats the difference? I will soon be pulling glove box to see what lies behind.

rcorrigan5

That blue wire you found cut probably goes to the rear speaker. If you remove the rear seat back, the speaker should be visible behind the cardboard piece that hangs behind the rear seat back. The speaker itself is grounded to the framework to which it is attached; thus, just the single blue wire to the rear speaker.


If your original radio was AM-FM stereo, the piece above your glove box is probably the factory unit that makes the original radio a stereo unit. I believe "multiplexer" is probably a more appropriate word for that unit than an amplifier.


Randy C.

White 71

How do you remove rear seat back? Seat no problem. Is it easier w/top up? Should it be bolted down at bottom. There are no bolts. Bottom of seat back flops around. Does top just hook or is it bolted?

White 71

Alright I just looked behind glove and no multiplexer. Maybe 71 didn't have multiplexer w/the am/fm stereo. It is built in unit already? Looks that way, about to test a spkr on the blue wire

White 71

As I suspected the radio has a blue wire out the right side which powered the rear spkr. That wire has a plug harness to add the 8track later on if so desired. I'm going to see about a dual voice coil 4x10 for dash and run front to left and rear to right and I should get stereo sound from the one dash location and retain factory and reinstall 8track.

Fun71

The exhaust on my car is a set of Heddman Hedders through a couple of 1980s era Cyclone Sonic Turbo mufflers.

I don't think you'll get any stereo separation with a dual speaker in the center dash location as they will be too close to each other. It will work, but just no real stereo sound. I opted for the Custom Autosound kick panel speakers for the front of my car. The 6.5" coax speakers sound good.

http://www.casmfg.com/Chevelle_Kickpanels.htm

I have these paralleled with the rear speaker boxes so the amp mounted under the front seat drives all 4 speakers or just the front 2 when the rear boxes are disconnected.

White 71

Thanks for the info. I've had for a month and it came w/holes in lower front door and the upper rear panels. I want to get the factory system operational and maybe sound decent enough to replace panels. The car is correct and original in a lot of ways but still needs more