Evolution of speakers system

[davep]

I would like to gain some certainty of the speakers for the radio from 1964 onwards. As I understand there was just a single speaker on the top of the dash at introduction. I do not know the size and if that changed at some point. When and how did the factory accommodate a stereo radio?
From Brett Johnson's compilation of codes in his 911 & 912 Restorer's Guide to Authenticity II:
From 1965 through 1968 the options list shows separate options for manual & power antenna, 911 & 912 suppression kits, and a loudspeaker.
1969 introduced a different but similar set of option codes.
1970 introduced the M440 & M441 codes that bundled the antenna, loudspeaker and suppression together; manual left & power right respectively
1971 introduced the M490 code as simply the manual antenna on the left
1972 the wording changed for M440 & M441 to speakers and M490 adds speaker to the manual antenna
1973 is similar but M490 is now manual antenna & suppression

This pretty well coincides with the option code lists (always by year) that I have complied from a wide variety of sources over the last 50 years. I still keep learning new codes and refining the descriptions every month. As with paint codes, I am amazed that the option codes are not much better understood than they appear to be.
BTW, the 914 got stereo speakers at introduction in 1970. Did the 911 really lag until 1972?

[RobGould88]

So was am/fm stereo an option in 1973 for the 911? My bill of sale from 1973 says the car came with am/fm stereo but there is no option listed with my CoA from Porsche. We had the dashboard out and there was no center speaker, leading me to wonder what speaker set up the car came with.

[gulf908]

. . .Did the 911 really lag until 1972? . . .


Dave

a part of the answer could be the date when Porsche started to cut the circular speaker holes in the metal door panels
only then would a stereo radio have any benefit . . .
also re codes - you may be behind the 8 ball due to Porsche superseding codes for a part with another without telling you !!

HTH
Dennis

[911MRP]

So was am/fm stereo an option in 1973 for the 911? My bill of sale from 1973 says the car came with am/fm stereo but there is no option listed with my CoA from Porsche. We had the dashboard out and there was no center speaker, leading me to wonder what speaker set up the car came with.

There were various stereo options during Model 73 the range included radio cassettes for example at outset the top range Mexico and later for calendar the Bamberg, Becker and Blaupunkt respectively. Note the North American markets had a different more limited radio range.

If read the little generic booklet that came in maroon glovebox folder when equipped with Blaupunkt there were by today’s standards of sound quality and stereo imaging some odd suggestions regarding positioning and wiring of stereo speakers. I have seen some odd positioning of speakers in 911: on doors, on front door bins , rear quarter trim, rear shelf birth centre single and pair , downward facing under the front dash.

I’m less familiar with the impact bumper era cars but my impression is that during the G series facelift is when 911 began to get provision for speakers designed more seamlessly into the interior.

In the UK cars often got the Radiomobile brand fitted by the importer and or dealer

Radiomobile were king established

That brand were used in RR. Jensen and had “by royal appointment” status. In fact the typed model 73 GB price list here didn’t show the radio M options here it just had a comment at bottom with an indicative price range. Think ie mentioned steeeo. Not sure if this was because hadn’t been standardises as Great Britain only joined tbe “common market” Jan 73 or more likely the importer made more profit through this than ticking the M box to get a factory fit. I met the old sparkie who fitted the accessories for importer back in the day when he fitted security on my RS in early nineties at the importers premises — I regret not grilling him on how done when I was giving him a lift form his home. Where I’ve seen it on a 20k mileage from new British car — likely the most original I’ll see disassembled so speakers could be seen — the importer had fitted a well known British brand of speaker bespoke installation.
The importer’s press demonstrwtor Carrera RS didn’t have M option it came with this equipment soon after delivery to Uk Jan 73:

More expensive than limited slip differential but only around half the price of a sunroof option.

There was a rear parcel shelf with integral shelf stereo pair. I seem recall there once an image of one of these stereo rear speaker shelves being assemble using Blaupunkt components posted here? My Blaupunkt original brochures form 72 and 73 with British and German price lists show the installation kits for 911 but nothing about 911 rear shelf so suspect this was bespoke by Porsche d (looked like in the factory trim shop) Not sure if it had M option. That to munknoledge the closest to a factory stereo speaker solution on 73 before the facelift.

Steve

[davep]

So was am/fm stereo an option in 1973 for the 911? My bill of sale from 1973 says the car came with am/fm stereo but there is no option listed with my CoA from Porsche. We had the dashboard out and there was no center speaker, leading me to wonder what speaker set up the car came with.

Rob, there are several possibilities, and it could be answered with a CoA or my Report. You could have had a radio prep kit installed by the factory; M440, M441 or M490. Then there was dealer installed radios to go with them. Or, you could have a factory installed radio with either of M440 or M441, and the radio option code depended on either M441 or M440.

[davep]

a part of the answer could be the date when Porsche started to cut the circular speaker holes in the metal door panels
only then would a stereo radio have any benefit . . .
also re codes - you may be behind the 8 ball due to Porsche superseding codes for a part with another without telling you !

I agree Dennis; a well known problem for me. Can we determine when the door panel changed?

[davep]

Thanks Steve for that very useful information.
I have done more digging, and came up with an image of speakers in doors circa 1972 MY. Could this be Factory installed?

[RobGould88]

Thank you. I have the speakers in the doors like the picture below

[30westrob]

My 1973 coupe has Blaupunkt Frankfort Stereo, using the dash speaker for one side and a single Blaupunkt boxed speaker, center mounted to the rear parcel shelf, for the other side. Stereo but with front to back separation. I do not know if this was dealer, or factory installed. Rob

[davep]

That does not appear to be Factory due to the front to back separation, but could be dealer installed. If you had a CoA that stated the installed options we could be more certain. My Report is similar to CoA but more detailed.
Here is a 1972 MY car and the speaker holes in the door: