# 2017 Mustang GT - big infinite baffle 3 way...



## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

So after my last car got written off (2015 Mustang GT), I managed to grab most of my gear before the insurance company took the carcass away... I replaced the car with a new 2017 GT also with the performance package, but i opted to go to the “premium” model with the stock 3 way audio and Sync 3 system in it. It’s been over a whole year now and shy of pulling off the really annoying stock tweeter grills, it’s been entirely stock and a whole lotta sucky in the audio department. Two young kids and a new homestead been keeping me busy and out of the shop but last weekend I finally caved and pulled an all-nighter to get things started. 

Last time I had a single Sundown audio Z v.4 running through an infinite baffle between the trunk and the backseats. I sealed and dampened the back fairly well and I really did like the sound, but it lacked on the output side and if i really cranked it, the sub just didn’t keep up. So i did some digging, spent time researching different options for subwoofers this time around - I bought a pair of 15” JBL wGTI and was all excited until one of them showed up broken. After the debacle of trying to collect from Fedex (which I never did end up being able to do) - it lit a fire under me a bit and I got pissy so i went a bit overboard and jumped to my (then) second choice. Impulse buy later and two brand new Fi Car Audio IB3 18” woofers showed up - had to take my wife’s car to go pick them up from UPS, they wouldn’t even fit in my car, al least certainly not while still in their packaging. 

So here’s the start of a new build, same Zapco LX 6 channel running my front 3 way - might change the dynaudio mids out for some AudioFrog GB25, but definitely keeping the GB10 tweeters and the Si TM65 mids. Using the same Zapco Z3KD for the new subs, and using the same miniDSP C6x8 - this time with some much better integration to the OeM system (more on that later). 

For now, here’s what I’m starting with:




















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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Started tearing down, took the seats out and most of the body panels, rear deck, etc



































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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Made a mock-up baffle using cheap osb - realized fitting two 18” subs is going to take some work...



















The baffle ends up coming from the bottom of the backseat on an angle upwards ending just shy of the glass - so i plan to deaden the panel, remove the rear speakers and fast-ring style the openings into the cabin using seating foam to also help keep pressure in the rear deck panel to avoid any rattles. 










I then transferred the template over to 19mm 13 ply void-free Russian birch, and added threaded inserts for the subwoofer mounting bolts:































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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Ive got two ib3 15s in my car. I emailed FI about their potential power handling and they said 1k-1200 is the max they'd put on them. 

So i got a 3k amp(dyno'd at 3500 at 16volts) and hooked em up. They got smelly fast. Backed off the gains quite a bit. Still smelly. So realistically. Their about 900rms subs. 

Excursion wise. 10-15hz 24db hpf and you'll never run into excursion issue. Even on full bore 3k. They wouldn't hit xmax, regardless of what modeling actually says. 

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

I custom ordered mine from Fi - they are 4ohm svc - so wired in parallel the Zapco Z3KD should net about 1800rms at 2ohms ... i figured just about perfect, I am not a big fan of loading an amp down to 1ohm...


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Started the amp rack - attempting to do something similar, albiet a little more polished than my last build...

Last build looked like this:










The trim panel covered with carpet/felt was ok, but I didn’t have a real solid mounting underneath and there was neither consistency nor really solid mounting point (the gap between amp and cover looked like this):









(You can see through the gap above the top amp to see some of the wiring revealed/etc - also the wiring was too tight underneath)

So this time... I started with a better foundation; using rivnuts and machine screws along with construction adhesive I mounted three bricks on the flat even areas of the well, then I screwed rails on top of those, and ultimately mounted a 19mm birch plate after painting it all to avoid moisture issues:




























This time the whole base is even, level, and measured so that the top of the amps is even with the bottom of the trunk space. 

Next I set to a better way to handle the spare battery mounting location, fuses, power wiring, etc. I created a false side using mdf - angled to also double as added bracing under the side edge of the subwoofer baffle too. 


















(Pre-drilled the larger holes for 0/1 gauge cables)

Then i framed in a battery box using some more birch:



















Once the side was done i added a small strip to the top and used a 3/4” roundover router bit, then covered it in carpet before adding the fuse holders:



















The battery back here will remain somewhat hidden behind the panel, it doubles as a bit of an added power source but also a distribution block:













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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

I covered the backside of the baffle in the same carpet/felt and started to bolt everything down to the car. Using the factory M8 welded nuts to hold the battery/side panel down in place and pre-drilled some 3 inch #8 wood screws between the baffle and the side panel. (Not pictured, i did a similar inverse side panel on the opposite side screwed between the rear deck and the upper side of the baffle - that one using more birch).


















(Also glued carpeting down to the floor, stretched to cover the amp rack too)

Started wiring the power to the amplifiers, and then I screwed the amplifiers down to their desired positions. Up next is the dreaded door molex to run the speaker wiring - only so much time in one night though  so that’s gotta wait until tomorrow. 









(First time using wire ferrules - they were “oversized” a little too much so i cut them and then used my hydraulic crimper to tighter them on)









(Also first time using techflex... i probably should have asked for some tips, feeding 20 feet through it sucks!)









(Drilled a 1” hole through the firewall fom within where the battery box sits, used a rubber grommet after a quick shot of paint/primer to deter rust)









(Mounted the front fuse holder and left a lead to connect to the main battery/charging system)









(Re-installed the battery box, put the battery in it and connected up the wire to the rear - fused at 300amps)









(All buttoned up and back to looking oem)




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## mumbles (Jul 26, 2010)

Awesome work so far, tuned in for the outcome! When I see this it makes me second guess getting rid of my Mustang...


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

So I’ve come to the realization that the baffle is too flimsy for my liking; adding another plate is not really an option given how awkward and difficult it would be to fit it in place... so, i welded up some brackets to a 1x1 inch steel tubing section cut to match the angle of the baffle. I drilled some bolt holes through it and will attach to the car chassis using 1/4x20 rivnuts. 



















I painted the brace in gray, and covered the front of the baffle with a gray vinyl wrap. At this point I came to the scary realization that I have not actually tried to mount a woofer (or even check clearances) since i first made the baffle (which is at this point permanently affixed). It barely makes it after some awkward tweaking to get the motor through the speaker hole... 










At this point I’m also sure I will have less than a few millimeters of clearance between my brace bar and the two woofers - so before drilling the holes and mounting my brace bar I figure I’m going to have to mount both subwoofers in. So next steps are to remove the factory rear deck speakers, (that’s the intent anyways, but also because I need to be able to reach both sides to tighten the bolts on the brace to mount it). So this is where it sits as of now; still have to get back to wiring the source, miniDSP, and speakers - then installing and dampening the front stage/doors too. 













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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Awesome build. 

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

quickaudi07 said:


> Awesome build.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk




Thanks  - just noticed your post looking for a Z3KD ... they’re a great amp! Can’t wait to get this one (re-)playing again...


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

I have Zapco AP6ch and I love it. So I would like to get a Zapco for my IB subs 

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## mumbles (Jul 26, 2010)

Which gen of TM65 are you running?


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Was wondering about the baffle you were building initially. I was thinking about doing an angled one in mine too but its far more work, plus the mounting depth of those subs is intense. Wasn't sure i could pull it off

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## mfenske (Feb 7, 2006)

I love this thread soooo much-the Mustang is on my short list of "next car" and IB would be a must.


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

I see more and more people are getting away from box and simply are doing IB in their cars. I never knew what IB is all about untill I heard few cars and seen them in person. It changed my point of view of things. Now I'm on 2nd revision of IB

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

mumbles said:


> Which gen of TM65 are you running?


First gen - DVC  ... 2 ohm drivers to the Zapco LX - if money wasn't an object I might be looking to replace them with some AudioFrog GB60 - but I was quite impressed with these before in nearly the same car.


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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

quickaudi07 said:


> I see more and more people are getting away from box and simply are doing IB in their cars. I never knew what IB is all about untill I heard few cars and seen them in person. It changed my point of view of things. Now I'm on 2nd revision of IB
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Changed my whole perspective. They are smooth and flat in response, easy to tune


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

mfenske said:


> I love this thread soooo much-the Mustang is on my short list of "next car" and IB would be a must.


This is my fifth Mustang now - second in this body style (both GT with performance package at that). I'm a tall/big guy - my kids are young (read: small) - I have a long-ass commute (106miles to work) ... so I *must* enjoy my ride else risk going crazy. At least that's how I justify to my wife 

lol - all kidding aside though, great car - love having all the added room up front with a 2 door, even if at the expense of having to let my kids in/out of the backseat ... with my three year old that's actually a bonus (she can't open the door this way while driving). Everyone knocks the Mustang as a family car - to each their own I guess, but both of my kids came home from the hospital as babies in a mustang.


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

See I like my silystem to be SQ, but more than few occasions I like it bit louder lol... My subs are well behaved and go wild when I want them too! 

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Jscoyne2 said:


> Was wondering about the baffle you were building initially. I was thinking about doing an angled one in mine too but its far more work, plus the mounting depth of those subs is intense. Wasn't sure i could pull it off
> 
> Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk


These subs aren't quite as dep as the Sundown was actually - but the baffle front-to-back is about 14 inches as it sits now ... but the magnet/motor structure will ultimately sit just a couple inches off the top cover (floor) over the amps when I'm done. Still debating what to do about the amp cover (kinda want the big Z like I had in my last car/build with these amps ... but with a better fit/finish this time).

What *IS* worth noting with such an angled baffle, is that filling/sealing the sides is quite difficult, I got as close as I could with screwed/glued birch and then used spray-foam insulation to both seal and help glue/stop any vibrations. This worked so well in my last car, that I've been making it a habit to spray foam the entire rear quarter panels from the inside of the trunk, air-tight and stops a ton of resonances.


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

I'm curious about your Z and why it didnt work for you. Its 2500rms(realistically) sub. Were you giving it enough power? Those high rms subs tend to be kinda lame till they get what they want. 

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Jscoyne2 said:


> I'm curious about your Z and why it didnt work for you. Its 2500rms(realistically) sub. Were you giving it enough power? Those high rms subs tend to be kinda lame till they get what they want.
> 
> Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk




Running it in a decent ported box - probably would have removed dental fillings... the BL/motor in general on that thing is insane. That being said, in IB without any real air resistance on the suspension, I found the excursion limits met before any distortion from the amplifier... it was good, just not good enough output-wise; I think i might have just had unrealistic expectations vs what it sounded like in a box. That being said, I wanted to pivot to something with more surface area and higher sensitivity. (Which is why my initial thought was towards the JBL wGTI 15” ... alas those unicorns are hard too find and even more so if you want un-abused ones). 


I was using the same Zapco Z3KD ~ 3000rms at 1ohm... so should not have been a power issue. 

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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

unix_usr said:


> This is my fifth Mustang now - second in this body style (both GT with performance package at that). I'm a tall/big guy - my kids are young (read: small) - I have a long-ass commute (106miles to work) ... so I *must* enjoy my ride else risk going crazy. At least that's how I justify to my wife
> 
> lol - all kidding aside though, great car - love having all the added room up front with a 2 door, even if at the expense of having to let my kids in/out of the backseat ... with my three year old that's actually a bonus (she can't open the door this way while driving). Everyone knocks the Mustang as a family car - to each their own I guess, but both of my kids came home from the hospital as babies in a mustang.


Nobody told you about the Accord 6-6? You can have your mustang, 30mpg and nice/quite interior. Plus you know 1 would last you 5 mustangs :surprised:


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Did you find the manufacturer spec for the hole cut off to be wrong for the Ib3s? I built my baffle way before i got the subs and had to add another layer to give the sub something to bite into.

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

dcfis said:


> Nobody told you about the Accord 6-6? You can have your mustang, 30mpg and nice/quite interior. Plus you know 1 would last you 5 mustangs :surprised:




lol - only honda I would even consider has a pullstring to start it. Had an accord sport, fully loaded, as a loaner when I was getting some work done on my last car... what a horrible piece of ****. Sure, if you’re ok with the mundane boredom of a cheap commute with ****ty traction and horrible front wheel drive (lack of) dynamics then knock yourself out. 

Longevity is not at all a factor in the number I’ve had - you might be making a bit of an assumption over how many years or why I switched to the next one. Nonetheless almost all the reasons I like this car are completely not even available in a honda, let alone an accord!


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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

You drove a kia and comparing it to a genesis. If you dont know you dont know. 

PS Former amateur racer and pro test driver.


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Im generally not a fan of hondas but the type Rs I like.
















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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Jscoyne2 said:


> Did you find the manufacturer spec for the hole cut off to be wrong for the Ib3s? I built my baffle way before i got the subs and had to add another layer to give the sub something to bite into.
> 
> Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk




Yeah - was surprised to read your issues. Mine was perfect fit. 


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

unix_usr said:


> Yeah - was surprised to read your issues. Mine was perfect fit.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Maybe they fixed it or maybe it's the just the 15" version that's wrong on their site

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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

Jscoyne2 said:


> Im generally not a fan of hondas but the type Rs I like.


The Type R is much more fun to drive and just as fast as my evo and STi racers. When they get a bit older Im going to buy one and turn it to straight race car.


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

dcfis said:


> The Type R is much more fun to drive and just as fast as my evo and STi racers. When they get a bit older Im going to buy one and turn it to straight race car.


Im getting an 05 suby forester for free here soon. Its got alot of interior work thats needed. Previous owners husky ****ed it up. Windows dont roll up. Cant lock the door. Lots of ****. But brand new motor and solid body.

Might go hard with making it nice. Off topic sorry.

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

dcfis said:


> You drove a kia and comparing it to a genesis. If you dont know you dont know.
> 
> 
> 
> PS Former amateur racer and pro test driver.




I’m not sure where you get kia from “accord sport” ... or why a genesis ever came into this conversation. Also after a month of driving an accord sport I can say with absolute confidence that I do know. I’d love to flip the table and call you out on your own ******** with the “if you dint know you dont know” crap, having serious doubts you’ve driven any of the s550 lineup, let alone any of the performance models... but in case you hadn’t read the title of this thread it really has nothing to do with hondas, kias, or your ignorance - so I’m just going to leave it at that and get back to the build thread about my audio system in my Mustang mmm k.


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## dcfis (Sep 9, 2016)

Haha look an insecure mustang guy! Welp, should have known. S550 card, with pocket mustangs! Enjoy- Im blocking your insecure self. From 0-deranged in the speed of mustang!


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Jscoyne2 said:


> Maybe they fixed it or maybe it's the just the 15" version that's wrong on their site
> 
> Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk




I did have the same problem as you with the rubber trim ring; I didn’t drill new holes though, it was only glued in a few spots all the way around so I simply removed it, carefully drilled holes through the foam surround edge, then out the rubber trim ring back on lined up with the holes. Finished result looks like it should have from the oem... I also ordered mine with dry carbon fiber dustcaps - specifically asking for no stickers and one happened to show up with a blue Fi sticker on the dust cap - aside from the minor annoyance, it didn’t actually stick to the dry carbon fiber anyways and came off without any real effort. I do have to say fit and finish otherwise in these subs is at par if not better than most I have used in recent years. 


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

dcfis said:


> Haha look an insecure mustang guy! Welp, should have known. S550 card, with pocket mustangs! Enjoy- Im blocking your insecure self. From 0-deranged in the speed of mustang!




lol - says the guy who came to my thread, titled “2017 Mustang” - reads someone else’s comments about liking the car, followed by my response about how I feel it suits my life and desires for a car very well, and decides to try trolling with a stupid comment about how I should try a honda accord. To each their own man - apparently you’re not only ignorant but you also seem to have reading comprehension issues... thanks for completely derailing the entire thread into a honda vs mustang topic, I’m pretty sure if thats what you’re into there’s probably a million more appropriate places on the internet go trolling for more... like I said - going to try and get back to the audio system I’m attempting to build here. 


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Attempting to build

You better finish it 

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Headed out to the shop tonight, aforementioned mounting of the subwoofers, steel bracing, and hope to basically finish up the trunk area and possibly get the input signal wires in. 

Then tomorrow night to run the wires and install the front 3way stage, drop a basic tune into the dsp with some safe crossover points (basically using my old tune, spare the eq changes to start with). Should at least be playing music and driveable to go back to work with after the weekend. Will try to take a bunch of pics. 

Then comes the real fun - making my own miniDSP “wired remote” (using software to integrate ford sync oem controls). 


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## mumbles (Jul 26, 2010)

unix_usr said:


> First gen - DVC  ... 2 ohm drivers to the Zapco LX - if money wasn't an object I might be looking to replace them with some AudioFrog GB60 - but I was quite impressed with these before in nearly the same car.


Awesome, same ones I'm running... 200w per VC and they thump!


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Somi got the subs mounted - installed the steel bracing bar, bolted it using nylon bushing/vibration resistant locking nuts, and finished up sealing off the holes to each side of the baffle using spray foam (messy, but stiff as hell). 









(Subs in with a few temporary bolts)









(Took the factory rear deck speakers out - going to remove the fasteners too so they don’t rattle, but also only way to access the top most mounting bolt)









(Pulled the vinyl back to deal with the hole on the side, kept cutting pieces of cardboard until
I had a decent template)









(Transferred the template to some quarter-inch thick mdf “hardboard”)









(Used an air stapler to help tack it in place)

I didn’t take any pictures - was using two part spray foam that cures in seconds so I wasn’t really able to stop and take pictures along the way. Had to take a break for a bit and go feed the kids dinner and stuff - will take some pictures when i get back. The quarter inch mdf was coated an inch to an inch and a half thick from both sides - the trunk is basically a thermos now!



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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Forgot a pic of the backside of subs and the bracing bar bolts:





















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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Managed to get the source cabling done, miniDSP installed, rca cables done, wrapped up rest of the trunk and interior pieces (shy of putting the seats back in), got a relay in place to use the factory +5v audio-enable signal, and got subs wired up. All thats left now is to install, wire, and dampen the doors and tweeters... fingers crossed to be playing music by the end of today!









Managed to run the speaker wire for the subs under the amp rack. 12 gauge ofc copper









Crimped wire ferrules on the ends before screwing them down in the amp. 









Managed to get wire ferrules crimped on the speaker end too. 









MiniDSP screwed down, power, ground, and remote turn on (relay) all wired in place. 









Ran an extra ground to the miniDSP chassis - found in my last install it needed this else it had some noise. 









Ran the signal cables in a bundle through a small hole in the baffle. 









Wrapped the bundle in tesa tape, and zip tied it along the factory wiring pathways. 









The oem dsp/amp sits just above the drivers kick panel. Splicing in here and leaving the oem unit disconnected. This will give me a flat/fixed line level (4 volt pre amp) input signal from the oem system. I ran a separate set of rca for the chimes/alerts - these will be mixed in the miniDSP matrix so as to not be loud or use the subwoofers for phonecalls/alerts/etc. 









Managed to print the wiring/connector schematic at work... saves having to reference the screen back/forth. 









Soldered each connection, the insulated in heat-shrink tube, finally taped up as a bundle. I also soldered the shielding through to the other end. 









miniDSP all hooked up now - RCA going channels 1-6 to the same on the LX 6 channel, with 7-8 going to the Z3KD. 









Cut the oem trunk lining to out the pieces back in front and at least finish off the inside half of the baffle. I cut a 2inch thick sheet of ccf with two round 8inch holes over the oem rear speaker holes and compressed it under the rear deck cover panel. It feels much more solid with nothing left loose to rattle now. 











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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Love the install so far. Very clean 

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Finally getting back to the front stage... after very much back and forth I have decided not drill the molex connector on the door and instead use the factory wiring. It’s a decent gauge wire and much less likely to cause me issues down the road. So instead of using more birch and/or hdpe to make mounting baffles i decided to use the oem speaker itself as a mount for the new speakers. 









Happened to have a scrap driver from another Ford using the same plate and harness connector. Started with this and peeled the speaker out. 









With the speaker out i carefully cut the spines on the back and mounted the oem speaker flange to a hole pre-cut in 14mm birch to the right size. 









There’s a notable difference between the oem flange and what I need to mount my mids with. 









Carefully, using router flush trip bit I freehanded timming the flange using the wood template. 









I put the new midbass in the flange with a little butyl gasket material like a glue. I used m4 metric hex bolts tapping into the abs plastic itself. 









As an added measure, i ran a tight course of electrical tape around the perimeter to help seal between the oem and aftermarket speaker flanges. 









Soldered the leads on the backside between the oem harness connector and both voice coils; wired in parallel this presents a 2 ohm nominal impedance to the amplifier. 









Lastly as an added measure to keep the wires from moving or causing any noise - some hot glue to hold them in place. 









Similarly for midrange, I was able to use the oem mounting flange and simply unscrew the oem speaker from the mount and replace it with the new one. I used a little glue to seal the seam between the flange and the speaker too, then soldered the oem wire harness connector using some primary wire. 









Quite a bit beefier than the oem - oem mounts all have decent gaskets on them too. 









Screwed into the door, fits just like oem  










Factory door was fairly well sealed with nothing that rattles... onto some better deadening and materials there next. Passenger door drivers installed and speaker wiring figured out at least. 

Not pictured is the 50 feet of 12/4 and 14/2 wiring, wrapped into two respective techflex bundles and run from the amps in the back. They will run up the center of the car and not with the source nor with the power wiring.

Will update some more later including the rest of the front stage wiring, deadening, and installation. Then it’s time for a basic (safe) starting point as a tune before putting the rest of the interior back in/together and start doing some measurements. 


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## Iamsecond (Jan 3, 2017)

Great install. Sorry but I have to ask about the secondary ground on the minidsp. Can you offer a bit more on that. I have one and have a bit of alternator whine but I think it’s coming from the head unit but where did you ground it. Thanks.


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## mmiller (Mar 7, 2008)

Off to a great start!


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Iamsecond said:


> Great install. Sorry but I have to ask about the secondary ground on the minidsp. Can you offer a bit more on that. I have one and have a bit of alternator whine but I think it’s coming from the head unit but where did you ground it. Thanks.




I found i got a little noise in my last install, at some random point I realized that the grounds on my RCA were tying to system ground, so I though to try grounding the chassis better and it worked. I simply cleared the paint off with a dremel sanding disc and grounded as pictured. My ground lug to the chassis is also directly tied to my secondary battery so it should be very clean. 

Now if only I could find the wired remote for my miniDSP - my car could actually be playing right now. 


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

So I managed to get back to the passenger door. I ordered sound deadening material from SDS - ccf, mlv. I could not for the life of my get the door panel back on with mlv though, man this stuff is heavy and thick. So as the door sits now it’s got a full layer of cld tiles (knukoncepts) then a layer of ccf. 

Special thanks to my local election ... without it I wouldn’t have been able to find cheap/easy access to the sign board material i used to replace the oem vapor barrier. This stuff is the perfect material for this, about as flexible as cardboard but entirely moisture impervious and considerably stronger. I used a caulking tube of acoustic sealant (like oem butyl):









Before - removed the patch that was there. 









lol - special thanks to the councillor running for election in ward 4 (pretty sure he won too actually). 









Acoustic sealant I used - this stuff hardens a little but stays pliable forever. It’s not actually butyl but very similar material. Sticky as glue. 









Signboard cut and pressed into place. Most of the door is otherwise fairly well sealed actually. 









Covered most of the interior door surface with cld tiles. The oem door pocket needs to protrude into the door so the inside panel can mate up - I cut and pieced a ton of cld to stiffen and dampen but it’s literally glued directly too the vapor barrier. You can kind of see the recess...









Nearly complete coverage of a layer of ccf - in prep for mlv (which I ultimately couldn’t do). 

Next, on to the interior door panel...




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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

So this being my second mustang in this series; the first one was my bright competition orange 2015 - it was the base model GT with cloth recaro seats and the performance package. Thusly it had the base 4inch non-touchscreen version of Sync and a stock 2-way system which didn’t have the location (grill nor hole) for the 3 way setup. 

When I had done the install in that car, I managed to source a set of interior door panels from a 2016 Shelby GT mustang - they had both the three way speaker holes/grills but also happened to be wrapped in soft leather rather then be just molded hard plastic...

Fast forward to having replaced that car with this one, this one having the “premium” audio option and leather recaros instead. Though this model has the three way speaker setup/holes - the door panel was still hard molded plastic so I opted to use the shelby panels again. 









Original panel - you can see the seam in the plastic that runs all the way across the top third basically. 









This is the shelby panel - you can see they look nearly identical but the front side is wrapped. 









Can see the padding and wrap come around to the other side. 




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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Got the door panel all secured, a lot harder to do with sound treatment in place...









Literally tried using bar clamps to hold while I put the screws/bolts back in. 









Small details like this - ccf backing and tesa tape over the clips on the piece that covers the bolt behind the door handle (this actually rattles otherwise). 









Pieces of tesa tape over the clips for the window control panel too - last piece to the door being all back together/done. 

Then I moved onto the tweeters and wiring the door speakers in. 

As I mentioned earlier, it made a lot of sense to use the factory wiring for the door speakers. The oem system has dedicated channel from the amp for the midbass, and a second channel which shares the midrange and the tweeter. I ran end to end new wiring for the tweeters and tied the mid bass and midrange into the orm wiring harness at the oem amp location. 









All the wires spliced and double heat-shrink’ed... then wrapped in tesa tape and tucked back under the panel and zip tied to the factory wiring harnesses. 









I soldered a small jumper lead and a 68mf cap (at 4 ohm impedance; equates to roughly a 600hz highpass... sufficient enough to offer some protection but also not hinder fr at all). On the other end I put an XT60 connector. 









Carefully drilled out the plastic rivets holding the oem tweeter in place. 









Resulting in a notched hole like this left, I had to cut away the larger bits with a small knife and then used a little sanding drum on a dremel. 









Once the hole was round again, i had to connect the leads and press the tweeters into place. They fit so tightly they don’t really even need a fastener but i still used the screwed in spring bar like. 









Finished product - looks nearly oem. Matches the chrome trim ring on the factory midbasses quite nicely. 


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Got the other end of the speaker wiring all tied into the amplifier too. Techflex and heat srhrink on the bundle going through the car, and crimped wire ferrules on the ends where they terminate in the amp. 









As I had mentioned before, I ran the speaker wires back up the center from the amps in the rear, the tweeters wire splits the bundle into two pieces here for the left and the right. More techflex and some heavy duty (white) heatshrink too. 










Same heavy white heat shrink on the other end coming out to the amp. 









All the crimped wire ferrules screwed down and solid now. I kept good notes as I was soldering the other ends - mapped to the right outputs. 

Channel 1 - left tweeter (AudioFrog GB10 4ohm)
2 - right tweeter
3 - left midrange (Fatal Pro Neo 8ohm)
4 - right midrange
5 - left mid bass (Si TM65 dvc @ 2ohm)
6 - right mis bass 




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## aztec45 (Jul 23, 2007)

Kind of make me want to trade in my 2014 GT lol... 


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

aztec45 said:


> Kind of make me want to trade in my 2014 GT lol...
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The difference is astonishing! - Completely different car drive-wise... I just might know someone who can hook you up with a family & friends discount too


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## Justintime (Sep 23, 2014)

Very nice and clean install. Some questions:

1. How do you attach your baffle to the car body?
2. Which foam that you use to seal around the edge?
3. How thick is your baffle?

Thank you.

Justin.


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Justintime said:


> Very nice and clean install. Some questions:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




The baffle has a side triangle panel which is screwed both the the panel and the sheet metal of the car using 3 inch screws. On the opposite side the panel which has the battery and fuses is directly screwed to the baffle.



Last but not least, the steel frame I welded up with plates on both ends which bolt through using rivnuts to the body. (like this):





















The foam I used is a 2 part spray foam designed to insulate walls/etc - sells at Home Depot for about $40 a can (err - technically two cans in a box with some hoses and a nozzle). - https://www.homedepot.com/p/Touch-n-Foam-15-Board-Foot-Polyurethane-2-Component-Spray-Foam-Kit-4006002506/204352574



The baffle itself is 13 layer Russian birch (void-free). being anchored solid, and braced with 1 inch steel tubing it's more than enough.

I got it playing today for the first time, the baffle doesn’t move so much, but when a low note hits hard it feels like the whole backseat does!


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

Pure curiosity. Got any FR of the subs?

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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Jscoyne2 said:


> Pure curiosity. Got any FR of the subs?
> 
> Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk




Actually not yet... I got it all put together, set gains by ear modestly, set basic safe crossover points and tweaked a little over the last few weeks (ie dropping the midrange gain -6db... twice). Have to fix/finish the drivers door first, then hoping to do some measurements/tuning. I will post individual driver FR before/after as I tune though. 

I had a song play the other day with a low 20-something hertz rumble that had my partially open drivers window flopping back and forth as if it was paper :/ ...




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## Chris12 (Sep 20, 2018)

Just read through the thread from start to present - excellent attention to detail.

I really like the spray foam idea to seal and quell rattles.

Thanks for documenting and posting!


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## Brules (Sep 22, 2017)

Love this build, I am fixing to do 2 FI18IB3s in a true IB wedge out spare tire well. Cant wait to get mine in. They look like monsters!

Have you powered it on yet at all?


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

So I must ask, how does it sound. How's the output of these subs in IB? Everyone listening to music at different volume. I like mine a lot louder than others. 
I love the build! IB all the way!
















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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Brules said:


> Love this build, I am fixing to do 2 FI18IB3s in a true IB wedge out spare tire well. Cant wait to get mine in. They look like monsters!
> 
> 
> 
> Have you powered it on yet at all?




Yes - been my daily driver with nasic ta, gains, and xover - no measurements yet. Hope to get a full tune done soon, and will post individual driver FR before/after when I do.




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## restless.skies (Dec 2, 2016)

Looking great! Gives me a few ideas for my '17... now if only the cold would go away so I can get to ripping everything out and starting over.


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## gjmallory (Apr 13, 2010)

How high are you playing the Fi IB3 18's? How does it sound? I have definitely considered doing one in my 07 Mustang GT Conv...


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## Jscoyne2 (Oct 29, 2014)

gjmallory said:


> How high are you playing the Fi IB3 18's? How does it sound? I have definitely considered doing one in my 07 Mustang GT Conv...


https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...share_tid=390594&share_fid=10112&share_type=t

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## gjmallory (Apr 13, 2010)

So... Do you have the same FR issues (20 DB down @70hz) as the build you did with the 15 inch IB3's? 


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## audiovibe (Nov 16, 2007)

Damn Nice build! I thought I was crazy wanting to use a single 18 in my S550. Looks like I need to step up my game.


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## Pb82 Ronin (Jun 6, 2018)

Sweet bro! Looking great so far. Subbing for updates.


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## gjmallory (Apr 13, 2010)

Dude. You make me want 18's!


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## BP1Fanatic (Jan 10, 2010)

AWESOME build!


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

So I traded the car in Saturday ... have a few days to yank all my gear out and drive it back to the dealership to pickup the new one. I'm stepping up to a Shelby GT350 now (dreamcar status for me; amazing supportive wife here since I still haven't paid off this GT yet even) - build thread will have to change to new one soon


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## BP1Fanatic (Jan 10, 2010)

Nice upgrade!


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## Ashunte (Sep 23, 2011)

Forgive my newness how did you attach the top of the baffle? to the shelf? I went through the pictures but didn't see the solution to it with the baffle being at a angle.


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