I hope I've attached 3 photos (somewhere), thanks to Jose for explaining how to do it.

Where do people generally have their speakers in the 1960's "S" type? I have removed the transmission hump cover, and although it has two loudspeaker grills, the grill nearest the driver (U.K. Car) is blocked by the "switch" for the hot air to the rear compartment. There is simply no room for a speaker on this side.(See the upper R.H.S. Photo) and a close-up in the lower photo. I did consider "easing" the leatherette off the transmission cover, un-riveting the metal tube, shortening the support bar and operating rod, and thereby moving the "air switch" tube backwards. it does seem an awful faff!

The next option is I guess to place the speakers in the panels just in front of the "A" posts, roughly where the driver's and front passengers feet go.

Has anyone successfully located a pair of loudspeakers, and would like to pass on their experience?

I'm really pleased I've cracked how to attach photos (thanks again Jose!) and will now start posting plenty.

Regards, Richard

 

you welcome Richard.

that is exactly what I did, I moved the Air valve (air switcher to the rear seat),
exactly as you explained above. Yes, the valve under the console can be moved forward, the rod shortened, etc., and a second speaker fitted there. Not hard to do, just do it so there is no problem later. Once I tested it and it was working fine, I installed the second speaker.

I also installed 7.5" round speakers in the "kick panels". If you remove the upholstery cards/panels, you will find two round metal covers held in place by 8mm bolts. Remove those covers and you can fit the 7.5" inch speakers there for really good stereo sound. If you layer the cavities (the inside of the front wings) with fiberglass insulation you get even better sound.

The speakers I used are the Clarion 7.5" marine speaakers, 2-way. They are fabulous. You can still find those on eBay. Then you can "fade" the radio outputs as you please, more sound to the Clarions, and less sound to the smaller ones.

you can also fit 5" x 7" speakers to the rear parcel shelf, there are factory cutouts there, if you get in the trunk on your back and look up after removing the finishing panels at the inner trunk, you will see the cutouts and covers held in place by bendable tangs. You will need to cut the "dedshett" (carboard and vinyl) and you can do the tracing from the trunk by tracing the cutouts with a pencil.

I just did not think 5 x 7 speakers will produce better sound than a 7.5" round speaker, so I passed on installing speakers there.

 

I would not recommend using those stock speaker locations as those are terrible for quality sound. I made custom kick panel enclosures, hidden separates in the rear deck (all of the full range speakers are Focal separates)and 6.5" long throw JL Audio subs. I would redo the console holes in leather and cover the openings as your sound will suck with that placement. I used to install custom high quality stereos and most of your audio budget should go to speakers then to a decent amp and lastly on the head unit. my setup sounds like it has 10" subs because the quality of the JL moves big air very efficiently and the Focal are one of the best line of speakers yet I am running an inexpensive under $400 head unit and a moderately priced Alpine five channel amp


Everything is and hidden so you see no speakers thanks to Porsche speaker carpets that are one of the best to allow audio to pass thru but look like normal carpet.

 

my setup is not as elaborate, I'm old school, I like volume and lots of bass, being a musician since the 1960's. What I did gets the job done. The stereo head I used is a Jaguar unit from 1984, fabulous sound for my taste, very high-fidelity and plenty power, I don't need the extra amp.

 

You can do a good quality setup at many price points. You can purchase amplifiers for $199 all they way to thousands. What is best is the priority I listed, speakers, power, then head unit. Most people waste too much on the radio/head unit being focused on the bells and whistles of that component. You only need to spend say $199 to $399 for the radio. The speaker placement is key to give you good stereo staging and imagery. That has nothing to with money but all about placing tweeters/mids to be directed to your ears not down on the ground or bouncing the wrong way, etc. To get good bass a simple subwoofer on the rear deck will do it and can be done with inexpensive subs and inexpensive amp power. The larger the sub the more the quality of the sub and amp are less important but any sub will produce bass notes down to sub 50 hz and provide bass that is really like you are at a concert that is not distorted or break up at low frequency.


Also most people into real hi fidelity do not want four full range speakers but rather just separates in the front and a sub setup in the rear. Additionally you do it in steps, First get an inexpensive head unit like an Alpine with preamp outputs and get good two way separates for the front. If you are really strapped run it off the radio for a while but do not crank it as the radio power is weak. Then get an amp and run the front. Later then add a sub for the rear. Lastly only if you want filler sound for the rear if you are concerned about the rear passengers then add rear separate full range speakers.

 

With such a massive boot/trunk to exploit as a bass-bin, I'd have thought that that'd be the prime location fora sub.

 

I worry about putting high end sound systems into classic cars, as many of them are powerful enough to cause metal fatigue. The Vans that compete for the loudest crown have more bracing in them than a race car. & they still shake themselves to bits!

 

Scatcat,


That is not much of a concern at all. I have decent systems in all my classic cars and I have installed very elaborate systems in classics with no issues. For any car it is good to prep the floor with Dynmat or similar insulating material which will eliminate worries of vibrations. There is no worries on installing a high end system in any classic with minor prep work which is not a big deal. It is such a wonderful experience to drive your classic car and also have quality sound to really enjoy the drive. You can do a great sounding system at any price range.


For the Jaguar MK and 3.8s, yes the rear truck is the normal place to locate the subs. Also subs can go thru the seats so you can also mount them behind the seat but ideally I would mount something like four 6.5" long throw subs or four 8" subs in the rear deck. My car is an oddity as I have consumed the trunk with a mobile office, refrigerator, pure sine wave inverter, color lazar jet printer, binding machine, and thus no room for a trunk sub.

 

Primaz: My admiration of your car increases exponentially with every revelation of it's continuing evolution. ie It's not only fast, got a great sound system, good looking, & as cool as Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke! It's bloody useful too! What a car!!!

 

Primaz has detailed his audio advice to me, and I have to say when looking at all the options, his advice is sound (excuse the pun!), so if you follow his guidelines you won't go wrong and will be happy with the end result.

Bottom line is get good cables in position (don't forget to ground all devices to the same ground point, so you need to make sure you have a ground cable running from boot to the front if you are putting an amp in the boot, don't rely on chassis ground for this), spend money on good cables, and then at least you can upgrade/add to a system, if you don't get the cables in place it is a right PITA !

 

Jon,


Thanks for the compliments, I am flattered, and you definitely have some amazing skills and patience as you have rebuilt every part on your Jag so that each one looks like new!


On these older cars they really did not know much about creating good sound as those factory speaker holes on each side of the center consul are the worst place to put speakers as they are aiming the sound to the doors NOT to your ears. Today nobody would be that ignorant. To get good sound in a Jaguar one basic thing is to change the speaker locations, find ways to get the sound other than your subs so that they are aimed directly to your ears. Thus it is important to think about your sound system prior to doing your interior so that you can hide your speakers and cover up any factory speaker holes so the car looks nice.

 

A lot of convertibles put speakers in the headrest, which is as close to the ear as you can get, without headphones. I had them in my Mazda MX5, & they were ok, if a little tinny. I think I needed a better Sub in that car.

 

Those were more of a fad in the 90's. Most of the time they were attempts to give sound and reduce cost so the drivers were not very good quality and there were some safety concerns. The other issue is the sound stage is not natural and gives a weird sound quality. Although Bose is trying to bring the concept back by using some specialized electronics to try to solve the sound stage issues. I personally think that that concept is not a great idea and the only situation it could be ok is in a convertible and if you are always driving solo, but I am still not convinced it is the best approach. For our Jaguar's that would not be the way to go.

 

does anybody else with a S type have the power antenna switch as shown in the picture below?

mine came with the switch which is a Lucas up-down powered antenna switch. I have looked at the power antenna and it is old, 1960's vintage, with a metal housing as compared to the plastic ones nowadays.

the whole thing appears to be original to 1965 but I cannot tell if it is a dealer-installed option, maybe for California only where the car was originally exported to, or an aftermarket antenna, which does not explain the Lucas switch.

 

Jose,

You can get electronic chrome antennas brand new today, but none of them need a button anymore to make them go up or down. I purchased a chrome electric antenna to keep it looking stock but like all modern types they are triggered up and down by the head unit which will raise it whenever you are in the am/fm tuner mode and lower it when you are in another input such as phone, CD, memory stick, or turn the head unit off. I would buy a modern chrome electric antenna and either cover up the hole or use the switch for some other purpose as you will not likely find any electric antenna that requires a switch anymore?

 

you're missing the point, I'm not looking to replace the vintage antenna in my car, it works fine.

I'm asking if any other S type owner has this antenna switch in their S type.

 

Hi Jose,

I don't think I can answer your query directly, but:
I have two official, Jaguar ,"S type" Workshop manuals (one came with the car, the other I obtained at a car meet). The later manual is dated 1972, after production of the "S" type had ceased. The only aerial option shown has a manually cranked aerial, so it would seem Jaguar did not offer an electrically operated aerial as "factory fit". ( I don't recall ever seeing this type of manually operated aerial in a car, but the "winding handle" would have been near the driver's knee, so it wouldn't have been too obvious when peering into a parked car) This of course does not rule out an American "dealer fit" option. I can't accurately recall when electrically operated aerials became available in the U.K., but I would guess it wasn't early 1970's.
Overall, I would guess your electrically operated aerial wasn't an official Jaguar option, but I would stress this is a guess!
I hope this sort of helps, if only in a negative way.

Regards, Richard Hinds

 

Richard,
thank you for the info.

I am familiar with the manual Crank antenna / aerial, here's a picture of one.

 

Hi Jose,

I need to make a slight amendment to my last post! I checked my Jaguar "Spare Parts Catalogue" this morning, and found it does in fact list an Electric aerial!
On page 515, under "Optional Extras" the book shows an "Aerial, electrically operated", with a part number of C.29899.
There is no mention of a switch, but I would guess that came as part of C.29899.
The parts list is Publication J.35, and my version is the November 1970 revision.
Good luck with your research!

Richard

 

Richard,
Thanks again; I will look it up in my parts manual, to see if it is the same type of part that my car has.

Of course, Jaguar did not make antennas, whether manual or electric, they sourced them from other vendors. But I have a feeling that my electric antenna is the one provided by the factory back in the mid 1960's, whether it came from the factory or was dealer-installed I have no clue. I have to say that it looks like a factory installation, or else the dealer had an excellent installer.

I'm told that the US had car radios since the 1940's, although they were AM band only, FM band came later around 1970.