stock speakers

[erste]

[SteveMc]

Thanks for the comments. I’ve done enough measuring, sketching, and test fitting that I’m confident they will fit nicely. The dash will cover a small portion of the speaker. My truck never had speakers in the doors so I don’t have stock grills. I have GoWesty heavy duty high offset window cranks that easily clear the grills that came with the Focals.
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1986 Transporter Single Cab Syncro

[oasis]

Man, you guys have me thinking, thinking, and thinking. If I did this in school, I would have been a straight-A student. I love the varied responses and approaches. I even may have a decision soon.
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Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[Vanuber]

I wanted to keep a stock look and keep the OEM speaker grills intact on my '85 Westy. The stock grills will accept a 3.5" speaker without modification. I used the Hertz DCX 87.3 - https://www.crutchfield.com/S-TCIw8eTOYZl/p_301DCX873/Hertz-DCX-87-3.html - photo below.

They have a cardboard rim around the speaker that give it the perfect offset from the face of the grill. Remove the old speaker from the grill with a heat gun and a twisting motion. Trim the mounting ears and seal the gap around the perimeter with silicone.

3.5" speakers certainly lack bass, but they were a big upgrade from the blown out Blaupunkt's and the van is unmolested.

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'85 Westfalia 1.9L
'72 BMW R75/5
'71 BMW R75/5
'02 Subaru Forester 2.5L

[oasis]

For better or for worse, I did make a decision. Or four.

(1) I decided to go with ABS plastic door cards. I got them in grey as that would look better in Sinka. That leaves my current door cards unmolested should I go back to stock radio-delete.

(2) I decided on a Pioneer DEH-S6220BS stereo with CD changer. Finding a single-DIN stereo with CD, Bluetooth, mic, SiriusXM, etc. was quite difficult.
Best Buy link

(3) I decided on Audiofrog GS42 four-inch speakers for the door. They were pricier than the stereo but being able to do a listening comparison between these and brand names I had heard of before at the Crutchfield site, I couldn't pull myself away. The grills will need special holes for their screws, but the grills are nice and understated ... and they are included. I have some ideas swirling in my head if they aren't enough for supplemental speakers, but we'll see.
Crutchfield link

(4) I decided on the GoWesty high-offset window cranks. I will still have the old ones should I go back to stock, and the average Joe won't know they're not stock. I did a test drive imagining them closest to my knee. I foresee no problems.
GoWesty link

Hopefully, I will have an install in early May, and I will be pleased.
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Now: 2003 New Beetle Turbo S / 1990 Single Cab Transporter / 2014 Tiguan R-Line 4motion / 2013 Tiguan S / 2002 Golf GLS TDI
Past: 1974 Thing Acapulco / 2009 Eos Komfort / 1997 Jetta GT / 2002 Cabrio GLX / 2002 Passat GLS / 1971 Super Beetle / 1993 EuroVan MV Westfalia / 1981 Pickup LX / 1985 Vanagon / 1986 Jetta GLI

[Vanuber]

[1971BugGuy]

Nice job on the speakers.
I did a very similar thing and bought the exact same Kicker speakers but I epoxied them in. I wish I had seen your post first since your setup is far easier to change.
I used Ford Taurus window cranks and they come nowhere near to rubbing. There is easily twice the clearance of VW cranks if not more. (I also think they look better)

[SteveMc]