Speaker covers

[col320ce]

I'm guessing that these are not original mercedes speaker covers?
Thanks for any help...

[scoot]

Definitely not.

[Aaron h]

^^ What Scott says.  For W111 and W112 coupe` and cabriolet models (except the late low grill W111 models) there were three or four options for a single rear speaker that would have been mounted in the middle of the rear parcel shelf.  They were usually a Becker, Grundig, Telefunekn, or a Blaupunkt brand speaker.  Either could be surface mount or flush mount.  Though, being in Australia Phillips may have been another brand.  On occasion some people would request the single speaker be mounted on the left or right side of the parcel shelf. 

[col320ce]

Thanks for the info ... as there are dirty great big cutouts there I'll put the speakers back where they are (I'm replacing the seat leather but the rest of the interior is in great condition so I intend to keep it original). I'll find some more sympathetic speaker covers (I might make some using these grills as a template and cover in leather matching the parcel shelf.)

[hansr433]

I worked for Bosch in the early 70s.  We also distributed Blaupunkt products.  Car Stereo was still a very new thing.  Compared with today's standard, sound quality then was abysmal.  When we installed a stereo radio, usually a Blaupunkt Frankfurt model, in W111 coupes, the rear speaker would be mounted in the middle of the rear shelf with a cutout in the shelf to lower the profile.  The speaker cover was mid-grey plastic, sort of battleship grey, in an elongated lozenge shape.  We would re-use the front speaker and balance would be controlled with an under dash mounted fader switch.  I tried finding an image on the internet, but no luck.

[col320ce]

Thanks for the detail there... That's really interesting!

[hansr433]

This topic brought back some nice memories.  As an employee, I paid 0.17 dollars, yes a princely sum of 17 cents, for a spark plug and I remember rescuing 300SL rotors and distributor caps from the dumpster after an annual inventory.  We would be destroying slow moving parts annually and some parts miraculously escaped the hammer.

The fader switch we used was a simple rotary device and we would use the standard black soft plastic buttons, or for additional cost, the buttons with the metal inserts as used in late W111 models.

I will continue looking for a photo of the correct speaker cover.

[hansr433]

Found it, and a place that still has some NOS units for Euro 19 each!

https://www.oldtimer-shop.eu/parts/car-speaker-blaupunkt-7-607-420-000

[col320ce]

SOLD!

[col320ce]

I have the rear speaker pictured in the previous post and the original dash speaker. How do I wire a fader switch to balance the speakers?
I was going to mount the rear speaker centrally.
Thanks!

[GM]

Fader:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MERCEDES-W108-W109-W110-W111-W112-RADIO-FADER-SWITCH/322930517689?hash=item4b3028a6b9:g:0YkAAOSwhpZaK1n5

[col320ce]

Thanks Garry!
That looks like the speaker cables simply come off the amp and go through the fader to make it work.  Awesome.

[scoot]

Thanks Garry!
That looks like the speaker cables simply come off the amp and go through the fader to make it work.  Awesome.

Well, yes and no.  Depends on the type/vintage of speaker connectors.  Also the link in question doesn't offer returns.  This is an item that you would want to be able to return if it doesn't work well...

[hansr433]

Check out the FB group "Mercedes-Benz W112-112 Coupe Cabriolet".  A really nice bunch of guys and very knowledgeable.  Detailed Instructions of how to install a rear speaker with a fader switch were posted there today.  If you are not on FB, I can ask the poster for permission to re-post here.

[col320ce]

Hi Hans
Unfortunately (or fortunately  ) I'm not on facebook ... it would be great if you could re-post it here.

[col320ce]

I found a Mono fader switch as mine is a mono unit - it has one input and 2 outputs.  The Amp has connections for either 1 speaker or 2 speakers.  If I drive 2 speakers from the single speaker output on the amp I think I will have an impedance imbalance and damage the amp.  I assume the correct thing to do is to take 2 leads form the amp (ie 2 speaker option) and connect them both to the same input of the fader.  Is this correct?
Please see the attached picture I found in a repair manual.
BTW, I am running the original dash speaker and a NOS blaupunkt which is period correct in the rear.

[opopotts]

My rear speakers are round black plastic