I have spent the last three months getting a stealthed 500W system in my '97 CC. It was a trick and a half. Dodge has used every spot imaginable already.
I have removed the door panels and rear walls well over a dozen times. It's not hard at all, but it all depends on your commitment to get sound. I advise not to waste too much time in fiberglass. The lower panels buy you a little bit of better staging, but other than that it's a whole lot of work. The stock locations for the 6.5" speakers work just fine. I personally am using the Clarion ProAudio 5.25" separates. The tweeters are mounted just above the speaker opening in the slanted plastic door panel. They are mounted in a cup that allows for directional aiming. I would advise NOT mounting them as high as the stock Infinity system did. It would kill staging of the front channels. I chose to install 5.25" (not the original 6.5") to help reduce bass. The subs take care of all the lower end for me. You will need 6.5S adapters if you plan to use normal 6.5" speakers. You can buy them from Crutchfield or any good audio shop.
The door panels are 2 TORX screws and three phillips screws. Lift UPWARDS to get the panel off. Once the panel is off, you'll have to reach behind it to clip off the door locking bar, and the electric window panel. It's very easy.
The real panels are a lot more tricky. There are no screws but you will need a 50 TORX to remove the seat belt nuts. The speakers are also the 6.5S type. Adapters will get standard 6.5" speakers to fit without a problem. A good pair of two way speakers will do great.
If you aren't into massive power, by simply replacing the speakers will give you much better sound than the stock paper things that come with the cheap stereo. Be sure to buy wire adapters to save from cutting up the speaker wires.
I am trying to publish the truck in Car Audio magazine. We'll see what happens.
James Bird - BIRDJD@InternetMCI.COM
'97 Dakota CC, V8, 5sp, 4x4, loaded, 500W of serious sound
-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Snodgrass [SMTP:dakota@cybermail.net]
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 1997 3:30 PM
To: dakota mailing list
Subject: Speaker placement question
I was looking at the Aug 97 issue of 'Sport Truck' magazine. They had an
article about putting in a kenwood stereo in to a 97 dakota. They custom
made some fiberglass kicker panels to replace the stock kicker panels and
placed some speakers in front of the door speakers, under the dash.
I don't have any fiberglass experience, so I was thinking about buying
a replacement set of kicker panels to experiment with. I spent about 20
minutes at the dodge parts counter and the guy helping me couldn't locate
the panels. I finally gave up and said I'd just call back later and see
if they could figure it out. Has anyone else looked at this area for
speakers?
As for the stock speaker location.... I couldn't figure out how to get
the speaker grills off ( remember... I have a 97 dakota ). I think that
I've decided that the speaker grills are part of the door panels and I'd
have to remove the entire door panel to see what's back there. Can someone
confirm this? I think that the same thing is true for the rear speakers in
the club cab area. The grill over those speakers looks like it's part of
the wall panel. If the grill is part of the wall panel... how easy is it
to remove the wall panel?
If I do have to remove the door panels... how do they come off? I have
power windows and locks. Do I just remove the visible screws in the door
panel? Is there any 'gotchas' because of the power windows and door locks?
Lastly... the piece of molding between the front windshield and the
door looks like it might pop off. Could some surface mount tweeters be
placed on each of these pillars and the wires run behind the moldings?
I hate to start pulling things apart if I don't know that I can get them
back together again.
Thanks.
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