E9 Speaker Grill

[Stan]

Seems like a fair price. NMNA

1968-1974 BMW E9 2800CS 3.0CS Coupe Dash Speaker Grille Reproduction | eBay

1968-1974 BMW E9 2800CS 3.0CS Coupe Dash Speaker Loudspeaker Grille Reproduction. The grills are very accurate CNC reproductions of the original. They are made from Baltic Birch plywood and covered on one side with American Walnut veneer. The grill is ready to be stained and sealed. It does not...

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[bavbob]

Stan, I looked at this a few years back. It is a decent alternative but if you look closely, you will see the slat edges are rounded as would happen with a miter. The original has the slats cut out such that they are squared off.

 

[dave v. in nc]

Good eye, Rob...that is true. I bought one a few years back..
Larry, the gentleman who made/makes these is a former coupe owner, and had them made out of need..he's a good guy. My biggest issue, tho, is the thickness...at 4mm it's almost twice the original, and the wooden slats on the vinyl dash tray don't like that. It is the best alternatative "out there" new. To make them from scratch at the original thickness is difficult...I've tried, and they like to warp and tough to machine the slits...they're so delicate.

 

[coupedegrace]

Good eye, Rob...that is true. I bought one a few years back..
Larry, the gentleman who made/makes these is a former coupe owner, and had them made out of need..he's a good guy. My biggest issue, tho, is the thickness...at 4mm it's almost twice the original, and the wooden slats on the vinyl dash tray don't like that. It is the best alternatative "out there" new. To make them from scratch at the original thickness is difficult...I've tried, and they like to warp and tough to machine the slits...they're so delicate.

Would it be possible to thin it with a joiner or too delicate? If you made a 4mm slot in a backing board that was the same size as the grille, maybe it would work?

Wood working was my father's forte, and I wish I'd gotten more knowledge from him.

 

[dave v. in nc]

I know others here are "real" woodworkers (you guys may chime in)...I sorta chip, whittle, and clamp, occasionally. I think maybe an abrasive planer (one that sands, instead of cuts) might work. A jointer would probably eat it, and I wouldn't do it with my fingers...biggest problem is the physics of plywood...always an odd number of plies for balance...and IIRC, the walnut veneer made this an even number, and it will warp....I seem to think that's why I tossed the one I bought in a box..somewhere...I'll try to dig it out to check my memory...

 

[coupedegrace]

I was envisioning a board that was quite a bit longer than the speaker grille with a speaker-sized slot dadoed into it at 4mm deep. That way the grille would be supported from the top, leading and trailing edges. The blades would start shaving the sacrificial backing board and then hopefully keep shaving the grille without destroying it when it got to them. I'm sure you're right about the plywood issues - didn't think of that.

I took shop in eighth grade, and one morning the shop teacher gathered us around before we started working to share a cautionary tale. The previous day a kid in another shop class had tried to push a narrow block of wood across the joiner. It was too short, the joiner kicked it out and his fingers went right into the blades. They searched in vain for the remnants of them in the sawdust bin but no luck. Moral(s) of the story: 1) always use a pusher, 2) don't use anything really small, and 3) best not to try and make a pipe in wood shop.

Lesson worked - I've always remembered that and never put my fingers anywhere near one of those blades.

 

[teahead]

A good idea for filling that hole if you don't want to utilize a speaker cover:

 

[bavbob]

I was just commenting on the 'originality". I do agree it is the best alternative out there.

OK to be crazy and anal, my original one was in 3 pieces, I gingerly rebuilt it and then re-veneered the thing. I used a scalpel to cut each opening. This was a labor of love or insanity (or both).

 

[Markos]

Seems like a good use case for laser cutting. Modeling the part couldn’t be any easier.

 

[Candia4441]

I was just commenting on the 'originality". I do agree it is the best alternative out there.

OK to be crazy and anal, my original one was in 3 pieces, I gingerly rebuilt it and then re-veneered the thing. I used a scalpel to cut each opening. This was a labor of love or insanity (or both).

View attachment 151089

Hello, it is very hard ti make one I do not have the patient, I just cover the hole with veneered complete board, I can not stand the speaker cover it is much nicer without the speaker.

 

[Krzysztof]

Hello, it is very hard ti make one I do not have the patient, I just cover the hole with veneered complete board, I can not stand the speaker cover it is much nicer without the speaker.

Might be a good option to make the veneer as a one piece (without any opening) for some do not want to have original look or to leave the space for additional gauges.

Regarding reuse the opening for some display
LCD display looks just to modern (except electric E9 restomod). Even 7-segment LED would look too modern.

For some rear view mirror could be an option to place there (instead of the headliner) probably ;-)

It is interesting E9 haven't resure the solution from 2000c/cs with the air vents. There is always good to have some more "controlled" ventilation as in most of cars from 80's

 

[Candia4441]

Might be a good option to make the veneer as a one piece (without any opening) for some do not want to have original look or to leave the space for additional gauges.

Regarding reuse the opening for some display
LCD display looks just to modern (except electric E9 restomod). Even 7-segment LED would look too modern.

For some rear view mirror could be an option to place there (instead of the headliner) probably ;-)

It is interesting E9 haven't resure the solution from 2000c/cs with the air vents. There is always good to have some more "controlled" ventilation as in most of cars from 80's

Hello, you are right for my one of E9 I need it extra gages for E46 engine on it but other is nothing in there but my 2 E9 have electronic rear view mirror with navigation

 

[Krzysztof]

Hello, you are right for my one of E9 I need it extra gages for E46 engine on it but other is nothing in there but my 2 E9 have electronic rear view mirror with navigation

Interesting. Was it mounted in the speaker cover/grille?

 

[mulberryworks]

A good idea for filling that hole if you don't want to utilize a speaker cover:

I was wondering if a screen for a backup camera could be put behind the speaker grill, with hinges to move the grill out of the way when backing. It sounds like there isn't room or material to make that a reliable possibility.

 

[dave v. in nc]

Great idea...

 

[Candia4441]

I was wondering if a screen for a backup camera could be put behind the speaker grill, with hinges to move the grill out of the way when backing. It sounds like there isn't room or material to make that a reliable possibility.

I have a better idea for you, on my E9 I install a rear view mirror that can be use as a regular mirror or electronic that is much better view than regular mirror, and it works as a navigation and backup and front camera that can record during drive, like a modern mirror attached to windshield with a special glue I gut that from amazon for $269.00.
follow the link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0895NMDKT?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Candia4441]

Seems like a fair price. NMNA

1968-1974 BMW E9 2800CS 3.0CS Coupe Dash Speaker Grille Reproduction | eBay

1968-1974 BMW E9 2800CS 3.0CS Coupe Dash Speaker Loudspeaker Grille Reproduction. The grills are very accurate CNC reproductions of the original. They are made from Baltic Birch plywood and covered on one side with American Walnut veneer. The grill is ready to be stained and sealed. It does not...

www.ebay.com

Hello, if you need that I got one I can send it to you if you like it pay $20 or you dont like it keep it for free.

 

[dave v. in nc]

I sent you a PM...

 

[bavbob]

I watched as two people on the opposite sides of a small parking lot with the spots being angled, slowly just back into each other. It was the perfect storm as they were relying on their back up cameras to see where they were going. For those of you old enough to remember the movie "Sleeper" with Woody Allen, the back up camera to me is like the "orgasmitron".......nice but you would start to lose the skill!

 

[dave v. in nc]

Speaking of, why don't cars have a rear horn?...for exactly this scenario....had it happen several times and had to cram it in drive to get out of some nimrod's way, back into my space...