The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors 54 Radio Speaker cover (behind dash)

So this is an update on a topic some time ago by LonnieC concerning the cardboard-y black cover that goes behind the dash grille in a 1954 chevy and hides the speakers from view.

I know that LonnieC was able to find good images of originals and was able to fabricate one on his own, and he kindly documented it really well in that thread.

I have a remnant of the original off my own truck and was planning on fabricating one myself. Well, I happened to be flipping through my Chevs of the 40's catalog this morning, getting a small order together, and noticed that they have this speaker cover for sale now. Part # 986770C, for $10. Now, I'm not sure if they still make it as my catalog is a year old, but I'm planning on asking when I put my order in and if they still have one ill get it, if only to see what the quality/fit is like compared to my scrap of original.

Anyway I just thought id share, ill give everyone an update once/if i get it.

Chooglin

That cardboard cover does not go between the grill and the speaker. It is a solid cardboard dust-cover to go over the top of the speaker, between the speaker mounting-frame and the rear of the radio cabinet.

I am out of town, if no one posts a photo/illustration, I will post a photo in the new year.

added later: Jim Carter photo and information about the cardboard speaker cover.

Chooglin -

I'd also be interested to know if the cardboard cover from Chevs of the 40s fits correctly. If it does, I would like a tracing for my files.

I did not have an original cardboard to use as a pattern for the one that I made for my '54. The original shown in my post was from a passenger car and no where near what is needed for a truck.
> My speaker cover thread

Send a PM with your email address and I will send a .pdf of the pattern that I created.

- Lonnie

Lonnie,

I have at least two of those reproduction speaker covers. The two that are installed on 1954 Chevrolet truck radio/speaker fit fine. I'll try to remember to make and post a trace when I get home in January.

Sounds like there is a little cornfusion about which cover we're
discussing here. The dust cover that Tim is referring to is this one:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/986771_radio_truck&page=all

The 3700350 radio grill screen used with the
installation of the radio was simply a fine black
starched screen cloth. A vehicle without a radio had
a black paper sheet behind the outer grill to hide
the hole. This is what is pictured from the '50
passenger car in Lonnie's tip for using construction
paper. It is about as close as you can get if you're
not installing a radio.
If the solid paper sheet were left in when the radio
was installed, it would mute the speaker and probably
buzz at certain frequencies and volumes. The speaker
has to breathe thru the speaker grill cloth.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

That is correct Denny.

The reason I posted the links was to show the Chevs of the 40s Part and that it goes over the top of the speaker/case, not the " . . cardboard-y black cover [?] that goes behind the dash grille in a 1954 chevy and hides the speakers from view . . "

Do you have an instruction manual or illustration that indicates that 3700350 ("used with installation of the radio") goes between the grill slits and speaker mounting plate when the radio is installed? Have you found a material that matches 3700350, and, how is is installed?

Thanks,

Have to fall back on some interpretation and common sense when
it comes to the grill cloth. The cut-away in the FAM illustration
shows the cross hairs in the weave of what I would 'interpret'
as cloth. Having worked with a few radios over the years I've
seen a lot of speakers that were hidden and or protected by a
plain Jane black cloth behind a variety of grills, very common
in table radios and car radios. If you think a speaker can
project properly thru a sheet of thin cardboard, try placing a
sheet over a loudspeaker and observe the results.

The installation sheet packaged with the 986771 radios does
state that you should: "(f) Remove the radio grill screen from
the rear side of the radio grill." and in the Note: REMOVE AND
DISCARD RADIO GRILL SCREEN. However, as mentioned earlier, the
FAM clearly shows a screen of sorts with the radio installed in
their illustration. My guess is that there was a screen cloth
held against the back of the grill with a sheet of cardboard.

After removing the cardboard the rubber gasket would hold the
screen, which would still be located in place by the tabs.
Can't document any of that, just my guess as to how they were
originally installed.
The cloth that I've seen between many speakers and grill bars,
has been an inexpensive course open weave that appears to have
been starched or lacquered to give it some stiffness.
Something along the lines of the first few samples here:
http://acoustonespeakercloth.com/ACOU_AMP_CLOTH.asp
But once again, with it hidden behind the dash, anyone can do
it any way they wish and no one will know the difference.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL