Another radio question--Opinions needed

[kilodawg]

Okay now that I have the faceplate issue resolved here's the next big question....

But first some background:
The car is an MFI '73, the radio is a '72 manufactured Frankfurt but it's a stereo model. Now the car has front pockets with speakers already installed by the PO. I could care less about sound quality and am just looking at what was "period" possible....and in keeping with what is a pretty original early car (I even added the rubber front and rear US bumperettes).

As I see it, I can do the center speaker (dual 3.5 mod) and spend $$ to refinish the front pockets or just install new Blaupunkt speakers in the pre-existing holes.

If I go the center speaker route I still have a stereo Frankfurt installed.

If most/all(?) early radios were dealer installed in the US wouldn't it have been feasible that owners would have opted for the stereo version and wouldn't the doors have been a logical place to install the speakers?

So is there really a preferred choice for this specific installation? Fire at will!

[A.T.]

So, how did it work? Did you make the plate yourself? Did you go mono or stereo? I'm about to deal with the same stuff.

[kilodawg]

Okay here was my thought process. Though I'm sure it could be flawed.

The car already had holes for speakers cut into the front pockets. The radio I acquired is the correct serial number for a '73 but it's a stereo Frankfurt.

Now I've heard and have no reason to challenge that stereo versions of this radio were not original to the car. However, from my own experience (my first car was a '73 914 I acquired new that year and first thing I did was install and 8 track tape player) people were out to upgrade even then. It seems to make sense to me that the original owner COULD have chosen to go with a stereo radio and add speakers just like my car is set up now. So since it's not a concours car I'll figure I'll leave it as is for the near term.

Oh and I did make the face plate myself...