Kick Panel Speakers - spacer

[hrlyfxdl]

Hello,
I'm going to install some kick panel speakers this weekend, using an aftermarket replica stereo, in my 68. I've sourced some 4x6 speakers that will fit behind the original style speaker covers and the hardware I'll need. When looking at the 68 AIM it also shows spacers being used (I assume to help with vibration of the speaker and so as to not crush in the speaker cover with the screws) but I haven't been able to find them, or even a picture of them, to know what the material was, what they looked like, widths and depths, etc.
I've found part #'s in the 67 and 68 AIM of 3899809, 3899810 and 3899811 so I assume they are different widths on the spacers. But those part #'s don't show up on any searches I've done. Has anyone ran into this before, found a good solution or material to substitute, etc? I've searched multiple forums and google, nada. Any help or direction is much appreciated.
Everyone have a safe and fun Memorial Day Weekend. Thanks

[fsc66]

Shane, perhaps this will help. I have a 1966 Impala SS and stalled the factory multiplex system. The 68 Camaro is similar to the 66 Impala and also share the same multiplex decal. I had the same issue and had a friend that had an original until. The spacers where nothing more than cut down rubber tubes. Either Home Depot or a rubber gas line worked fine just a little larger than the screw diameter. It's possible the spacer type changed. I see the part numbers are different but possible the Camaro used the same type spacer. Excerpt from original instructions and page from 66 AIM attached.




I also reproduced the stereo muliplex decal if you're looking for one.

Paul

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[hrlyfxdl]

Thanks so much for the info. That's the direction I'll go then and probably post back the dimensions I come up with on each spacer once I make them, just for future reference if someone else has this question. Thankyou again.

[KurtS]

It isn't obvious to me why the 4 spacers were needed.
The spacers were removed for 69 production.

[cook_dw]

I did not use the spacers when I installed the pair in my old 67.  Only thing I could think of was for vibration but that is just a guess.  What's even more odd is they call out only using 2 in the upper attachments.

[hrlyfxdl]

Yeah, I saw that in the 67 AIM as well. I was thinking the main reason was to stop from crushing the speaker cover with the screw by over tightening. I'll just fashion some based on the previous post and move on to the next mystery with my car. Thank again.

On a side note, does anyone have a template or measurements on where the kick panel speakers are set in the kick panels? I'm going to try and work on this over the weekend to add a little sound to my car now that I've got all the pieces I need. Or is there really only one place they can go with the hollowed out portion. Thanks for any help.

[Petes L48]

Is the kick panel really as curved as it appears along the right edge of the AIM diagram?  If so, maybe the spacers were just used at the top to make it more vertical, or to prevent the speaker from bending to the curve of the panel and getting damaged?     

[cook_dw]

Optical illusion.

[hrlyfxdl]

In my searching for answers online, I came across these pics. It's for a Chevelle, but it shows spacers as well. I can see they are different sizes of spacers in the pic. In the 68 AIM it calls out different part numbers for each spacer (one side being the same part number). I'm just assuming, but we know what assume gets ya, that it then is referencing different sized spacers per part number. I also noted the material they are made from, so that's why I had asked that question as well since the ones in the pics looked like aluminum. Just interesting tid-bit I found in my research, and didn't find this topic addressed in any forums that I could find. Sorry I can't credit the pics, I can't remember how I came across them.

[68Zproject]

Looks to me,  that in that picture,  there is some kind of metal at the top of the speaker cutout hole that may touch the speaker cone or some part of the frame so the spacer keeps it from touching?

[fsc66]

Agree, the speaker was a tight enough fit in the kick panels, pretty sure the spacers were there to pull the speaker out a bit for a better fit, rather than have the magnets bang against the cowl wall.

Paul

[Stingr69]

Very tight space there. Cutout needs to be exact. Not a lot of depth either.  I bought repro replacement speakers and I think the spacers came with them. Not positive, it has been some time. 

If nobody else comes up with a template, I could make one. Just PM me if needed.

[hubleyman]

If I recall correctly, the kick panel speakers in my 1968 Camaro SS convertible utilized four loose spacers of three different sizes.  I remember dropping one through the hole in the kick panel during assembly.  Had to remove the panel to retrieve the darn thing…

On my 1969 Camaro SS convertible, the original kick panel speakers had spacers permanently attached to them so they stood off of the kick panel properly and the covers did not crush when they were tightened down.  Much easier for installation!

For ’69, the speakers were LH or RH side specific with different part numbers due to the tapered mounting angles accomplished by the spacers.  They were supposedly date coded as well. 

These pics (if I get these to post correctly) shows one 1969 OEM speaker with the attached spacers, part number 7311611 (LH). 

I’ve been told the following codes of 137  6847 indicated a date code of 6847 (47th day or week of ’68?). 

Also shown is a GM replacement speaker without spacers from the 70’s, part number 1222971  137  69180.

Hope this helps with the visual...

Charlie

[Mark]

Look at the speaker cover in the picture above, the top of it is about twice as deep as the bottom, which is probably to account for the spacers.  The speaker must lean outwards slightly at the top to hold the frame of the speaker off the inner portion of the body structure forward of the door.  The spacer lengths are probably equal to the depth of the sidewalls of the speaker grille cover.