# Underdash pad



## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

I finally got my kicks done, but didn't take any pics of the process. I did however when I made the under dash panels. These are to block off the dash cavity from the seating area, and actually help (acoustically) quite a bit. I have always put them in every upper end install I have done. Since I haven't seen anything in the tutorial forum on these, I thought I would post a few pics. 

The first pic is after I made a cardboard template and cut it from ABS. 










I then glued a 3/4" piece of RMax to the panel.










The last step was to carpet the panel










I make these slightly bigger from front to back so that they stay put under the dash without any fasteners.

Here is what the passenger side kick looked like when finished and they are hidden from view.


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## DanMan (Jul 18, 2008)

Great stuff. I for one really appreciate it. I made a makeshift pad with some foam, but now I now how to do it the right way.

Thanks.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

You could also just make these out of cardboard and cover with carpet, but I wanted them to be springy for the fit and to have some absorption, hence the use of the RMax.


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## BowDown (Sep 24, 2009)

You made that kick panel? Holyshit that looks nice!


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Not to ask a dumb question or junk up the thread, but the concept is very intriguing. How well does this help separate the sound? I have some deep space behind the dash of my truck, and would be interested in sealing it off if there is indeed an improvement.


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## lucas569 (Apr 17, 2007)

holy jeebus that kick looks oem


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

chithead said:


> Not to ask a dumb question or junk up the thread, but the concept is very intriguing. How well does this help separate the sound? I have some deep space behind the dash of my truck, and would be interested in sealing it off if there is indeed an improvement.


There is definitely an improvement, especially for the price of the materials and minimal amount of time to make them. Just think of all the energy that you are loosing in the dash cavity, whether you have kicks or not. It also makes that area symmetrical from one side to the other. A really good example of dash and under dash symmetry is Gary Biggs Regal (LINK). I spent maybe an hour making both and most of that time was spent on the templates. As I said before, you can simply wrap carpet around a heavy piece of cardboard to make them as well. Another product that works really well is the plastic that those political yard signs are made from. It is like a corrugated plastic (similar in structure to corrugated cardboard)


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Ok now you have REALLY sparked my interest.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

BowDown said:


> You made that kick panel? Holyshit that looks nice!


Yeap, and thanks. I used to do this for a living for 10+ years. Got out about 10 years ago. I didn't want to aim them, but they would have actually taken up more room to have them fire straight out (would have stuck out further into the floor area). Originally I was going to try and fit a pair of 18 Sound 8NMB420's or a pair of B&C 8's, but again, they would have taking up a lot of room. I noticed your thread on your Fusion build. Good luck if you are trying to fit anything with any depth in the doors. The screw drive for the windows is right in the way, which makes for a real pain in the *ss. Here are a few more pics of my Fusion for you to look at. The trunk is really basic. I am in the process of replacing the PDX amps with the Arc KS series.


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## WLDock (Sep 27, 2005)

Those kicks are smooth and Butta! Very Nice! Very clean underdash pads as well.


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## kkreit01 (Aug 27, 2009)

Very nice! I wish I had those skills. I had an '07 Fusion (redfire also).


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## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

Great looking kicks and A pillars, and clean install!


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## BowDown (Sep 24, 2009)

Awesome man. What did you cover the pillars in to get them back to factory?

You got a PM BTW.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

I covered them with a factory Ford vinyl. It matched the texture of the vinyl in the car and the color the pillars and headliner were. It is not the same texture that the plastic was, but it blends in nicely.

Check your PM's


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## lucas569 (Apr 17, 2007)

i like your style, very clean! dont see much of that these days.


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## pionkej (Feb 29, 2008)

I plan on definately trying this on the next vehicle I get. Quick question though, is there any way you could take a picture of both the driver and passenger side as they sit installed. Seeing how they tuck in with no fasterers would be great (and probably not only for me).

Thanks for the post, it is simple, but I would have never thought of it.


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## jimp (Jul 12, 2009)

VERY clean & nice looking


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## jorgegarcia (Mar 8, 2008)

Do you have a picture from the footwell looking up to the underdash pad?

I'm curious to see what it looks like.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

I'll take a few pics and post them looking up under the dash for you. Might be a day or two until I have time to get to it.


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## pionkej (Feb 29, 2008)

jorgegarcia said:


> Do you have a picture from the footwell looking up to the underdash pad? I'm curious to see what it looks like.


See, I told you. 



jbholsters said:


> I'll take a few pics and post them looking up under the dash for you. Might be a day or two until I have time to get to it.


Awesome, I can't wait to see this. Thanks again for posting it.


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## pionkej (Feb 29, 2008)

Any updates with pictures?


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

Sorry, I'll snap some pixs tomorrow. It's 21 deg in my garage and a little cold to set up a strobe much less hold a camera still


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## pionkej (Feb 29, 2008)

Excuses.  Cool. I'm just excited about seeing how it actually goes together. I have been reading up on the kicks tutorial with the aperiodic vents too. Good reads.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

OK, here you go Poinkej. These look distorted. I had to use the 16mm end of my 16-35L lens.


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## sam3535 (Jan 21, 2007)

jbholsters said:


> OK, here you go Poinkej. These look distorted. I had to use the 16mm end of my 16-35L lens.


Thanks for the update; one of the better tutorials posted here in a while. This will be my next Saturday project.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

sam3535 said:


> one of the better tutorials posted here in a while.


Thank you Sir.


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## pionkej (Feb 29, 2008)

Thank you as well. I was a bit confused by the 3 grooves in the original picture (didn't really think about them going around the pedals. Thanks again for the picture.


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## rekd0514 (Sep 24, 2006)

How are they stuck in there? Do they stay well? I wouldn't want them accidentally falling while I was trying to drive in an emergency stop or go situation.


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## jbholsters (Jun 17, 2009)

rekd0514 said:


> How are they stuck in there? Do they stay well? I wouldn't want them accidentally falling while I was trying to drive in an emergency stop or go situation.


I made then just a little over sized from firewall to dash. The ABS makes the panels springy, so yes they stay in place. The bottom of my dash has a little lip that turns back toward the firewall and the panel sits in there. They stay in place so well that I have to put a hooked pick between the panels and the dash and push to get them out. You could easily make brackets to hold them up if you can't get them to fit the way I did. I was originally going to put brackets on them that would attach to the factory threaded posts that stick out of the floor/firewall that had nylon nuts to hold the carpet in place. But in the end I didn't need to do that.


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## douggiestyle (Apr 29, 2008)

huge fan of your work based upon just a few pictures. thanks for the tip


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## XD 40 (Nov 10, 2009)

Great looking stuff. Hope to someday have the talent (and steady hands) to do that kind of detail work. Great Job!


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