I took the door panel off the passenger side door because one of the metal snaps was out of position. It was threatening to puncture a hole in my door panels, which are in surprisingly good condition for a Texas and California car. It was interesting because: The door panel had dates that matched the time the car was built. I thought they looked a bit too fancy for a Ranchero, even a Squire. But I guess they must be the ones the car was built with. Not something off a Mark IV. They are the color of natural leather. There was a piece of thin tar paper protecting the door panel that was taped to the door. It took some damage today, though. There was a circle at the bottom front of the door with four screw holes for a 6 inch or 5 1/4 inch door speaker. The tar paper had a perforation shaped like a square where the speaker would go. I was surprised at this because I don't believe any radio was offered in 73 Rancheros that used door speakers. Perhaps the doors and door panels were also for a Torino. I noticed some two piece speakers on Ebay. The tweeter is small and the main speaker is 5 1/4 or 6 inches. They come with a detached crossover box. I think it would be cool to put the tweeter in the same location in the dash that the later Rancheros with 8 Tracks and Cassettes had. The little tiny speakers that had not grills per se. Just a group of concentric circles drilled in the metal of the dash. I hesitate to add speakers to the doors since it would involve cutting my door panels. I don't like modern speakers because they are 4 ohms , not 8 ohms like they used with the factory radio and I like to use factory radios. I DO like the fact that modern speakers are plastic, water resistant, and generally have good sound. I don't like old speakers because they tend to be made of paper and are damaged by sun on the rear shelf and water in the doors. But, if I could find the proper GRILLS for the door speakers, I might try them anyway. I would also try to find modern water shields for door speakers. They look like a bowl of foam that you screw behind the speaker. Anyone know about grills for the doors? I would never use the grills that come with most modern speakers that look like a space ship and don't actually protect the speaker from objects or the sun because. I would want grills that look invisible from a distance of a few feet away.
if you look on the back of the door panel it should have a cut out that can be punched out. They are rectangular in shape. I may have some down in the shop.
I put speakers in the kick panels and two behind the seat in my 66 .Unobtrusive and good sound . Denis.
You can buy new kick panels that have the round speaker mountings cast in, to replace your factory panels, if you so desire Oh, I almost forgot, something that I saw in a car I was helping to strip to the buck for parts--it was a '76 LTD sedan, and the previous owner installed a six-speaker system. Two 6x9s in the backlight tray, two 5" in the kick panels, and he made a wooden bracket for a pair of 3" tweeters(? I think they were tweeters) mounted in the center dash speaker position.
Well, I ordered a pair which the owner said were the right size and got them. I may not use them since the door panels are so nice. Speaking of interiors, my Squire doesn't have nearly enough wood grain in the interior. The dash bezel is black (standard dash with clock in the right opening) nor is the radio surround. The only wood grain left is the panel on the passenger side that says "Squire."
I don't have an interior pic of my '74 Squire I used to have, but I think the lower applique was black or solid color; only the cluster bezel and passenger trim were wood applique.
