Inner Fender Liner/Wheel Well Liner

yap123 · Post by **yap123** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:26 am

Howdy,

While investigating a creaking noise at the front end, I removed the inner fender liner. I think it looks better without them.

Just curious how many of you have removed yours? I see the liner protects the speakers. How do you protect the speakers from getting wet and dirty?

Thanks,
Clint

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 12:43 pm

most seasoned, and many pre-seasoned Spider owners remove them, and leave them off. seems they get brittle and crack easy with age.

After twelve years of attempting to keep mine in place, i finally gave up and pitched them last fall. i went to wally-world and bought a couple of rattle cans of undercoating, and sprayed the underside.

looks great!

yap123 · Post by **yap123** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:43 pm

Mike,

My underside looks pretty clean.

My concerns are the exposed speakers. They stick out in the wheel well. What did you do to protect them from the elements?

pertyfly · Post by **pertyfly** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:25 pm

Hey,
I personally don't have the speakers in the location you refer to, but I can understand what you mean. My suggestion would be to use a product that I've seen in the stores before. I don't know exactly what they're called or anything, but they're plastic cups that go behind the speakers.

For instance, you insert them into the speaker hole first, and then the speaker so there's no special installation. They help keep water and wind out. But at the same time, they make the speakers sound a bit better because it allows an air tight connection in the back (kind of like a mini sub-woofer box).

Chris

Mark_vaughn · Post by **Mark_vaughn** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:47 pm

You might look at relocating the speakers. One good rock and there goes the sound. Or maybe a sheet metal can of some sort covering it in the wheel well.

mbouse · Post by **mbouse** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:57 pm

in the '80, i do not have that issue. i forgot that others did.

in fact, the '80 came with holes stamped into the inner sheet metal from the factory for 5 1/2" speakers. Dunno about the '79 model, but as late as '78, you had to cut your own sheet metal behind the kick panel to get a speaker in that location.

Like mark said, if you discard the liners, then relocate the speakers or protect them by other means. they will get wet and rot if you don't.

HOLLYWOODSPIDER · Post by **HOLLYWOODSPIDER** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:30 pm

There are speakers made by Blaupunkt that are weather "proof". They're the Transparent series. They're sealed polycarbonate on the back side, and approved for marine use.

I have a pair of TSx542 5.25" rounds in my kick panels. I got them on sale at Pep Boys for $40. Paired with a Grundig EQ under the dash and a vintage Kenwood casette deck, both under $20 on Ebay, they sound great, and I can play my Ipod through the casette adapter.

Nobody can see the EQ because it's strapped pretty far back on the relay panel under the glove box. And nobody wants to steal a 20 year old casette deck, so I don't worry about leaving the top down when I park.

bran100 · Post by **bran100** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:28 pm

I think the main problem with exposed speakers is that when at speed, the air pressure behind the speakers keeps them from vibrating (producing sound) effectively. There was a post I read within the last 6 months about various methods of sealing the area behind the speakers. Ranged from tupperware to insulating spray foam.

That's assuming that you can hear them well with the wind whipping around anyway!