# First (and only so far) HAT install in Greece



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

The car




























In stock form





































And the work so far.


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

suscribed


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## .BNO. (Nov 8, 2009)

amitaF said:


> suscribed


me too!

nice work so far!


is that skoda?


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks! No, it's a SEAT, also a member of the VAG group but comes from Spain. 

There will be more pics later tonight or during the weekend.


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## .BNO. (Nov 8, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> Thanks! No, it's a SEAT, also a member of the VAG group but comes from Spain.
> 
> There will be more pics later tonight or during the weekend.


ah i get the 2 confused, plus ive had a few drinks and im half cut lol

this build has me quite interested! car looks sweet too!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Ok, seeing as I've got absolutely no intention of doing any real work today, let's get on with the install presentation. 

The first thing we did was strip the door for sound deadening. Here's the car's biggest drawback (not my pics):



















There is no inner metal skin, and the window mechanism is attached to the plastic door card. Which means that the deadening procedure will be less than perfect. So, we did our best on the outer metal skin. 




























That's 3 to 4 layers of 2mm stuff. Later there will be a video showing the acoustic difference before and after.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Then came the turn of the door card. 










































































Here you can see that the new panel comes out a bit in relation to the door card, that was on purpose to give a bit more clearance for the midbass unit.


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## vwtoby (Oct 28, 2005)

dont you get a lot of vibrations from the mid mounted to the door like that?
nice work though


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

that a very long time mate!
(maybe not as long as my stuff remained outside car (yet))

its going to be a great install. wait to see what will sit in the trunk.

however you ll never have my mighty midbass!!


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## eggyhustles (Sep 18, 2008)

Looks good.


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## Austin (Mar 12, 2009)

subscribed


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

vwtoby said:


> dont you get a lot of vibrations from the mid mounted to the door like that?
> nice work though


Thanks. Hopefully not too much, although it is indeed my biggest concern over the whole install. Cutting metal (installing them in the kick panels for example) was out of the question (the car is leased lol), so if we're not satisfied with it as it is, other measures will have to be taken. 



pankrok said:


> however you ll never have my mighty midbass!!


Eat my processor's dust (internal joke).


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Very small photo update. I had taken pics of the cable braiding process but strangely they've vanished from my digicam. 

Anyway, here's the passenger's door, half-deadened, waiting for another layer or 2. 










Here's the midbass cable going to the door, covered with grey techflex as with all speaker cabling in the car. 




























Using the stock door connector to run the cable through would be difficult. Not impossible, but damn hard. It's a thick cable. 










This has been used on the inner surface of the door card, wherever possible. 










And here's a photo of the door panel with the grille on. The grille itself will be painted again and the badge will be replaced with a more... suitable one.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

Tell andreas that he has another 5kg to use in ANOTHER car


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## pika_ (Feb 18, 2007)

n_olympios said:


> Thanks. Hopefully not too much, although it is indeed my biggest concern over the whole install. Cutting metal (installing them in the kick panels for example) was out of the question (the car is leased lol), so if we're not satisfied with it as it is, other measures will have to be taken.
> 
> 
> 
> Eat my processor's dust (internal joke).


Hi Nick!

I'm glad to see that your installation finally began!
Also, i see that you have done your doors like i did! That's pretty good, looks awesome! But the problem is that you will get a lot of vibrations like that.
The problem is really the alternatives that you have with this specific doors, not a lot of them i'm afraid..

BTW: I've upgraded to 3 way! The midrange is exacly on the same spot that you are going to put yours! 

Cheers mate


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## cheesehead (Mar 20, 2007)

n_olympios said:


> (the car is leased lol),


And your modding the door panels and sound deadening? Won't this affect trade in?


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Hi there Joao. See, I did start eventually!  

Yeah, I know about the vibrations, if they become too much of a problem I'll have to find alternative ways of reinforcing the doors. You need to send me pictures of your own Leon, mate. 



cheesehead said:


> And your modding the door panels and sound deadening? Won't this affect trade in?


Well under normal circumstances it would, but I won't be trading her in, instead she'll stay with me (until I decide to sell her).


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## cheesehead (Mar 20, 2007)

n_olympios said:


> Well under normal circumstances it would, but I won't be trading her in, instead she'll stay with me (until I decide to sell her).


 Nice install!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks, it's still got a long way to go.


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## pika_ (Feb 18, 2007)

n_olympios said:


> Hi there Joao. See, I did start eventually!
> 
> Yeah, I know about the vibrations, if they become too much of a problem I'll have to find alternative ways of reinforcing the doors. You need to send me pictures of your own Leon, mate.
> 
> ...


PM


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Right, here's a small update (more than a month after the last one). :laugh:

These are some of the wires that have to go through to the back. Luckily no multiple runs of RCA's, just an optical link, but the AI-Net cables aren't very slim either. 



















About 20 minutes later they were "techflexed" (along with a couple of other wires for remote etc). 










Here's the bundle of cabling in the boot (the grey techflex contains speaker cables). 










And here's a preview of the mid and tweeter rings. The angle shown here is not the final one.



















The sides of the dash under the A pillars will be left open so the L4's can "breath" into the dash itself.


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## audio+civic (Apr 16, 2009)

subscribed


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

I found the pics that were missing, so here's my braiding work: 

Power cable (Alfatec 1/0AWG) 



















Speaker cable (Cordial multicore)










Here you see where the speaker cable goes through the metal and into the door (through a rubber grommet).



















BTW, the pieces of cloth tape you see sticking out have been trimmed. It's much cleaner-looking now, but most of it will be heat-shrunk at some point to be safe(r). I just have to remember to slide the heatshrink in before I close the cables under the plastics. :laugh:


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Remember this? 










Well forget it. Here's the A-pillars as they stand now. They'll remain unfinished for a while, next in line is the boot build.





































Obviously they do stand out a bit, but not that much in real life. The pics were taken with the camera at a smaller distance than where your head is (normally, unless you drive glued to the steering wheel :clown: ).

Yes, the car is very dirty. 

What do you guys think? Questions/proposals/opinions welcome.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

wow!
you reached the pillar stage 6 months earlier than me!!!!
that quite a progress!
they do not stand out
this who speakers should be mounted on pillars. (yeah right its HOW not who)
if you want to hide them send them to kicks or stay with oem :rimshot:


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## jorona1 (Dec 6, 2008)

subscribed


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

pankrok said:


> wow!
> you reached the pillar stage 6 months earlier than me!!!!
> that quite a progress!


It's not like that at all. Yours had the boot build ready when the A-pillars started. 

A small update, basically slightly better pics of the A-pillars (today the car was outside, no sun though, damn).




























This is where the A-pillar panel will be cut so the L4 will vent into the dash. 



















And this is the start of the boot build.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Another small and insignificant update just to keep things rolling, as I don't really have anything new to show you. :blush:

Here's the left A pillar on the bench.



















The lower part will be cut (read above) and the rest will be covered in the same soundproofing material that was used on the doors. There will be no resonance whatsoever in these pillars. 

This is a closeup of the grille used on the L4s. Close match or what?


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

This is one of the donor signal cables. It's a Monster Cable 401XLN, older model but with strands of various diameters, a feature which Monster call "Time Correct". I quote from the Monster site:



> _Time Correct_® multiple-gauge wire networks ensure accurate phase and amplitude signal response, while advanced PEX™ and _MicroFiber_® insulation maximizes signal integrity. The result: bass notes are deep and tight and transients faster for greater inner detail.


Can of worms? I know. I don't care. I bought the cables at a nice price. 














































It'll be stripped and cut to pieces, so we can make new cables (twisted pairs). I've already got _a few_ rca plugs hehe. See if you can spot the mistake.




























Those Turbine plugs are super strong though, I can tell you that. 

That's all for now. As it stands, the sub enclosure is out of the car for more layers of FG and sound deadening etc. More in a few days.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Right, as most of you know, this build thread is located in 3 different fora. In the TA thread, today's discussion is about opening up the rear of the A-pillar panels so the L4's can breath better. 

This was my scheduled cut-up:










And I've been proposed to cut this as well:










The area inside the red line is a thin layer of plastic but was kept there for a reason. The main concern is that the panel should not lose integrity or rigidness due to less "nerves" in the back. So, it'll probably be reinforced with even more FG filler wherever necessary. 

Also, the rear of the baffle will be chamfered (as in other L3/L4 builds) for better air flow behind the driver.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Today's our birthday. It's been exactly 2 months since I parked it in the install bay. :laugh:


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## trevordj (Feb 22, 2009)

I really like how those pillars are coming together. Great work! Do you have any info on that grill material you are using? Its as close a match to those L1 Pro SEs as I think you can get.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks, Trevor. The grille is a Hertz 16,5cm one (well it started as that anyway).


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

n_olympios said:


> Thanks, Trevor. The grille is a Hertz 16,5cm one (well it started as that anyway).


 WHAT??? HAT is made by Elettromedia???  

 Kelvin


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

LOL. (10 pics per post, insert lol smiley here). 

Roll on with the boot build. 

It'a modular construction, with separate sections that will be capable of getting out of the car if need occurs. Naturally it'll be a time consuming procedure as cables will need to be removed first etc.

It's comprised of 3 main sections: a) sub box, b) sub baffle, processor installation and power distribution, c) amplifier installation. 

If separating the sub box to the baffle sounds confusing, don't worry, it'll be explained a bit later.

So, this is a and b:










This is a and c:










This is a, b and c:










And this is how the equipment will sit in it:










The reason we made the sub baffle a separate piece is because, well, it was easier that way. :lol: 

The sub box is 40 litres, about double what the specific sub needs, so it will be filled with 20 litres of something to bring it back to the sub's specifications. We used the whole spare wheel well, because in the future I might need a sub change and it would be stupid to build a new box for it from the start. 

The baffle consists of 3 pieces: one that's screwed/glued/fg'ed to the rest of the box (part b), one on top of that (held in place with t-nuts and sealant), on which the sub will be screwed and a last piece that will cover the sub screws. 

Here's a quick drawing:










and a couple of quick pics:



















Although a tight fit, the whole build will be screwed to these stock locations - 2 on either side - for maximum safety (no metal drilling in the boot please).


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

interesting
caps?


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

No space for caps. No need either.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

anyway it looks that you will have something playing in august!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

So, here we have the processor: Alpine PXA-H900 old school _F#1 Status_. 



















And here we have its internals:


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

What interests me more in this case is this, the RS232 connector:



















Which was removed from its stock location and the cables were covered with cloth tape...



















And then we modified the case bottom slightly:




























so the cables could be run through that hole (notice the inevidable scratch, the paint is very weak - the scratch was there before the mod though). 










Here's the end result, the connector assembly out of the case.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Anyone here? 

I wasn't completely satisfied with the idea of having the connectors there, right beside the processor (although it'd be much easier to just run a serial or usb cable to the front) so the processor is once again on the operating table:










I'll have to wait till Monday to get the connectors I need, then we'll have another update.


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## trevordj (Feb 22, 2009)

Still here . Loving every minute of it!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

The trimming materials are here. It took me a while to find the correct colouring and texture, but I think the final result will be rewarding.










Also, here are the C-pillars, almost ready for trimming. Yep, that's indeed a C, those are for rear speakers.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

I forgot, I also got some heatshrink tubing.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

yami yami!!
time for job!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

So, the pillars returned from the trimmer's yesterday, finished in grey cloth, very near to the car's roofliner colour and texture.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

And tomorrow they'll be going back as they suck. 














































It was hard to capture all the bad spots as the lighting wouldn't help and I was in a hurry. But I'm afraid they'll have to be stripped, sanded and re-trimmed.


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## nirschl (Apr 30, 2009)

Nick, I think your better off getting them flocked for a much better finish and durability. Those shapes are a bit tough to do cleanly by just rapping them without stitching. Perhaps you could track down a DIY flocking kit.


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

^^^ x 2. I also have severe dips and curves and i know exactly where the ''slight imperfections'' are, in my cloth wrap. Nobody has noticed them, yet, but if you know you have some irregularities, they will stick out like sore thumbs[to you], everytime you sit in your ride.


BTW> awesome looking pods,man :thumbsup:


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

we thought about the way the seams will look nice and actually the person who did this job is supposed to be very good in this (not of course judging from this job). 
I could say I did not like what I saw as shape and material but nick and andreas found it simple and boring...


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## nirschl (Apr 30, 2009)

nirschl said:


> Nick, I think your better off getting them flocked for a much better finish and durability. Those shapes are a bit tough to do cleanly by just *wrapping*them without stitching. Perhaps you could track down a DIY flocking kit.


Spell check!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Version MkII of the pillars is done and ready (finally). 

Front pillars












































Rear pillars


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

And a few photos of them temporarily in place (sort of). 














































Obviously this is not the final driver position. :laugh:


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## jorgegarcia (Mar 8, 2008)

wow! that two tone looks amazing, you did an excellent job on those pillars.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Those are VERY nice looking. I like the 2-tone and the stitching!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks guys! 

Redsun, for the record it's a VW Golf MkV GTi in a different suit. Same platform, same engine and gear, different looks. Cheaper (and it shows in some areas) but more fun to drive.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

I just noticed this thread is nearing 3.000 views already and I felt the need to express my thanks to all for their support and input! :blush:

I'm this close to Jorge's 35.000 views and Trevor's 61.000 views. :laugh:


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## sydmonster (Oct 5, 2009)

nice work here man! there's some serious thought gone into all that.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks Syd! 

A small update. I pushed myself NOT to go to work this afternoon so as to make some progress at home with some graphics that'll be needed for the install (I definitely needed relaxing as well). I'm using Google SketchUp and am making everything from scratch. In these first pics the HAT cross on the left is cropped from a logo, and Scott was nice enough to tell me what font they use. 














































I'm so eager to show you guys the next stage, but I think it's best to finish it first. :blush:


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Here's a sneak preview:










This is probably not the final design though.


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## jurko123 (Mar 18, 2008)

Wher do you buy this trimming material? On net?

Nice progress!

regards


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## perfecxionx (Sep 4, 2009)

jurko123 said:


> Wher do you buy this trimming material? On net?
> 
> Nice progress!
> 
> regards


x2, i'd like to know how you were able to manage finding such a close match


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Sorry guys, I wish I could help, but I found it at a shop in Athens that deals with (amongst other things) OEM-like upholstery and such. It took a while to get the right stuff though. 

We also had a roll of original SEAT black fabric, the one they use in the door panels in my car, but it didn't stretch at all so was impossible to fit over the pillars. We were able to find another black fabric (my trimmer supplied it actually), almost identical to the stock one. 

Thanks for the comments!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Time for an update. Yesterday night I went to my best mate's place (_pankrok_ in this site) to make the new interconnect cables. Ingredients used: Monster 401 XLN's, Monster Turbine RCA plugs, white Techflex braiding, white and transparent heatshrink in various diameters and printed labels.




























Here's the first cable cut down and stripped, first patch of braid and heatshrink applied.




























Here's a photo of Panos' awards from the EMMA competitions throughout the years. 










One end of the first 4-channel cable ready:










We used a Fluke multimeter to check that all connections were ok before sealing the ends.










And here's the end result. 










Regretably, I didn't take a photo of the Chinese take-out we had for dinner at some point between lol.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

During the week (I spent 3 whole nights on this), I made the whole build in SketchUp, it's quite an easy program to use once you get the hang of it. Here's a few crops.














































Also, I was trying to find the appropriate design for the boot. As you can see, lots of things passed my mind:










I liked some of the assymetric designs, but in the end I went for a more rational one...


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

[Batman old series mode]_Meanwhile, back at the shop..._[/mode]




























One of the (numerous) test fits.



















Here's another proposed configuration for the equipment, unfortunately placing them like that would mean scrapping all the woodwork and start all over again, not an option at this point.










It's quite dusty in here.  










Not to mention cramped... :surprised:


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

While I was there, I also removed the A-pillar triangle window:



















as this is what will be happening to it: 



















That's all for now, hope you enjoyed all the pics.


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## kroky (Nov 27, 2008)

very nice FF, but one suggestion:
on the sides of the trunk you have bolted hooks, unbolt them and use pieces of aluminum (or something else) shaped like letter L, and connect car chassis with your false floor.
this way your floor wont rattle even on bumpy road.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Hi there Kroky. Thanks for the suggestion, but if you read back in the thread you'll see where I already mention that this _will_ be done.


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## jorgegarcia (Mar 8, 2008)

I'm jealous, you're having a lot of fun doing your install and posting it also; I always heard people talking about DIY being fun and it shows you are enjoying it in this build log.


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## kroky (Nov 27, 2008)

n_olympios said:


> Hi there Kroky. Thanks for the suggestion, but if you read back in the thread you'll see where I already mention that this _will_ be done.


ups, I didn't read it all, my bad


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

So, you'd _think_ that a serious manufacturer like McIntosh would have made it easy to open the amp up and, say, change the integrated fans. 

The number of screws would say differently.  














































I'm not sure these were the original fans though, I'm pretty sure McIntosh would've removed the stickers. I'll have to open the 6channel as well to see what's going on in there. Anyway, I'm off to find replacements, the goal is to find quiet 60mm fans. 

By the way: this is NOT the correct way to build fibreglass sub boxes:



















:lol:


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Very small update. Those were indeed the original McIntosh fans, the 6channel MC440M had exactly the same ones installed. Anyway, today I bought 3 pairs of the Papst 612FL fans, arguably the quietest 60*60*15mm fans out there.



















Also, last Friday I ordered a pair of plexi strips and today I got them:


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## Duncan345 (Apr 30, 2010)

Looks good! About the fans... you may want to leave the stickers in place. Some fan manufacturers use the stickers as a dust cover for the bearings. I have a few computer fans that require you to peel back the sticker to lube the bearings, then press the sticker back down to keep the dirt out (and to keep the grease in).


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks, Duncan. The fans are getting replaced (see above). From what I've seen, the Papst ones that I'll be installing don't have stickers on them.


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## Donnie W (Nov 18, 2010)

Man this is a nice install! Very clean and classy.


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## crucial24 (Jul 27, 2010)

Good job keep it up!!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks guys!  There will be a photo update soon.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

The triangle stickers are in their place.




























Here we're contemplating on sub grill and fusebox placement. 










And this photo shows the engine compartment, whilst looking for viable battery post/fuse holder options.


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## sydmonster (Oct 5, 2009)

WOW!!! that looks quite impressive! Scott's gonna lorv it. Very different, can say thats the first time I've seen someone use those a pillar windows like that.


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## ChiTownSQ (Apr 7, 2008)

I Love that you eliminated the Apillar window for sound.. What a pointless window!


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## English audiophile (Sep 25, 2010)

Loving choice of product and the work involved, keep it going


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks for the comments, guys. The update has been postponed as no work has been done on the car during the past couple of weeks. Let's say I've stumbled on a slight technical issue with the plexi windows. Hopefully work will resume shortly though.



ChiTownSQ said:


> I Love that you eliminated the Apillar window for sound.. What a pointless window!


Indeed, it's too small to help during parking or cornering, the right size for the HAT logo though.  It's not come out as stealth as I wanted, but it'll have to do.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

and apart from that you still have to consider my idea for the fuse box !


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

Man you're doing awesome work. I love the pillars, partially cause the civic's have a similar window and that's what I'm working on. I'm also loving your work on sketchup. I'm still trying to figure out how to use it. Great JOB!!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks, Scoot, you too. Please stop changing gear though and get on with it. 

If there's anything I can do to help you with Sketchup, let me know.


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

I'm done changing gear. Just waiting for it all to get here now so I can start building on the 1st. 

I just have to have time to play with it a bit. But I'll pm you if I have a question. Thanks!


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## edouble101 (Dec 9, 2010)

I admire your fiberglass skills and general automotive knowledge. I do not think I could sucessfully remove a window!


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## UT-Driven (Sep 16, 2010)

This is one great build so far! I look forward to seeing the end result.

Doug


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

scooter99 said:


> I'm done changing gear. Just waiting for it all to get here now so I can start building on the 1st.
> 
> I just have to have time to play with it a bit. But I'll pm you if I have a question. Thanks!


I 100% relate to the "no time" situation. 


edouble101 said:


> I admire your fiberglass skills and general automotive knowledge. I do not think I could sucessfully remove a window!


Thanks! I can't take credit for the FG work, but I can for the window removing. After all I only had to remove 3 nuts. :laugh:


UT-Driven said:


> This is one great build so far! I look forward to seeing the end result.
> 
> Doug


Thanks Doug!


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## customtronic (Jul 7, 2007)

Very nice work!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thank you sir.

Tiny photo update, today I installed the new Ebst silent fans in the amps. 

Here's them along with the stock Sunon fans. 










I cut the molex connectors away and soldered the stock connectors on the fan wiring. 





































Here's a pic of the amps, the 4channel is missing its aluminium sides but I have them. 



















And here's a pic of the boot as it stands now, with the plexi covers in place. 



















After lighting them with led strips, we ditched that idea as they didn't come out as we intended. So a simpler path will be chosen.


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

That looks sweet buddy! The only thing I'm not catching onto is the rounded corners on the baffle, and the square corners on the plexi (the white part). Otherwise I think it looks sweet!! Nice work bud!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks Scoot. Yeah, the idea was to somehow replicate the design of the amp's covering glass, but with white instead of blue. As I said though, it didn't work out as planned so we decided to do something different.


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## Ludemandan (Jul 13, 2005)

Wow man, that is super clean work inside and out.


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

Oh, ok. I think I missed reading that part. My bad!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Small-ish update for today's work.

Here's the fusebox box (see what I did there hehe) getting ready for FG treatment. 



















Unavoidably, when I ran the cabling through to the front one was missing: the USB extension cable for the control of the F#1 Status processor. So, today I ran it along the left side of the car, up into the dash and across the main console, down the passenger footwell and up through a cut in the carpet, under the passenger's seat. There it met with the iPod plug coming from the headunit.










...where the stock Bluetooth unit (made by Harman/Becker no less) is placed.



















Some techflex treatment and we're good to go. 










This is the inside of the plastic holder ("before" pic).










And this is the "after" pic. 



















As you can see, I put a Neutrik NAUSB-W-B gender changer in there. It's a neat piece, allowing you to invert it inside its casing so you can get either end where you need it.










The good thing about this position is that it's a ) easily accessible and b ) completely invisible when the seat is in normal position. The iPod will be velcro-ed in place and there's plenty of air space above it so no fear for scratches or stuff (my iPods are protected by silicon cases anyway).


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Since the boot build was out I took a couple of pics of the sub enclosure too.



















Well, that's it for today.


----------



## Chayse (Nov 23, 2010)

Very nice build. Keep up the good work.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks Chayse. 

Here's a little teaser. Big update coming soon.










My wishes for a happy new year to everyone.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

eventually...


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> Thanks Chayse.
> 
> Here's a little teaser. Big update coming soon.
> 
> ...


Very slick! 

Happy New Year to you to and keep up the good work!!!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks man! 

A few things were done during the previous days; most of them involved painting. We used a textured dark grey paint. 










The routed holes you see in this photo are for the RCA's and power cables. The speaker cables are on the other side. 










The fan is in place as well. The amp are pushing hot air out of the amps, and the bay fan is pulling it out of the amp area. 













pankrok said:


> you still have to consider my idea for the fuse box !


Well I didn't have much time to consider it. Pankrok went to the shop when I was away and this is what was left of my Audison SFD41C fused distribution after he finished with it lol. This was his idea: 










The rest of it will be going in there:










My installer built a case out of fibreglass for it and a plexiglass that will be held "in the air" by spacers. 

One thing that bugged me about the stock Leon dash, was the silver colour of some of the plastics. They're very shiny, and you can see their reflection on the windshield with the slightest of sunshine, as seen in these pictures (A B C). 

Well not - any - more. 





































I've seen some folks paint them in piano black (or white, even worse) and always wondered how they can drive with the reflections in their face. That's why mine were done in _flat_ black. Every silver surface was done, including the round rings on the air vents and the gear lever cover. The pics don't do them justice, they're much better in real life.


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## derickveliz (May 15, 2009)

Very nice!

Subscribed.


.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thank you derickveliz! 

Here's an update. The fuse holder is ready, routed screw holes and the lot. The holes for the cables have been drilled and grommets are in place. 



















The processor was also lifted and screwed with Allen screws. 










The front speaker wiring is _almost_ ready (it'll need shortening as it's more than needed, and of course more techflex/heatshrink). 










Now that my EL sheets are here though, it won't be long until the A-pillars are in place. We'll be using them to lighten the HAT logo in the triangles. This one lights up blue but I'll be using the white one (shows pink when off lol).  

One thing I had omitted so far: The F#1 screen has found its place in the roof. It didn't fit as stock, so we opened the case up and will be using just the board and the plexi cover. Here's a photo from the initial fitting tests:










And here it is later on. 










This was a while ago, now it's pretty much ready. It's been match-painted to the roof light assembly in front of it, I forgot to take a picture of it today though. 

This little box will control the lighting and extras (via a wireless remote). 

And here's a photo of some led lighting.


----------



## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

:snacks::rimshot::ears::bowdown:


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

pankrok said:


> :snacks::rimshot::ears::bowdown:


I must say that splitting the Audison fusebox apart was Pankrok's idea. Although I was skeptic at first, well, he didn't leave me much choice. He took advantage of my absence and attacked it with his plyers and screwdriver. 

The result came out nice, though.


----------



## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

:2thumbsup::wideeyed:


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## sheepskin (Dec 8, 2010)

very nice!!


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## tlow98 (Oct 8, 2009)

really like that little car, equipment list is humbling and the install is really pretty much spot on.

you deserve a cold one!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Well, it appears that something always has to go wrong. This is the white EL panel that was sent to me, and as you realize I cannot use it with this defect. 










  

The changes in lighting you see are dependant on the input I use (there's one on each side). And yes, although it is supposed to be white, it actually lights up as light blue. Not a problem at this point. The problem is that I really needed it to get on with the install and now will have to do it without the lighting. I've talked to the seller (ebay shop from HK) and hopefully will get a replacement soon, but I really wanted to go to the next stage asap. Oh well.


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

tlow98 said:


> really like that little car, equipment list is humbling and the install is really pretty much spot on.
> 
> you deserve a cold one!





sheepskin said:


> very nice!!


I forgot to say thank you, how rude. :blush:

Here's today's update. Sorry for the blurry pictures, I'm lousy without my own digicam.  

The circuit breaker is just temporary until we build a proper fusebox for the front.










The L4 screw holes were routed so the screws sit flush.










The rear panels are in place










The inside of the front panels was cut as requested. It's a good thing they're solid as a rock.










The hairy guy is me putting heatshrink and techflex on the front speaker wires.




























Front panels also in place. It's really starting to look like a real system now.


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## tr0y_audi0 (Feb 13, 2007)

Sweet install..
I love the boot!! nice design..
Pillars look good too love the gear!!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Hi Troy, thanks. I loved the acting.


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## CLK63DK (Nov 20, 2010)

n_olympios said:


> One thing that bugged me about the stock Leon dash, was the silver colour of some of the plastics. They're very shiny, and you can see their reflection on the windshield with the slightest of sunshine, as seen in these pictures -
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Why dident you finish the job and paint the 2din adaptor + the Alpine frame!!?? 
It's a small thing but makes a huge differance in apperance!


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Hi, thanks for your input. 2 reasons actually. one is, I don't know if I'm going to keep this frame+adaptor; second, if we painted the adaptor and frame the same colour, then their shape would disappear into the outer shape of the console, and this would look awful (I know, I've seen several others). Now it makes the HU look bigger and it fits the console better. 

Don't forget that due to the flash things tend to not show correctly in the pics. In real life the difference in shading is not so big. When the install is finished, we'll have a proper photoshoot.


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Here's another small update. 

The build floor has been screwed in place with angle brackets. Notice the recess for the processor's "feet" in the second pic.



















This is how the upper panels will sit in place. 










Most wiring is in there finally, relays too. 










And here's a couple of pics of the sub and its beefy posts (one pair of two shown here).


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## eviling (Apr 14, 2010)

i've got wood...:uhoh:


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## sydmonster (Oct 5, 2009)

beautifull!! neat progress too!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks guys! 

Very few things to be done before we've got sound! I'm well excited!


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## chtaylor71 (Sep 26, 2009)

Cool car....Great progress cant wait to see the completed install


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## Mixerdriver (Nov 8, 2010)

Very nice!

Subscribed.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Getting there...


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

chtaylor71 said:


> Cool car....Great progress cant wait to see the completed install





Mixerdriver said:


> Very nice!
> 
> Subscribed.


Thank you both!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Well today was the first time I heard the system play (without the sub for now, and with just some "safe" crossover settings). 



A few remarks as it's still a long way to go:
a ) the midbass is very impressive and the doors don't like it
b ) the tweeters are very nice, with an airy sound
c ) I played a bit with TA and the image is almost spot on already!


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## pika_ (Feb 18, 2007)

n_olympios said:


> Well today was the first time I heard the system
> a ) the midbass is very impressive and the doors don't like it


have exactly the same problem pal.. these are some awful doors to work with..


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## derickveliz (May 15, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> Well today was the first time I heard the system play (without the sub for now, and with just some "safe" crossover settings).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*a ) That's why I'm going with kick panels*
b ) I'm sure
c ) Love TA

.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

I know, kick panels work great for midbass, if you are willing to cut metal panels. This is a leased car though, and if I decide to give it back at the end of the contract I can deal with the cost of a couple replacement panels (doors and pillars) from a scrapyard, but not with cut metal. 

If it was easy it'd be boring.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

We're done!


----------



## derickveliz (May 15, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> We're done!


Lets see!



.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Pics will have to wait until tomorrow. Sorry, I'm a tease, I know.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

it was about time!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

I'm back! 

Remember when I had mentioned that the A-pillar triangles would be lit from the inside using EL sheets? This is during the procedure.



















And, the plan was abandoned soon as we found out that the converter for the EL panels emits massive high pitched noise into the system.  

Other options are being investigated. 

We also put stuffing under the rear seat and deadened the wheel arches for less road noise. 



















We had to lift the car up at a nearby shop, in order to remove the wheels and arches, but it was definitely worth the hassle. 




























These weigh a ton now.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Meanwhile, here's the boot build almost ready (only a couple of plexiglass panels missing).

With the original carpet in, you'd think it's a completely stock car, and you'd have to be familiar with the Leon to figure out that the boot floor is now sitting 10cm higher. 










But, remove the carpet and voila!





































See those little cloth handles?










You lift those up










and reveal the stuff underneath:


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Here's a couple of views of the front stage, only missing the L4 grilles to be complete (oh, and the F#1 screen).


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Well that's it for now, at that point it was getting dark and the weather started acting funny so I had to go back inside...


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## jurko123 (Mar 18, 2008)

Superb!


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

Sniffle, Sniffle, this is so beautiful I'm misty eyed! I wish I had a bow down icon to give you cause this truly is a beautiful piece of artwork. I'm truly impressed with your craftsman ship and skills and attention to detail. I mean really who thinks about pulling the plastic shell out of the wheel wells to deaden them. Impressive my man! 

One question. What did you put under the back seat? (red) It looks like carpet foam. 

Next is, the processor, and the distro block, you said you still have plexi to put in. Is that where it's going, and why you have indentations surrounding the cutouts? 

Again, great work! Can't say it enough!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thanks guys! Scoot, thanks man! 

Yeah, that's where the plexi's are going. They're already cut into shape, but have to be polished before they go into place. 

Regarding the insulation under the seat, I'm not sure how you guys would call it, it's something between a foam liner and a thick carpet. It works pretty well with the low-mid pitch generated by tyres, and that's exactly what I wanted to extinguish.


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## scooter99 (Dec 21, 2008)

Ok. Well it's awesome, nice work. You inspire me! Thanks!


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## derickveliz (May 15, 2009)

Very nice Nick!

Could you talk a little bit about your stage and why and how you aimed the L4s!

Thanks

.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Hi Derick, thanks. The L4's and L1 Pro's point at the same spot in the middle of the car, approx. 15 cm ahead of where the listeners' heads are normally. The system isn't setup at all yet though, we've just thrown in some safe "burn-in" crossover points and slopes and will wait until after the speakers are run in to set it up. 

Even like this though, having played with TA a bit I found that the stage is very nice, wide and deep. Perhaps a bit constrained at the left side but that will be fixed in time.


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## kenikh (Jan 17, 2011)

Bravo - the to pistevo!


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## AKMetal (Mar 3, 2011)

I wish they sold Seat's here in the U.S. They look awesome. Nice install.


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## knifedag007 (Mar 14, 2011)

very nice build


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Cheers guys! 

Soon there will be pics of the grilles as well.


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## Mikcuz (Apr 2, 2011)

Damn we miss out on some cool looking cars here in the states. I love Seats. And we cant get the VW Scirocco either. I love that thing. Nice though. Im loving it!


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## kenikh (Jan 17, 2011)

Mikcuz said:


> Damn we miss out on some cool looking cars here in the states. I love Seats. And we cant get the VW Scirocco either. I love that thing. Nice though. Im loving it!


the list is long. I saw Scirocco in person for the first time yesterday in Malaysia. BAD ASS. Other sad US no-gos:

Ford Focus RS
Anything French
Alfa Romeo
Fiat (coming soon)
Audi RS4 Avant
Seat
Mercedes A and B class
Vauxhall

On and on and on...


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## Mikcuz (Apr 2, 2011)

kenikh said:


> the list is long. I saw Scirocco in person for the first time yesterday in Malaysia. BAD ASS. Other sad US no-gos:
> 
> Ford Focus RS
> Anything French
> ...


Yummy! RS4 Avant! Soooo Good!


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Here's one I find badass: 

























Infos here: 
HSV Maloo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

You won't see this in the US but I won't either in Tahiti 

Kelvin


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

kenikh said:


> Mercedes A and B class


Why oh why would you want to have those incredibly dull and meaningless heaps on your roads? 

Ute's are equally meaningless but quite cool, I guess; that Holden especially, but not in that colour.


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

n_olympios said:


> Why oh why would you want to have those incredibly dull and meaningless heaps on your roads?
> 
> Ute's are equally meaningless but quite cool, I guess; that Holden especially, but not in that colour.


Just take the tono cover off and you'll have a useful Ute  

Kelvin


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## hugo23 (Apr 3, 2008)

Hello man, first of all let me say congratulations for the work, everything looks great. I've been watching your post since I bought my Leon in the past January, and this has helped me to get a better idea of what I'm dealing with.

I'm doing basically the same with my install, everything in the cargo area is going to be under a false floor and the front stage is going to be a Focal 165KRX3 in the same configuration as yours... I'm a little worried about the doors but I'll do my best 

Saludos desde México.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Hola Hugo, muchas gracias amigo! 

You shouldn't have too much of a problem with the KRX3 set as the midbass is a 6.5" unit. It is pretty beefy and bassy for a 6.5incher, but not like the 8.9" HAT L8. If you deaden the outer metal and build a nice baffle or ring for the midbass to sit on the door card I guess you'll be fine. Check THIS out for a 6.5" panel idea. 

Meanwhile, here's a small teaser:


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

AKMetal said:


> I wish they sold Seat's here in the U.S. They look awesome. Nice install.


they do...just with VW clothing


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## hugo23 (Apr 3, 2008)

n_olympios said:


> Hola Hugo, muchas gracias amigo!
> 
> You shouldn't have too much of a problem with the KRX3 set as the midbass is a 6.5" unit. It is pretty beefy and bassy for a 6.5incher, but not like the 8.9" HAT L8. If you deaden the outer metal and build a nice baffle or ring for the midbass to sit on the door card I guess you'll be fine. Check THIS out for a 6.5" panel idea.
> 
> Meanwhile, here's a small teaser:


Thanks man, I'm a bit less worried now 

I already started my install, there is a new thread here, it's going to be a very slow process because I don't have enough free time and the Focal's will be installed at the end of the year maybe, but I'll be doing the best I can with those doors and A pillars.

Saludos.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Cool colour, you car is.  

A few words worth writing about the grille rings and how they were made. 










These are not your typical, run-of-the-mill, routed-from-mdf rings. They were made using a relatively new technology called "additive rapid prototyping".If you are familiar with the term SLA (stereolithography) then you more or less know what I'm talking about. 
Basically, rapid prototyping exists in two main forms: additive and subtractive. The latter is where you have say a cube of a polymer, and then router some of it out, layer by layer, to form the final object. The former is the exact opposite, you _build_ the object up using a polymer, again layer by layer. It has two main benefits, a) it's more precise and can be used to build more detailed and structurally more complex objects and b) it saves on material, as there's no residue: it uses just what it needs. 

I must say, I was aware of stereolithography as a term but didn't know this technology existed until my good friend PanKrok used a greek company to build his own grille rings for the CX-7; He was so satisfied with the result that he was kind enough to measure, design in CAD and order the same thing for me, making sure that my rings would match those of the L1Pro SE's above them aesthetically. Needless to say, when these puppies are filed and painted, they'll be the perfect match! 

Here's a couple of videos about the process, for those interested: 

YouTube - Rapid Prototyping

YouTube - Learn About Rapid Prototyping SLA

YouTube - E01 - Polyjet - Additive Technologies (Rapid Prototyping)

Forget CNC, forget subtractive technology. This is the future. Also, this is how Leeloo in 5th element was made.


----------



## hugo23 (Apr 3, 2008)

Thanks man, we sure have a good taste in cars 

I wish a could use that technology in my install, but I don't think there is a place nearby that can do that. I'm gonna have to do it with MDF 

I'll see if I can get some pieces of HD plastic to use instead of MDF, but everything will be done "old school"


----------



## Cabalabadingdong (Mar 6, 2011)

Nice!


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## robdridan (Oct 31, 2010)

Beautiful work.........but no center channel ???


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

n_olympios said:


> Cool colour, you car is.
> 
> A few words worth writing about the grille rings and how they were made.
> 
> ...


One of my customer's does this (or something VERY similar from the description). He says sometimes he gets to do projects for himself on the weekends because it takes a while to build an object. He's building a system in his '69 Camaro...I'm looking forward to seeing the final project.



n_olympios said:


> Also, this is how Leeloo in 5th element was made.


Something about the orange hair...

Jay


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

robdridan said:


> Beautiful work.........but no center channel ???


Τhank you, and yes. This was never intended to be a surround system for movies after all. The rear speakers are there because I've got a fair few quadrophonic audio cd's (well, actually they are 4.0 or 4.1 DTS cd's made from ripped quadrophonic vinyls from back in the day) which I love to listen to.

Besides, "phantom" mode for the centre channel works great, when the front speakers have spot-on imaging. 

Realistically, I'd have to butcher the whole dash in order to accomodate a true centre speaker, and I wasn't prepared to do that. Not in this vehicle anyway; don't forget, it's on a lease. :laugh:



JayinMI said:


> I'm looking forward to seeing the final project.


Thanks, hopefully it won't be long now; having said that, we'll probably reach the one year mark since the first post. 

PS: I probably should've written "center" instead of "centre" since this forum is, after all, US-based.


----------



## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

I think we can handle the "er" vs. "re" here...it's the whole Hellas=Greece thing that messes us up. 

Jay


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Ah, it won't be the first time Hellas/Greece messes things up.


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Small update, with bad news. My MC431 has a problem and needs to be repaired. One of my Genesis amps will temporarily take its place for midbass purposes (I'll be subless for a while, I don't mind though).



















I hate assymetric.


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Small update again, this time with good news. The MC431 has been fixed (after a long time), the car has been tuned, and went to win its first ever SQ contest.


----------



## estione (Jul 24, 2009)

leased:leased:leased: Well done


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## IBcivic (Jan 6, 2009)

epper: Woo-Hoo, congratz, Nick! epper:


----------



## [email protected] (Jul 21, 2011)

Amazing install and I love the two tone trim. Really break up the monotony of a solid color! Also love the McIntosh gear running an active system.


----------



## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> These are not your typical, run-of-the-mill, routed-from-mdf rings. They were made using a relatively new technology called "additive rapid prototyping".If you are familiar with the term SLA (stereolithography) then you more or less know what I'm talking about.
> Basically, rapid prototyping exists in two main forms: additive and subtractive.



This is VERY high tech for car audio. Also this is how
F1 teams build scale body parts for wind tunnel testing. 
This is the first time I have ever seen this process being
used in car audio. 

I have a project where I am trying to patent a new style
targa top for Porsches from the early 70's until early 90's.
The bracing on the underside along with the mounting 
brackets are what I have been trying to find someone to
prototype for me. The problem is once I have the parts
made, trying to find someone who can then input that
so that it can be made using this technology. Its not an
easy thing to do in AlafreakingBAMA.  

IF you were say going to make a Porsche crest but you
wanted it about 8" wide, would you use this process. Or
would you go straight to a CNC and have it cut out of 
aluminum? All of the design features inside the crest 
would either be raised or in relief.

Now, buy another car or do your wife's/girlfriend, brother,
buddy, someone so we can see you use this process
more!


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Ha, I already have the car and most of the stuff to go in it, I just lack the funds and time to build it. 

Re the crest, well it depends on how much structural strength you'd want it to have. 8 inches (=20 cm for us metric europeans) isn't too big, but if you do it with rapid prototyping, it is still a polymer material. Aluminum will probably be sturdier. And then there's the cost to consider, I honestly don't know which would be cheaper. 

BTW, those grilles turned out ok. 




























They're only missing the HAT logos, which I have but haven't had a chance to put on yet.


----------



## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

Your rear fill is IMHO the sickest on this board that
I have seen to date. Most don't bother with rear fill
here and I'm one of them. 

But these, man they are well past any compliment
I can come up with. The thing is its not so much the
method, but the creativity in placement! Very slick.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

PM sent about the crest


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

:blush: Thanks. 

The rear speakers are placed low in the doors. Obviously they could not be used for surround or rear fill, so I use them just for the navigation voice. I've got a small old school Alpine amp placed behind the HU (yup, in the dash) to run them and it works like a treat. 

The only real reason I went ahead with the speakers in the C-pillars is because I have lots of DTS cd's and DVD's with musical content that I like to listen to. Most of those are obviously multichannel, mainly 4.0 (from the old 70's quadrophonic craze) or 5.1 (more modern stuff), so rear speakers were necessary to fully enjoy them. It did cost me a bit more (cables, mids, grilles and pillars) but it was worth the hassle. 

The good thing with my processor as well is that you can set it up for the different formats. So when I listen to normal music the rears are attenuated and when it changes to DTS or DD they play at normal level. I may lose a bit on high frequencies as I've only got the L4's back there with no tweeters, but it's not that necessary to give you the surround effect. 

Stereo is great, but JMJ's Aero, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon or Eagles' Hell Freezes Over (the whole album) are just great_er_ in multichannel.


----------



## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> :blush: Thanks.
> 
> The rear speakers are placed low in the doors. Obviously they could not be used for surround or rear fill, so I use them just for the navigation voice. I've got a small old school Alpine amp placed behind the HU (yup, in the dash) to run them and it works like a treat.
> 
> ...


Ahhhhh, gotcha. I can understand rear fill with 
video/movies and the music content you describe. 
I bet Pink Floyd sounds amazing in your install. 

What kind of car are you going to be doing next?
Type of gear you want to use?

Sorry for derailing your thread. You seem to be
one of the only people up at this hour and I'm
bored. lol


Scott


----------



## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

No worries. I'm at work anyway since it's 1pm over here. 

The next proposed system will be in a Merc E-klass (W211), and will be simpler. A two-way Brax Graphic Pro set, Genesis amps, my trusty PL Aliante as a sub (or perhaps the Falstaff 10" I have), and a Clarion HX-D2 (eurasian version of the DRZ-9255) as the source. But I doubt it'll be done any time soon. When it does, I'll make a new thread for it.


----------



## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> The next proposed system will be in a Merc E-klass (W211), and will be simpler. A two-way Brax Graphic Pro set, Genesis amps, my trusty PL Aliante as a sub (or perhaps the Falstaff 10" I have), and a Clarion HX-D2 (eurasian version of the DRZ-9255) as the source. But I doubt it'll be done any time soon. When it does, I'll make a new thread for it.



SWEET , I love Merc's. My 3rd car was a 
Merc 190e 2.5 Evolution II in mint condition, 
a super rare car here in the states. I wish I 
still had it. Most folks have not even heard of
them let alone seen one. Super fast car for an
early 90's saloon.

I cant wait to see yours when you start working
on it. Be sure when you do start to forward me a
link PLEASE. 

* This looks exactly like my old one.*
http://www.supercars.net/Pics?v=y&s=c&id=3602&p=1990_MercedesBenz_190E2516EvolutionII1.jpg

http://www.supercars.net/Pics?v=y&s=c&id=3602&p=1990_MercedesBenz_190E2516EvolutionII3.jpg

http://www.supercars.net/Pics?v=y&s=c&id=3602&p=1990_MercedesBenz_190E2516EvolutionII2.jpg


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Those were (and still are) great cars. You sir have great taste.


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## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

n_olympios said:


> Those were (and still are) great cars. You sir have great taste.


Yeah and if I had kept mine I would have more than
trippled the price I paid for it.


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## jpeezy (Feb 5, 2012)

Very nice work on the door cards and pillars,actually nice job on the whole car!i can only imagine how smooth that car sounds,hope your enjoying the fruits of your labor.


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## pankrok (Jan 1, 2010)

yeap it definitely sounds very good overall. even with ipod stuff
not so many cars have a sub on the dash (deep inside the dash) while actually its on the trunk looking up (without kicks and with so poor consturcted doors by factory).
worths every penny (eurocent or drachmes)


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## oca123 (Aug 16, 2010)

It's funny, I just finally took the time and looked thorugh your install log, and I noticed that we did quite a few things the same way. I too took apart the Audison Distro block. I hated the way it was laid out. I've also started work on some C pillars, but haven't finished yet.

As to the speaker rings, by "additive rapid prototyping" do you mean a 3D printer? These have caught on very fast over here. I remember reading about them before I got into car audio a couple years back. I recently saw something on TV about how Jay Leno had one and used it to make parts for cars he was restoring. 

I was wanting to buy one to make speaker rings for some Audible Physics drivers and my midbass, but I wasn't sure if the resulting rings would be sturdy enough to justify not using MDF. If they do, then I guess the printer would pay for itself as I would sell some speaker rings on here  Can you check out the RepRap and let me know if one of these printers would yield similar rings? Cause the RepRap can be had for like $1000


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Indeed, it's basically the same thing (the info is there if you follow the Wiki link in that post). However, like you I don't think it's better than mdf for midbass rings. We used it because we wanted to make rings for the grilles, not for speaker support, so needed something that is light and thin enough to replicate the tweeters' appearance but at the same time structurally potent to keep the grilles in place. 

I'll look into RepRap and let you know. 

Interestingly, my best friend pankrok (whose post is right above yours) is responsible for both the things you mention, the Audison fusebox disassembly and the grille rings.


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## oca123 (Aug 16, 2010)

and you wear a suit while you work on your car. I do that as well sometimes.

Oh, and Flyonwall, I've seen many places online where you can order parts. There are many people with 3D printers, even in Ala-freaking-bama  who have probably run out of stuff to print and will be happy to print something for cost of materials + shipping because they need to justify having the damn thing


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Haha not usually, but I had gone to the shop directly from work that day.


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## oca123 (Aug 16, 2010)

pankrok said:


> yeap it definitely sounds very good overall. even with ipod stuff
> not so many cars have a sub on the dash (deep inside the dash) while actually its on the trunk looking up (without kicks and with so poor consturcted doors by factory).
> worths every penny (eurocent or drachmes)


I noticed that things do not sound good when using an ipod as a source, even if using a dock with line-out. Is that what you are referring to?
I have been using an i-20 dock which i hacked up (it was ugly and big) and things seem to sound OK, but my ears are mostly untrained.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

This Alpine HU doesn't extract the digital signal from the iPod. The main problems behind this are firstly the iPod's DAC's, which can't realistically be better than those in the F#1 Status processor, and secondly the multiple conversions the signal has to suffer.


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## oca123 (Aug 16, 2010)

Got it, I didn't know how the signal path was.
You should try the I20 dock, then. It bypasses the ipod/iphone's DAC and provides both digital toslink and RCA outputs (with a better DAC) and costs ~$100.
What's more, it comes with a (admittedly cheap) IR remote which can be used to control payback.


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

The signal path in my case is: Apple iPod Classic 120GB -> Alpine IVA-W505R -> Alpine PXA-H900 -> Mcamps -> speakers. I've been long contemplating on getting the i20 dock, I might try it (or something similar) in a future system. As it is now, I only use the iPod for everyday listening and the sq is, well, adequate.


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## sydmonster (Oct 5, 2009)

Still lorv this install!!


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## n_olympios (Oct 23, 2008)

Thank you sir!  

I wish I had an update of some sort for you guys, but things have been stable for a while now. The only new thing in my life audio-wise is... well, a pair of home speakers.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Beautiful work


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