Electrical: 1963 Hawk Radio Speaker Connections

[bjackameit]

My 1963 Hawk with factory push button radio has a rear speaker as the only speaker. This appears to be standard based on the factory radio brochure.

The factory radio is currently disconnected as the previous owner had a modern radio under the dash. The modern radio used a (larger) rear speaker but new wires were run for the modern radio. I have removed the under dash radio and the larger speaker. The original factory 5" x 7" rear deck speaker is long gone.

The original speaker wires from the radio connector at the back of the factory radio to the rear deck are present. I have a 8 ohm 5" x 7" replacement speaker that I am going to install on the rear deck to use with the factory radio. The replacement 8 ohm 5" x 7" speaker has two tabs for wire connections on the back.

The original wiring from the radio connector to the rear deck has one connector to the rear of the speaker and a flat round connector with a hole in the center that the radio pamphlet indicates is to be attached to one of the screws that hold the speaker to the rear deck.

So -- my question is -- do I hook up the replacement speaker by using one of the tabs to connect a wire to the speaker and connect the other wire with the round connector with the hole to one of the screws holding the speaker? Or should I attach both wires to the tabs on the back of the speaker thus eliminating the attachment to the mounting screw? Or does it matter?

Picture shows the back of a replacement style 8-10 ohm 5" by 7" speaker.

[StudeRich]

A 10 Amp Speaker as Original, would be a better choice. They ARE harder to find, but ARE out there.

[bjackameit]

Yes but I have used 8 ohm speakers in both my 1964 Lark types and they work fine. In those instances the speakers are in the dash and both wires attach to the speaker tabs.

[gordr]

IIRC, one of the speaker terminals is grounded, and the other is connected to the radio output. With one speaker, phasing doesn't really matter. And it should be a ten ohm speaker, to match the impedance of the rather meager amplifier in the radio.

[bjackameit]

So if I'm reading this right I should probably attach both wires one to each speaker tab. That is how the speakers in my two 1964 Lark types are wired. Those both have 8 ohm speakers that work fine.

[gordr]

If the radio has two speaker wires on the back, then one to each of the tabs on the speakers will work. Delco radios used ten-ohm speakers for years. Eight ohms will work, but there might be a little distortion at high volume levels. The early generation of all-transistor car radios were not all that great, IMHO.

[bjackameit]

Thanks -- that is what I thought -- but wanted to be sure before changing the ends of the two speaker wires for the new replacement speaker.

[stude1964]

If you want to run front AND rear speakers you may want to consider finding a fader switch as original. You should have no problem finding a radio harness from any '63 and up radio which would plug right into the back of the radio or fader switch. On those speaker wires you need one to the speaker and another to the ground such as the mounting screw. Let me know as I may have both harness and fader switch. The fader mounts under the dash near the brake and there may actually be a D-shaped hole for it. I miss my '63 as it had both speakers and have always wondered why they omitted the front speaker on '64s.
Rob in PA.

[bjackameit]

Thanks. I am going to stick with one speaker in the rear. The Hawk has factory air conditioning so it is crowed up front under the dash.