Kick-panel Solution

Because I am considering upgrading the audio in my Falcon, I was interested in what my son did in his Mustang. Like a lot of us, he had purchased the aftermarket kickpanels that are designed to add L and R speakers. And.... like lots of us, he discovered that decent sounding speakers have much larger magnets and therefore are difficult to install because the magnets protrude in the back of the panels. The speakers he got for the Mustang protruded a full 1/2 inch and made it impossible to install them.

Solution: Automotive audio stores market a spacer to mount between the speaker frame and the mounting surface. There are several thicknesses available. He got the 3/4 inch units for only $15.

I put similar ones in my Falcon then moved them to the Comet. They were a lot more money than 15$, got them online at a place that's website starts with a guys name and he rebuilds stock radios too. I would have to ask Miles the name because I don't recall now. The good side of them...I really like the sound up front because I have bad hearing. They don't get jarred around like in the door speakers do but the downside is the are a bit in the way for the high beam button but I can still get my foot on the switch. And yes the speaker size is not that big but all in all I like them.
Maybe you can check mine out when the "guys" work on the Comet next time? More will be reveilled.

Not sure, but it looks like the kick panels on mine are deeper? I think they were from Falcon Parts. com. The speakers fit well and sound very good.

Larry - Seems you have similar spacers as Gene posted.

I have these in both my cars and spaced out one with stand-offs (wagon) and one (the Ranchero) I found Infinity speakers that fit and had a shallow depth to allow sandwiching them between the kick panel and the wall behind.

The wagon, with spacers about 1/2" tall, has a set of Kicker's I have crossed at about 400hz. Mostly to bring vocal presence forward. All bass is handled in the rear and I have Morel (mid's and tweets) bringing up all the other areas.