[upsrod]

The 2 smaller holes are there to support the cardboard tray when no rear speaker is used...pretty simple!

 

[Sam52]

yes sir. If removing that small amount of metal hurts any kind of structural integrity it wasn't strong enough in the first place IMO

I like your thinking!!
PS. Do you feel the insulated back covers helped the sound quality?
I got to have good sounding tunes when I'm cruis'n.

 

[Sam52]

The 2 smaller holes are there to support the cardboard tray when no rear speaker is used...pretty simple!

So if I cut the cardboard tray for the speakers, the metal between the holes is not needed?

 

[Shadetree55]

I like your thinking!!
PS. Do you feel the insulated back covers helped the sound quality?
I got to have good sounding tunes when I'm cruis'n.

I think it does. Open back some of that sound is absorbed by trunk. With the enclosures it pushes it into the car. Basically like the sub boxes are built for trucks

 

[upsrod]

So if I cut the cardboard tray for the speakers, the metal between the holes is not needed?

Probably not, but I left mine.

 

[Sam52]

I think it does. Open back some of that sound is absorbed by trunk. With the enclosures it pushes it into the car. Basically like the sub boxes are built for trucks

Thanks for the info. I'm going to get a pair.

 

[55 Tony]

Most, if not all 6x9 car speakers are designed to have an "infinite" baffle. The size of the trunk comes close enough to make them work well. The smaller the baffle, the lower fidelity.

 

[Sam52]

Most, if not all 6x9 car speakers are designed to have an "infinite" baffle. The size of the trunk comes close enough to make them work well. The smaller the baffle, the lower fidelity.

Interesting. Thanks Tony.

 

[stoveboltgeek]

I appreciate your history of the package tray but what is your point?

My point is - the factory used 2 small holes instead of one big 6x9 hole so that the package tray cardboard or speaker grille (as the case may be) would better resist damage due to careless owners back when these were just daily drivers. The metal between these two holes reduced the chance of busting a hole through the package tray by owners doing stupid things.

These days, none of us are going to stack crap on the package tray and damage said cardboard or grille. So, you can cut it out all the way or leave it as is with the 2 smaller holes. Personally, I'm happy leaving it the way the factory did it. Then again, I have a factory radio instead of a monster aftermarket stereo, so sound-wise it doesn't really make that much difference.

 

[johnonetrillion]

I now have 2x holes for 6x9 speakers in the rear – one original and one cut to match. The speakers I have are ‘low profile’ with stock speaker grilles as covers. Looks original, except there are two.

Advice – maybe go a bit more powerful than you would expect re wattage to compensate for road/wind noise when you get out onto the highway. (I only have rears … and next will be adding some smaller fronts to help deal with this.)

 

[johnonetrillion]

You are from the US but have a right hand drive? And your speaker holes are that far apart? Looks beautiful, but I'm confused.

Must be converted … since it is a Sport Coupe. (The only pillarless ’57 made was originally was the Sport Sedan.)

Also note the ’55 dash trim pattern. (Factory ’57 RHD took the ’56 pattern.)

 

[Carson Blocks]

One thing to be aware of, aftermarket 6x9s don't have the same bolt pattern as the original style speaker grille. I bolted my speaker grills to the package tray with very short bolts, then suspended my 6x9s about 3/4" under the package tray using the included adapters.

 

[johnonetrillion]

One thing to be aware of, aftermarket 6x9s don't have the same bolt pattern as the original style speaker grille.

I must have been lucky. The ones* I bought were a match so bolted right through. The only mod was the grilles not mounting 100% flush to the parcel tray board, so I made some 1/3” spacers from aluminium tube and sprayed them black.

* I think the brand was Audio Boss – but they are not such great speakers ttytt.

 

[Carson Blocks]

I used Infinity Reference series and the bolts were just off far enough not to work.

 

[55 Rescue Dog]

My point is - the factory used 2 small holes instead of one big 6x9 hole so that the package tray cardboard or speaker grille (as the case may be) would better resist damage due to careless owners back when these were just daily drivers. The metal between these two holes reduced the chance of busting a hole through the package tray by owners doing stupid things.

These days, none of us are going to stack crap on the package tray and damage said cardboard or grille. So, you can cut it out all the way or leave it as is with the 2 smaller holes. Personally, I'm happy leaving it the way the factory did it. Then again, I have a factory radio instead of a monster aftermarket stereo, so sound-wise it doesn't really make that much difference.

My little brother and I took turns sleeping on the package tray of my dad's 55 4dr sedan. It didn't have a rear speaker.

 

[55 Tony]

55 Tony said:

You are from the US but have a right hand drive? And your speaker holes are that far apart? Looks beautiful, but I'm confused.

Must be converted … since it is a Sport Coupe. (The only pillarless ’57 made was originally was the Sport Sedan.)

Also note the ’55 dash trim pattern. (Factory ’57 RHD took the ’56 pattern.)

I just looked at that pic again and I think I must have mistaken a cord for part of a steering wheel. It's not right hand drive. Must be the heat got to me? Oh, and I thought it was a 55, isn't it?

 

[johnonetrillion]

55 Tony said:

I just looked at that pic again and I think I must have mistaken a cord for part of a steering wheel. It's not right hand drive. Must be the heat got to me? Oh, and I thought it was a 55, isn't it?

Hehe ... yes ... if only we could hit the rewind button on this!

Now that I see the photo on a big screen I notice the cord as well.

And I must have thought it was a '57 just because that's what I have (RHD 2DHT)!

So ... nothing actually to report. (Except there were no original RHD pillarless cars built RHD ... just a note for the historians!)

 

[55_2_drive]

I appreciate the responses but I think people are overthinking this thing. People used these cars as daily drivers back in the day with holes in the floors, trunks rotted out and headlights falling out. I don't see how taking a little metal from the thin sheet metal of the package is going to reduced structural integrity of the car we use to go get a hamburg once or twice a week.
Another thought is the factory only made provisions for one speaker because there were no stereo radios back then.
I'm no expert, thats why I posted the question Am I missing something here?

Totally agree, sometimes these threads go a bit over the top, but everyone here seems to have a good heart and likes to help.

I wanted really good sound, so I have a 4 speaker system, with (2) 6" round speakers up front in custom made kick panels and (2) 6x9's in the back. I cut the holes and am not at all worried about whatever minimal structural integrity loss might go along with that choice. I say cut the package tray to make it work with whatever setup you plan to run and be done with it..

 

[55 Tony]

My little brother and I took turns sleeping on the package tray of my dad's 55 4dr sedan. It didn't have a rear speaker.

Well it's lucky you didn't fall through and into the trunk!
Why is it a package tray anyway, not all cars had left and right side mirrors. It had to be hard to see through the rear view mirrors with the tray full of packages (I'm picturing like Santa was driving).

 

[Old Buzzard]

It had to be hard to see through the rear view mirrors with the tray full of packages

And why the cops write tickets for obstructing your view, giving you grief for having pop beads, etc hanging on the mirror. 😁