[Engine-Ear]

Hi guys,

I need a new the fabric screen / speaker frame gasket for my 64 Tempest (Ramblin' Rose).

Although I contacted PY to see if it's available, they do not offer it.

What are you guys doing for this? Does it exist in the restoration aftermarket?

Thanks in advance - I need to either fabricate something or buy one ASAP!

[Engine-Ear]

Well, it seems that nobody is reproducing this part. Surprising, for some reason.

It is also interesting to me that the aftermarket speaker options, although listed as having an 8 ohm impedance (VERY important that any replacement speaker be 8 to 10 ohms), there are warnings that the steel speaker frame itself may not fit right, especially if you plan to use the brackets used on the '64s (and later years?).

...To me this yet another vote for having your original speaker re-coned.

I got my speaker back from the place that re-cones them and it looks great. I added a new cardboard oval and some speaker grille fabric and install it. I used a produce called "Shoe Goo" (basically an adhesive that bonds all sorts of materials together). Before applying it, I taped some wax paper to my bench top so any leakage wouldn't bond to it. Then I put a small bead of the stuff on both the speaker frame and the cardboard oval and let it set for about 2 minutes. The two parts were put together and set face-down on the wax paper. I balanced the radio itself on the speaker's magnet to ensure a uniform bond. After that cured for an hour, I taped some speaker grille fabric to the wax paper so it would be flat (no wrinkles), then put a bead of Elmer's glue on the cardboard ring. I again put the speaker face-down on the fabric (with the radio as a weight) and let it sit over nite. This morning, I lifted off the now-grilled speaker and trimmed the excess fabric away. Tah-dah!

Anyway, pics of the finished result below...

Connected everything up on the bench and realized (remembered) that the volume control is noisy, so it'll get (carefully!) disassembled, cleaned, reassembled and reinstalled... the sounds of Sam Cooke, the Rolling Stones, Hank Thompson and the Ramones will be filling Ramblin' Rose's interior by the end of the day today...

[rohrt]

Looks nice.

I think I glued a piece of fabric like you did on two vehicles.

I'm surprised the original is still in one piece.

[John V.]

Matt, was watching for comments. Does look very nice.

But I was wondering, the original gasket with mesh, looked to me like fiberglass window screen.

I don't have my raggedy speaker out to compare, but from your initial pix, I was thinking you could remove the mesh from the gasket and then reglue window screen to the original gasket. If I understood the construction from the initial pix, looked like it was a formed rubber gasket with the rubber in good shape, only the screen in poor shape.

Was the original mesh fabric or some other material like perhaps fiberglass screen?

Wonder if you considered trying to remesh the original gasket and if so, why did you decide not to attempt doing it?

Also, did you talk to the place that reconed it, did they not have the ability to remesh it like original?

[Engine-Ear]

Good response, John. My replies to it follow...

Matt, was watching for comments. Does look very nice.
Thanks.

But I was wondering, the original gasket with mesh, looked to me like fiberglass window screen.
It could be 'glass but I think it is plastic-ish fabric. To me, something with apertures on the order of window screen wouldn't do much in the way UV protection or bug/dust build-up... It is so brittle anymore that it will be difficult to analyze without a material analyzer. If you would to do so yourself, I will gladly pack it up and mail it to you. LMK.

I don't have my raggedy speaker out to compare, but from your initial pix, I was thinking you could remove the mesh from the gasket and then reglue window screen to the original gasket. If I understood the construction from the initial pix, looked like it was a formed rubber gasket with the rubber in good shape, only the screen in poor shape.
Not exactly, John. The screen/mesh looks like it was pressed into the gasket material (when it was soft from being just-molded). If the speaker in your car hasn't been out, it would be interesting to learn what shape its gasketed-mesh doo-hickey is in.

Was the original mesh fabric or some other material like perhaps fiberglass screen?
It is both so dirty and fragile that I cannot establish anything other than that I think it was originally black.

Wonder if you considered trying to remesh the original gasket and if so, why did you decide not to attempt doing it?
Although the gasket is in one-piece, it is also very brittle. I had to handle it very carefully.

Also, did you talk to the place that reconed it, did they not have the ability to remesh it like original?
Their finished-product normally includes the cardboard oval and fabric attached but I told them not to add it, (erroneously) thinking that this part IS reproduced. When I went to pick it up and told him I struck out, he gave me the cardboard and a swatch of the fabric.

[John V.]

Okay, GREAT answers!

Sadly, my original was gone when I got the car. I acquired a raggedy replacement out of another '64 years ago, figuring to have it reconed "one day". My recollection is that it was pretty beat up.

I'm thinking the mesh on mine was disintegrating, not intact like yours.

So I guess the bottom line is, let the recone guys put the mesh on it!

[Jeff Hamlin]

This isn't the one I used but it is similar;
http://www.speakerworks.com/black_sp...ric_p/gcbl.htm

The OE is closer to the landscaping/ground cover type mesh they sell in the home stores,
but I wasn't sure if it would look right.

[Engine-Ear]

Remember that if air can travel freely thru it, sound waves will too.

To me, the landscaping mesh is not what I would use - too "closed". Window screen, on the udder hand, is too "open".