Anybody used these kickpanels?

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73dust340

73dust340

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I'm looking to put some easy speakers in the front of my car eventually and came across these kick panels by Custom Autosound.

http://www.casmfg.com/Mopar_kickpanels.htm

I have some nice 4x6 Infinity Kappa speakers that will work with my amp and probably sound better than what they include. I can get the panels without the included speakers, but they don't come with the speaker grilles in that case. So how am I to cover the speakers up? I've been trying to coax a closeup picture or something out of the dealers who sell these, but I'm getting the runaround.

Thanks for reading.
 
For anybody that wants to know, I went with a set from YearOne that use 4 inch speakers instead of 4x6 plates. I had nothing but a hassle dealing with these Custom Autosound resellers, seems they don't want my business enough to reply or give me any information.

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?hid=111CD13343

I don't have the panels yet and won't be installing for some time, but if anyone wants to know more after I get them, let me know.
 
FWIW I am getting ready to do my stereo install and didn't want to cut up my new door panels, so I went a similar route.

I bought some plastic trim rings off of eBay that angle the speaker out in the back an inch and about a half inch in the front, so that the speaker points back at you a little. I had to space the kick panel out a little but that was easily accomplished by glueing a block of wood behind for the kick panel screw to go into.

It allowed me to run my MB Quart 5 1/4 coaxials that I had, and the total investment was about $20 for the trim rings.
 
73dust340 said:
For anybody that wants to know, I went with a set from YearOne that use 4 inch speakers instead of 4x6 plates. I had nothing but a hassle dealing with these Custom Autosound resellers, seems they don't want my business enough to reply or give me any information.

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?hid=111CD13343

I don't have the panels yet and won't be installing for some time, but if anyone wants to know more after I get them, let me know.
Click to expand...

I ordered mine from year one about 1-2 weeks ago....
 
I got a pair from the Paddock that I installed in the 73 Dart.

http://www.paddockparts.com/Paddock...reos&mscssid=027AC6292FCC648BF9A194DFFFDCFF11

They appear to be made of ABS plastic and are therefore a little more brittle than the heavy vinyl used to make the original panels. Compared with what I have seen in the other posts, these panels get the speaker farther off the floor. Install was easy and the cheap speakers handle the 32 watts RMS that I throw at it well enough. Unfortunately, the Paddock does not offer the panels as an enclosure only. My plan is to run these speakers til the drop, then install new, high capacity ones.
 
Anyone have a pic of them actually installed? I am very curious about doing something similar in my 70 Dart. How was installation?

Thanks,
Dennis
 
I bought mine without speakers for $110 shipped. Not cheap at all, but it'll look good and sound great with my MB Quart 4" coaxials. I was thinking about fiberglassing some, but it's just not worth my time right now.
 
I just received the YearOne kick panels. They're pretty nice, a bit on the shiny/reflective side so they look a bit weird. The hole is 4". They could easily be cut out more for up to a 5 1/4 coaxial/component speaker. Will be taking pictures for myself later so let me know if you want to see.
 
Please do! My Dart is in rough enough shape (interior) that I am not worried about stock! Heck I am pretty sure it was a blue interior that has been spray painted black!

Any info you can pass along will be well received on my end...

Dennis
 
My only thing in stereo on my car is the mufflers noise.... I couldnt hear a stereo if I had to. With the speakers that low to the floor the volume will not be optimum, but at least you will have tunes. Good luck.

-RPM
 
I figure it will give the best of both worlds...when I want tunes I can hear them (already have 6x9's in the back and will add a small sub and amp combo) but when I just wanna cruise and listen to the motor I can do that too! I can't ever see owning a car without a radio....I even miss it when I am riding and have worn my ear buds/ipod on occasion.

Dennis
 
Here are the pics of the kickpanels. Note the lack of a screw to hold them to the car. I'll have to fab up a way to attach them solidly.

17269_1357089525303_1173422838_31101549_1503305_n.jpg


17269_1357089565304_1173422838_31101550_3703231_n.jpg
 
Den's Dart said:
Anyone have a pic of them actually installed? I am very curious about doing something similar in my 70 Dart. How was installation?

Thanks,
Dennis
Click to expand...

Here are a couple of pix. Install of the panels themselves was easy. The screw hole in the panel actually lined up with the one in the body! Didn't expect that it would.

IMG_5626s.JPG


IMG_5629s.JPG
 
I wish I would of searched for something like that! It blends in real well with the rest of the interior.
I ended up with a pair of Pioneer premiers in the back deck, with the tweeters on the kick panels, up near the top trying to hide under the dash. It sounded really weird at first, since I was used to a SQ setup in my dads 300zx (just to throw it out there, the Z pushed 135db without distortion when i recently had it tested) but but the duster is alright once you get use to it.
 
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