Dash Speaker Holder

[FuzzyDriver]

Along with no real radio, my Comet also came with the whole speaker removed. I originally thought it took a Ford 'football' speaker, but the ones I found online are too wide. The extra notches with screw holes in front of them also make me think there's more to this than just a 'football' shape. Does anyone have the part that the speaker sits in? I would appreciate a clear photo of one of these, or if you have one you don't need that would be even bettter.

[pfleuret]

I put an aftermarket speaker in place using one of the speaker screw holes and one of the defrost duct clip holes. Fit fine, no drilling or cutting. The duct can’t go anywhere after the grill is on.

[poboyjo65]

I dont remember any other piece than just the speaker that came out of my 65 ,my dash looks the same. I used a speaker from a 96 ford taurus, had to drill the 2 holes in the ends of the speaker to match the holes that you have labeled football screw holes.

here's one from melvins that should fit;
https://www.parts123.com/parts123/dynde ... 1018aAACPH

this subject came up not long ago, & he said he was going to buy the one from melvins. you might ask him about the fitment. he also posted pics of his original 63 dash speaker. here is the thread;
https://www.cometcentral.com/forum/view ... 03#p113903
I still have the taurus speaker that fits, I'm not going to use it -you can have it for the price of shipping , but like him you probably rather have a new one.

[FuzzyDriver]

Thanks, guys for the input. Does the '63 dash speaker opening look just like the '64 opening? There seems to be a break between '63 and '64 for a lot of things, and those notches really have me wondering what was going on in '64.

[poboyjo65]

Maybe those slots are where some rubber bumpers went like these ;
https://www.cjponyparts.com/rubber-bump ... G8QAvD_BwE

My 65 has those slots.if you look close you can see the print of the speaker with rust all around it.

[FuzzyDriver]

poboyjo, now that's an interesting consideration. Looking at my grill, there are two mashed & hardened rubber bumpers that could be the same as the ones in your link. It's not possible to be sure because of how misshapen they've become. They are about 3/8" from the big tabs in the back of the grill that lock into the dash. When the grill is installed, these rubbers are a little over 1" from the edge of our "unknown tab notches".
Hmmm...along with that, what would the holes in front of the "unkown" notches be for if not to hold down a sheet?

I guess I'm making a lot out of nothing since it appears your original speaker was also a "football" mount with only the two tips screwed down. Unless I'm not seeing your photo right. Who knows, maybe Mercury was going to make a more robust sheet to use the notches and changed their mind?

I see the left edge of the passenger-side duct is new and laying over the right-hand speaker hole. Is the duct just laying there temp during the photo?

Just for future readers, there are also tabs that come down from the front corners of the grill with rubber around them so the front corners don't rattle against the dash.

[poboyjo65]

what you see is a home made adapter to use mustang ducts. they are cheaper but shaped a tad different. Pic was probably taken during the making of those adapters,I'm guessing because the other side is empty . someone wanted a pic of where the radio brace mounted, I had it opened up so I didnt mind.

as for the bumpers, on a different site they had the same ones listed for a stang & it had a note;'' Not correct but they fit''.

I have this foggy notion that it could have been a different rubber bumper, not round, that hooks in the slot with a nipple goes thru the hole or screw counter sunk in it,something like some hood bumper. Seems like the speaker had a cloth cover. also may have been some bumpers on the ends.

[saSSoman8810]

My 65 speaker is still in the dash. I am getting ready to remove everything from under the dash . Do you need the speaker or brackets or AM radio.

[poboyjo65]

My 65 speaker is still in the dash. I am getting ready to remove everything from under the dash . Do you need the speaker or brackets or AM radio.

Take pics of under there to show us if you dont mind.especially any rubber bummers. I remember some on the feet of the cover but may be more?

[FuzzyDriver]

I appreciate the offer, saSSOman. I wouldn't mind the speaker to try out, but I don't know that I need it. I have a couple of new speakers that I need to make fit right in the opening. I have a bracket already and the radio is different. 1964 Comet AM radios are unique. Model is 4TME. I have a thread here where I found that out the hard way.

Poboy, the SMElectrotech's 'football' speaker is covered with black cloth. I think that's a pretty good idea so that small stuff that gets through the grill doesn't land on your speaker cone and drive you nutty with vibration. I'm going to add something like that to mine.

[poboyjo65]

1964 Comet AM radios are unique.

Dont feel lonely, 65's are a one year/one model only radio too.

one other thought came to mind that I forgot to mention. when I stripped my car down I remember it have some other pieces of insulation on the bottom of the dash. I cant remember what held it up. it tore apart in pieces & was full of dust,I was just trying to get it out of there quick & get out because I knew it wasn't reproduced,& didnt want the dust magnet is there anyway,same as the underhood insulation ,they're just get too dusty for me. But that insulation may have been attached at those unidentified slots.just another possibility

[FuzzyDriver]

I guess that's a possibility. There's nothing like that under my dash. Just plain corrosion, heh heh.

[FuzzyDriver]

I created a panel to fit over the original '64 Comet dash speaker, between the defroster ducts. I didn't drill any new holes in the dash. I painted the steel panel flat-black so there wouldn't be any shiny reflection through the grill.

Panel Test Fit:


Finished Panel Ready for Speaker:


Speaker Installed In Panel (note Deutsch connector):


Back of Panel with Speaker:


New Panel Installed in Dash:

[poboyjo65]

Looks good! hey on the slots ,could be drains ? good that you left them open if for no other reason.

[FuzzyDriver]

Thanks!

Drains? So spillage doesn't get on the speaker unless you spill it right on the speaker? Huh, that never occurred to me. My thought was just that screwing the plate down using the two holes in front of the notches would be more rigid and less likely to vibrate than tabs.