music system

Post by **iimmsatk** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:32 pm

Does anyone have some advice about what music system I could pu in my morris (1969)? About 20 years ago I had an old radio that worked quite well until black smoke started pouring out of it! I have done without since then but now my teenage boys want some modcons in the car. I am in South London so any suggestions on where I could something fitted would be really apprecaited.

Thanks
Sara

Post by **bigginger** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:54 pm

If anyone has the time/inclination/computer that doesn't say "Fatal error: Call to undefined function: make_forum_select() in /homepages/14/d73677637/htdocs/mmoc/modules/PNphpBB2/modcp.php on line 585" when they try, could this be moved to 'electrical'?

Post by **Onne** » Fri May 11, 2007 4:56 pm

Same problem here

Post by **Willie** » Fri May 11, 2007 5:34 pm

Any modern system i.e. radio/cd player with perferably 9X6" speakers on either end of the parcel shelf (with black grills they are almost invisible and,with a concealed unit in the glove box etc not a magnet for thieves) and powered via its own fuse fed from the PURPLE side of fuse
1 if you wish to use it with the ignition off or the DARK Green side of fuse 2 if you only wish to use it with the engine on.

Post by **AndrewSkinner** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:09 pm

If you want to keep it original looking, have great sound and keep it all out of view from visitors then do what I did!!!

I bought two bookshelf speakers that sit perfectly under the front seats. you can then run the cable under the carpets and up the back of the front shelf. They sound great, never move, are hidden from view and dont get in the way! and the main point is that it can all be removed without anything being changed.

The speakers I used were 'Ultax Millenium' speakers. sound fantastic with my sony head unit!

I have put the head unit under the drivers side glove box (To the left of the steering column) it is black an impossible to see from the outisde especialy with the front panel removed.

One thing to consider is the polarity of you car. My stereo is built in a wooden box as my car is still positive earth. If yours is then you will need to isolate the unit from the body work or swap your cars polarity.

Post by **LouiseM** » Sat May 12, 2007 6:54 am

I found this article useful. I have fitted a period motorola radio with hidden speakers and an aerial that clips to the window so needed no drilling.

http://www.minormania.com/feature.php?catid=-1&id=1996

Post by **RogerRust** » Sat May 12, 2007 8:39 am

I have decided not to have a radio.

All I have is a box with two 18W amps from Maplin and a fly lead to a MP3 player and a couple old 6 inch speakers under the dash out of site. The MP3 acts as a preamp and you control the volume at the MP3 player.

I have put a switch on the box' but to be honest I think I will just conect it to the switched supply and leave it switched on.

The sound quality is fine and there is plenty of volume for me.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... r&doy=12m5

Post by **Shakey80** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:10 pm

That is the kind of set up that I want - just an amp and speakers that I can connect my ipod to.

Would any amp, such as this one work? I want one with a bit more power!

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... ryrn_82398

Post by **NZJLY** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:46 pm

I am a simple person

so could someone draw a wee circuit diagram for this type of setup please?

Thanks
John

Post by **RogerRust** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 9:33 am

It doesn't need a circuit diagram, more to the point any one who has seen any diagrams I've drawn laughs.

I like the Halford amp as above.

The amp will have three connections for an input. A common and left and right. The easiest thing to do is get a set of old earphones with a little 3.5mm plug on and cut the ear phones off, . Now very carefully strip the wires back you will find a screen and a very fine centre wire. Connect the screens together. Now you have your 3 input connections and a nice plug to go into your MP3 player.

Now for the output to the speakers - same again I expect. Buy some speaker cable and spade connectors from where ever you get the amp.

Bobs your uncle - as they say.

Post by **ASL642** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 1:13 pm

Happy Christmas Roger! Whats wrong with my wind up gramaphone then. I agree it does jump a bit when u go over potholes (like those I found in Bedfordshire), but usually does the trick!

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 1:24 pm

You've got one of these in your moggy?

Post by **youngun** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:59 pm

Im building a proper sound system for my morris.......Sony head unit and Sony xplod speakers, plus a subwoofer to shake off all the rust! Should be a laugh once its all together!

Post by **Sidney'61** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:32 pm

To be in keeping with the old fashioned styling I've just got an old Bush radio to slot under the dashboard, looks lovely!
http://www.robertopiecollection.com/App ... 82-Wlg.jpg

Post by **Shawn** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:49 pm

I'm using an am/fm radio out of an early Honda Accord. It looks enough like an original one to be in-offensive! I've wired it to an old style graphic equalizer and set it up through four 4" speakers. The speakers are scrapyard units out of as modern cars as I could find. I cut up some old speaker grilles and screwed them to the speaker mountings, whichh are vinyl covered MDF. The Equalizer is tucked up behind the radio and switched on via a relay off the radio on/off switch.

Since I did that diagram I've added a 2 channel amplifier and 10" sub in a sealed box in the boot. This is powered from the rear speakers via a high-low crossover. I made the box out of 8mm mdf and shaped it so it would sit as far back in the boot as possible. (the picture shows sub box MkI - I'm up to about MkIV now) It's bolted to the boot floor panel. The amp is mounted to the top of the box and the speaker protected with a mesh grille.

Despite the whole lot being in mono, it sounds great!

I'm planning to add a 3.5mm jack input between the radio and the eq to plug an mp3 to, but I need to work the switching out so I can get stereo!

I'll set the socket up on the radio facia with a small switch to isolate the radio speaker wires.

I'm doing as much of this with second-hand or old parts, so far it's cost me under $100

Post by **RogerRust** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 7:27 am

Nice Sub!

How long did it take before the paint fell off the boot?

Post by **alex_holden** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:06 am

More to the point, how do you carry anything else in the boot? ;)

Post by **Shawn** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:04 pm

alex_holden wrote:More to the point, how do you carry anything else in the boot? ;)

The current version of the box is about a quarter smaller than the one pictured, but it still takes up a heap of space. I have the whole thing wired on a multi pin plug, so it's easy to disconnect, but the bolt is up under the wooden boot floor so you need a spanner to take it out.

I think a wing nut or something might be a better option.

RogerRust wrote:How long did it take before the paint fell off the boot?

No paint off yet, but it's great for locating rattles!!

Post by **davidrocke** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:20 pm

I did mine like this:

Head Unit in vinyl covered panel behind glove box door.

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0046.jpg">

Speakers mounted in holes cut into scuttle panels.

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0050.jpg">

Two shelf-mount speakers on back parcel shelf. These had to be mounted on little stands to clear the top of the back seat.

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0051.jpg">

Two tweeters above each sunvisor.

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0048.jpg">

Big automatic aerial!

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0054.jpg">

Home made sub box in boot. This actually mounts through a hole in the boot floor, and goes down almost to the floor of the car to get the right volume for the 10 inch speaker. Made from MDF, covered in sub carpet with corners from B&Q. Lots of bathroom sealant to make sure the box was airtight. This comes out in about 5 minutes if i need the boot for something else.

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0055.jpg">

Amplifier for sub bridged to one channel next to the bottom of the aerial. This bit was a lot tidier before it all came out a few months ago, haven't had time to tidy it up again...

<img width = 40% src="http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o183 ... _A0056.jpg">

All in all, plenty loud enough to hear over motorway driving, doesn't sound too shabby either!

Post by **niko-time** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:32 am

Hello all, I'm new

Now, I'm currently bidding for a morris minor on eBay which is in good nick (would post the link but don't want others sniping it from me

) and would like to install a music system into it. Only problem is, I have no experience whatsoever in electronics.

Is this suicidal or is it possible for a numb nuts like me to install a basic speaker setup?

Thanks in advance