We recently had the opportunity to upgrade the stereo in a customers 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass. This car was a real beauty! We knew up front that we could NOT perform any serious modifications to the vehicle, as the owner really wanted to keep it looking original. This is not a problem! We were able to achieve our goals without taking away from the glamour of the vehicle at all. Now off to the drawing board…
The car had the original 8 track head unit in the dash… And it still works! This radio powered the single original speaker on the dash. We and the customer decided that the best idea in this scenario was to leave the existing radio in the dash and find a new hidden location for a new cd player. We were able to do so and leave the existing 8 track connected and still be functional. The best option was for us to build a custom mounting location in the glove box. This way with the glove box closed you would never know the difference! We went with Kenwood‘s flagship single-din cd player for 2012, the KDCX996. This piece of electronics was built to exceed all expectations. The radio looks perfect in it’s new home. Some of the great features are built-in HD radio, bluetooth streaming audio, high performance multiple band equalization, full speed iPod integration and control, variable color faceplate, and the list goes on. This was definitely the best choice for this application. As you will see in the attached photos, we also installed an iPod mount directly next to the radio in the glove box to top it off.
Now on to the speakers. We installed custom-made kick panels as new speaker locations in both drivers and passenger side panels. The speaker of choice was German Maestro Concept Series 6.5″ coax speakers. We were able to color match both the kick panels and the speaker grilles in order for them to blend in with the rest of the interior to look as factory as possible. Having no rear speaker locations, we decided the best avenue would be to power these front speakers and add a subwoofer in the trunk.
When adding power and bass to a vehicle like this, we needed to find a solution that would not be obtrusive and, for the most part, not visible. We installed an XD500/3 amplifier made by JL Audio under the front bench seat. This amp is extremely impressive for it’s physical size! The XD amplifier line from JL has become a very useful product, in that we can hide them in most any vehicle using locations where a larger amp would not fit. This amplifier in this vehicle powers both front speakers and a JL Audio 10W3 subwoofer. We built the enclosure into the side of the trunk. The custom enclosure is built according to specifications and really produces great output! The spare tire and the majority of the trunk space were unaffected.
With the age of the vehicle, our next task was to eliminate reverberations and rattle in the trunk area. We used Hushmat’s ultra damping padding in any area that would be covered by our sub enclosure or the trunk liner carpeting. We then also replaced the carpet in many areas of the trunk and built a new floor board. This helped immensely, and even improved the output of the subwoofer. We are extremely happy with the end result in this car. All components integrate and blend together beautifully.
Overall, we are always excited to upgrade the stereos in classic and antique cars. Each one is unique in their own way, and every one just as much fun as the last. We understand how important a stereo is on a Sunday cruise with the top down on that 70’s convertible muscle car, or the white wall tires on that 40’s classic rolling down a back road while enjoying your favorite song the way it was meant to be heard. The stereo adds that extra level to the ever-present feeling of fun and freedom in ANY vehicle, but for today you have stolen our heart, Mr. Oldsmobile…
