2007 install

Putting together my new install for the 2008 competition season and thought Id post some pics on it. I dont have it completely done yet.  Everything is hooked up but I still have a lot of trim pieces left to build.

This isnt a "show car" install frankly because I dont have the tools or talent to do something like that.  However this should look nice and neat, Ill still be able to use a lot of my trunk and Ill still be able to keep and get to my spare tire.

Here is the trunk with the old stuff out which was a Crossfire 4 channel, a Crossfire 2 channel, Polk Audio 10" sub and an Alpine processor along with a back wall where the amps and processor was mounted.



This is with everything slapped in for test fitting and to make sure everything worked.  Nothing worse than spending a coupld days putting eveything in only to find out one of the amps is fried.



This is the amp rack.  I cut it out of 1/4" MDF in the shape of the factory trim piece that covers the spare tire.  I didnt go all the way up to the bend because the sub box will be sitting on the part of the factory piece that covers the gas tank and the amp rack would catch on the sub box and not lift up enough to get the spare out.



This is the bottom.  I just used stips of 3/4" MDF.  I left gaps there to make it easier to run the wiring thru.  I screwed the strips onto the amp rack then I put it on the factory piece and screwed it on from the bottom.  Once together I carpeted the whole thing at once.  Then it just slid back into the trunk in its normal spot.  Then it was just a matter or running the wires to the amps and processor and mounting them.



And here is everything isntalled.  Polk Audio SR124DVC 12" sub, Polk Audio 500.4 4 channel amp, Polk Audio 1200.1 mono amp and Alpine H700 processor.





Here is the rack lifted up.  It looks tilted because Im holding this piece with these 2 behemoth amps on them and trying to hold the camera back far enough to get the picture.  It actually lifts up nice and straight.  I do have to take the heat sink off the amp up front or it will push into the surround of the sub.  But it only take 30 seconds and 4 screws to take off the heat sink so no biggie.



Next Im going to make a trim piece that will mount to the sub box that will go wall to wall in the trunk with only the sub sticking out flush and carpeted in trunk liner.  Then Ill build trim pieces that will make the trunk floor level and cover half the amps so they look flush as well.  Lastly Ill make a cover for the amp rack and put a cooling fan in there so the amps will be protected and I can still use my trunk for hauling all my junk.

FYI, I tried the sub firing forward, backward and up and firing back was heads and shoulders te best way! 

What head unit are you running with the H700 out of curiosity?

Alpine 9861 and Im using the optical output.

Got the trim panel for the sub put in today.  Took a lot of fitting and cutting but I finally got it in there.  Its not a perfect fit and there are some gaps but Im still going to put a lot of small trim panels in which should hopefully tie everything in together.  I say hopefully cause Im a lousy installer and Im actually surprised I havent screwed anything up yet! 

I made it out of 1/4" MDF.  I made a template out of cardboard and then transferred it over to the MDF and then cut it out.



And here it is installed.  You can see around the edges where it comes up about 1/2" short in the width. 



Tomorrow Ill start on the panel that will fit over the amps.  Itll level the floor out and make the amps flush with the floor.  After that Ill make all the little trim panels that will tie everything in and hopefully blend in all the seems properly.

I am disappointed with the sub's position.  I wish it were about 1.5" higher but thats as high as I could get it.  The back deck is about 3" lower than the rest of the trunk and in order to get the sub box to clear, I could only build it so tall.  If I were to scoot it out to clear the low hanging part it would block the spare tire.  If I were a good craftsman Im sure I couldve built a box that fit better but, like I said, a craftsman I aint!  Im hoping once everything gets in that it looks ok.

Managed to get the trim plate finished for the amps tonight.  Was a pretty large PITA mainly because I dont have a clue what Im doing so Im just fumbling along!  LOL.

Here it is cut out.  I cut a gap in the top part so I would have plenty of clearance of the sub when I take the panel in and out which could be an issue since you have to take the panel out to get to the spare tire and I dont want to be poking holes in my new $500 sub. 



And this is the bottom.  I some 3/4"MDF and cut out strips at the proper height.



Test fit.  I had to cut a notch at the hole for the processor.  The Ai-Net cable sticks up about 1/4" above the unit so the panel wouldnt sit flush.  Once carpeted, it pokes thru but its not terrible noticable.



Ready to lay on some carpet.



And here it is installed.  Its not perfect but its not that far off.  I did have a pretty big gap above the sub amp but a small piece of foam and some carpet and you cant see it.



Here is where the Ai-Net cable pokes thru.  Its not as bad as I thought it would be.  One problem tho is that with everything carpeted, the panel doesnt fit down over the processor.  Although its only about 1/16th of an inch shy it kinda bugs me.  Its because the carpet added just enough material that its catching on the RCA and power cables and wont go down any further. 



Oh well, like I said, Im a lousy installer! 

Im about 85% done now.  Tomorrow Ill make the trim pieces thatll tie in the sub panel with the rest of the trunk.  Shouldnt be too hard.

Next Ill make some pieces to go on either side of the amps but Im only going to use them for shows.  With nothing there, Ive got 2" deep pockets which are perfect for storing things and since I need this trunk to be as usable as possible, Ill keep em.

And Im done.  Ive still got some little touch up projects I want to do like make a panel to fit on the bottom of the back deck and build a cover for the amps for luggage hauling but those will come later. 

All I had to do tonight is make the side panels and get them to fit right.  Wasnt as hard as the other ones believe it or not.

Here are the left and right panels and then test fitted.









As with the other panels I made a template out of cardboard and then transfered it over to 1/4" MDF and then cut some strips out of 3/4" MDF to the proper height then carpeted them.

This is what they look like installed.  Believe it or not they fit perfectly!  I was stoked!





Im glad to be done with this.  I love listening to great car audio, and I really love tuning and tweaking and competing but I hate installing with a purple passion!  LOL!  Im glad its over with!

looks real nice and clean man

Looks mighty fine to me and likely sounds even better.

I really like the cleanness, almost makes me want to do something similar, only I think I would hide the amps behind the board that goes over the sub. It defiantly looks better the way it is, I just don't care much for looks and would like to protect my amps from stuff in the trunk. Do you think that would cause a heat problem? I've never really stopped to feel how hot my amps are right after running them. I only have two in the trunk the third is under my seat. I know, I know under the seat isn't good but that amp stays pretty cool with two fans I added under the seat. Also what kind of things does a sound processor do for you? 

I usually go for the total stealth look myself but I attend a lot of stereo competitions and for once I would like something that I could pop my trunk and have something halfway decent for people to look at.  Not show car worthy by any means, just neat and presentable.

I am going to make a cover for the amps so I can still throw luggage and stuff in the trunk.  I drive my car all over the place not only for competitions but to Ohio to see the in-laws and to Texas to see me mum and then little weekend trips all over so use of the trunk was mandatory.  Thats why I went to such pains to keep reasonably easy access to the spare.  The cover wil be some sort of grill that will fit over the amps and processor so you can still see them but you can still sit things on top of them and by using a grill the amps will still have plenty of airflow to keep cool. 

Heat isnt a problem as long as the tops of the amps are unobstructed.  Its thru the top that amps radiate most of their heat out.