Speaker gasket/seal

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Hi everyone. Previously, took my radio out and sent it away for upgrades. Today, I removed the speaker which was in sad shape. Thankfully, I ordered a new front and rear one. There was a gasket/seal that also came off from an attaching plate. I believe this gasket goes between the plate and dash itself. I attached some pics to look at. As you can see, it is very distorted. Whatever shape it had, is gone. I believe it was probably oval/oblong at one time. I checked several vendors and couldn't find a repo. I think I'll have to make a new one out of some type of material. Any suggestions as to what I might use?? The old one appears to have been maybe a combo plastic/rubber. Not really sure. Many thanks, Carmine.
speaker.JPG
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
I have two originals of these 4 x 10 speaker mounts, one for my 62 SS 409 convert and another for our second 62 SS 409 convert. Both have the gaskets intact but parts of them have been flattened and part have a V edge (pictures available). Its a combination of flattened rubber and a pointed edge along the length of the gasket. It also "had a black fiber cover" on it over the speaker and this entire plate. I found some black fabric to replace that material -still have a roll of it. I can send you some in an envelope. The new speaker you get will have a nice black fabric cover on it. The originals I have seen as I noted above had fabric over all of the aluminum piece(I was thinking of the need to cover all of it including the area around the outside of the speaker so it looks uniform through the grill opening in the top of the dash.

One suggestion I thought of was using strip caulk to make the gasket. Its a little sticky but you can form anything. I was going to try heating the strip caulk to dry it out some. Another way is to press the strip caulk onto a flat surface over and over and it reduces the stick (so it won't stick to the dash) I use strip caulk to seal the top of my windshield gasket(like they were from the factory) so I would think it would work inside the car on the bottom of the dash.

One thing nice about the new speaker from Turn Switch is that it bolts directly to this plate in the original mounting holes and the bracket that holds this flat section mounts to the speakerto hold it up against the dash, just like the original speakers.
Paul
 

1961 Bubble Boy

Well Known Member
Hi everyone. Previously, took my radio out and sent it away for upgrades. Today, I removed the speaker which was in sad shape. Thankfully, I ordered a new front and rear one. There was a gasket/seal that also came off from an attaching plate. I believe this gasket goes between the plate and dash itself. I attached some pics to look at. As you can see, it is very distorted. Whatever shape it had, is gone. I believe it was probably oval/oblong at one time. I checked several vendors and couldn't find a repo. I think I'll have to make a new one out of some type of material. Any suggestions as to what I might use?? The old one appears to have been maybe a combo plastic/rubber. Not really sure. Many thanks, Carmine.
View attachment 42564
Both gaskets (speaker to plate and plate to dash) are just there to prevent buzzing of the metals together. I would suggest you visit your home center and see what weatherstripping they carry that is similar in size, shape, etc. Maybe you will see Bob there... We use foam gaskets now - which they have as well.
The cloth is called scrim and is primarily cosmetic but also keeps things from falling on the speaker cone.
Good luck.
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Thanks Paul and 61BB. I'm going to a fabric store and they carry everything and anything. I'll try and match up something to what have. I was thinking maybe a cheesecloth type product or even a fine fiberglass screen. I'll see what they have. Might take you up on the offer Paul if I can't find anything suitable. Going to go to HD or Lowes and see what they might have re. a heavy weather striping. A dense foam rubber might be fine and I could cut it to fit, Carmine.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
I like the foam rubber idea as compared to the ones the speaker frames that have where the gaskets are still OK.
Paul
 

Carmine

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Went to a trim shop this morning and asked about some type of fabric that I was seeking. The guy brought out a piece of fabric somewhat similar to the old. He said they use this for the same purpose that I would. Bought a piece of it. While there, looked at a '59 Olds and a '62 Pontiac Catalina wagon that new interiors were going in. Beautiful cars and fond memories. Almost left my fabric behind. Proceeded to the local Lowes and found some foam rubber weather stripping. Its the stick on kind. 3/4's wide by 1/2" thick. It will compress some, so I think it will be fine. Looks like I'm good to go, Carmine.
 
I used plasic mesh (like you put in front of the window to keep the flys out) to cover the speakers.You can get it in black,it lets the sound through and looks good.Will not rot, don't cost much.For a gasket,I use also the foam type-it has a self sticking side and over here it is used to make house doors and windows wind tight.You can get it in various dimensions.Also cheap and easy to use....:)
Arno
 
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