radio for C4

i am wanting to change the radio in my 1987 coupe to a non Bose unit. Is the stock radio a 1.5 din unit or some weird size? it has the Bose unit in it now and i have looked at the Audivox unit from "Ecklers" but i would like to have more choices. i plan to build a enclosure for a couple of small high performance subs to put in the back with a five channel amp. any thoughts, suggestions or ideas on would of help. thanks Greg

Reply to
greg nettles
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Took a peek at Ecklers and the "AudioVox" is discontinued. BUT lock in

1987 and go for Audio and it comes up with JVC and Panas> i am wanting to change the radio in my 1987 coupe to a non Bose unit.
Reply to
Bob I

I'm not sure if the 84 has the same problem, but the later C4's will give you a electrical error message if you change the stereo. This message is a result in the computer attempting to adjust the panel lighting on the Bose system which won't be there if you change. Rob

78 & 96 coupes Red of course
Reply to
Scubabix

i put a pioneer cd player in my 88.. no problems with error messages.. i changed all the speakers also.. i went with the pioneer because it was an direct fit for the old bose tape deck..

troy 88 35th anniversary

Reply to
TroY

============= I know NOTHING about Radios except I always keep mine OFF and listen top the sound of the engine...

Just wanted to comment on your 35th Anniversary....

I would love to find a real nice one for sale... Always loved that model.... I already own a 95 but would grap a 35th Anniv. in a heart beat...

Bob Griffiths

64 72 76 79 & 95 Corvettes 68 SS 396 Chevelle was sold last week...so I have room for the 35th,....LOL
Reply to
Bob G.

Thanks for your input guys, i nixed the idea of me building the box and am going to have it done by a pro, he is trying to steer me to a JBL gto755.6 amp and 2 jl 10w3v2 subs. he wants me to go with a single din head unit of my own choosing, he has not said what he is going to recommend for the door and rear speakers yet. i did find a good deal for used Bose enclosures to be cut up at Corvette Country. if any of you guys ever want to see some neat stuff stop buy at there shop just south of the Atlanta airport, i do cars for a living and some of this stuff they do impresses me.

i will keep you posted, and i am still looking for input on this, recommendations on head units, amps, speakers and subs.

Ric seyler got any ideas? i th>i am wanting to change the radio in my 1987 coupe to a non Bose unit.

Reply to
greg nettles

Yea I was a sound reinforcement "engineer"(lol) for 10 or so years and love Home Theater. And I'm assembling a kick ass system now for my new home. (Post Hurr. Ivan) Your Vette is unique in the Car Stereo department. With the Bose system so integrated into the vehicle you have to jump through a few hoops to replace, depending on the year model of the Vette. Some year models you have to purchase the proper adapter for the head unit and on some year models you also have to rewire all the speakers. The ribbon wiring for the Bose system isn't up to carry an amped load. With the Bose system the amps are at the speakers. So the wire running from the head is only carrying a line level signal. I'd go with 2 10's for your subs also -vs- 12's or 15's. You will get a tighter, more thumping bass with the smaller cones. You don't have that much air to move inside a Coupe. You will have to play with the sub crossover point to get rid of muddy, boomyiness. Most modern auto amps have highly adjustable crossover points and different crossover slopes.

If you are having a Pro build the sub box, there is a formula to get the proper volume

-vs- cone area for the box. The bottom end will be the hardest to get right in a coupe. There is a whole lot of glass and sub soundwaves are huge.

Reply to
RicSeyler

Reply to
Greg

Being mostly "deef" above 6Khz for the last 15 years, I was more interested in bass and clean midrange. Coupe was non-Bose. Replaced the stock dash and cargo deck speakers with high efficiency co-ax's to please those who can hear highs. (This almost tripled the sound levels using the original Delco head unit.) Opened the doors and used the Bose brackets for Polk GXR4s -- lots of efficiency and good mid-range. Aside from the Polk GXRs the speakers, including the sub-woofer are generics with VERY large magnets (probably made by the "Chinese communist, slave-labor, car speaker and storm door factory"). They are what my 'car stereo' guy suggested and they do it for my tin ear.

Head end is an upscale Delco with switch equalizers. Audio guy pulled it from a late-80s Trans-Am or Firebird that was wadded up in a ball--red back lighting isn't authentic Corvette but distinguishes the radio from the rest of the pale panel lighting. >95% of the time I listen to XM Radio so no CD or tapes. (Roady2 stows nicely in the center console). Incidentely, XM stereo separation and bass is great!! The only extra amp drives the sub-woofer. Very compact unbranded sub-woofer (don't know the size but suspect 2x10") was off-the shelf at the audio guy--didn't want to cut the car or sacrifice the right-hand cargo well. The audio guy felt he could do as well with a box. Tried two--one had cleaner bass but was three times the size of the one I chose--had upholstery shop recover the black box with flame red carpet. Probably has a lot of harmonic distortion but it moves the driver's seat and that moves me. I recommend trying several sub-woofer boxes if you can find an audio shop with several choices on the shelf. Only you can best judge how you want to trade-off appearance and lost space against sound quality.

My sound levels are sufficient at 70 mph--above that I've got to use a noise-canceling headset (Bose). That's illegal in my state so I wear a large ballcap.

Reply to
Paul H.

"greg nettles" wrote: > i am wanting to change the radio in my 1987 coupe to a non > Bose unit. > Is the stock radio a 1.5 din unit or some weird size? it has > the Bose > unit in it now and i have looked at the Audivox unit from > "Ecklers" > but i would like to have more choices. i plan to build a > enclosure for > a couple of small high performance subs to put in the back > with a five > channel amp. any thoughts, suggestions or ideas on would of > help. > thanks Greg

I would look for a nice 94-05 cd player radio , But I would go with a factory uniit eith from a s10 blazer or a chevrolet malibu, etc . These work well and fit very nicely. And can be purchased from 50-100 from your local junkyard. Andy

Reply to
andrewauto

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