E34 6x9s, major nightmare or weekend project?

[Wagon Boy]

I have 5-1/4s, 6x9s an amp, wiring kit and 10’ sub driver from an uncompleted project. I was looking to put something into my 520i to cure the bad rear speakers. The 5-1/4s are too deep for the baskets and there doesn’t seem to be much room in the stock location. I thought about cutting the deck and fitting 6x9’s but I don’t know if there are baskets available (or how to secure them) and if there is a ways to save the rear deck. Has anyone modified the rear deck of an E34?

[bmw528i]

I'm personally not a fan of 6x9's. They are pretty much outdated and to me don't produce any additional mids over a quality 6 1/2 or 5 1/4 mid driver. I have Polk MMC 525 co-axials in the back deck of my 2000 E39 and from what my installer said there was plenty of room underneath the basket of the driver. I don't really know what the design of the E34 back deck looks like underneath the cover but I would image a 5 1/4 co-axial should be able to fit would be able to fit in the factor location not to mention save you time and energy fitting 6x9's in the factory locations. If you really want the 6x9's on the back deck the only thing I can really say is one of my friends with an E30 3 series fitted Polk MMC 690's on his back deck by building fiberglass enclosures to fit in the stock location as a mounting point. He made a mold of the inside of the stock opening and then built the bottom of the enclosure to fit inside perfectly. He then molded the enclosures onto his back deck, re-carpeted the entire deck and installed his 6x9's. He said it took him a couple of days and he did it because he wanted to experiment with fiberglass.

[Wagon Boy]

Did he mount them on the top or bottom of the sheet metal in the trunk? Did he cut the sheet metal? I didn't think there was trhat much room between the deck and the sheet metal below it.

THe speakers and mounts are not even close to the center of the grills, they are kind of under the C pillars and even though there is a little cut out in the sheet metal you still can't get a scrwewdriver in there. I am going to have to pull the deck and fabricate brackets. I may just use the 5-1/4s but I figured if I have to go to the trouble of making a major install out of a pair of speakers I may as well put in the big ones. I know what you mean about 6x9s.

[bmw528i]

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how he did it. The custom boxes he made were about 2 inches above the back deck and I believe he molded them into the deck itself. The way he described it he mounted the boxes above the basket hole of the stock 5 1/4 opening and he cut some of the sheet metal out to accommodate the basket size of his 6x9's. I didn't decribe it too well earlier and I still don't think I am now because I was trying to pay attention to what he was telling me but it seemed really complicated just to fit some 6x9's. I know all about clearance issues with my car too. I have an E39 and there is not a lot of room to run wires or mount speakers in the back deck. It's especially difficult with my car because the windshield is very close to the speaker housing.

The only reason he used 6x9's was because he didn't intend to use subs and he wanted a lot of mid bass. Only problem with that idea is after he hooked them up to his 2 channel amplifier I heard a shit load of treble because I believe he uses 3 ways.

Honestly, stick to the 5 1/4 co-axials. It will be a whole lot easier and as long as you get good speakers I think you will be a whole lot happier. I have Polk MMC 525 which are 70 watts RMS @ 4ohms. I now have 75 watts going to them with a JL Audio 300/4 and they sound really nice. The speakers aren't audiophile grade but they do sound really nice and they reproduce tones and notes Ive never heard before in my music collection. If my memory serves me correct I payed about $200 from a retailer and they also installed them. I also run Polk MMC 5250 components front and those sound really nice too.

Overall I say just get a good set of 5 1/4 co-axials and run them off a 4 channel, save yourself the headache and frustration of installing 6x9's, and still enjoy your music.

[Wagon Boy]

THe 5-1/4s I have require more depth nad I have to modify the car just to fit those. I really want to use what I have. I'll take a better look in the spring. The problem is really that the rear deck is not flat so you can 't use covers that come with the speakers. I'll let you know...

[meanm50]

Anything is possible. I had two 8's in the rear deck of my E28. (almost factory location haha) why not just remove the basket, cut the bottom of it out, and plop the 5 1/4's in. If depth is the only issue, and there is plenty of room under the basket, then cutting to bottom off seems good to me. Factory appearance FTW! No one wants two 6x9's just hangin' out on the rear deck of a nice BMW.

[carstereopro]

Originally Posted by meanm50

Anything is possible.

I agree with this statement.

However, I'd recommend a 6 1/2" if you can fit it, or no rear stage at all if your front stage is up to it.

[meanm50]

Or sell the existing stuff, glass some nice kick panels and plop a set of 6's from hell! I like Phils idea on no rear stage...especially in a Bimmer.