Oldie2007 - The Little Big Red Readers Digest Renovation, Revival, and Restoration Thread.

I know Pyle was a good brand back in the days have they kept up with times like alphine was the thing to have back in the 90s

 

Depends what you get. I have good speaker from them in the sunroom, so tried them for truck. Not unhappy so far...

 

I bought 2 Rockford 6.5 put in my bed they sound great

 

I really didn't know that there was a "mess" from previous owners. Guy that digs into my doors for tint never mentioned it. I will tell him, so he can make more money!

 

Killer write up as always brother!

 

Great info, thanks for making a post for this Kurt!

 

EDIT ADDENDUM! Audiology - Phase Sixteen; My Speakers Really Seem to Suck - I Want to Fix That! (Amazon = "This fits your truck")

1 Promised sound measure proved no different with door only rubber install. Might be lower in "aural" noise, but not over all. The stereo sounds "better", but I fixed it - right? Anyway, for $30 or so and your labor, it's worth it IMHO.
2 Wasn't happy with the sounds I put in, but remember, I am a hearing aid guy anyway, and there are no amps. First, I had no idea what I would find in this work, and it wasn't what I expected. The 6.5 and Tweeter with Xover I bought - got split up. The 6x9 ended up in front with the Xover and tweeter, the 6.5 too the back. Even with the Xover in front, the 6x9 with its triaxial combo and the tweeter, were treble heavy. In the back, the 6.5" was clear as mud. So, off to the races, here is what I did.

Out comes the 6.5 mid woofer Pyle in the back -

Leaving a 6.5 mounting hole, right?

To replace with my brilliant idea of using the perfectly good 6 in Kicker! Cobble it in, and order the same bracket I just ruined for a 6.5!

OK, so it's in sturdy enough for a week. Dang. On to the front.
See all that high frequency stuff? It worked very well, even with the crossover. Now I KNEW I was going to change from 6x9 to 6.5 up front, so I had ALREADY ORDERED the same bracket I destroyed to custom mount the 6x9! Dang, I am good, or WUT?

Mounting bracket gets replaced.

And in goes the mid-woofer I had in back. So, those parts are now mated as they were intended.


OK, I have now ordered the same bracket I made useless for the 6.0 Kicker coax that were in the back to begin with, and spend several days as a plumber until they come. So now, no "change" in the back, just a proper mounting.

Mounted!


And it is finally done after three rounds on the back, and two on the front. This is the end result.
Front =

$61 Pyle 2 Way Custom Component Speaker System - 6.5” 400 Watt, with Electroplated Plastic Basket, Butyl Rubber Surround & 40 Oz Magnet Structure - Wire Installation Hardware Set Included - PLG6C, Yellow

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007LCLPE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Rating = great for the price if that is what fits. Better than stock by a mile. Buy a tweeter adapter.
Rear =
What I found screwed in with one screw and cleaned up - supposedly not available.


The Kicker coax is the black and silver one.

This gives me a pretty nice sound up front and in back. If I ever hit some cheap bass amp and speaker, it almost might sound as nice as the Kia. But you turn it up, it's pretty good. With people in the car trying to converse, it's perfect lacking a little low end feel. So, done for now ……
Darn almost forgot = those missing little clips in the rear sail panel? I got them, and one promptly fell right down inside the door. They go in the holes on the top, no idea what happened to the installed pic, and here is the PN. Maybe for fun, I take the door apart again?



And, as always, But Wait, There's More!

 

Not Even a Phase - Happy Fathers Day to Me.

Found closeout sale at Rock Auto for some Vent Visors, at 1/3 off, and finally couldn't pass them up any longer. Had them on all the other Tacos, but simply hadn't wanted to spend the money. Package was dusty as all get out, so I know it was a close out! So, let me vent!





OOOH, the other side!




Wonderful. As always, But WAIT, there's more!

 

Driveline Mod! - Phase Seventeen; I'm Getting a Gently Used Tru-Trac!

OK, folks I have been waiting for this for a while, because it is the perfect mod for me to drive overland (with new lift) and beach, with very limited worries about not being 4WD. Thanks up front to @MattCowsmasher for the deal on the used gears, and to @Texoma , our official guru of install! I know you are going to make me happy on this, just like my accidental higher lift!

What is this Tru-trac thing? Many of you know -but here is a generic link. What really makes me happy about this? Old Tech from Michigan when it ruled the Auto Business, and no one has really changed this tech! Sturdy, will work forever.
https://www.eaton.com/Eaton/ProductsServices/Vehicle/Differentials/detroit-truetrac/

So, first, a couple mileage details: My truck rear removed at 197K, in great shape. Used rear going in had 110K, so 80K miles less wear. Tru-trac ! 44K old. I'm ahead in rear wear, and have a good Tru-trac going in. Despite my sometimes fuzzy pics, all the stuff looked great coming and going.

So, out at Triple C, up it goes, drained it gets, and @Texoma goes from there. Me? I move the fan, and other such important stuff.



And YES, I asked the question wrong at some point, and should have remembered, you are going to have to pull the rear axles out enough to get the pumpkin out. I just thought maybe I was too old, and something changed. NAH! They still work like 50 years ago!




OOH look! Old pumpkin! In good shape too!



New Pumpkin, with the TT!



It goes in here!




The most typical view of the hardest working guy in TTC?


And it comes down, we do a test drive, and it's all INVISIBLE! Except we proved it feels good and right! And Thanks @Texoma and @MattCowsmasher .

I'm going to have to do a lot to make this a show truck, so thank goodness I have no intention of doing that! Just like all the other things I had no intention of doing.....
Because, but wait, there's more!

 

Great job!! Just wait till I run the next idea by you.

 

OH, DEAR! I have no idea what on earth you could concoct! But you know I am a good listener. Soon as Mikkel gets squared away in Missouri - or not - it's going to the Seashore at Corpus. Thanks my friend!

 

Replace The OEM Headlight Assemblies - Phase Eighteen; Here's Looking at You, Kid!

Well, it finally became time. As shiny as my OEM headlights have looked, they were delaminating, and that pretty much destroys the focus the laminate provides. Last week, after I adjusted the aiming (finally) from the lift, it was apparent how unfocused and weak the lights actually were. Note - I don't do a lot of night driving with her anyway, almost always on roads I know and close to here. After I got them adjusted some, I slipped some Silver Star Sylvania in to improve what I had (it did), and finally pulled the plugs on these guys I have had on my "list" ever since I got the grille.

$136 DEPO 312-1186P-US2 Replacement Headlight Set (This product is an aftermarket product. It is not created or sold by the OE car company), Black

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005XRPNYI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So, shiny as they look now, off we go! First off, the disconnects for the mirror temperature sensor, and my homemade DRL get removed from the grille, and off it comes, and gets to rest!





OK, assemblies are the same both sides, mirror image. Two screw/bolts on top, a clip on the inside that also holds the little trim underneath, a "semi-hidden" screw/bolt under the trim clip (hidden under the bumper valence), and the WORST POSSIBLE place to hide a screw/bolt - under the inner fender on the outside!





To get to the hidden bolt under the front valence, you have to remove three clips (replaced with new, as were all clips), peel back the valence a little, then it gives you access.




Now THIS, proved to be the fun part of the day. The last screw/bolt. You have to remove a screw/bolt holding the liner on, above the wheel, and a little clip that looks like a flat blade screw, but isn't (and not mentioned in any instruction I found). THEN, "peel back" the fender liner, and IMAGINE where it is. The arrow in pic just shows where it is hiding behind - You can't see in (again, instructions just said - "stick a socket up there and remove it"). You have to FEEL for it. Socket with long extension, won't go there. Socket with short extension, won't go there. Get a stubby Philips screwdriver, won't go there. Finally, JUST USED THE 10 MM SOCKET AND MY FINGERS!






At long last, flip flop it around, and start unplugging stuff. New ones come with all new sockets and boots, just have to move the lamps from old to new! Then, flip flop the new one in (remembering to CONNECT stuff!). And (Harp strings music comes in), there you go! Now do all the above backwards!




Now that I are an EXPERT, on to the other side, which, honestly, did go faster. So, old one eye, new one in, reversed the process, and TWO new Headlight assemblies! Then grille and wiring back, and we are done! (Yes, the inside yellows work, but they are turn/EM only on this vintage, and blinking makes for bad pictures!)






And that's all. Not a real mod, just a little "update and upgrade". I will have them pointed at something soon; going out in the dark to see what the new white light lamps look like with a real reflector and lens!

And I don't know what it will be, but, WAIT, there's more!

 

Subd af

 

Shoot Dylan, ain't nothing like you are doing! Now that's an adventure. But, I still can't believe I have ended up doing as much as I have, past just getting Amazon doo-dads! Thanks for your compliment!

 

It’s all about making your vehicle your own for what you want to do with it brotha

 

Goal = old guy cruising truck that can cross small creeks in a single bound!

 

Nice upgrade! Really freshened it up

 

That’s a huge improvement looks good.

This was gonna be my suggestion after the TT was to black out the lens.

 

Actually, the lenses are clear! It's the black matte background outside the reflector surfaces that make them look "tinted". I'm not a fan of tinting what lies ahead with darkness! But I'm glad you like, I've been waiting to complete that part of the front......