[MrFixr55]

Unfortunately, if someone looks at the back seat and trunk of my Taurus (2003 Taurus SE Sedan, 3L Vulcan, Plane Jane X Fleet car, 150K mi, runs like a top, zero rust), they may mistake it for a dumpster. Actually, it is a pretty darned good car!

BTW, no one is snickering at your project. $12, some junk box parts, honing skills, etc. is all really good! and your real Philco is safe. I don't think that ChiCom Philco and Crosley knockoffs are ever going to be collectible.

People can do what they want, but I cringe when I see one of these perfectly restored real antique radio cabinets where the "restorer" junked the real radio chassis and replaced it with a Bluetooth speaker. I cringe even more when they successfully sell for > $200. There are many ways of having it both ways, especially when the cabinet is large enough for both the original radio and the Bluetooth speaker.

The car radio probably has a power amp where the neg speaker leads are not grounded but go to a "mirror style circuit that 'swings" both leads in opposite directions. I don't think that you can just "parallel" the output. There is supposed to be a way to "bridge" the outputs for a more powerful mono output. Alternatively, score another 6X8 Ford speaker and make a grille on the back of the radio. You will then get a true stereo sound. Dunno why you had to cut the built in grille. Both my taurus and my wife's 00 Explorer (5L!!), as well as neighbor's 05 Explorer use the same speaker. I believe that these are rated 25W.

Re the brick, I have had no problem running audio systems or even car radios off a "brick". Now having it in the cabinet with the antenna may be an issue.

What I did have an issue with was trying to run an AA5 radio from an inverter. If transformer powered with a full wave rectifier, no problem. If a series string, transformerless, with a half wave rectifier, entirely different story.