1971 280sl Custom Stereo Install / Purists Cover Your Eyes. grin

[Autobob]

I want to share our stereo install on the 71’ 280sl we have been restoring. I searched this forum prior to our install and found various questions and suggestions to get a better sound. This is what we did:
We used a Retrosound head unit in dash to get a vintage look and allow modern blue tooth and phone / iPod connections. The Retrosound unit does not have quality amplification so we used the preamps out of it to control an ARC Mini 4 channel amplifier that we mounted under the driver’s seat. We also used its sub out to control a Retrosound 8” powered subwoofer we mounted under the passenger’s seat. We had to disassemble, cut for clearance and reseal the sub cabinet, at the red arrow in photo, to allow for the seat track to have clearance. We did not want to raise the seat height and this powered sub was the shortest I could find. The car originally had speakers in the rear deck but as this car is a driver and the deck must support shopping packages we filled the 6” holes with wood and mounted 5” ARC coax speakers in the rear side panels. We have the top release handle vertical now at 12 o’clock instead of OEM downward position. The handle position is tight but works with soft top and wind stop in place. The front speakers were a challenge as we had to go large for performance but wanted to retain as stock an appearance as possible. We made a stainless mounting plate for the right kick panel and were able to modify the left kick panel to accept 6” ARC coax speakers. The speakers are tucked forward and are barely visible standing outside of the car. We replaced the windshield glass, rubber seal, polished trim and all dash wood so this gave us the opportunity to install two ARC 28mm tweeters under the dash top’s OEM speaker wood grill. We installed a small black grill cloth over the tweeters and under the wood so they are not visible. The floor board, kick panels and rear speaker’s side panels are all covered with Hushmat. The end system sounds great, is usable on the highway at 70mph and yet is stealthy in appearance.

[Autobob]

Attached are photos of dash on this SL.

[mmizesko]

OMG,

As a Purist, I need to know your VIN number, so that I or any of my descendants avoid purchasing this car from either you or your descendants.  Don't you know that music is meant to be heard from tinny 4" footwell speakers, especially at high speed with the top down.  Anything better would violate the masochism clause on the back of the original Mercedes Datacard.  And I hope you play RAP music, REAL LOUD, with huge BASS, so that all those tiny screws holding your rockers on, back out.

Happy motoring.  LOL

Mike Mizesko