Topic: 1966 Reverberation speaker location

[Philma]

I searched the archives before posting and did not find much on the factory AM Reverb option. My 66 GT FB came with one and it is in remarkably good shape, however I cannot find out much about it. A google search for
“66 mustang reverberation” brings up little and most of which is about a Fender Guitar apparently there was a “Mustang” model.
My question is where would the rear speaker have been mounted on a Fastback?
I think I saw where it was in the center of the rear deck on a coupe, but mine is in the rear trap door. On the driver’s side. Makes me wonder if this was factory or an aftermarket speaker location.
I was going to replace the trap door with a donor but if this was a common practice for installation I will save the $ and keep the original trap door.
Thanks in advance!

[drummingrocks]

I've only ever seen the Reverb option on a coupe.  On the '66 coupe my dad bought in 1968, the speaker was in the middle of the package tray.  I have no idea where it would go on a fastback, as it seems like putting it in the trap door would mean constantly fighting the speaker wires whenever you wanted to open or close the door.

[Philma]

I think that is why they mounted it off to the side right in front of the reverb unit this way the wires would be short and not get in the way as much. Don't know where else they could have installed it on a FB.

[jwc66k]

I think it was a dealer installed option normally for hardtops only. It may have been attempted on Fastbacks but where the rear speaker went would not be "nice".
Jim

[J_Speegle]

Agree this was a dealer installed item. Have seen them in original Fastbacks a number of times. Let me see how many pictures I have of the most common spot to intall the speaker and control unit

Don't think the installation instructions show the fastback in them specifically

[J_Speegle]

Instructions suggest that the reverb  unit be attached to the trunk floor on the drivers side with the mounting hardware included in the kit. Wiring ran up the drivers side, under the sill plate to the dash where the control was located

On fastback installations I've seen it most often (single metal grill and surround) was installed in the passenger side quarter panel (plastic side panel) Sort of centered.

Have seen a couple of times were the owner added the speakers to the trap door but that was likely just to make the installation easier (much less disassembly)  though this meant allot of messy wires hanging and dangling around the trunk especially when the trap door was open. Also it had to sound terrible as the trap door vibrated - like a loose rear license plate rattling and buzzing on a hoopdi with a giant woofer in the trunk 

[Philma]

So mine is definitely mounted in the trunk drivers side. The speaker was mounted to the trap door and a real butcher job. They cut 5, 1-1/2" diameter  (approx.) holes and the speaker grill holes in the trap door. The wires were fished through the car as you described. For now I guess I will leave the speaker where it is and maybe eventually I will purchase a trap door and think about doing a side mount. The PO told me that when he was the second owner and it came with the car. For what that is worth.
Thanks for all the comments!

[jwc66k]

The speaker was mounted to the trap door and a real butcher job. They cut 5, 1-1/2" diameter  (approx.) holes and the speaker grill holes in the trap door. The wires were fished through the car as you described. For now I guess I will leave the speaker where it is and maybe eventually I will purchase a trap door and think about doing a side mount.

There is an alternative and that is a speaker box small enough to fit behind the folded up seat and large enough for your speaker requirement. I used a flat piece of sheet metal under the trap door for retention. Wiring can be hidden or al least run so as to not be a potential rat's nest. I used the "box" concept on my 66 GT Fastback when I put in an AM/FM cassette radio that was stuck to the carpet by the console next to the passenger's feet. Everything "plugged" into existing wiring (if you have to splice, find another way). That way I kept the original radio and antenna. It was all easily removable for shows, got a gold on that car. It now uses Australian radio stations for driving entertainment. I kept the radio and speaker box.
Jim

[Philma]

In the course of researching this reverb unit I stumbled on to a still in box complete unit with hardware, speaker, grille, and paperwork, (I wonder if the warranty is still good?)and got it for < $180. There is one extra wire coming off my original unit so I am thinking I will open the new one up and change out the wires.  I was considering leaving it out  of my restoration, but after finding this one I think I will put it back in. I would still like to see some pictures of an installation in a FB if anyone ever finds one. Thanks for all the feedback.

[WT8095]

...I stumbled on to a still in box complete unit with hardware, speaker, grille, and paperwork...

...I am thinking I will open the new one up and change out the wires.

*cringe* 

[J_Speegle]

Remember/consider that these were produced for a number of years and the maker supplied them (like many dealer installed options) to both Ford and to the aftermarket.

Because of this I've seen three different versions of wire looms (external)  the most notable were the dark small wire loom and the light colored ribbon wire loom

[Philma]

Jeff,
You are correct. The one I pulled out of the car had a multicolored ribbon wire, and the one still in the box had a brown multi wire loom. I did find out he boxed set was made in 1965. I was originally thinking of just changing out the cardboard cover and installing the original. The new one has a tag that I believe holds the bar mechanism in place for shipping, I was thinking I'd pull it and just tape it to the inside cover to give it  that "never used" look. Either way I have a long way to go before I need to make the decision. Thanks again for the insight!

[J_Speegle]

Took care of all the follow up from SAAC 40 and got a chance to look through the picture collection.

Some of these might help.

As a note the "kit" was available at least through 69 though the "box" changed as well as other little details

Instruction sheets covered installation in many different Ford models - below is the page for Mustang. But be aware that dealers didn't always put the control boxes where the instructions showed and I would guess some were installed by owners

Sorry don't have a cleaner copy 









Rear speaker was also available as a stand alone option. For mono-tone applications but with a fader switch/control for under the dash

[Philma]

Thanks Jeff, I'll probably reinstall it the way it came out. The speaker was in the trap door and rather than spend the money looking for a clean original replacement (trap door) I'll just use what I have. Seems like these could have been installed pretty much where ever someone wanted in a fastback.

[J_Speegle]

........... Seems like these could have been installed pretty much where ever someone wanted in a fastback.

Agree that since it was a dealer installed option it went where the shop put it. Hopefully they at least asked the owner or discussed the location with the owner first. Fastback trunk is small so the box can get in the way and the speaker on the trap door is not the best spot but its the easiest/quickest