The birth of mobile audiophilia...

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mhconley

The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« on: 2 May 2012, 02:52 am »
In 1976 when I was 17 my father took a job as a "semi-important muckity-muck" with Kraco.  Do you remember Kraco?

He gave me his 1974 Honda Civic when I turned 18.


In that little Honda I installed an in-dash AM/FM tuner, an 8-track player and a 20-watt power booster (later replaced with a 5-band 50-watt graphic equalizer) in the glove box, built custom rear quarter panels with 6"x9" triaxials and custom front kick panels with 4-1/2" coaxials, all Kraco of course.  I used to park at the curb on cruise nights, pop open the hatch and crank the tunes - Boston, Styx, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin.

Those were the days...

I had Cerwin-Vegas, a Pioneer receiver and Pioneer turntable at home.

Back then it was sheer volume - but it did sound damn good.  Today I seek a little more refinement in my playback systems.  But for 1977 that was about as good as it got.

Martin

fredgarvin

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Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #1 on: 2 May 2012, 03:03 am »
Oh yeah, I worked in a lafayette shop that was big into diy speakers, cb radio and car audio. We sold kraco and Craig kits and I made big ole speakers for my van using Pyle Driver dome tweeters and 10" Peerless woofers in a particle board box with pre-made crossovers.We had lots of electro-voice stuff and a pair of klipsch corner horns.

decal

Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #2 on: 2 May 2012, 03:08 am »
big ole speakers for my van using Pyle Driver dome tweeters and 10" Peerless woofers in a particle board box with pre-made crossovers. 
Hell, I got some like that behind the seat of my truck now!!!!

fredgarvin

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Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #3 on: 2 May 2012, 03:11 am »
Hell, I got some like that behind the seat of my truck now!!!!

They probably sound pretty good I'll bet.

JerryM

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Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #4 on: 2 May 2012, 03:38 am »


Yeah, she's driving.  :lol:

thunderbrick

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Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #5 on: 2 May 2012, 04:12 am »
Do I see transmission push-buttons instead a column shift?  Is that a late 50's Plymouth??

I took my father's '59 Suburban wagon up to 100 MPH one night.  Found a long downhill highway and scared myself to death,  Didn't do that again for another 45 years or so.

But not with the same car................

Shakeydeal

Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #6 on: 2 May 2012, 06:39 pm »
The year was 1977. The car, a 1972 Buick Skylark. The system:

AM stock radio
Craig Road Rated underdash FM converter with 8 track tape deck
Jensen Triaxial 6X9s in the rear deck
Jensen 6.5" coaxials in the door

Man I was in audio heaven. I put the system in before I even got my license, so I would sit out in the driveway with the motor running listening to it.

I do remember all the Kraco stuff. Pyramid and Clarion came later. Graphic equalizers and cassette tape decks with auto reverse.

Then in the 90s, it all got better. Nakamichi, Canton, Alpine, Soundstream, Precision Power, JL Audio, etc. Things were getting interesting.

Anybody else remember Richard Clark's Buick Grand National? How about his Cadillac that preceded it?

Good times.....

Shakey

hibuckhobby

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Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #7 on: 2 May 2012, 09:38 pm »
My start was a 1978 Chevy Monza Spyder with a pair of EPI 70'd laying down in the hatch and a then "new" Fosgate Punch amp and a Marantz head unit.   It was all coming from the back but the tonal quality was really very good.

BTW...I think the car in that pic was a Dodge.  Don't think Plymouth's had the tuck and roll padded dash.
Hibuck......

mcgsxr

Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #8 on: 2 May 2012, 10:02 pm »
I launched into car audio in the early 90's.  My first car was a 1985 Toyota Camry.  I pulled out the back seats and installed an infinite baffle 12 inch Orion sub, driven by an MEI amp.  I used a Clarion head unit, and some off brand 6.5 coaxs.

Good bass, not much else!

Mikeinsacramento

Re: The birth of mobile audiophilia...
« Reply #9 on: 3 May 2012, 07:59 pm »
Anybody remember Mindblowers?