[GasTungstenArc]

I am contemplating what to do with stereo on our 1987 Astro. Our van is a CL. I believe it has rear pillar as well as rear door speakers. Please share your stereo projects and ideas!

My limits:

1) I would like to upgrade the stereo with as little cutting as possible. That means single-DIN head unit and no additional speakers. It might mean no cutting of the speaker grilles if that is possible. I just want to keep the van looking as factory as I can.

2) Space is important to me because we are going to travel in the van. So I can't just take space wherever I want it for stereo components.

With that in mind:

Has anybody built a subwoofer box that fits entirely under one of the bench seats?

Where do you like to hide your amplifiers? I'm thinking about under the front seats.

Has anybody ever used the 6.5" rear door areas for 6.5" subs? I would like to add some bass without sacrificing space if that is possible. On the other hand, I hate to give up the added fully range sound that could come from a 3-way mounted in the same space.

I need a strike a compromise between having lots of space and having good sound quality.

 

[Mmusicman]

You can make or buy a small subwoofer box that sits between the front seats, fires down, and doubles as a drink holder. That would give you real nice balanced bass and nice sound, and be practical too. I've also considered a small amplified Bazooka tube behind the driver seat (would also fit under a rear bench seat. Placement will give you punch vs boom. Rear doors are not very good for bass.

 

[GasTungstenArc]

It would be nice to have a cup holder between the seats because I have heard how lousy the Gen 1 cupholders are. But my wife needs to be able to move easily from front seat to middle seat in order to take care of the baby. One of the selling points for a van was the flat floor and open space that would allow her to sit up front with me (she sits in the back seat now to be with the baby,) but move back without my having to stop the vehicle. So I need to keep that area clear. The seller left a little Igloo thingy between the seats, so I think that will do for now.

A wide and flat box that fits under a bench is appealing, but that space would also be useful for longer trips that involve packing lots of gear. It would also be nice to be able to slide long items such as fishing poles under the seats from the back doors, so maybe the under-bench space should stay clear. When I look inside this van, it seems to have so much space. But when I start getting ideas about modifications, all the space seems to be needed for other things. Ugh...

 

[Mmusicman]

Understand keeping the middle open.
Tube behind passenger seat would work quite well.
The further back you go, the boomier it's going to get.
Space under the seats is also a premium.
I guess you'll have to figure what works best for you... or what compromises you'll have to make. I actually find the sound in mine (without a sub) satisfactory for "normal" listening.

 

[GasTungstenArc]

Space under the seats is also a premium.
I guess you'll have to figure what works best for you... or what compromises you'll have to make. I actually find the sound in mine (without a sub) satisfactory for "normal" listening.

I'll have to measure height under the seat to see if I can even build anything.

I'm starting to think that I should forget about subwoofers, install good speakers in the factory locations, give them clean power, and be done.

 

[Bikley]

We put in an old Pioneer stereo and a set of new Cerwin Vega speakers that match the stock size. We haven't changed the little 4" speakers that go in the rear pillars yet, but it still beats the stock system by miles.