Best place to install a speaker in a TR4

[The_Doc]

Hi All,

Whilst I always enjoy the exhaust note and the rumble of the engine in our “4”, I am beginning to miss the jams. I was thinking of rigging up something to be able to install a Bluetooth speaker on the top of the gear box tunnel. Have any of you installed a speaker in your TR and where have you found the best place to put it? Ideally, I would have thought you’d want it in the middle of the dash where the gauges are or perhaps either side of the wind screen pointing in. But I don’t want to cover up my view or use of the gauges/switches on the dash and putting them on top of the dash also doesn’t seem like a good idea. There is obviously, the footwells, but in my experience, you don’t get the best sound from that position.

Thanks in advance!

Adam

[DOG_MORGAN]

On my tr6 got 2 big speakers in the bulkhead on magnet nice and solid sounds good 

[The_Doc]

1 minute ago, DOG_MORGAN said:

On my tr6 got 2 big speakers in the bulkhead on magnet nice and solid sounds good 

Thanks, do you have a picture? 

[DOG_MORGAN]

I will take photos in the day light tomorrow.

Regards

Bill

[MKTR]

Hi Adam,

I did not want to put holes in the door or rear bulk head trim panels, so I made a speaker box to go the full width behind the driver and passenger seats, flush with the rear 'seat' and then carpeted it to match.  I had to fit slim recatngular speakers to fit in the space but it seems to give a decent sound as the box helps with the bass and the sound is close to us.  Our rear surrey screen also helps keep the sound in the cabin.

The downside is not being able to push the seats any further back if anyone else needs to, and losing that extra bit of storage space.

Mark

 

[Dave I O W]

On 1/8/2023 at 4:46 PM, The_Doc said:

Hi All,

Whilst I always enjoy the exhaust note and the rumble of the engine in our “4”, I am beginning to miss the jams. I was thinking of rigging up something to be able to install a Bluetooth speaker on the top of the gear box tunnel. Have any of you installed a speaker in your TR and where have you found the best place to put it? Ideally, I would have thought you’d want it in the middle of the dash where the gauges are or perhaps either side of the wind screen pointing in. But I don’t want to cover up my view or use of the gauges/switches on the dash and putting them on top of the dash also doesn’t seem like a good idea. There is obviously, the footwells, but in my experience, you don’t get the best sound from that position.

Thanks in advance!

Adam

Hi Adam,

 I know it's not a blue tooth speaker but I have mine on top of the prop tunnel in between the seats,

The speaker is fitted in a period speaker box.

Cheers

Dave.

[AndyR100]

I just use a portable Bluetooth speaker - strapped to the h-frame with a Velcro strap and removed/placed-in-boot when parked up

……. Andy

[Tr4aJim]

+1 Andy. I have basically the same setup. I also added a 12 volt socket inside the glovebox with a USB adapter to keep the speaker charged as needed (and my iPhone too).

Jim

[Colin Symonds]

+ 2 Yes I just use a bluetooth rechargeable speaker.  The PO did install a 12v socket, so I just use a two port USB adapter and plug both my speaker and phone in.  I do have a period motorola radio installed in the car, but it's not connected to anything, just there to fill the hole!

Edited January 13, 2023 by Colin Symonds

[Steve-B]

I am considering for when it is just me getting an Anker Soundcore 3, and adding velcro so I can affix to the parcel shelf of our TR-6 between our 2 seats. I'm not sure if that would give enough sound for when I'm out alone to be worth it? Curious if others have gone the same way?

Edited March 27, 2023 by Steve-B

[RMP NC]

I made two bespoke speaker boxes that are shaped to exactly fit the curved shape of the back area.  I used easily disconnected banana plug connectors so if I want to have a child or dog in the back or I park where I should hide the speakers I can disconnect and put them in the boot quickly.

I will admit, they looked better when the rest of the interior was not installed.  As the seats and frame covers went in that space was eaten up fast.  With a 100 W per channel old school equalizer amp (like I had in college in my MG midget), suffice to say it is plenty loud.  I may revert to a single bluetooth speaker, however, as the bulk of those speakers may be a bit much.

By the way, as of yesterday I got my car road legal.  The state safety inspector came to my house and gave my car the inspection and I went to the local DMV office to get my tags (and give them $300).  Anyway, now I can legally drive on the highways.

Edited April 7, 2023 by RMP NC

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

8 hours ago, RMP NC said:

I made two bespoke speaker boxes that are shaped to exactly fit the curved shape of the back area.  I used easily disconnected banana plug connectors so if I want to have a child or dog in the back or I park where I should hide the speakers I can disconnect and put them in the boot quickly.

I will admit, they looked better when the rest of the interior was not installed.  As the seats and frame covers went in that space was eaten up fast.  With a 100 W per channel old school equalizer amp (like I had in college in my MG midget), suffice to say it is plenty loud.  I may revert to a single bluetooth speaker, however, as the bulk of those speakers may be a bit much.

By the way, as of yesterday I got my car road legal.  The state safety inspector came to my house and gave my car the inspection and I went to the local DMV office to get my tags (and give them $300).  Anyway, now I can legally drive on the highways.

Good news on the vehicle inspection 

Now get out there and enjoy the car.

[Ralph Whitaker]

17 hours ago, RMP NC said:

I made two bespoke speaker boxes that are shaped to exactly fit the curved shape of the back area.  

I hope everyone for a quarter of a mile around you likes your choice of music 

Ralph

[Jean-Marie Raedts]

In the pictures attached, you find the configuration I made. It mounted behind the H-frame and the treaded rod is resting on the cover of the gearbox and keeps everything together.

Jean-Marie

[RMP NC]

Jean-Marie - I would love to see that mounted in your car.   I have a TR4 and am not sure how the dash brace is different but I had thought about doing something similar.  I see you have used the extra space to put some switches and maybe that's a Aux power on the right side, can't tell.  I'd like to see/learn more about your approach.  I like it for sure.

[FastEddie]

I ended up building a back seat like the original out of plywood and installed 2 speakers in that and covered it. Looks like the original seat but with hidden speakers 

[Jean-Marie Raedts]

Dear Russell,

The H-frames of the TR4 and the TR4A are different. At the moment, the panels are not in the car because the overdrive wiring has to be adapted and the gearbox tunnel is removed. So after everything is mounted again in a couple of days or at latest begin next week pictures can be made how it looks in the car. In the left panel there is a switch for the cooling fan, a switch with associated signalling lamp for the fog reverse light. In the right panel there is a device with power supply via a rond sigaret plug for the navigation system Garmin and 2 USB-A type connectors for mobile devices.

Probably, you can build a similar system in a TR4, be aware that the loudspeaker may not be too big while there is not that much room between the panels and the gearbox tunnel. You find anyhow a drawing with the dimensions of the panels and the treaded rod of my configuration. Ones the panels are mounted again in the car, you receive picture of the installation.

Jean-Marie

Panel Loudspeakers TR4A.pdf

[PaulAnderson]

You can buy something similar for the TR5-6 from Moss  as per item 39 on that catalog link.  Or easily make one.  As well as the speakers, mine also has my electric fan override switch and hazard warning switch on the drivers side.

Paul

[Jean-Marie Raedts]

Dear Russell,

here you find the pictures of the panels, installed in the TR4A.

Jean-Marie

[RMP NC]

Thank you, Jean-Marie.

[BlueTR3A-5EKT]

No one gone for MX5\Miata/Unos seats with speakers in the head rests then?

[Jean-Marie Raedts]

I had this seats, but remove it because I liked to have the original T4A seats. I found a lot of documentation about the seats and the speakers on the internet, but had no experience with the loudspeakers itself because it was removed out of the seats.

Jean-Marie

[Rockie51]

I have upgraded round speakers in the MX5 seats with a Retrosound radio which has a jack to connect to iPhone in the 4A via Bluetooth.  Still a bit of a challenge to hear over the wind noise at 100 - 110kph. We much prefer the MX5 seats for comfort, headrests and easy access to the space behind the seats. The advantage of headrest speakers is not having to cut holes in the car or restrict the space behind the seats.