Budget-friendly Hidden Bluetooth Stereo System Install, $113 total system price, easy install Options

[FRUNKenstein]

When I bought my bahia red '73 914 in July, it did not come with a sound system. No head unit. No cutout in the dash to mount a head unit. No speakers in the speaker boxes in the driver & passenger footwells. No nuthin'. It does have some sort of alarm system wired up under there and I have one remote for the alarm system (a CompuSTAR CM1300 system), but the prior owner didn't know anything about it, so I assume it was installed by the prior-prior owner in 2016 or earlier. For the time being I will just ignore the alarm system until I decide to keep it or remove it.

But, back to the lack of stereo system. The factory speaker boxes in the footwells make it easy to mount speakers. But, I didn't want to cut a hole in the dash. With the other cars in my hooptie fleet, the headunit is basically useless - I just hook my iphone up via Bluetooth and control everything from the phone while I stream music or a radio station via an app. Upon searching the interwebs, I discover that a lot of classic car people just buy a Bluetooth unit with an amp built in, but without a faceplate. You wire it in under the dash and it stays hidden.

This is the one I bought off Amazon for $22.99:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XG33...=UTF8&psc=1









I did have to assemble it, which was a little annoying. It wasn't bad and took only a few minutes. But, the screws and spacers were tiny for my gorilla meathooks to manipulate.

I originally bought a set of 5x7 speakers to mount in the footwell boxes, but they were too large. So, I bought a set of 3-way Pioneer 4x6 speakers from Best Buy for $90:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-4-x-6-...p?skuId=6454571









I mounted the speakers in the factory footwell boxes. The screw size for the speaker mounting thread inserts are M4-0.7. I bought some 10 mm and 14 mm lengths. I also used some "mending plates" to help hold the speakers in place since the footwell boxes are an odd size.





The install was pretty simple, other than the time spent on my back with my head stuffed in the footwells (brings back memories of replacing the ignition switch in multiple 996s). I connected the power to the cigarette lighter since it is switched power, plus it has a 16 amp fuse on that circuit, so the stereo shouldn't overload it. The Bluetooth/amp module is zip-tied to a dash support bracket out of sight, directly under the steering wheel. Based on advice in other threads here on 914world.com, I filled the speaker boxes with polyfill to help with the sound (my wife will never notice the missing sofa pillow).

The sound is about what you'd expect from a system that cost $113. It would horrify an audiophile. That being said, it gets plenty loud - it has a volume control knob that I could use by reaching under the dash, but it is easier to just set it on high and use my phone to adjust volume. It starts up and connects to my phone automatically. The start-up tone is just a short "beep" - there are some units like this that apparently have a really obnoxious start up announcement. All in all, I'm pleased with the results.

[mepstein]

Thanks for the info (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[iankarr]

Great solution. thanks!

[FRUNKenstein]

Thanks for the info (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Great solution. thanks!

Thank you, gentlemen! And here's the gratuitous exterior pic, just because, well, we all like pictures (it's from this morning, so you can clearly see that the system is truly hidden
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )

[TargaToy]

I dig stuff like this. Thanks for the info! I've already forwarded it to a friend who is looking for BT options in one of his older cars.

[TargaToy]

I dig stuff like this. Thanks for the info! I've already forwarded it to a friend who is looking for BT options in one of his older cars.

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

Nice solution for those who have the original radio and want to keep it in the dash for optics, but can install this discretely under the dash for streaming functionality.

I actually have a 6 pin Bluetooth adapter in the back of my Blaupunkt Frankfurt, but when I stream from my iPhone to the Bluetooth adapter I can still hear the radio bleeding through in the background in quite spots of songs. So it's a flawed Bluetooth capability.

Removing my Bluetooth adapter and installing this instead should resolve that issue. Obviously, I would lose the functionality of the local radio, but there are apps for that : )

[DC_neun_vierzehn]

P.S. lol at "gorilla meathooks"

[Sprout]

Great information, and such a sweet ride! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) Did the depth of those Pioneers interfere with the heater tubes? I've seen people install speakers that crushed the tubes.

[FRUNKenstein]

Great information, and such a sweet ride! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) Did the depth of those Pioneers interfere with the heater tubes? I've seen people install speakers that crushed the tubes.

After reading the other threads on here, I was prepared for the speakers to be too deep and crush the heater tubes somewhat. But it did not seem to be an issue - I didn’t have to use force to get the speaker boxes back in place.

And thanks for the compliment on the car! I give all credit to the prior owner. I just happened to be lucky enough to have the chance to buy it this summer. The prior owner was the friend of a friend. He is a great guy and really spent the time, money and effort on the car to make it truly special.

[second wind]

Thank you for your post. So if the Pioneer speakers are plug and play with no "muscle" modifications is it a no brainer to just do that and enjoy new speakers vs. 50 year old speakers? Thank you for any and all replies.
gg

[Chris914n6]

The problem with BT, and the reason I use cable, is because phone calls become a one way conversation.

[mgp4591]

I'd love to see a version of this that has RCA outputs on the back to feed some good audiophile gear. I've had a few cars that I loved to cruise with the sunroof and windows open at 3am on desolate highways and crank the stereo until I can't hear the engine, road and wind noise...nothing except (insert favorite band/album here). That's what I want for my car. I can always turn it down to listen to the engine and exhaust whenever I want to. I just don't want those to be the only options I have.

[Shivers]

That is cool

[Sprout]

Great information, and such a sweet ride! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) Did the depth of those Pioneers interfere with the heater tubes? I've seen people install speakers that crushed the tubes.

After reading the other threads on here, I was prepared for the speakers to be too deep and crush the heater tubes somewhat. But it did not seem to be an issue - I didn’t have to use force to get the speaker boxes back in place.

And thanks for the compliment on the car! I give all credit to the prior owner. I just happened to be lucky enough to have the chance to buy it this summer. The prior owner was the friend of a friend. He is a great guy and really spent the time, money and effort on the car to make it truly special.

Great, thanks, sounds like I’ll be going to Best Buy soon for a pair myself!

[ddire333]

thanks will be looking into doing this

[Chris914n6]

I'd love to see a version of this that has RCA outputs on the back to feed some good audiophile gear. I've had a few cars that I loved to cruise with the sunroof and windows open at 3am on desolate highways and crank the stereo until I can't hear the engine, road and wind noise...nothing except (insert favorite band/album here). That's what I want for my car. I can always turn it down to listen to the engine and exhaust whenever I want to. I just don't want those to be the only options I have.

Subwoofer volume control. RCA in & RCA out.

Or cable directly to the amp.

[jim_hoyland]

Great hearing new ideas on sound sys. I’ve been using my I phone too. And, Great Looking 914 ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FRUNKenstein]

Great hearing new ideas on sound sys. I’ve been using my I phone too. And, Great Looking 914 ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Thanks Jim!

[56kabrio]

Gorillas are primarily vegetarians. Perhaps "gorilla salad tongs"??? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Mack