Now it is my turn to show off! - Pics

After over a year working in my car, I can now say that I have a halfway decent system. I am still tweaking (and I guess will never be 100% done), but I can now enjoy a good SQ system on my way to work and back every day!

My intent was to have a crystal clear SQ system and make it look as stock as possible inside, keep as much trunk space as possible and avoid hacking the car, so that it can be returned to 100% stock if I want to. Below are some pics and descriptions.

I hate installing speakers in doors. Imaging/staging is terrible, and no matter how much work you put into them, you eventually end up with door rattles.


I installed my old trusty Eclipse radio using a cookie cutter kit. I haven't decided on what my final source will be. I am leaning towards the new double-din Eclipse navigation unit. Since my goal is sound quality, I am not sure whether the double-din radio will match my 5303R in sound quality. If I decide to keep this radio, I will make a better trim ring, if I go with the double-DIN, I guess I will be doing a bit of cutting and custom work on the trim.


I built the kick panels using the factory panels as a base. Just had to throw some MDF, resin, fiberglass, body filler, primer, texture, paint and clear coat together to get my Boston Z6's a new home. I originally had the kicks sealed (per Boston's original recommendation) and I had a horrible peak in the midbass (someone else at Boston told me later that they were not designed for sealed applications). I ended up opening the back of the kicks to vent the midbases out to the carpet and had to get an EQ to tame the remaining midbass. Because of the flash, it seems like the colors don't match as well as they actually do.



I initially had my phone next to the radio on a bracket. It looked hideous! Now it is out of sight in the eurotray. Since it has voice activation, I rarely even open the tray.


I have another thread about my V1 floating around, but here's a pic of my final product. I mounted the arrows in the middle, the counter in the bottom right side of the cluster, the V1 is in a CD holder on the visor,and I used the factory HK "subwoofer" button to turn it on and off. The small switch next to the radio is the mute.


... continued ...

Wow, great work. Especially integrating the speaker housing into the hood and trunk release. Nice. However, not sure if I'm digging the speakers in the floor space. If it's your daily driver, the housing is gonig to be kicked non-stop. But hey, thats my opinion. Definately nice work though.

very nice

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I wanted to keep the trunk somewhat simple. I am not really into flashy installs in my own cars, but I didn't want it to be boring either. A little plexi was good enough to accentuate the install. I have to make some kind of grilles (most likely out of plexi) to protect the subs.


An EQX in the factory storage area is hidden when I am not tweaking


Since the amps are very heavy (Sounstream Van Gogh 800.2 for the fronts and 1600.2 for the subs), I had to make my shelf out of 3/4" plexi and support it with 3 plexi pieces bolted from the top of the rear deck to the bottom of the rack.


I didn't want to get carried away with lighting, but I ended up adding some "color" to the install.


Between the two subs, I have a capacitor, ground distribution block and power fusing (all easily accesible from the rear seat). I made a pseudo-BMW logo with two holes for "venting". I did some side-lighting on the logo with LEDs to make it stand out.

Originally Posted by ljh824

Wow, great work. Especially integrating the speaker housing into the hood and trunk release. Nice. However, not sure if I'm digging the speakers in the floor space. If it's your daily driver, the housing is gonig to be kicked non-stop. But hey, thats my opinion. Definately nice work though.

Thanks. It is my daily driver, and only my wife and I drive it. I've had kick panels in my last 4 cars, so I am used to them. If someone rides in my car, I warn them before they even get in the car. The clear coat protects the finish, and I can always spot-touch up, if I ever get a scratch. A small price for better sound.

Very nice setup. Super clean

our trunks look similar, again, very nice job and in good taste.

Awsome setup bro! The installs look clean and stock

Very impressive. I'm especially impressed by your kick panel fabrication. They look very professional, even though I think I'd kick my speaker grille in after a few days of daily driving. I bet it sounds awesome.

Excellent work - the kick panels look perfect. Good texture matching.

Mark

I love your V1 intergrated setup. Nice job!!!!

Very Sweet






.

excellent job on kickpanel. if i don't drive a bmw, i would've thought the car speakers came that way.

Nice install!

Could I get some more information on how you used the factory HK subwoofer button to operate the V1? I am not installing a V1, but I would like to be able to use the factory HK button to be used as an on/off button for a project I am starting...

Originally Posted by Jackboot

Nice install!

Could I get some more information on how you used the factory HK subwoofer button to operate the V1? I am not installing a V1, but I would like to be able to use the factory HK button to be used as an on/off button for a project I am starting...

The switch is not a hard wired switch, it is just a logic signal, so it doesn't source enough current to turn anything on (not even a relay). I ended up making a current amplifier.

Here's how I did it: You need to check with a meter to verify, but if memory serves me right, it was a yellow wire (or yellow with another color stripe, maybe black?). I cut the wire (to avoid feedback back into the car) and hooked up an amplifier (made from transistors) to power the V1 up. Depending on what you are powering, you might also need a relay. Keep in mind that the switch is an on/off switch, not a pulse.

If you want, I can give you schematics of the circuit I made (actually a timer/amplifier). I haven't tried, but you could just probably get by with a single transistor. Another option is to buy a pre-built amplifier like the one I made from Select Products ot Accele Electronics, probably for $20 - $30.

nice setup - I like it a lot - those kicks are very well done

it's about time you made with the pics

Originally Posted by ca1242

The switch is not a hard wired switch, it is just a logic signal, so it doesn't source enough current to turn anything on (not even a relay). I ended up making a current amplifier.

Here's how I did it: You need to check with a meter to verify, but if memory serves me right, it was a yellow wire (or yellow with another color stripe, maybe black?). I cut the wire (to avoid feedback back into the car) and hooked up an amplifier (made from transistors) to power the V1 up. Depending on what you are powering, you might also need a relay. Keep in mind that the switch is an on/off switch, not a pulse.

If you want, I can give you schematics of the circuit I made (actually a timer/amplifier). I haven't tried, but you could just probably get by with a single transistor. Another option is to buy a pre-built amplifier like the one I made from Select Products ot Accele Electronics, probably for $20 - $30.

Thanks for the info What I want to use the button for is an on/off switch for my carputer. It could either go directly to the carputer itself, or to the carputer's power supply. I think I'd be better off buying a pre-built but maybe I could get by with the schematic you made. What do you suggest for my application? Thanks again

Originally Posted by Jackboot

Thanks for the info What I want to use the button for is an on/off switch for my carputer. It could either go directly to the carputer itself, or to the carputer's power supply. I think I'd be better off buying a pre-built but maybe I could get by with the schematic you made. What do you suggest for my application? Thanks again

Let me look at it. Most likely you can get by with a transistor and a relay, which is easy to get and cheap. I'll get back to you as soon as I get a chance to look at the notes I have from my install.

Originally Posted by ca1242

Let me look at it. Most likely you can get by with a transistor and a relay, which is easy to get and cheap. I'll get back to you as soon as I get a chance to look at the notes I have from my install.

Great - thanks a tonne

Originally Posted by Jackboot

Great - thanks a tonne

Here's the info on the H/K sub button:
The wire color in my car was yellow/black. I did cut it to avoid any problems.
The wire provides a low current negative signal when "on".
I guess I was lazy and used a pre-fabbed timer (with the time delay set to zero, as I only wanted to amplify the current). It was an Accele #6910 timer (about $20). I am pretty sure a TO-220 package PNP transistor from Radio Shack would work just fine to either drive a relay or a low current load (~1A).
I know that DEI also makes a multi-function timer that might work for that purpose, but haven't tried it myself on that application.

Shoot me a PM if you need more info/help.