# Lancer OZ install Log



## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well, the time has come to stop gawking at everyone elses installations, and start one myself. Hopefully this install will help others with the same vehicle to obtain the info they need to do a quality install, learning from my mistakes I will try to map out a plan of attack, and a schedule to hopefully keep things steadily moving on track. I guess I will start off with a little about the vehicle for the install and some of my ideas. The car is a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer OZ edition. The dash and footwells have about average space for speaker locations. The stock door locations have a plastic adapter, but can fit most 6.5" speakers with a baffle. The overall road noise and sound penetration in this vehicle I would say is a little more muted than the avergae compact car which is great. That being said, I'm going to dampen the rig anyway as its still not good enough for my liking.
Here are a few pics and measurements so that you can get a visual refernece point for what I'm working with. (Just ignore the dirty and tattered floormats, they will also be replaced shortly.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

*PREPARATION*
Phase 1: Vibration and acoustic dampening. I will be applying a couple layers of Fatmat, followed by 2 different layers of closed cell foam. I may lay down a layer of liquid deadener on top of the fatmat if I can find a reasonable deal on some. Floors, wheel wells, doors and trunk will all be treated.

Phase 2: Wiring. I plan on running 1/0 gauge power wiring from the battery back to the trunk. Will also be running 16gauge and 12g wiring for speakers, 2 sets of 4-channel RCA's, Remote wire, ground wire, etc. 1/0g pos and neg will terminate to a metered distribution block sending 4g power and ground to each of two amplifiers. All wiring will be techflexed, labeled and heat shrink tubing applied where applicable. The "Big 3" will also be performed along with new battery terminals.

*FABRICATION*
Phase 3: Custom kickpanels will be built to house the midranges and tweeters. Time will be spent listening to different aiming positions before final molds are made. Finish should look factory and will be finished either vinyl wrapped, or texture coated and sprayed.

Phase 4: Door panels will be massaged to allow 8" drivers. Drivers will be mounted to the door and the plastic door trim will be modified to allow proper space, protection and provide a clean factory look. Doors will be strengthened if needed.

Phase 5: Subwoofer enclosure and amp rack will be fabricated for the trunk. I'll update this phase once I'm decided on the path I'd like to take with it.

Phase 6: Install drivers, clean and put finishing touches on fabrication. Compile install documentation.

*TUNING*
Phase 6: Adjust crossover points, slopes. Run RTA and adjust equalization. Perform listening tests to put the final touch on it.


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## Sassmastersq (Jan 12, 2007)

if you're interested, I've got a Denford (RFX-8240) moulded into a dash piece that would work perfectly in your car, it used to be covered in carbon fiber, but I stripped it down to the bare plastic, but it's ready for paint or dye, texture, etc. PM me if you're interested. here's a pic of the trim:









the deck is 99% cosmetically iirc. and is the best sounding deck I've ever used.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

You know, I was just thinking about whether or not I should smooth that dash panel out and flush the 9255 in there. I guess when I get to that point, I'll have to consider it.

I used to have an 8250 myself, that piece would have looked good.


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

Nice tape measure....

Now keep the pics coming.....


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## vidizzle (May 30, 2008)

keepem coming man..and gud luck with the install


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well gang, Phase 1 started today. What a pain in the ass. From above, you'll recall that Phase 1 is Preparation. This means today I got started on the task of sound/vibration damping. 
I got the interior pulled (this took almost half the day), vaccumed and cleaned the areas to be done, and started applying my sound deadener (fatmat). It was a long, HOT day. The weather here today was sunny and about 100 degrees, probably a little hotter in my car. Lets just say it sucked 

I still have more to complete with the deadener (the doors will not be done this weekend) including the c.c. foam to be laid in.
I will be working on getting that done tomorrow as well as the wiring layed in, labeld, secured, and techflex wrapped. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully it wont be quite as hot as it was today.
My back is sore...

EDIT: YES, I did take plenty of pictures, but they will be uploaded probably on Monday showing the progress of Phase1 and Phase 2. Hang tight...


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## slvrtsunami (Apr 18, 2008)

subscribed!!


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## Sassmastersq (Jan 12, 2007)

took you half a day to get your interrior out? I've got mine down to half an hour.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Yeah, its the first time I have done mine in this vehicle, so I had to figure out the puzzle of getting everything out in the right order. That plus 105 degree heat slows you down a bit 

Pictures momentarily...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

So 17 hours and a backache later, I have completed Phase 1 and got about halfway through Phase 2. Pics to follow with a description. To get the interior out in this vehicle, you have to start with the center console. There are two screws inside of the armrest console (lift up the lid, they are in the bottom). Remove them, then the console can be lifted out (there are also clips at the front end of the console, so pull it upward and they will pop out.









Next you need to remove the pocket holder located below the hvac controls. There are two screws under the top of it, and clips that will pop out once you pull it forward.

Next you need to remove the forward section of the console. pull out the ash tray, remove the shifter knob, remove the trim panels on the side of the console section by unscrewing and popping out clips. You'll need to also unscrew one of the screws inside of the ash tray area that holds the center console in place. There are also 2 more screws at the end of the console closest to the emergency brake. Once those are removed, you can start to lift it out. you'll have to unplug 4 connectors once you can reach them. 1 is right next to the screws next to the e-brake, the other 3 are the ones connected to the cigarette lighter. Theres also a light connector that illuminates the ash tray that can be twisted and pulled out.




































After doing this you should now have access to the 4 seat bolts. Unscrew them and remove each seat. Note that there is one connector at the front base of the drivers seat to be unclipped.


















Remove the dead pedal by popping out the hole cover in the center of it, and unscrewing the bolt. Also unscrew the plastic screw at the top of the dead pedal, remove it.









Remove the door sill trims (front and rear) by pulling them straight up. The clips will pop out. Also remove the center pillar covers (pull one side at a time). The cenetr pillar cover removal requires you to unbolt the bottom strap of the seatbelt. Quick and easy.


















Remove the rear seat starting with the bottom. Pull it straight up and the clips will pop out. Next remove the two side rear seat pieces by removing one screw for each at the base of the piece. They hook on to a rail at the top, so just push them upward afetr removing the screw and they will come out easily. Remove the seat backs by unscrewing the bolts that hold the seats to the mounting plates. Remove.









Pull out the carpet. Not much to mention here. Once your in there you'll figure out how to pull it out. I found it easier to unclip it from the side holders, and then pull the back and front up to the center and over the ebrake/shifter. fold it up and pull it out of the car.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

So thats where all of my change went 









The trunk is also pretty easy. Unscrew the panels and pull them forward to pop them out. The side trim pieces have connectors that you need to push the center pin inward for them to pop out. Remove the carpet, tire wood cover, and tire.
Now your ready to clean and prep the areas for sound deadener! 









I layed in the fatmat and rolled in on. This stuff has a very good adhesive. Better than the extreme I put in the doors/trunk lid a few years ago, and its also more flexible so it makes for an easier application.































































Next I decided to put in a closed cell foam barrier on top of the fatmat. 3/8" thick neoprene. I figured this would add a little something extra for noise blocking. Got the trunk and the floors of the car done. I will be doing the doors on another day. It was just too much to try and get done in the god awful heat. Plus its very easy to get at the doors when I want to, and I knew I was going to need to do some more modification for the doors, so they will be another project coming up soon.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

With most of the deadening done (doors will be done later as mentioned above), I moved on to Phase 2. Thsi involved running new power, remote, speaker, and signal cables. All cables were techflexed labeled and shrink wrapped at the ends. Since they have not been terminated yet, they will be cleaned up when I get to that point.
1/0 guage run from the battery to the trunk, a new remote wire run, (2) 4 channel RCA's for a total of 8 channels, and 12gauge & 16gauge speaker wire run. The 12 gauge will be for the midbasses, while the 16gauge will be for the mids and tweeters.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Although I didnt get pictures of it (DOH!  ) I did use cable ties and the square adhesive backed mounts to secure the wires. Power wires went down the passenger side door channel. Speaker wires went down the passenger side center column. Signal wires went down the drivers side center column. Cables were secures appx every 6-8 inches.

Also, the old wiring seen in the earlier pictures was removed. The 4gauge power wire may be reused for the "big 3" that will be done hopefully this week. Copper is getting expensive 

Next up on tap will be the remainder of phase 2. I need to get the Big 3 done. After that, I will begin work on fiberglassing some kickpanel enclosures for the mids and tweets. Once that is complete, I will begin working on deadening and sealing the doors and constructing the baffles for the midbasses.


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## garvinzoom (Mar 23, 2008)

DAMN, you are making me feel slow! That is great progress, where did you get the neoprene and the tech flex? Looks like some nice stuff. I am still debating on using that or wire loom as I can get it at a "discount" at work... I also like how you showed the steps in removing the console and other parts, I may try to document those things for you and others when it goes together. Looks to be pretty much the same concept though.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

garvinzoom said:


> DAMN, you are making me feel slow! That is great progress, where did you get the neoprene and the tech flex? Looks like some nice stuff. I am still debating on using that or wire loom as I can get it at a "discount" at work... I also like how you showed the steps in removing the console and other parts, I may try to document those things for you and others when it goes together. Looks to be pretty much the same concept though.


Yeah, I figured if someone else has the same model, this will be valuable info for them to see what they need to do.

I pretty much had ot make good progress. I really want to have some tunes when I leave for vacation next weekend. I wont complete the whole thing, but if I can get the doors done and kickpanel pods built, I can put an amp in the back while I cruise and build a ful amp rack and sub enclosure after I return. 

The neoprene was aquired from http://www.thefoamfactory.com
They have great prices, and it is good quality. In the trunk I have a layer of neoprene topped with a layer of Volara foam. The volara has a nice harder feel and finish to it. Its not nearly as squishy as the neoprene. It workd well as a top layer. If you're considering getting some, I can send you a sample of each as I have leftover, just let me know.

The 'techflex' expandable tubing and heatshrink tubing were both picked up from ebay member furryletters . His prices really cant be beat, and he ships quick too


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## Dougie085 (May 2, 2006)

Do you think 3/8" neoprene is really needed? How heavy is the stuff? I'm going to be doing a system in an M3 and am trying to cut down on the weight I add to the car  I figured you used 1/8" or 1/4" or something. I'll be shaving pounds off the car with carbon ceramic breaks carbon fiber hoods and trunks and what not seems silly to add so much weight for sound deadening but I love music .


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

The neoprene is very light actually. Needed? Probably not, but I was already in there and the stuff was pretty cheap, so why not ?


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## Dougie085 (May 2, 2006)

Well I meant do you think that thickness is really needed. Like would 1/2" or 1/4" be ok.


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## chefhow (Apr 29, 2007)

Looks great, but you are nutz!!! I live about 90 minutes west of you and we had 100+ temps this weekend, I didnt want to leave my house it was soooooo hot.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

yeah, I think it was about 105 degrees on saturday. Sunday wasnt AS bad, but still sucked. Might have been about 95 or so.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

So I got started on baffles and fiberglassing today. Or at least I WOULD have gotten started on fiberglassing if (1) it didnt storm like crazy causing the power to go out, and 
(2) if I had forgotten to pick up a couple of brushes to apply the resin like a total dope.

Well, at least I got the masking done, and cut up strips of fiberglass mat. I'll try to pick up some brushes tomorrow and get those kicks started.

Heres a few pics to wet your beak.


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## bretti_kivi (Dec 3, 2007)

you don't *need* brushes!

kebab sticks (you know, the ones you'd use for chunks of meat for the grill) - break them in half. dribble. Mix your resin in disposable paper coffee cups...and just dribble away. In heat it won't take long to go off, so you can do a few ounces and then get on with something else, come back to it in a few. Or just mix a large container and decant.

Alternatives? Coffee stirrers. Kids brushes. Aluminum foil in 3-4 layer strengths. Your fingers in nitrile gloves, cardboard.. get creative  I've just been really surprised by how useful this kebabstick thing is. It means you can drop 1-2 drops at once... and get a decent, smooth finish from layer 1.
Soak the mat in resin and then apply, use the sticks to push it into place. Why brush?

Bret


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Brett, good tips thanks.
I did get started applying the fiberglass resin and mat today, and inbetween coats I was working on doing the "Big 3".
For those that don't know, it entails running 3 new wires for your electrical/charging system to maximize available voltage. The runs I got done today were:

(1)Battery neg to chassis ground. I found a good CLOSE spot and wire brushed the paint away and cleaned. Nice good connection. The wire was 4gauge, techflexed, and heat shrink wrapped.



















(2) Engine block to chassis ground. Found a good spot on a mount directly bolted to the engine and ran it to the same psot as above.


(3) Alternator positive to Battery positive. The cable was run and connected to the alternator post. Unfortunately that involved jacking up the car and getting to the underside of the alternator, where that post is actually accessible. It is techflexed, heatshrink wrapped and run to the battery, but NOT connected yet. I need to pick up another inline fuse to conect before the battery. I HAD one yesterday but it somehow took a walk on me...bummer.















































Heres some pics of the fiberglassing I got done today. Pulled the molds otu and will work on them when I get some time.




























Thanks for looking.


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## garvinzoom (Mar 23, 2008)

Looking good!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

So I went on vacation last week and I had to make a push to at least get SOME kind of tunes in the car. I installed an amp, wired up the existing Diamond Audio components, installed the DRZ9255, wired up the distro blocks, etc. 
I've gotta say, the 9255 is an incredible unit. The time alignment is fantastic, and the output quality on this deck is just as good if not better than the old RFX-8250 I had. Difference is, the 8250 had 8v balanced outs which was great, but it also didnt have ANY of the extremely powerful processing that the DRZ9255 has.

Anywho, the system sounds FAR better even with the old Diamonds still installed.

Oh, and I also installed a new battery as it was desperately needed.

Heres a few quick pics.

The new Kinetic KHC-1400. Far superior to my old stock battery.



























And the new head unit. Clarion DRZ-9255...sweetness...


















I'm awaiting baffles that are being made by Mr Marv, and then i'll continue work on getting the new Hybrid Audio speakers mounted, aimed and then fiberglass/finish the kicks.
After that its on to the trunk...


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## arrivalanche (Jun 27, 2008)

I take it you cleaned your whole interior when you had it out? that was lookin pretty nasty. On the other hand im a COMPLETE neat freak when it comes to my interior.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Yeah, it was pretty nasty in there. Not only did I thoroughly clean the carpeting and seats, but I also wiped down and cleaned all of the interior plastic pieces/panels. I've kept it MUCH cleaner since then.


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## [email protected] (Aug 30, 2006)

Nice work.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

[email protected] said:


> Nice work.


Thanks


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

It was a LOOONG weekend.

To start off, I picked up the holesaw and went to town cutting holes to vent kickpanel enclusres into the framerails. I also Built the kickpods, which stil need some finishing work. I havent decided yet if Im going to keep the tweet down low, or just seal the baffle hole for the tweets and mount them on the A-pillars. I'll decide once I get some listening in.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Sharpie placed into the hole to give an idea of the space inside the framerail area. Theres plenty of airspace in there.

I also wanted to mount the new Peerless SLS 8"ers in the doors as well this week. I'm too poor to be able to afford L8's right now, but these look to be a HECK of a bargain. We'll know after I get some listening time in.

Cut baffles for the SLS8's and mounted them to the door. Sealed any gaps with foam and both edges and seams of the baffles with silicone sealant.









































































What you dont see in these pics is that I added a couple more screws to really secure it to the door. Also, This was just the first baffle (3/4" Birch), I added a second to account for the depth.  

Unfortunately, the door card would not fit back on with the newly upgraded hardware. I had to cut the door panel wide open to fit them. These things are straight up massive. They look closer to a 10" than an 8". Did some basic molding of the door panel and I will have to continue work on it to smooth it out, fill in gaps, and paint. Then I'll need to stretch some grill cloth over it or something.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Yeah, my baffles are ****ty...I know.  But, they are functional so thats whats important.

Some more pics...























































Heres where you can see I had to "modify" the lower dash. Thi sis the drivers side. I also had to do the passengers side. I'll pretty it up later, but for now the doors close, so thats a good thing LOL :roll: 




















I also ran out and picked up some contact cement so I'll be able to install my deflex pads when I go to do the work on the doors again. The deflex pads I got were from Madisound, and they are really beefy and heavy duty. Id say about 5/8" think and about 2+ lbs each...very nice quality.


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## brendan 67 (Mar 12, 2007)

Whats going on with the door panels.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

brendan 67 said:


> Whats going on with the door panels.


They still need alot of smoothing and sanding before I can even think about texture coat/paint. Then I need to make a grill as well. Yeah, they look like **** right now, but hopefully they will turn out pretty good.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Connected up the Peerless SLS's today.  WOW. Lets just say they have some serious output.

my quick review:
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?p=506791#post506791


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## slvrtsunami (Apr 18, 2008)

Thinking twice about subs? That would be great if you can pull it off. The baffles and the door hold up to all the low end music information?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Surprisingly, yes. And I still have to install the remaining deadening, ensolite, and the pair of deflex pads I have. These things rock.


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## slvrtsunami (Apr 18, 2008)

Cool!! It is nice to see the capabilities of some of these drivers. Let us know how it goes after the deadening is done.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

slvrtsunami said:


> Cool!! It is nice to see the capabilities of some of these drivers. Let us know how it goes after the deadening is done.


Will do. I'll update my review on them once they are
1- Broken in
2- Properly powered
3- Additional deadening is complete


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## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

Looks like things are coming along nicely CO. And thanks for posting up the mini review on the SLS 8's.


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## Need-sq (May 26, 2007)

Strong work man. You are motivated!..Everything looks really good so far....I look forward to seeing more....


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Boostedrex said:


> Looks like things are coming along nicely CO. And thanks for posting up the mini review on the SLS 8's.





Need-sq said:


> Strong work man. You are motivated!..Everything looks really good so far....I look forward to seeing more....


Thanks fellas. I'm hoping to get the HAT drivers in this weekend and the PPI amp hooked up to the SLS's. We'll see how it goes...:blush:


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## keepitreal07 (Apr 26, 2008)

hey i love the midbass....i got the same ones and mounted them the same way...just having trouble making a beuty panel on the front...how did you do it


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

keepitreal07 said:


> hey i love the midbass....i got the same ones and mounted them the same way...just having trouble making a beuty panel on the front...how did you do it


 I didn't, yet. I'm actually working on that now. I cut out a circle close to the diameter of the baffles that were mounted to the door metal, so the panel now fits over the midbasses and attaches to the door properly. Then I used some fiberglass/mat to build up some structure around the baffles to connect to the door card. Then I strated using Bondo to fill in dips and gaps, however its not turning out too pretty just yet. I need to pick up a few putty knives to make applying the (****ty) Bondo a bit easier. Then I'll sand it down and use a glaze putty to fill in any holes and such. After that its more sanding and then finally, I'll have to decide if I want to stretch some vinyl or texture paint. Either way, I'll need to also make some sort of grill to cover the midbasses and I'll likely end up covering that in grill cloth.
I'll post up some pics of the progress so that you'll see how I'm doing it. This is my first attempt at doing a door panel, so I'm kind of winging it here.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

So today I focused on getting the L4/L1pro installed into the (sh*tty) kickpanel pods I made. I say (sh*tty) bacause I did a very poor job of aiming them before glassing them. Instead of pointing slightly forward and up, they are pointing slightly down. You'll probably be able to see what Im referring to in the pics. Because they will be located behind a (modified) factory panel, I didnt feel the need to "pretty" them up. I did wrap them though in something I thought would be both functional and clean- Ensolite foam. I figured a little extra damping couldn't hurt. You'll also notice some Great Stuff window and door foam on the inside of the enclosures. This should also give me a little more resistance to enclosure resonance. Keep in mind I still have to hack the factory kick panel and do alot of clean up, but you get the idea...



























The surprising thing about my goof up with the aiming is the fact that with about 15 minutes worth of tuning from the controls of my DRZ-9255, these things still sound damn good. 
Tonality is VERY good, and I must say that the L4's billing of being a wide-bandwidth midrange is absolutely not a hoax. Even when crossed as high as 10khz they still sounded quite good. :shock: I could certainly see these being used as a full range driver in a variety of applications. Well done Scott.

Here are a few pics of the door panels from better angles as promised. Hopefully I'll get to do some work on them over the next 2 days as you can clearly see theres alot of work to be done...






































I also started making the cables to connect up the second amplifier. My main amp is an Arc Audio 4150-cxlr which is powering the L4/L1pro's with 80 watts per channel. The second amp I'm hooking up is a PPI PCX-480 which will be bridged down to 2 channels, providing 320 watts to each Peerless SLS 8" midbass (Im too poor for the L8's right now  but these do seem to be a very good driver).

Cables, techflexed/heat shrink...you know the deal:


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## keepitreal07 (Apr 26, 2008)

looking really good mate......i know what you mean about the kicks,.when you 1st aim then the look ok...till you get a final position with drivers in it


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

They actually sound quite good still. I'm surprised.
I do have a little tuning to do about the high range in female vocals. Im getting a bit of harshness there, but I think a little more crossover and level adjusting as well as a little EQ will go a long way toward making these Hybrids sing.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

nice work so far...but one question.

Why are you using thin cloth and not chopped matt?

The chopped matt will build up much thicker and in the event that you do get an air pocket it's easier to repair my grinding it out.

It's much easier to stiple the air pockets out with your brush with the chopped matt.

When air pockets form in cloth the pieces ends up delaminating and it has to be completely torn out.

That just what I learned when I first start glassing audio panels and have stayed away from thin cloths....the type you have from Bondo sold in all the autoparts stores.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Mainly because I didnt know any better and thats all the stores I was looking in carried.
I have used the chopped mat before and it surely is better, you are correct.

I'll be trimming the excess and drilling holes all through the panel before I use the Rage Gold and filler putty.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well...been a while. I've had alot going on and got caught up in learning to play the drums to jam with my buddies so the install has been in a lull.

Im basically at the same position with the doors. I need to find a way to make them presentable.

The drivers are mounted to rings which are secured to the metal door. The door card can slip over the midbasses & baffles and still attach properly to the metal door. The problem is in making a protective grill and smoothing out the door. I think due to the curves in portions of that door panel that doing vinyl may prove to be extremely tricky. Especially for someone who has never wrapped vinyl :lol:

Anyways, I'm trying to wrap my brain around it to figure out a solution. Right now I'm thinking about making a metal ring that goes around the baffle. I could then stretch some fabric from the ring over the door panel and fiberglass again to get a better result.
Perhaps some of you experienced guys can offer some input?

Take a look at the panels a few posts up. ( I do have a fresh set of door panels as well as a back up plan, fyi). Part of the problem is that I have limited clearance to "build up" the panel much more due to space where the door panel meets the dash when the door is closed.

Im also considering pulling out the kick panel enclosures and doing them over. I know I can do a much better job, and I think I can aim them properly to get better response from the mids. In fact, I may just end up doing the 4" mids in the kicks and move the tweeters up to the A-Pillars. Since I plan on running the mids up to between 6-8khz, the tweets will be used more for top end sparkle anyway. The a-pillars I feel much more comfortable about. They should be a pretty easy job. Its these doors that have me screwed right now.

Amps have been changed as well. I'll be using a pair of JL 300/4's to power the system now.


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## ReloadedSS (Aug 26, 2008)

Glad to see you've picked up the log. I enjoyed following along in the past.

This might be a bit off topic, but other than the install and the apparent ease of assembly/disassembly, how is the car, as far as drivability, reliability, etc.?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

ReloadedSS said:


> Glad to see you've picked up the log. I enjoyed following along in the past.
> 
> This might be a bit off topic, but other than the install and the apparent ease of assembly/disassembly, how is the car, as far as drivability, reliability, etc.?


Best car I've owned in that reguard. I've got about 130K miles on this car (lots of work highway driving  ) and the only thing I've had to replace outside of scheduled maintenance is one brake caliper. The clutch is still strong at 130K and she runs great. I think these were overbuilt because they are the platform that the EVO is based off of. They are fantastic cars. I'd take one over a similar Honda or Toyota every day of the week. And believe me, I wouldnt have said that before I had the experience with this one.

The OZ is a nice mix of a smooth ride with sporty handling. They dont have much in the way of power, but they are still fun to drive, and to look at. Very comfortable seats as well. When I get in my womans car (Mazda 3) my back aches after driving for 15 minutes. 


Thanks for following the build log, much appreciated. Good stuff to come in the near future...stay tuned


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well, I think (with some help from others) that I have an idea to try and get the doors banged out. Its going to take alot of work, but hopefully they'll come out ok.

My plan is to make rings to go around the baffles (speaker rings) I currently have mounted to the door. These will make a lip that I can use to stretch fabric over the space between the baffles and the door panels. With a little fiberglassing, drilling, filling and sanding, I think I may be able to get them to be presentable. Chances are that they wont be able to be vinyl stretched because of some of the difficult shapes in the door panel so unless some of the experts chime in otherwise, I'll likely do a textured paint.

Here are pics of the rings I did tonight. I've seen others do this with ABS or other plastics/materials, but I got this idea from one of Geo's threads (thanks dude !!)

I used the speaker grills that I will be using as a guide to shape the rings. I first wrapped one layer of dense volara foam (1/4") to allow myself a little wiggle room for the material.

PICS:




































Where the cut was made at the end of the strip, I used some superglue on the seam to hold things together. I'm letting the rings sit on the speaker grills tonight just be sure they dont lose shape. After trimming and sanding the edges, I'll likely wipe the top and bottom with a little Titebond III to be sure I'll have no separation issues. Im not really worried to be honest as they will soak up some resin when the fabric gets stretched.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

The product says it can be "ironed" on. Its basically a roll of real wood veneer. Easily bendable and it has a good adhesive already applied. All you need to do is heat it up to activate the glue. I chose to use the heat gun since it was just easier in this application. 
This can be found at your local Lowes or **** Depot. Cost is about $6.50 a package. For reference, one package was enough to do both of the rings for the 8" drivers, and still have left over. In fact, its probably enough leftover for tweeter rings. 2 packs probably would have been enough to do all 6 drivers...looks like I'll have some extra


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## ReloadedSS (Aug 26, 2008)

I've used the iron-on wood veneer stuff, but not in this kind of application. Keep up the good work!


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## ehiunno (Feb 26, 2008)

Subscribing to see if our idea works. Best of luck!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

ehiunno said:


> Subscribing to see if our idea works. Best of luck!


Im pretty confident it will. 

I just need a little time and cooperation from mother nature so I can work on the doors


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## rkb993 (Apr 10, 2009)

Great organization and build log. Looks great so far.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

rkb993 said:


> Great organization and build log. Looks great so far.


Thanks bud 

Working today on removing the fibeglass/bondo mess from the current panels, drilling small holes/scuffing and getting some fabric stretched over the rings and doors to ready for fiberglassing.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well, unfortunately weather isnt cooperating today...

But, i did manage to get some prep work done. I glued the material to the rings which will be used to stretch over the panel for the fiberglassing work. I also did some door prep work. I had to remove all of the bad fiberglassing I initially did to get a fresh start. I sanded the door panel area and drilled a bunch of small holes which will be needed to make sure the fiberglass and filler stay put once they are applied to the panel.

Pics:

Old fiberglass and Bondo removed



















Holes drilled and panel sanded


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Old t-shirt...Draw the outline of the ring, cut it about 3/4" smaller diameter.

















A little contact cement





























Now the rings are ready to be secured and then the material stretched and glued/trimmed onto the door panel.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

In progress...





























I used contact cement to try and hold the fabric in place once stretched.





































Not perfect, but I think I can work with it once I get a thin fiberglass shell done. Ill put a coat or two on these and then remove the door panel. After that, I'll get some on the back side of the door panel as well to to strengthen it up. Cross your fingers...


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## ehiunno (Feb 26, 2008)

That looks like it will work out well. With that pocket right there I can never imagine getting the fabric perfect, but a little bondo and a lot of love should smooth things out. Looking forward to the final product. I didn't realize you had them in there like they were for so long!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

ehiunno said:


> That looks like it will work out well. With that pocket right there I can never imagine getting the fabric perfect, but a little bondo and a lot of love should smooth things out. Looking forward to the final product. I didn't realize you had them in there like they were for so long!


Yeah, its been a while. Too long... :blush:

I layed on the resin on the stretched fabric and unfortunately, it was a little to thin. I got areas where it sagged. I think I can still work with this though. I'll have to sand and grind the fiberglass layer a bit, and then drill some smal holes in it so that I can apply filler.
I'll chalk this one up to being a rookie with this. Hopefully the end result will be decent though. I sense a LOT of elbow grease about to be summoned. :laugh:


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

great idea there,capn....i was also considering this option for my xls8 door mounted woofs. are your doors made of poly propylene ,also? nothing seems to stick to that crap,very well.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

stinky06 said:


> great idea there,capn....i was also considering this option for my xls8 door mounted woofs. are your doors made of poly propylene ,also? nothing seems to stick to that crap,very well.


Yeah they really are slick. I've scuffed them up with sandpaper and drilled a bunch of small holes in before stretching the fabric. The main reason for this is that I'll be able to do some filling from the back side of the panel and it should really help to bond and solidify the whole panel. Pics below are of the door panels as I took them out of the car tonight after allowing them a few days drying time. As expected, the mold is a bit thin and flimsy right now since theres no fiberglass matt in there yet. I plan to drill some holes in the mold and a few more surrounding it in the doors. I trimmed the excess material and as you can see they dont look nearly as bad as they initially did.
Remember when viewing these that the panels are not actually being used to "mount" the midbass to, so they won't need as much total mass as a door "pod" would. I really wanted to take this approach because I feel that when you do a door pod your left with much more panel resonance issues. When the door panel is part of the enclosure it makes it much more difficult to decouple it from the solid door structure. By mounting the midbass baffles(rings) to the door metal, I enable myself to be able to use closed cell foam to decouple the normally vibration prone door panels from the door metal for a much cleaner sound.

I really just need some decent weather and some time to get these things built up. Its been rainy and wet around here for the majority of the last 2 weeks. 

After drilling the holes and then laying down some fiberglass matt on the front and back of the panels, I'll begin sanding/grinding and prepping for filler. I'll go into more specifics in my process for that once I'm at that point. Here are the pics from tonight...

Door panels removed from the car...



























Trimmed the excess material...


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## syd-monster (Jan 7, 2008)

Saw your BHI update too. Good progress, like we've mentioned a little elbow grease will really finish these off. Nice work.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

syd-monster said:


> Saw your BHI update too. Good progress, like we've mentioned a little elbow grease will really finish these off. Nice work.


Thanks Syd. I appreciate the feedback and support.

I'm hoping I can really make a push at these this weekend. I need to pick up some chopped mat and do more hole drilling. After that I'll spread on a layer of resin to soak through the holes and lay a bit of mat over the structure you see now. Then I'll hit them with a little heat to aid in drying. After that, they'll get flipped over and get a treatment of resin and chopped mat on the backside as well to make this a rigid panel and prevent seperation from the plastic.
Maybe if it cures quick enough I can get some filler on them and start getting dirty


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## OSN (Nov 19, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> Thanks Syd. I appreciate the feedback and support.
> 
> I'm hoping I can really make a push at these this weekend. I need to pick up some chopped mat and do more hole drilling. After that I'll spread on a layer of resin to soak through the holes and lay a bit of mat over the structure you see now. Then I'll hit them with a little heat to aid in drying. After that, they'll get flipped over and get a treatment of resin and chopped mat on the backside as well to make this a rigid panel and prevent seperation from the plastic.
> Maybe if it cures quick enough I can get some filler on them and start getting dirty


Very impressive work, Cap'n. I look forward to hearing it, weather permitting.


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## DaveRulz (Jun 22, 2006)

It's probably in your best interest to NOT hit them up with heat to aid in drying, That is unless you want to encourage warping your part. I'd mix up the resin to spec and let them cure on their own.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

DaveRulz said:


> It's probably in your best interest to NOT hit them up with heat to aid in drying, That is unless you want to encourage warping your part. I'd mix up the resin to spec and let them cure on their own.


Hmm. I didnt realize that would warp them. I guess I'll just let it do its thing then...


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## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

I'm really digging your approach on this. Can't wait to see the result.


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## DaveRulz (Jun 22, 2006)

captainobvious said:


> Hmm. I didnt realize that would warp them. I guess I'll just let it do its thing then...



Yeah, adding heat to an unbraced part will easily warp it. I'd let it do it's thing.

BTW! This is looking fantastic. This approach is clearly coming out much better than your previous attempts. I dig!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

capnxtreme said:


> I'm really digging your approach on this. Can't wait to see the result.





DaveRulz said:


> Yeah, adding heat to an unbraced part will easily warp it. I'd let it do it's thing.
> 
> BTW! This is looking fantastic. This approach is clearly coming out much better than your previous attempts. I dig!



Thanks guy 

Yeah, I think this 2nd time around is much, much better so far. I got a chance to put a little more resin on the panels yesterday between thunderstorms  

Should be ready soon to start in with some Rage Gold filler.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Got a chance to put down a layer of Rage Gold today and do some (alot) of sanding. Not a whole lot to report, but heres pics...
Oh, and this stuff is so far superior to Bondo...MUCH easier to sand.


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## ehiunno (Feb 26, 2008)

Thats lookin real nice. The tedious cycle has begun! I have never used rage gold. Maybe I will try it when I run out of generic 3M body filler, which seems about identical to bondo. I usually find sanding body filler to be a dream even with regular bondo. Its incredible compared to sanding most things. I used to make surfboards (as a hobby), and we had to sand the fiberglass directly, from like 80 grit down to wetsanding... talk about tedious!

How do you plan to finish them? (if you haven't already mentioned it)


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I cant even imagine sanding fiberglass directly for something that large. That must have really sucked.
As far as the finishing goes, I was planning on trying some SEM texture paint. I figure that should match up pretty well. 

Still have craters to fill and sand out, as well as a little work to do with the door pocket area, but its slowly getting there.


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

looks good , sanding sux,but the rewards will be worth it


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Second round of Rage gold to fill some of those craters. I think Im getting pretty close to being ready for the finishing putty. Oh, and yes, sanding still sucked this time around.
Getting some of the contours to matchup nicely is a bit difficult. In particular, the sloping crevice that runs down from the end of the armrest area. I think its building out nicely, but its definitely not fun trying to sand in that area. 

Anyways, as usual, heres your fill of pics from today:


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## maxxis (Jun 10, 2008)

Nice job on the doors. Sub'd


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

maxxis said:


> Nice job on the doors. Sub'd


Thanks 

Ive got a little work to do on the inside door pocket area on both doors and then a little more filler/sanding, but then I should be ready for the finishing layer of filler putty.

Im thinking these doors should be ready for texture paint by next weekend. It will be nice to be done with these and ready to move on to some of the other projects (A-pillars, amp rack, etc...)


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## maxxis (Jun 10, 2008)

Looking forward to seeing the final product.

Might be shoe-horning a set of 8s into a Civic in the near future.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

maxxis said:


> Looking forward to seeing the final product.
> 
> Might be shoe-horning a set of 8s into a Civic in the near future.



NICE. Do it man, 8's in the doors are so worth the effort, truly.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

Subscribing. Nice work. I am right behind you on the door panel integration and am interested to see how well the color matching works out for you.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks Jsun

I did a little "slurry" of resin, chopped mat and lead shot and applied some to the backside of the panel where the door and fiberglass work meet up. This should strengthen the panel and add a little mass. Also, I applied more filler in spots and did more sanding. I think the prep work will be finished this week and I will be ready to paint. (Of course I need to pickup/order some SEM texture paint still, so I'll get on that)

My plan for painting the door will be to mask off the top section which is a vinyl wrapped piece, as well as the armrest cloth section. I'll do a very fine sand on the panel and clean thoroughly, then spray a coat of plastic primer. After that, I'll spray the panel with the SEM so that there are no inconsistencies with color matching.


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## speed3 (Jun 29, 2009)

Hi
I m new to this forum and i came here to find info and ideas on a futur projet and after reading your thread i couldn t belive what you have acomplished here so far it is truly amazing.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Wow, thanks for the compliment. Stay tuned as more good stuff is coming!


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Sub'd

I am in Philly right now for business - would like to get a look and listen some time when I'm back up here after you're all finished. Great work - fantastic ingenuity. 

I just came back from Marv's BBQ - many of the cars had very strong midbass up front - 7's and 8's with a lot of juice seemed to be the ticket.


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## minibox (Mar 25, 2009)

Very nice job on the doors. I'd love to hear those 8s up front.


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## CoreyC (Mar 11, 2009)

captainobvious said:


>


When your at this stage you don't have to wait for it to be completely solid to shape the bondo. Then you don't have to sand so much.


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## Chips (Jun 14, 2009)

I'm digging your work on the doors so far. 

Can't wait to see how they turn out.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

CoreyC said:


> When your at this stage you don't have to wait for it to be completely solid to shape the bondo. Then you don't have to sand so much.


Thanks for the tips Corey. Ive used Bondo before once or twice but I still have a lot to learn to get down the best process I'm sure. Part of the problem was the way the door was contoured and I wasnt exactly sure how to smoothly spread the Rage Gold. After that initial messy application, I started using a wide popsicle stick which helped. I should probably pick up one of those flexible spreaders :blush:
I think going forward I'll be a little smarter with the application of the filler so that it will save me on materials and especially sanding time.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

bertholomey said:


> Sub'd
> 
> I am in Philly right now for business - would like to get a look and listen some time when I'm back up here after you're all finished. Great work - fantastic ingenuity.
> 
> I just came back from Marv's BBQ - many of the cars had very strong midbass up front - 7's and 8's with a lot of juice seemed to be the ticket.


Thanks 
Ahh, very cool! Next time you come up, be sure to let me know. I'll likely have a working system (and hopefully completed installation) that you can take a listen to by then



minibox said:


> Very nice job on the doors. I'd love to hear those 8s up front.


Well, if you're ever in the area...lmk



Chips said:


> I'm digging your work on the doors so far.
> 
> Can't wait to see how they turn out.


Thanks Chips!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Decided to try and get some more done on the doors today before leaving for the July 4 shindig.
I did some sanding and cleaned up the doors, then masked them off. The top portion of the doors is vinyl while the majority of the door is just textured plastic/poly. Also the armrest is a cloth material so that was masked off as well. I applied 2 coats of Rustoleum specialty "Textured Plastic" as a base coat. After applying its easier to see imperfections and areas that may need a little touch up. While it may say "textured", it certainly doesnt do a whole lot. I think the SEM texture paint will make a much bigger difference toward matching up with the stock look. I also took this opportunity to paint the panels that mate up to the door. The kick panel and door sil panels. Anyway, here are some pics of the progress thus far. Paint is drying...
























































These are right after spraying the second coat so they look a bit uneven since they are not dry yet.


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## eskateboarding7 (Mar 18, 2009)

I'm excited to see how this turns out, looking good!


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## ehiunno (Feb 26, 2008)

Seems like this worked out well. Lets see what the dry pics look like ;-)


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well, not as good as I had hoped. However, not something that cant be fixed. When doing the sanding and filling, its tough to determine visually on some spots what will be easily seen after painting. I knew I'd have some issues to work on, but I didnt expect to see every minor imperfection. Part of that is me needing to do a better job of filling and smoothing some of these spots, and some of it should be better diguised with an actual textured paint more suitably matched for these panels.
There are spots on the door plastic that were sanded a bit rough that I will need to go back over and sand/spot fill. It should actually be much easier now to see where I need to focus some attention since the color really shows EVERYTHING. This whole process thus far has really been a good learning experience. I think I'll be much better positioned to do the pillars after this project, even though they will be a MUCH easier job.

Heres some better pics of the dried panels. This is still before any additional coats or wet sanding which arent going to be done at this point until I fixed the highighted areas.


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## ehiunno (Feb 26, 2008)

Yep, a good rule of thumb for what is going to show through after you paint it is... everything.


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## eskateboarding7 (Mar 18, 2009)

Besides those rough spots, I think the actual door panel itself is coming out great. Once those problem areas get some TLC, you should be good.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks fellas. Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing. I guess its back to work this afternoon ...


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## arrivalanche (Jun 27, 2008)

just get some high build primer in a can from a body shop paint supply store. its a MUST before painting anything like this. Do the whole section you are going to paint not just what you added on that way it will all look the same. Sand it all down after about 2-3 coats of primer with some 300+ grit sand paper and it will look awesome. Its all in how much time you are willing to put into it. If you want it done in no time, you are going to get a ****ty product. Take your time and do it right and have something you can be proud of.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

Sand, sand, sand...until your hands hurt and your fingers get numb. Then sand some more 
I know it's a pain but it is looking great...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

arrivalanche said:


> just get some high build primer in a can from a body shop paint supply store. its a MUST before painting anything like this. Do the whole section you are going to paint not just what you added on that way it will all look the same. Sand it all down after about 2-3 coats of primer with some 300+ grit sand paper and it will look awesome. Its all in how much time you are willing to put into it. If you want it done in no time, you are going to get a ****ty product. Take your time and do it right and have something you can be proud of.


Oh, believe me..putting in enough time is definitely not a weak point in the project thus far lol. :laugh: I've been doing layers of Rage Gold and then spot filling with Spot-Light putty.

How thick is this high build primer? I've never used it before. Can you give me some more info? Is this something that should be sprayed on the entire panel so that the factory texture will can be smoothed over?


UPDATES:
Well, I got a good 4+ hours in and the panels are definitely looking better than they were. Spot filler and lots of sanding later, followed by another single coat of paint to see where were at.


*Spot filler applied to some of those trouble areas*



























*After a couple hours of sanding and wiping down*


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

*And the door panel as it sits now...no sanding of the paint imperfections. Compare these to the previous ones. I also had to do some sanding to clean up the scuffed up sections that were highlighted in the earlier post. They came out pretty smooth without needing any filler.*


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## Emilio Eltz (May 28, 2009)

congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

very good job.


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## gsi30 (Jul 3, 2009)

How is the fatmat dose it do a good job on sound deading would you use it again


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

The fatmat is ok. It doesnt cling to doors (over time) as well as Dynamat Extreme but it is good for the money, yes. Just make sure you clean the surface good before applying. Its easy to apply since its a simple peel and stick backing. Thickness of the material is good and it was pretty much no mess, easy to apply stuff. Sure, I'd use it again.


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## arrivalanche (Jun 27, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> Oh, believe me..putting in enough time is definitely not a weak point in the project thus far lol. :laugh: I've been doing layers of Rage Gold and then spot filling with Spot-Light putty.
> 
> How thick is this high build primer? I've never used it before. Can you give me some more info? Is this something that should be sprayed on the entire panel so that the factory texture will can be smoothed over?


You would spray the whole area that you are spraying black with the primer. Its made by SEM. This is what im talking about. This one is a flexible primer made for plastics so it will stick and not crack. You would thoroughly coat the area so when you sand it you wont see the waves or the transition from factory panel to the add-on.


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## Z3Sooner (Aug 2, 2008)

Very nice work. The extra effort is really paying off. That kind of work is the main reason I'm considering leather or vinyl for my kicks


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Z3Sooner said:


> Very nice work. The extra effort is really paying off. That kind of work is the main reason I'm considering leather or vinyl for my kicks


:laugh:
Joo can doo it !

I honestly would rather wrap them in vinyl, but I dont have experience and it looks pretty tricky for this door panel.


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## tspence73 (Oct 14, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> *And the door panel as it sits now...no sanding of the paint imperfections. Compare these to the previous ones. I also had to do some sanding to clean up the scuffed up sections that were highlighted in the earlier post. They came out pretty smooth without needing any filler.*


My opinion. I think those putty spots make the texture look uneven. I think you need to maybe try some texture spray and then repaint. It may resolve that. If your car is really dark, most people won't likely notice it.


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## prophet_ca (Feb 29, 2008)

Definitely need to keep on working on the door... I think it can look much better than that.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

tspence73 said:


> My opinion. I think those putty spots make the texture look uneven. I think you need to maybe try some texture spray and then repaint. It may resolve that. If your car is really dark, most people won't likely notice it.





prophet_ca said:


> Definitely need to keep on working on the door... I think it can look much better than that.



Thanks for the comments. Yes, the doors are not finished yet fellas. I have to order the SEM texture still and do some surface sanding over the entire panel. They are ALMOST there, but not quite yet.


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## gcsuper (Feb 20, 2008)

I am starting my wifes door panels next week, she is getting MD180's, i'm going to steal your iron-on vaneer idea for the grills if that's OK,:thumbsup: looks great so far, keep it up..


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks GC. Admittedly, I got the idea from another forum member so I cant claim it as my own, but it does work well  Good luck with the door build.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Some new goodies have arrived 






































Xtant 404m amplifiers.

50x4 @ 4ohms
200x2 @ 4ohms

Im thinking 200 watts to each driver should provide a little headroom...yes?

Just got some of the equipment re installed and tested the new amps (well, 2 of them at least)
These actually have quite a bit of power. Gains set at maybe 1/4 and they are moving the SLS 8" pretty darn good.


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## ReloadedSS (Aug 26, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> Some new goodies have arrived
> 
> Xtant 404m amplifiers.
> 
> ...


Very sexy. Love me some Xtant amps. And yeah, that's quite a bit of headroom. Keep up the good work!


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## prophet_ca (Feb 29, 2008)

I have two of those as well, they are underrated... Its surprising more people don't use them they have clean Xtant power and come in a relatively small package...


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## mda185 (Dec 14, 2006)

I have been following your build with great interest. That is a big challenge to modify door panels with your approach and I am impressed with how you are progressing. How do you like working with the Spot-Light putty? Is it easy to apply and work with? How quickly does it dry? I just bought Rage Gold for my project but have not purchased putty yet.


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## M-Dub (Nov 29, 2006)

I'm wondering the same thing too. 

As a noob I just keep applying more body filler, but there has to be a better/faster way.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

mda185 said:


> I have been following your build with great interest. That is a big challenge to modify door panels with your approach and I am impressed with how you are progressing. How do you like working with the Spot-Light putty? Is it easy to apply and work with? How quickly does it dry? I just bought Rage Gold for my project but have not purchased putty yet.


Thanks for following along. 

It has been tough, but has been a good learning experience too. I've gotten alot of helpful advice from some of the board members here and elsewhere that have guided me.

The Spot0Light putty is good. Its pretty much as easy to sand as the Rage Gold. I guess I was thinking it (Spot-Lite) would be either a very thin, more gel like form OR a light puffy type of finisher. It was a little thinner and easier to spread than the Rage Gold but not so much that it warrants being needed as a second product over top the RG. You could probably get away with using just the Rage Gold and get the same results. If it were me doing it again, I would only buy the Rage Gold. No real "need" for the Spot-Lite.

After getting the initial form down with Rage Gold, I would mix very small amounts of the spot-lite up at a time and put on a vinyl/latex glove and actually apply it by hand. (Dip a finger in it and then smooth the filler over the crevice, dry, repeat)
It works pretty well. Are there better methods? Probably, but thats the way I did it.

Another thing to note...DONT mix too much hardener in with the filler or it dries too fast. Mix small amounts at a time so that you dont waste product. It WILL dry too quick for you to apply it all effectively.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

One thing I am having difficuly with on my door setup is where the body filler meets the plastic. I had sanded the plastic so the body filler would get a better adhesion, but the problem is that Bondo (the filler that I used) is not very flexible and hence if the door panel flexes a bit, I do believe the filler will tend to crack or peel away from the plastic. Does Rage Gold do any better in this regard?

I noticed that Liquid Nails has a lot more flexibility to it and adheres quite well to sanded plastic, so I am considering using Liquid Nails in the transition point from new door panel part to original plastic door panel part, and then sanding down the Liquid Nails after it cures. I think this method may have less chance of cracking or separating from the plastic due to the flexibility.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

jsun_g said:


> One thing I am having difficuly with on my door setup is where the body filler meets the plastic. I had sanded the plastic so the body filler would get a better adhesion, but the problem is that Bondo (the filler that I used) is not very flexible and hence if the door panel flexes a bit, I do believe the filler will tend to crack or peel away from the plastic. Does Rage Gold do any better in this regard?
> 
> I noticed that Liquid Nails has a lot more flexibility to it and adheres quite well to sanded plastic, so I am considering using Liquid Nails in the transition point from new door panel part to original plastic door panel part, and then sanding down the Liquid Nails after it cures. I think this method may have less chance of cracking or separating from the plastic due to the flexibility.


I'm not sure about the liquid nails...

The Rage Gold is better than the Bondo, absolutely. I did a few things to combat what you are speaking of. First, I drilled some small holes in the filler section right before it meets the door. I applied resing into/through the holes and then also put some resin on the back of the panel. This will help to strengthen the panel and keep it from flexing as much, and also help prevent your work from seperating. You also need to really get the edges of the work (an inch or so from the edge where the filler meets the panel, all the way to the panel) really sanded down thin and close to the panel.
The Rage Gold is a far easier product to work with in my experience.

Good Luck !


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## X on 22s (Oct 26, 2007)

captainobvious said:


> Some new goodies have arrived
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Some amp porno!!!!! Great job on the doors.... I would of just had them wrapped and it would of cost less then buying all that rage gold and filler...I just finshied my doors but didn't take any pics of the process... But i just had them wrapped in suede...I'll post pics tonight when I get home...Great job!!!!!


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## lithium (Oct 29, 2008)

sexy amps, where can i find some more info on them? and prices?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

They are much older models lithium. They are Xtant 404m amplifiers and you can probably find them by keeping an eye on ebay like I did.

Heres the manual with info... 

http://www.xtant.com/archives/html/techSupport/pdfs/MSeriesMan.pdf


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## lithium (Oct 29, 2008)

thanks for the info, ill keep an eye out for one. right now my sls8's are seeing power from a kicker kx250.2 (rated at 85rms @ 4 ohm) so im looking to put alittle more power to them. so i've been looking over other sls 8 installs and comparing amps (power wise). ill probably end up getting a second 250.2 and bridging one to each 8. i can get one for about 100 shipped so i figure why not... 

i really admire the work u put in on the door panels, im glad i pulled my install off without any cutting like that haha

pics if your interested.. sorry about the quality 

2lbs of modeling clay ftw


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

You're fortunate enough to have had big doors to put them in I see. Good stuff. 

Yeah, I'd probably also look to get a little more power on them as well. Would be nice if they offered a 4ohm version of this guy. Would make powering it a little easier (assuming sensitivity stays the same or close to the 8ohm variant)


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## lithium (Oct 29, 2008)

i think a d4 would be a good idea, that way they could wire it at 8 for those ppl who need it for ht and the rest of us could power it a hell of alot easier at 2 ohms, with 2 channels haha


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

I want to thank Steve for giving me the opportunity to listen to his excellent system. I appreciate the time he took to meet me after work and to connect a few different drivers to audition. To me, this is what DIYMA is all about - getting together to appreciate other members systems that they have created, and to audition various pieces of equipment to determine what might work the best in your set up. Again, I believe it is members like Steve that makes this a community.

BTW, his system sounded amazing. Great source of course, the Xtants were very clean and gave good power, and the SLS 8's were amazing. I have to admit a bit of envy there - I will have to go back to the drawing board to see if SLS 8's or 6.5's can be incorporated into my installation. They were very strong - accurate and could play with finesse, but great bass up front. He currently has no subwoofer installed, but the sound was pretty much complete with only the two 8's in the doors. 

The Fonntek FR88's sounded very good on the dash, and the L4's as full range drivers were surprising - I really loved the sound. Of course, they were made even better with the L1's stacked on top, but I really liked the sound of the HAT L4. 

This certainly was a great 'recon' trip for me, and I really appreciate the opportunity.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

bertholomey said:


> I want to thank Steve for giving me the opportunity to listen to his excellent system. I appreciate the time he took to meet me after work and to connect a few different drivers to audition. To me, this is what DIYMA is all about - getting together to appreciate other members systems that they have created, and to audition various pieces of equipment to determine what might work the best in your set up. Again, I believe it is members like Steve that makes this a community.
> 
> BTW, his system sounded amazing. Great source of course, the Xtants were very clean and gave good power, and the SLS 8's were amazing. I have to admit a bit of envy there - I will have to go back to the drawing board to see if SLS 8's or 6.5's can be incorporated into my installation. They were very strong - accurate and could play with finesse, but great bass up front. He currently has no subwoofer installed, but the sound was pretty much complete with only the two 8's in the doors.
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks for the kind words Jason. I'm glad we were able to hook up while you were in town and got a chance to get some good listening/testing time in. Glad it was productive, and hopefully it gives you a few more ideas going forward to make your install that much more enjoyable for you 

BTW- Jason came prepared with several test discs with some excellent recordings that really tested the equipment thoroughly. Stuff to test the capabilities of the drivers as well as songs that he is very familiar with to see how the system would stand up. Good stuff man!


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## tspence73 (Oct 14, 2008)

Hey,

What's with the shiny amps? I thought this was supposed to be a "cheep bastard" build?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

tspence73 said:


> Hey,
> 
> What's with the shiny amps? I thought this was supposed to be a "cheep bastard" build?


Its still elligible due to the bargain basement price I got my amps at


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well, it looks like after doing a bit of testing I will be going with these little guys in the A-Pillars. Tang Band W3-1364SA 3" full range.



















They are very close to the sound I am looking for. Open and transparent, very detailed and excellent top end extension. No tweeters will be needed. My only decision now, is wether to use one or two drivers per side. With a low power handling and only 0.5mm of xmax, I'm thinking I can get a little better output by increasing the cone area and without driving them too hard. 
Space will likely end up being the deciding factor. I have some single rings and dual driver baffles on the way, so I'll be able to eye it up and see what will work best. 
Two drivers per side wired parallel for a 4ohm load should do nicely I think. Guess we will see...
Also, I have a mic coming so I'll be able to do some RTA'ing of the setup as well.


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## mda185 (Dec 14, 2006)

I can't see the pics because they are blocked at work but will check tonight. Do you understand that you will get comb filtering at wavelengths above the center to center distance between two drivers? That has the potential to screw up the nice high end response you like in these drivers. 

I am curious. What happened to the Founteks? I thought you liked them.


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## Melodic Acoustic (Oct 10, 2005)

mda185 said:


> I can't see the pics because they are blocked at work but will check tonight. Do you understand that you will get comb filtering at wavelengths above the center to center distance between two drivers? That has the potential to screw up the nice high end response you like in these drivers.
> 
> I am curious. What happened to the Founteks? I thought you liked them.



He does like the Founteks from my understanding, but he likes a somewhat warmer sounding driver. The Founteks has great detail, but can be a little bright in nature up top.

Captain, please correct me if I'm wrong.


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## TJ Mobile Audio (May 6, 2009)

Wow, subscribed. I was just interested to see how the kicks and door panels turned out, then my jaw hit the floor when I saw that sexy lineup of amps. Excellent taste, I've always had a bit of an Xtant fetish myself!

Good work so far, I install professionally and seldom have the chance to put that much attention to detail into fabrication; so many people have no idea what they could have with a little extra attention. Thanks for showing all the gory details, I'm sure to implement some of your ideas in the future.


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## mda185 (Dec 14, 2006)

captainobvious said:


> I have some single rings and dual driver baffles on the way, so I'll be able to eye it up and see what will work best.
> Two drivers per side wired parallel for a 4ohm load should do nicely I think. Guess we will see...
> Also, I have a mic coming so I'll be able to do some RTA'ing of the setup as well.


I am going to do something very similar with my A pillars and I am curious to know where you found a supplier with single rings and dual driver baffles for 3" drivers. I have tried making some 3" rings with a Jasper jig and router and find that they are very fragile. When I tried to bevel the back side to smooth the airflow coming from the back side of the Fountek driver, I destroyed several of my rings. If there is a good prefab product out there, I would like to check it out.

I am also very interested in following what you do once you start tuning. What mic and software are you going to use? Several years ago, I bit the bullet and purchased Praxis software with a Girardin calibrated mic. It was not cheap but very capable. If you ever want to get together to compare methods and systems, I am up for it. I am guessing we don't live more than 90 minutes away from each other.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

mda185 said:


> I am going to do something very similar with my A pillars and I am curious to know where you found a supplier with single rings and dual driver baffles for 3" drivers. I have tried making some 3" rings with a Jasper jig and router and find that they are very fragile. When I tried to bevel the back side to smooth the airflow coming from the back side of the Fountek driver, I destroyed several of my rings. If there is a good prefab product out there, I would like to check it out.
> 
> I am also very interested in following what you do once you start tuning. What mic and software are you going to use? Several years ago, I bit the bullet and purchased Praxis software with a Girardin calibrated mic. It was not cheap but very capable. If you ever want to get together to compare methods and systems, I am up for it. I am guessing we don't live more than 90 minutes away from each other.


Thanks for your interest in the build  Mark was correct about my preference between the FR88 and W3 bamboo above as well. As far as having rings made, send a PM to user James Bang and he can whip some up for you. Mine are chambered in the rear and came out great.
I picked up an MXL Micmate to supply phantom power for the microphone (Behringer ECM8000) and have done some quick initial tests to get my feet wet on the TrueRTA software.

We could definitely meet up once I get the fabrication work done on the drivers. Id be interested to see what your measurement setup shows compared to mine as well as it would likely be more accurate.

-Steve


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## MaXaZoR (Apr 1, 2007)

Wish you stuck around so I could hear those W3's I loved those FR88's. The output was not what I hoped for, but the clearity and imaging was spot on  (it helps that I could just move the pipes on your dash to adjust the imaging LOL) I will definitely be picking myself up a pair for a computer speaker in the near future.


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## jsun_g (Jun 12, 2008)

CO, can you give us a summary of your current setup (speaker locations/models, amp/xover setup, etc.)? I am getting a little lost except for 8's being in the doors 

I was going to get an omni mic, but ended up tuning using earbud mics from the Soundprofessionals website and a trial version of Smaart. I really like the earbud mics since they pick up exactly what I'm hearing in each ear while I sit in the driver's seat and I can EQ left and right sides separately before playing them together. The only problem with the earbuds is getting them to integrate well with a soundcard. I ended up using my PC (yes I lug the whole computer into my car) since I couldn't find a USB interface and preamp to work with the earbud mics (the mics are picky about bias voltage and just happened to work well with my PC sound card).


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## niceguy (Mar 12, 2006)

I curious as to the result of using the W3's in dash....I'm still wanting to try some 3" mid-tweets in dash in place of my Northcreek large format tweets, just for kicks....Still thinking about the Founteks as well...

Jeremy


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## lechuck (Aug 24, 2009)

That whole project looks so good! Love the Lancer in yellow, sincere cheers for the finishing job!


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## purplecity (Jun 12, 2009)

hi! ive been wanting to buy a set of those bamboo drivers and pair it with an SLS 6.5", will it have a lot of difference if i use the SLS 8"s? i think it'll be very hard for me to fit the 8's on my doors, lots of mods would be done.. it will be powered by an RF T4004, the previous model than the latest on the RF website..

by the way can you post a picture of how the tangbands were installed? thanks! your input would be very much appreciated..


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

purplecity said:


> hi! ive been wanting to buy a set of those bamboo drivers and pair it with an SLS 6.5", will it have a lot of difference if i use the SLS 8"s? i think it'll be very hard for me to fit the 8's on my doors, lots of mods would be done.. it will be powered by an RF T4004, the previous model than the latest on the RF website..
> 
> by the way can you post a picture of how the tangbands were installed? thanks! your input would be very much appreciated..


Sorry fellas. Been a while since I checked back with the thread. Mostly because I have been in limbo with the completion of the install. I just recently moved in to my first house (finally out of the apartment) and I have basement shop space and a garage, so I anticipate getting some work done once it warms up out there and the snow melts. 

Purplecity- The SLS 6.5 should be fine if you plan on using a sub for the low end. Im happy with the SLS8 right now going subless as it has decent output for me. Id prefer to have a sub installed as well, and may get to that this spring since I have spare amps and a new AE IB15a sitting in a box in my basement now. Especially if installing an 8" driver will cause that much work for you, Id say stick with the 6.5 
If you're daring enough though, its definitely pretty cool to have 8"ers in the doors


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## ReloadedSS (Aug 26, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> If you're daring enough though, its definitely pretty cool to have 8"ers in the doors


I think the unofficial motto of DIYMA is "I think I can get 8's in my doors."


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

ReloadedSS said:


> I think the unofficial motto of DIYMA is "I think I can get 8's in my doors."


Lately it seems you're right 
Thankfully some of you guys have more door space to work with than me :blush:


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## siucsaluki11 (Dec 27, 2008)

This thread makes me wanna stick 8s in my 2010 lancer's doors. Ive been thinking of going with W3s or W4s in my pillars with no tweets. Should be able to get working on my build in the next month or so im hoping. GL with finishing yours, get on them pillars, i need ideas for mine.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

siucsaluki11 said:


> This thread makes me wanna stick 8s in my 2010 lancer's doors. Ive been thinking of going with W3s or W4s in my pillars with no tweets. Should be able to get working on my build in the next month or so im hoping. GL with finishing yours, get on them pillars, i need ideas for mine.


:laugh:

Soon as spring rolls around Im sure I'll be busy in the garage getting this wrapped up. I wanna complete this build and enjoy it for once


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

captainobvious said:


> :laugh:
> 
> Soon as spring rolls around Im sure I'll be busy in the garage getting this wrapped up. I wanna complete this build and enjoy it for once


I like that part about the garage - I'll finally have one myself this spring. It sounds like the house buying adventure went well. I'm looking forward to seeing the updates.


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## strakele (Mar 2, 2009)

Very nice so far man! I don't yet have the balls to cut this deeply into my Lancer ('04 Ralliart). I'd love to do 8's in the doors and 4's in the kicks along with tweets in the A-pillar. Mine at least came stock with A-pillar tweeters, so changing those out has been a piece of cake.


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## siucsaluki11 (Dec 27, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> :laugh:
> 
> Soon as spring rolls around Im sure I'll be busy in the garage getting this wrapped up. I wanna complete this build and enjoy it for once


Ya, ive been waiting almost a year to do mine, had to pay off debt first. Now im trying to decide if im ready to jump that far into it to stick some 4" speakers in the pillars. I may start off with tweets in the stock location and see how i like that, ill glass those to aim them, theyre a cheap part to replace. Meh, well see. Get going on yours its warm here in Chicagoland, so that means its spring time.


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## Lars Ulriched (Oct 31, 2009)

subscribed


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## TJ Mobile Audio (May 6, 2009)

^ I was going to say "little late to the party?" but then I saw this:



captainobvious said:


> Soon as spring rolls around Im sure I'll be busy in the garage getting this wrapped up. I wanna complete this build and enjoy it for once


I forgot about this build, did you ever finish it?


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## seabee (Mar 1, 2011)

a job well done


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