My 87 TC stereo/ Anyone add a powered subwoofer to Premium Sound?

[DerekTheGreat]

The JBL 6x9's and dash speakers are notably different from the premium stuff. Door speakers seem to be identical except the JBL's got a "FORD-JBL" sticker on the back. But you will notice cleaner & more defined treble and deeper bass out of those JBL 6x9's. I really like those things, even to this day they are hard to beat without spending $300+ on a new set. JBL was a bad M'er F'er when it came to speakers back in the day. When shit shifted to Mexico in the late 90's, that's about when they fell apart. Shame.

[gadget73]

Mine is still running the Optimus (old school Radio Shack) rear speakers it came with. Tweeters are blown in them too, so all they're doing is making bass really. Kishy has a set of the proper Conti JBL speakers and grilles for me. The grilles give the midranges someplace to go, they don't clear with the flat rear deck that it has.

[clutch47]

The stock Premium Sound speakers in my car are well beyond their half-life. 3 have the deathbuzz..
I'll find a deal on Crutchfield for a matched set of something that'll fit. I think anything available short of a Pringles lid will do better than my 3 bad ones.
Run of the mill Sony or Kenwoods are fine.
I have a box of Bass Blockers from back in the day...so they'll live a long life without some really low Hz being thrown at a little speaker.
We'll see.....

[gadget73]

yeah my door speakers were shot. Seized, no surrounds. Its running a set of Mark VII JBL front speakers I got from Derek. Working speakers > dead speakers.

The dash speakers are the only ones that really kinda need a bass blocker.

[DerekTheGreat]

Mine is still running the Optimus (old school Radio Shack) rear speakers it came with. Tweeters are blown in them too, so all they're doing is making bass really. Kishy has a set of the proper Conti JBL speakers and grilles for me. The grilles give the midranges someplace to go, they don't clear with the flat rear deck that it has.

Funny, later (roundy, late 90's style) JBL equipped Continentals got essentially the same 6x9's box townies got minus the coaxial job- Magnet is the same size (no JBL logo), surrounds are the same and the cone looks to be the same material.. Wiring schematics from Ford dubbed them "subwoofers." The 5x7's Ford stuffed in the rear doors handled midrange and treble. The door speakers are suitable replacements for box door speakers as well, especially if you aren't running dash speakers as those are two way. I put a set of those in our old F150, sounded pretty damn decent.

...Run of the mill Sony or Kenwoods are fine.
I have a box of Bass Blockers from back in the day...so they'll live a long life without some really low Hz being thrown at a little speaker.
We'll see.....

No my friend, just no. Those will sound harsh and shrill. They won't crackle or buzz but your ears aren't going to be happy with them either. If you must go aftermarket, go Infinity Kappa. Also, pay attention the sensitivity ratings too, especially if you're using the factory stuff deck/football. Anything less than 94dB, don't bother. I've got spare premium and maybe JBL stuff in boxes. I'd rather see you run that stuff in working condition than run aftermarket junk. Tell me what you need and I'll report back with what I've got.

[clutch47]

Made up my mind last night. She'll get a new head unit. I'll keep this original one properly stored for the next owner if there ever is one.
Still undecided on speakers but it definitely WILL get them.

[86VickyLX]

I am running a JL audio 5 channel amp and a single 12" JL sub paired with a factory Lincoln (Ford JBL) Tape deck unit. Utilizing the coaxial cable from an 89+ premium sound car, and an adapter from scosche, I was able to turn the radio out to RCA and plug directly into the aftermarket amp. Output utilized the stock wiring of the car (cut the old premium sound football amp harness out) directly to the amplifier, and running new wiring to the rear speakers. So the only wires that were ran through the car was the coaxial cable for radio out (eventually RCAs), the power wire for the new amp (I used 4 gauge wire), and the bass gain knob for the sub channel, so I can control total bass output of the sub channel at anytime. Main bass signal is still controlled by the stock tape deck, as is the fade, balance and treble.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yah, that's very much like what I'd do for the next Ford thing I buy.

[ZackN920]

My Continental is about as silent as it gets. It still just had no bass and distorted easily. Everything was working properly, it just sucked. Same speakers with the better amp is a world of improvement. The Conti in 84 had the same system your 87 had. Football premium sound amp, ran the front speakers only. I was able to get creative and make 1986 JBL stuff work using the factory harness and a DIY adapter. The car harness is unmolested and I can plug the football amp back in if I want to. I do have a 4 channel football out of a later car. Slightly more re-work and it can be totally as-built from the factory. No wires are cut, I just moved a few things around. I won't say i advise it since its slightly goofy and I'm still relying on 30 year old electronics that are prone to death. The chips in the JBL amps die and they basically can't be gotten anymore.

Ya know, I'm kind of surprised with how lackluster these sound systems are in a f***ing Lincoln. They should have automatically gotten the best of audio systems, even if the primary buyer's were old people...

Anyways, the more I listened the more I see what you mean. It does start to distort a bit above 1/4 volume or so. Doesn't sound too to bad, but the quality does change the higher you go from there. Just have to re adjust the bass/treble controls as the volume is changed to compensate.

I like the sound of your set up. Just make your own adaptor harness so the car doesn't need modification. Only problem is that I still haven't come across any JBL stuff.

The JBL 6x9's and dash speakers are notably different from the premium stuff. Door speakers seem to be identical except the JBL's got a "FORD-JBL" sticker on the back. But you will notice cleaner & more defined treble and deeper bass out of those JBL 6x9's. I really like those things, even to this day they are hard to beat without spending $300+ on a new set. JBL was a bad M'er F'er when it came to speakers back in the day. When shit shifted to Mexico in the late 90's, that's about when they fell apart. Shame.

Damn, makes me wish I could find some. Are their any good after market 6x9's I could pick Up that are comparable?

Mine is still running the Optimus (old school Radio Shack) rear speakers it came with.

ha. That aint old school... I got Realistic gear around here, now that's the old school radioshack junk...



Anyway's. I'm starting to think my audio issues is with the headunit. The issue's talked about above between the right and left channels is just being amplified by the football. I can hear the difference in the rear speakers too. One side is kind of muddy compared to the other. Is this commonly just capacitors in the head unit/stereo? Would it be easily fixable or is this usually other hard to find parts in these radios, like transistors and/or ic's? I have fixed/restored old radios so I've got some experience. I really don't like dealing with tight chassis though ...

[ZackN920]

So a little update.

A month or so back for s&g' s I picked up some compact powered subs. Did a quick install when I finally got them from snail mail. I was impressed, but the trunk was no place for one of these little guy's. I finally permanently installed it in the car yesterday. Took apart some of the interior so I could make a clean install. There is no way you can tell (see) there is a sub in the car unless you get on your hands and knees and look for it under the front pass. seat.

Even though the stereo has it's problems, this little sub makes it sound 10 times better. I can actually tolerate it now, since it doesn't sound like a tiny tube radio. Had some 70's music playing on the radio and it had some nice rumble too it. Wings if I remember right, then some Bon Scott era AC/DC came on... Sounded pretty good. Now I'll actually ride around with the system on.


I noticed now though that the next thing I should address with this car is the alternator. With the A/C and radio on, at idle the turn signals are noticeably slower...

[gadget73]

thing about people as they age, their hearing goes to shit. Possible many of them would have never noticed the better sound, which is why it was an option. Factory sound that didn't suck was sort of a new concept in the 80s. Even the "good" stock stuff wasn't very good unless you opted for the (often very expensive) super duper whatever option.


funky sound might be caps, its a pretty safe bet. I just rebuilt a 90s one and one channel totally died. It had horrible screeching noises before. Now one channel is perfect, the other is silent. Not sure why but I suspect a rotted out trace on the board. This one had really bad capacitor problems. Goo running out of most of them, noticeable corrosion on the board. I've had things with similar caps fail with corroded traces before, the trick is finding it. The 80s radios are mostly single side boards, not as likely to rot out from leaky cap goo.

[DerekTheGreat]

Ya know, I'm kind of surprised with how lackluster these sound systems are in a f***ing Lincoln. They should have automatically gotten the best of audio systems, even if the primary buyer's were old people...

Damn, makes me wish I could find some. Are their any good after market 6x9's I could pick Up that are comparable?...

Well, they did get the "premium" sound from the factory which was optional on the lowly Ford and Mercury models lol. JBL wasn't available on those rebel rouser and peasant mobiles.. I do wish that they had at least offered a higher output engine on them though. Like the 302 or 351 truck engine but with an intake which fit under the hood type of deal. I'm sure that would have sold. Old people loved their power. When Cadillac offered the 350TBI on the Fleetwood Brougham starting in 1990, they sold lots of them..

I couldn't tell ya about aftermarket speakers of today. The JBL Power Series stuff I bought for my Town Car were impressive, but that was something like five or six years ago now. I put Infinity Kappa Series in my truck last year, those are pretty damn decent for 4x6's. I'd start there if I had to buy speakers again.

...I noticed now though that the next thing I should address with this car is the alternator. With the A/C and radio on, at idle the turn signals are noticeably slower...

3G swap the M'er F'er and never look back. One of the best things I did to my car, that and upgrade the ground wire going from the core support to the battery. I can run every damn thing and the turn signals never slow down nor does anything dim like it used to. Signals are also faster when just driving around. Watched Lincoln Lawyer with the Mrs yesterday and that scene where the bikers make them pull over? Oh yeah, stock 2G right there, can tell by the slow TS.

[DerekTheGreat]

thing about people as they age, their hearing goes to shit. Possible many of them would have never noticed the better sound, which is why it was an option. Factory sound that didn't suck was sort of a new concept in the 80s. Even the "good" stock stuff wasn't very good unless you opted for the (often very expensive) super duper whatever option...

If they don't take care of their hearing that is. I work with so many old fuddy-duddies and some that aren't old who mock me for wearing ear plugs and what not. F them. My ears are still sensitive. We went down to Indiana over the weekend in Ashley's truck. No A/C. I wore ear plugs because the wind beating at my ears for 10 hours total wasn't appealing. Even that will upset my ears. Ashley tried the same thing but couldn't get the plugs in. I have discovered that some days my right ear canal must swell, as the midrange and treble hearing takes a dip. I initially though my home audio equipment had issues until I turned around in my chair. That was a sad day. So maybe you are right about loss over time, but in my case, my right ear is prone to ear infections and I think that's what is responsible for my sometimes flakey hearing. Yesterday it was 100%. Auditioned the speakers we went down to Indiana for against my JBL L150A's. The JBL's are still superior, but not by an outstanding margin. Can't be Klipsch sensitivity though.

I am surprised at how sophisticated the Lincoln set up was though for back in the day. Preamplifier with external amp, how it's still done today. And they paired up with a leader in the industry for the components. One of the best and most advanced in it's day for sure.

[gadget73]

I wear ear plugs a lot too. Chronic tinnitus, and driving with open windows for any length of time is absolute torture . Thats a big reason why I fix the AC in my cars. That and being a fat sweaty guy.

Not sure if GM did the Bose deal first or not. i think they did. I think that may have been the amp on each speaker thing. I know Chrysler Infinity systems were built that way. When the paper speaker failed in the door you were essentially screwed unless you wanted to figure some way of hanging the old basket with amplifier off to the side and wiring it to the new speaker. Ford's method of normal speakers with a central amp in the trunk was a more reasonable design.

[DerekTheGreat]

Ah dude yeah, my back was a swamp just 2 hours into the five hour one way ride. Gross.

Yeah, you're right. The Corvette I think. I still wouldn't want that system or would replace it instantly. And of course it was the way it was. Why not make something simple, complex? Audiophile and Bose do not go together.