GoFlyRC.com - 1989 Jaguar XJS Coupe

	XJS Front Door Speaker Replacement XJS Main Page Front Door Speaker Replacement Heater Core Replacement Project
History Projects/Reviews Carl Goldberg Falcon 56 MkII Colombo Andersson 38% Extra Hangar 9 33% Cap 232 Hangar 9 1.20 Cap 232 (Bob's) Hangar 9 1.20 Cap 232 (Bill's) Lanier 31.5% Staudacher S600 Sig Kadet Mk II Sterling Ringmaster Thunder Tiger Fun Tiger Updated!! Pics of Cool Stuff Crash Pictures Car Stuff Updated!! 1989 Jaguar XJS Updated!! Random Thoughts Links Stuff for Sale Contact Bob Bill	The Anemic dual cone front speakers which came standard in our XJS definitely needed some attention. I had a couple of goals in mind for the speakers. First, I wanted quality: Polk, MB Quart, or the like. I was in the "stereo biz" back in the day and I know what I like. Second, the new speakers must fit behind the stock grills. I did not want to cut up the door panels, which also meant no separate tweeter. I am not looking for ultra high end audio, been there done that. The V-12 is the best entertainment, I just want a nice sound for those long road trips. The first challenge was that the factory speakers are 5". Not something we typically can get on this side of the pond, especially if you want a high-end speaker. I selected some nice Polk Audio 5 1/4" two-way as the closest match, size-wize. The second challenge was that the speakers are actually bolted to the door panel. Not acceptable, they need to be fastened solidly to the door itself. First - DISCONNECT THE BATTERY!!
	Remove the door panel, and you can see the square hole in the panel where the speaker sits. You can also see that the speaker is bolted to the door panel itself via studs on the speaker grille.
	Factory speakers on the left, the replacement on the right.
	The factory grill won't fit the new speakers.
	The plan is to cut an adapter plate out of fiberboard. Careful measuring and a slight beveling of the edges make it a perfect fit for the square opening
	The speaker must mount BEHIND the adapter plate, otherwise the protruding tweeter might hit the grille. Washers under the corners of the mounting tabs keep the speaker basket from deforming.. necessary as this speaker really wasn't intended to mount this way.
	A foam baffle is fastened over the rear of the speaker with a 2nd nut on the mounting bolt. It keeps dust and water out.
	The assembled unit is screwed in with several sheet metal screws. It needs to be snug to prevent rattles, and definitely not warped or flexed.
	The grill remains bolted to the door panel, and the studs are cut off flush.
	The finished product is not discernable from the factory speaker, unless you get right up close with a light. The new speakers sound great, but really want more power than the factory cassette deck can deliver. Rear speakers and a new high-power deck are a future project.