2005 complete audio system upgrade | Ford Thunderbird club group 1955-2005 T-Bird models

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2005 complete audio system upgrade

  • Thread starter Thread starter ssurfr2819
  • Start date Start date
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ssurfr2819

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Thunderbird Year
2005
I read with interest earlier posts regarding upgrading 2002-2005 Thunderbird audio system. As a technology professional, I wanted to take this project on and explore the use of AI to help me. I thought I would share results in this summary, and invite users to ask me any questions.

Some of the major applications that I explored with AI (Microsoft CoPilot) included:
  • Selection of components, including comparisons and sources
  • Analysis of OEM subwoofer enclosures and identification of possible subwoofer speakers
  • Determination of best amplifier and speaker designs for Tbird's cabin with top up and top down
  • Miscellaneous questions to help solve challenges during the build
I would give the value of using AI for this relatively complex, multi-faceted project an 8 out of 10. The downside was the need to challenge CoPilot on occasion when the response it provides seems questionable. AI provides a wealth of information, and usually it is credible. But it can provide misleading and incorrect information. When in doubt, ask your AI app to doublecheck, or simply tell it that you think the answer should be X instead of Y. Most of the time it will come back and provide a more credible response. This helps improve the AI accuracy for future users. Another bothersome issue was that on occasion CoPilot would forget decisions that I (we?) had made. For example I looked at various head units, and eventually purchased the Kenwood DMX958-XR. In some responses it was clear that CoPilot wasn't basing its responses on the Kenwood, or based it on the incorrect Kenwood. Eventually I told CoPilot to create an "Agent" to follow this project, and that did help improve responses.

Getting to the project itself, this was a complete upgrade of all components and wiring. The new system includes these major elements:
Some of the design solutions I wanted to highlight:
  • Amplifiers are mounted on an 18 gauge steel plate secured to the top of the trump compartment that juts into the area where the soft top folds into. This is the same area where the subwoofers are located, and the rear engine module. I didn't want to sacrifice usable trunk space.
  • All cables that needed to go to rear of car (remote amp power on signal, rear camera video, rear and sub speaker RCAs, ...) are routed under the center console, into the rear deck below the carpet, and to the passenger side bulkhead into the rear area and trunk. I liked this better than routing outside or in door sills.
  • Power to front camera is picked up from an unused fuse in the passenger fuse block, routed forward through a grommet at the front of the passenger door, along the engine compartment to the front grill. Also routed the front camera video cable through the same path. This keeps the power connection simple and out of the weather.
  • Since these speakers have a greater power capacity than stock Tbird, they need a larger gauge wire. For the doors speakers, this meant threading the wire through the weatherproof rubber from the vehicle body near the kick panel into the door. I pierced the rubber from the door side with a strong wire and pushed through to the kick panel side, where I grabbed the speaker wire and fished it into the door.
  • With CoPilot's help, it was determined that the subwoofer enclosures could be repurposed for this high end system. There don't appear to be 6x8 subwoofer speakers, so an adapter plate is used to translate 6x8 to 6.5" circular. As mentioned earlier, the TBird has a chassis bar approximately 1" in front of the outboard edge of the sub. Many sub speakers require much more for front clearance, so the SWS "shallow" design was perfect, and it is designed to work well in an enclosure with about 2.25 cubic feet of space, which is roughly the Ford enclosure size.
The sound is phenomenal using Amazon Music from an Android with high quality DACs (such as my Motorola Edge 2025) means very high quality. And being able to see rear or forward during parking is a blessing. Of course other standard features we expect in vehicles such as bluetooth to our phone, and navigation using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay are very nice. I am happy to answer any questions. I hope this helps advance our community knowledge.

This page contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated. As an eBay Partner, and Amazon Associate I may be compensated if you make a purchase at no cost to you.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi. Thanks for posting. I recently purchased a 2005 Silver Anniversary Edition and am in the process of replacing (i.e., waiting for the equipment to come in) the original radio/CD player with a BOSS BE7ACP with backup camera and satellite radio. I also am adding a blind-spot monitoring system. I'm not adding an amplifier or new speakers at this time but may in the future. I'll keep the forum posted on the outcome and results. In the meantime, I'm also dealing with some deferred/delayed maintenance and repair issues (i.e., suspension and brakes) that will make the car safer to drive for the long=term. Otherwise, I love the car. Gerry
 
This is an awesome deep dive. thanks for sharing! Really impressive integration and great use of AI to navigate such a complex upgrade. That SWS sub solution sounds especially smart. Appreciate the detail, and I might be hitting you up with a few questions at some point!
 
gchalphin said:
Hi. Thanks for posting. I recently purchased a 2005 Silver Anniversary Edition and am in the process of replacing (i.e., waiting for the equipment to come in) the original radio/CD player with a BOSS BE7ACP with backup camera and satellite radio. I also am adding a blind-spot monitoring system. I'm not adding an amplifier or new speakers at this time but may in the future. I'll keep the forum posted on the outcome and results. In the meantime, I'm also dealing with some deferred/delayed maintenance and repair issues (i.e., suspension and brakes) that will make the car safer to drive for the long=term. Otherwise, I love the car. Gerry
Click to expand...
Sounds good. As you may know, the OEM speakers and amplifiers in the TBird are not what we can consider "high fidelity". The amps are only 5W I think and the speakers while well-made are not rated for the power needed to overcome top down mode.

I plan to offer the OEM radio, amps and speakers for sale.
 
65Konabird said:
This is an awesome deep dive. thanks for sharing! Really impressive integration and great use of AI to navigate such a complex upgrade. That SWS sub solution sounds especially smart. Appreciate the detail, and I might be hitting you up with a few questions at some point!
Click to expand...
Yes those sun speakers are gems. They had to fit within the constraints of the Ford enclosure's irregular shape, and also not project too far forward. Here's a few photos of the original sub, then a couple in the build process and finally one with the sub installed where you can see the chassis bar in front of it.
 

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ssurfr2819 said:
I read with interest earlier posts regarding upgrading 2002-2005 Thunderbird audio system. As a technology professional, I wanted to take this project on and explore the use of AI to help me. I thought I would share results in this summary, and invite users to ask me any questions.

Some of the major applications that I explored with AI (Microsoft CoPilot) included:
  • Selection of components, including comparisons and sources
  • Analysis of OEM subwoofer enclosures and identification of possible subwoofer speakers
  • Determination of best amplifier and speaker designs for Tbird's cabin with top up and top down
  • Miscellaneous questions to help solve challenges during the build
I would give the value of using AI for this relatively complex, multi-faceted project an 8 out of 10. The downside was the need to challenge CoPilot on occasion when the response it provides seems questionable. AI provides a wealth of information, and usually it is credible. But it can provide misleading and incorrect information. When in doubt, ask your AI app to doublecheck, or simply tell it that you think the answer should be X instead of Y. Most of the time it will come back and provide a more credible response. This helps improve the AI accuracy for future users. Another bothersome issue was that on occasion CoPilot would forget decisions that I (we?) had made. For example I looked at various head units, and eventually purchased the Kenwood DMX958-XR. In some responses it was clear that CoPilot wasn't basing its responses on the Kenwood, or based it on the incorrect Kenwood. Eventually I told CoPilot to create an "Agent" to follow this project, and that did help improve responses.

Getting to the project itself, this was a complete upgrade of all components and wiring. The new system includes these major elements:
Some of the design solutions I wanted to highlight:
  • Amplifiers are mounted on an 18 gauge steel plate secured to the top of the trump compartment that juts into the area where the soft top folds into. This is the same area where the subwoofers are located, and the rear engine module. I didn't want to sacrifice usable trunk space.
  • All cables that needed to go to rear of car (remote amp power on signal, rear camera video, rear and sub speaker RCAs, ...) are routed under the center console, into the rear deck below the carpet, and to the passenger side bulkhead into the rear area and trunk. I liked this better than routing outside or in door sills.
  • Power to front camera is picked up from an unused fuse in the passenger fuse block, routed forward through a grommet at the front of the passenger door, along the engine compartment to the front grill. Also routed the front camera video cable through the same path. This keeps the power connection simple and out of the weather.
  • Since these speakers have a greater power capacity than stock Tbird, they need a larger gauge wire. For the doors speakers, this meant threading the wire through the weatherproof rubber from the vehicle body near the kick panel into the door. I pierced the rubber from the door side with a strong wire and pushed through to the kick panel side, where I grabbed the speaker wire and fished it into the door.
  • With CoPilot's help, it was determined that the subwoofer enclosures could be repurposed for this high end system. There don't appear to be 6x8 subwoofer speakers, so an adapter plate is used to translate 6x8 to 6.5" circular. As mentioned earlier, the TBird has a chassis bar approximately 1" in front of the outboard edge of the sub. Many sub speakers require much more for front clearance, so the SWS "shallow" design was perfect, and it is designed to work well in an enclosure with about 2.25 cubic feet of space, which is roughly the Ford enclosure size.
The sound is phenomenal using Amazon Music from an Android with high quality DACs (such as my Motorola Edge 2025) means very high quality. And being able to see rear or forward during parking is a blessing. Of course other standard features we expect in vehicles such as bluetooth to our phone, and navigation using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay are very nice. I am happy to answer any questions. I hope this helps advance our community knowledge.
Click to expand...
This sounds (no pun intended) phenomenal! Do you have photos or video of your new system?
 
ssurfr2819 said:
I read with interest earlier posts regarding upgrading 2002-2005 Thunderbird audio system. As a technology professional, I wanted to take this project on and explore the use of AI to help me. I thought I would share results in this summary, and invite users to ask me any questions.

Some of the major applications that I explored with AI (Microsoft CoPilot) included:
  • Selection of components, including comparisons and sources
  • Analysis of OEM subwoofer enclosures and identification of possible subwoofer speakers
  • Determination of best amplifier and speaker designs for Tbird's cabin with top up and top down
  • Miscellaneous questions to help solve challenges during the build
I would give the value of using AI for this relatively complex, multi-faceted project an 8 out of 10. The downside was the need to challenge CoPilot on occasion when the response it provides seems questionable. AI provides a wealth of information, and usually it is credible. But it can provide misleading and incorrect information. When in doubt, ask your AI app to doublecheck, or simply tell it that you think the answer should be X instead of Y. Most of the time it will come back and provide a more credible response. This helps improve the AI accuracy for future users. Another bothersome issue was that on occasion CoPilot would forget decisions that I (we?) had made. For example I looked at various head units, and eventually purchased the Kenwood DMX958-XR. In some responses it was clear that CoPilot wasn't basing its responses on the Kenwood, or based it on the incorrect Kenwood. Eventually I told CoPilot to create an "Agent" to follow this project, and that did help improve responses.

Getting to the project itself, this was a complete upgrade of all components and wiring. The new system includes these major elements:
Some of the design solutions I wanted to highlight:
  • Amplifiers are mounted on an 18 gauge steel plate secured to the top of the trump compartment that juts into the area where the soft top folds into. This is the same area where the subwoofers are located, and the rear engine module. I didn't want to sacrifice usable trunk space.
  • All cables that needed to go to rear of car (remote amp power on signal, rear camera video, rear and sub speaker RCAs, ...) are routed under the center console, into the rear deck below the carpet, and to the passenger side bulkhead into the rear area and trunk. I liked this better than routing outside or in door sills.
  • Power to front camera is picked up from an unused fuse in the passenger fuse block, routed forward through a grommet at the front of the passenger door, along the engine compartment to the front grill. Also routed the front camera video cable through the same path. This keeps the power connection simple and out of the weather.
  • Since these speakers have a greater power capacity than stock Tbird, they need a larger gauge wire. For the doors speakers, this meant threading the wire through the weatherproof rubber from the vehicle body near the kick panel into the door. I pierced the rubber from the door side with a strong wire and pushed through to the kick panel side, where I grabbed the speaker wire and fished it into the door.
  • With CoPilot's help, it was determined that the subwoofer enclosures could be repurposed for this high end system. There don't appear to be 6x8 subwoofer speakers, so an adapter plate is used to translate 6x8 to 6.5" circular. As mentioned earlier, the TBird has a chassis bar approximately 1" in front of the outboard edge of the sub. Many sub speakers require much more for front clearance, so the SWS "shallow" design was perfect, and it is designed to work well in an enclosure with about 2.25 cubic feet of space, which is roughly the Ford enclosure size.
The sound is phenomenal using Amazon Music from an Android with high quality DACs (such as my Motorola Edge 2025) means very high quality. And being able to see rear or forward during parking is a blessing. Of course other standard features we expect in vehicles such as bluetooth to our phone, and navigation using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay are very nice. I am happy to answer any questions. I hope this helps advance our community knowledge.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much...the speakers in my 2002 Bird are not great, one might be blown....going to get new ones. This has been so helpful!!!!
 
If you want to replace with Ford Tbird parts, i have a full set, including amplifiers, and open to sell them. We would just need to see if the ones you need were identical to 2005.
 
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