nothing exceeds like excess

November 26, 2023January 1, 2024

Refurbishing / Replacing the Subwoofer (Post #633) 11/26/2023

Ever wonder what is inside of that gigantic custom-fit subwoofer box in the back of your Range Rover Classic…well wonder no more. I had to pull all the parts of the sound system out of the Big White Bus to investigate my rust issues.

It takes a few bolts to get it out but everything is easy-ish to get to and you don’t need any special tools. Take the amplifier off the subwoofer box. Then tackle all the bolts. Once the subwoofer is out you can get to the antique CD changer. Actually in 1993 a six disc CD changer was straight up gangster. My CD changer worked for a few years. It then got a little buggy. You could get it to work if you slid it out and slammed it back in. Most of the time it started to be available at the head unit after that.

It all has to come out. I have a new head unit. I have new speakers. I don’t know if the amplifier still works. I will have to sit down at some point and try to figure out all the plugs and see if the amplifier will be part of the equation. Having a working subwoofer would be a nice addition.

Once the subwoofer is out it takes 10 screws and a little gentle encouraging and the box will come apart. It’s a relatively simple setup. There is a dual cone speaker inside and that’s it. Mine as you will see in the video is toast. the cone has disintegrated. It is at least 30 years old probably closer to 33 considering assembly line technology of the day.

So the speaker will need to be replaced. In the video I speculate about the size but it turns out to be:

Cutout Diameter 6.5 inches
Top Depth mounting 3 inches
Bottom Depth Mounting 3.25

There are a LOT of speakers to choose from online. I went to Crutchfield.com. They don’t sponsor me, I wish they did, but they don’t. They have great customer service and the spec’s for everything are easy to find on their site.

I found a speaker that looks like it will fit.

That’s not a lot of money and 4 people think it’s pretty awesome. Mounting that is still a question, but I’m not worried. I will figure it out if that is the direction I go.

There is some debate going on in my head about replacing the old one with a NEW subwoofer. I found a Kenwood on Crutchfield that was not all that expensive.

Kenwood Excelon — ribbed polypropylene cone, sounds naughty….

It’s pretty small too. Just a little under 18x12x6 inches. I’m certain I’d have to cover the speaker cause it would almost certainly get damaged if I didn’t. I am confident it would fit in the space. But the real question outside of would it be better is…. am I really saving enough space to matter? I’m not sure I would gain anything. The space would have to be VERY creatively designed to take advantage of a few inches more here or there.

This gives us the cheaper option of just buying the speaker and figuring out how to wire it to the old AMP and the new head unit. Another plus of this operation was the elimination of the CD player gives me 12 volt switched power line back in that corner. That might come in handy, who knows.

I like tunes as much as the next guy. I even have a playlist named, “Can’t Be Too Loud”. It’s got some songs that you turn up until your ears bleed.

Van Halen’s Eruption
AC/DC Back In Black
Living Colour’s Cult of Personality
Beastie Boys Sabotage
Black Sabbath’s Iron Man
Wagner’s Die Walküre (Ride of the Valkyrie)
Carl Orff’s O Fortuna from Carmina Burana

There are more, but you get the picture…you probably have a list of your own. Whenever I hear these songs I turn them up to maximum volume.

Mostly today…I listen to audio books. Sooooo many audio books. It’s not uncommon for me to just drive, no music, just the window down and the sound of the engine and the tires on the road. That recharges my batteries almost as just sitting in the woods next to a fire.

There is a lot left to do to get the sound system installed. I’ve got to sort out the plugs and get everything wired up. The dash is still not installed. There is an order to putting the BWB back together…and the windshield needs to be first. I’m almost certain there is water leaking in and the last thing I want is to get his all put back together and still having water coming in.

That’s it for this week. As soon as I make a decision I’ll post it up and when I starting putting the sound system together.

Your sponsorship on Patreon would be appreciated if that is in your budget. Otherwise LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube channel. Leave me a comment…I love talking to people about Land Rovers.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

June 15, 2014May 16, 2023

Back to the Future (Post #502) 6/15/2014

Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there.

My son, Diet Mountain Drew, works at the OnCue on Flood in Norman. When he was leaving the other day a special treat rolled up.

Yes, that is a replica Delorean outfitted like the famous auto from the Back to the Future franchise.

Rich Corinthian Leather, its not really Corinthian.

Diet Mountain Drew said the guy hung out and let people take pictures for almost an hour. That’s great. Sharing your toys with others.

I am a little surprised he stopped for petrol when he clearly has a Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor installed. Hmmmmm…..

Thanks for reading and Happy Time Travel.

April 22, 2014May 16, 2023

You Don’t See That Everyday (Post #488) 4/22/2014

While I wait for my new starter to arrive, I am sharing the Honda CR-V with Mrs. Okierover. Me and the dogs needed some supplies (pronounced “Soo-plies”) so I took the CR-V down to my local Wright’s IGA to pick up some dog food and some Mexican Coca-cola‘s (made with real sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup, aka real Coke not New Coke). When I pulled into the parking lot I spied an odd vehicle. So naturally, I went over to see it. When I got there William Patterson was climbing in.

I told him I thought what he had done was fun and I asked him about the mostly baseball-themed pickup truck. “I’ve been collecting this stuff for 40 years.” he said. As you can see from the picture his truck has all manner of baseball memorabilia glue to it, piled in the back, and stuffed inside. The dashboard had no less than 20 baseballs on it and no room for a passenger of any kind in the front or rear seats.

He went on to tell me that he owned two such trucks and a trailer that were all decorated. “I just love baseball.” he said. You can see that his taste also extends to football and basketball and even local politics a bit.

I just had to take a picture of someone who loves something so much to do this, after all I was there to buy Mexi-Coke, something I love more than American Coke. And for the record, a litero at IGA is 1.13$(US). The same bottle at the little mercado down the street is 2.00$(US) including tax and 2.18$(US) at Speeding Bullet Comics. At least Speeding Bullet has their’s in a refrigerated case.

Show some passion for something would ya?!?

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

May 10, 2013May 15, 2023

Rolls Royce Anyone? (Post #339) 5/10/2013

You don’t see one of those everyday. Rolls Royce Limo. Funny I see one of these while NPR is discussing The Great Gatsby and the excesses of the roaring twenties.

What’s the line from Scarface?
Nothing exceeds like excess.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Rovering.