# Light Weight SQ Install - 997 GT3



## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

hey guys...just finished a car that I don’t get very often...okay, I have never gotten one before 
A 2007 Porsche 911 GT3...

it was a pretty interesting install, challenging because some very strict limitations were placed on the project by the customer…but ones I can fully understand and appreciate.

but before all, I just had to snap some pics of this beauty:























































well some may say these cars don’t need stereos, but hey, it’s still civilized enough to drive around, and the stock base stereo (NON-PCM NON BOSE) was appalling to say the least.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

let’s get to the strict requirements for this install:

1. to achieve a pretty good overall sound quality

2. to keep weight gain to a bare minimum

3. to keep ALL weight added forward of the front seats (to help with weight distribution)

4. to retain access to all the stock tools under the front trunk floor

5. to alter as few stock panels as possible...

basically, try to make it sound good as possible while keeping things as small as possible.

let’s get started.

to simplify things, the customer purchased a Pioneer P99 headunit for its internal tuning capacity, so no external processors would be needed.

he is currently having a custom aluminum bezel machined, with a etched GT3 logo, unfortunately, it didn’t get completed in time, so this is just the prototype bezel, not anodized to match and still needs to work on a few small details and fitment issues, but once it’s done, I think it will be really badass, he’s also going to flush a display for a V1 down there as well...anyway, here is the P99 in the temporary bezel:










couldn’t resist taking a quick shot of the custom machined bezel prototype from the back, its honed from a single piece of aluminum.










the front stage consists of a set of seas lotus reference 6.5" two way component set. 

initially, we planned on using the stock top of the dash tweeter location, with the back up being the location above the stock midbass (where a stock midrange resides if this was a Bose equipped car)...the idea was to not touch other panels and try and keep things as stock as possible.

well...both of those ideas didn’t work...the stock tweeter location was far too small to accept the seas tweeter without serious modification, and in the door, what we thought was a vacant spot was actually just solid plastic, with grille mesh attached to it...so...no go there without some cutting of the door...

we then moved to the pillar mounting option...but the owner was very wary about rewrapping the entire pillar panel (which extends all the way to the B pillar) with something that isn’t 100 percent matching. so in the end, we came up with a compromise. I molded two small tweeter pods, wrapped in 3M Di-Noc CF and attached it to the A pillar. this way, when he goes to a custom interior with CF, it will match, or, if he chooses to go with more alcantara, the pod can be removed, rewrapped in alcantara, and then reattached.

here they are, aiming off axis across the dash:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

some build pics of the pods:

first, a mold was taken of the area on the stock pillar cover...I let it dry for two days to make sure no additional warping will take place, with something this small and delicate, all the curves needs to fit perfectly flush:










once that dried, the mold was trimmed to the desired shape:










and ring baffles attached:










grille cloth was then pulled over the entire shape, resin applied, allowed to cure, and then duraglass/resin milkshake poured into the inside to reinforce it:










then, they were sanded smooth:










and the 3M di-noc applied:










on the back, I attached four studs, which go into matching holes in the pillar cover, and bolts were used to attach it to the stock panel. this allows easy removal of the pod for rewrapping if need be in the future:










the tweeters were then wired up:










and the pod secured to the stock pillar:










here you see the four nuts that secure the pod as mentioned before:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

moving to the doors...

here is the stock door panel:










a layer of Second Skin Deamplifier applied:










new speaker wires run into the doors:










and custom baffles cut out and coated in truck bed liner:










the baffle was then secured to the door via stock bolts:










midbass wired up:










and the speaker installed:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

the passenger door received the identical treatment:























































the door cards also received a layer of sound proofing to stop buzzing and rattling:


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

so we move onto the maybe the biggest challenge of the entire install...that is...to fabricate a subbox in front of the seats. 

in the Porsche Cayman/Boxter, there is a stock subwoofer option that bolts to the passenger side of the center hump. and they make a floor mat that is specifically around that box, the owner told me this floor mat and idea also works for the 997:










there have been a few pics of sub boxes done in this format, but they either used very shallow 8" drivers, or came well past the stock sub's thickness.

so the challenge, as issued to me, was to design a box that follows the Porsche floor mat's contours, meaning it has to be the same shape as the Cayman/Boaster box at the bottom, but still houses a normal sized 8" driver...also, we needed to make sure that we don’t block the air vent that under the passenger side dash, and also leave the 12v plug still open and usable.

after some molding and measuring...here is what I came up with...the camera's lighting makes things look a bit weird, in reality, it really disappears into the stock floor.










a JL audio 8w1v2 was chosen primarily for its integrated grille option, so we don’t have to take any additional space on the subbox to accommodate a flush mounted grille. the box itself is around .3 cubic foot, stuffed full with polyfil.










the output, in this location, loading off the underdash area, is surprising to say the least, and with it being upfront, it blends superbly well with the rest of the speakers.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

here are some build pics:

first the mold was taken:



















then trimmed to the desired shape:










then using a piece of heavy cardstock, I added a little bit extra surface on top, where there is just empty space in the stock location...this gives me a bigger back surface to work with, after I shaped it with the cardstock, I wrapped some duct tape on it to make sure the resin done soak through, applied some wax, and applied a few more layers of cloth:











once that cured, I simply peeled off the cardstock and the duct tape, and here is the resulting shape:










next, the ring baffle was attached, pushed back as far as it can go and still giving us enough air space and clearance:










fleece was pulled, resin applied, and then the whole thing was reinforced from the inside with mat, chopstrand, and duraglass. then the edges were sanded smooth, and now the box is ready to be wrapped:




















then went on black carpet, speaker wire secured into the box, and a hole drilled to be used to attach the box with one bolt.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

so here is the box secured, I found a stock threaded hole on the metal, beneath the carpeting, which I can only guess is used to attach the Cayman/Boxster OEM enclosure, which this car has because the two vehicles share the same floor pan?  anyway, the important thing is no additional holes were drilled into the car (a requirement of the customer as well), and it mounts very securely:










Finally, moving onto the trunk. again, the main requirement here was to build a simple amp rack that goes well with the overall theme of the car, but also to fully retain access to all the tools in the tray. with this being hardly the daily driver, stealth wasn’t the focus. 

the customer also wanted a little storage cubby built into the amp rack for him to put small things like a can of fix-a-flat, air gauges etc

so here it is, just a simple little fake floor, with a cutout for the amps trimmed also in 3M di-noc. the little storage space is right behind them.

due to the extreme limitation in space, this was an ideal car for the newly released Zapco Studio X mini amps. two ST4 powers the entire system, 2x160 for the midbass, 2x50 for the tweeter, and 1x160-200ish for the subwoofer.

the entire floor is wrapped in black carpet and blends well with the trunk:




























there is also the benefit that if he actually needs to carry something in the trunk, he can place the stock floor top cover and store things on top, but for normal driving, it will be left off to give the amps room to breathe:










here is the main floor, with the cutout for the trim around the amps:










and all wrapped and mated together:


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## jpswanberg (Jan 14, 2009)

Awesome as always. JPS


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## leepersc (Sep 23, 2009)

Bing, I've gotta tell ya, you are a very skilled craftsman. I have now seen literally hundreds of your installs all over the web. Beautiful work yet again.

You should be very proud of you craftsmanship and skills. Most of us will never have the skills that you display here over and over. Thank you.

-Scott


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

thanks Scott,

but really, i can say the exact same thing about countless of my peers and friends, many of them are on this very forum


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## Bluenote (Aug 29, 2008)

Bing, that is awesome work! 

Very inspirational as well as educational.

Thanks for sharing!


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## mr.metoo (Feb 20, 2010)

Dude, you do some amazing work.


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## Kmanian (Apr 8, 2008)

beautiful


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## jorgegarcia (Mar 8, 2008)

jpswanberg said:


> Awesome as always.





leepersc said:


> Bing, I've gotta tell ya, you are a very skilled craftsman.... Beautiful work yet again.
> ...
> Thank you.t





Bluenote said:


> Bing, that is awesome work!!





mr.metoo said:


> Dude, you do some amazing work.


This.


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## Matt R (Aug 29, 2007)

Nice man, awesome car too!!


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Once again, fantastic build! Great work with the limitations that were placed on you. How did you like the Pioneer?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

bertholomey said:


> Once again, fantastic build! Great work with the limitations that were placed on you. How did you like the Pioneer?


hey bud...

well, it really felt like a newer version of hte p9 combo, or, you can say a more complex version of the 880/800 prs..thats probbaly more accurate.

whcih to say its very nice...and not too hard to use. however, after getting used to tuning with a full GUI on a laptop...i really struggle to go back to tuning wtih a three line display on a HU once again...everything just takes so much effort.

i guess it depends on what you are used to?


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

That is exactly what I found - I wasn't completely sold on the Pioneer for a long time because I liked the bit one software so much. 

I have gotten used to the controls on the Pioneer and really like the fact that I don't have to hook up a laptop to make a small adjustment. 

Will we see another picture of the Porsche with the finished bezel for the HU?


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

yeah, but that may be a few months away...as you can imagine, its a LOT of work in making that bezel


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## CarbonDetails (Sep 9, 2009)

great work


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## crxsir121 (Oct 18, 2006)

Awesome install!!! Where can I buy some of that carbonfiber wrap? You gave me and idea for my amprack=)


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

i got it from CFWrap | Best Carbon Fiber Farbic Trim Wrap DIY in the World!, ships out of san diego actually.


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## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

Its been a Porsche fest lately, me likey!

Bing,
Great work, I was really hoping once I started seeing your work that someone would bring you a Porsche to see just what you would do to it. Needless to say, no matter the obstacle you excel. MAN I WISH I was in Cali, I would send my car to you in a second! I was kind of surprised the owner didn't want something like the small Kenwoods, or ARC, or are those ZAPCO's near that size? I've heard a P-car with a front sub like that and was very impressed. 

Congrats on yet another great success!
cheers,
Scott


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

FLYONWALL9 said:


> Its been a Porsche fest lately, me likey!
> 
> Bing,
> Great work, I was really hoping once I started seeing your work that someone would bring you a Porsche to see just what you would do to it. Needless to say, no matter the obstacle you excel. MAN I WISH I was in Cali, I would send my car to you in a second! I was kind of surprised the owner didn't want something like the small Kenwoods, or ARC, or are those ZAPCO's near that size? I've heard a P-car with a front sub like that and was very impressed.
> ...


thanks Scott  to answer your question about the zapcos, yeah, they are in the same size range. the ST4 4 channel i used comes in at 8.375 x 6.25"

compared to the arc mini 125.4 whcih is 11.6 x 5.15 

b


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## seabreeze (Sep 1, 2010)

As your name , this install certainly examplifies Simplictic, but stellar.
Great work.


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## sydmonster (Oct 5, 2009)

does it again?? you bet!


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## go!tc (May 15, 2010)

this is truly a sick ass install.


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## carolyny476 (Aug 23, 2010)

Great! I like it. :beerchug:


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## Maldonadosqs (Apr 16, 2009)

Hi nice work very clean

Juan Maldonado
Team D-Tronics SQ
Team DLS
Mustang gt red colorado


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## BurnOut956 (Sep 3, 2007)

That is a beautiful install. Wow.


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## usacimember (Dec 24, 2009)

Very nice indeed!


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## alm001 (Feb 13, 2010)

Could have saved more weight by using the 8" (or bigger?) door openings for 8" speakers... then not need a sub, and a 2nd amp.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

alm001 said:


> Could have saved more weight by using the 8" (or bigger?) door openings for 8" speakers... then not need a sub, and a 2nd amp.


but you know that any 8" sub that can truly produce into the subbass region is not going to be very good working as the only midbass driver in a two way configuration.

i have yet to find a 8" driver that can comfortably produce 20-30hz up to say 2500hz smoothly and efficiently.

not to mention IMO in the average door free air application, very few drivers will really go down to to 20-30hz with any kind of authority.


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## CarbonDetails (Sep 9, 2009)

Man its great to have money


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## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

simplicityinsound said:


> but you know that any 8" sub that can truly produce into the subbass region is not going to be very good working as the only midbass driver in a two way configuration.
> 
> i have yet to find a 8" driver that can comfortably produce 20-30hz up to say 2500hz smoothly and efficiently.
> 
> not to mention IMO in the average door free air application, very few drivers will really go down to to 20-30hz with any kind of authority.



Ditto's to all that. I've owned countless 8's though most were before
1998 or so. I think the small amount of weight that enclosure, wire, 
amp weighs could easily be made up with very simple engine mods. 
These cars gain tons of power simply from a cat back, a full header
back and intake in these and your looking at nearly 75hp. Plus doing
those few mods will save nearly 100lbs alone.

This is a very well thought out system in terms of equip used and
end goal.


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## GSlider (Jun 11, 2009)

U truely do beautiful work my friend.


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

LOOKS INCREDIBLE !!

Best part is it sounds great , along with ****tin -n- gittin.


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## bimmerman11 (Aug 27, 2009)

Sweet car and nice setup.


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## tbone0924 (Jun 1, 2008)

simplicityinsound said:


> here are some build pics:
> next, the ring baffle was attached, pushed back as far as it can go and still giving us enough air space and clearance:


What is the blue piece that is wrapped around the speaker ring? Im assuming its some kind of abs plastic? Where do you find it?


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## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

Looks like painters tape, perhaps to keep resin off the ring.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

its low heat plastic, i use it for flush mount trim rings. i get it from selectproducts  

b


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## FLYONWALL9 (Nov 8, 2009)

HEY, nothing new........

I was wrong


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## JP Fabrication (Feb 20, 2008)

simplicityinsound said:


> its low heat plastic, i use it for flush mount trim rings. i get it from selectproducts
> 
> b


How many times have you been asked that Bing? You can put me on the list

Thanks for replying to my PM.

I just bought a sheet from:

PLEXIGLASS sheet, Acrylic, UHMW, Lexan polycarbonate, Fiberglass sheets, Plastic & Plexiglass Fabrication, Weld-On Plexiglas Glue, PTFE

Search: Sintra


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## Big_Valven (Aug 20, 2008)

Bing, nicely done. You have stepped up to some big challenges here.

A few ideas I thought while I was reading through; the aluminium trim could have been shaped to right around the headunit itself... I suppose it messes with the additions to be made there, but is the black panel part of the bezel or a fill?

Also, good work on the subwoofer. The Bose option is pretty ugly for the calibre of car we're talking about here. Given your constraints, you have made it better than the Bose for aesthetics.  You have given me some ideas for my new car already!


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## derickveliz (May 15, 2009)

Subscribed! 

Very nice!


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## Rkrajnov (Nov 22, 2010)

Wow, very impressive install.


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## tlow98 (Oct 8, 2009)

first off beautiful install!

flyonwall9- you seriously think this already incredibly high strung car will gain 75 hp from a full exhaust and an intake? The GT3 RS only gains 15 hp over this car with just that...improved exhaust weight/dynamics.

seems pretty hard to swallow, but for the owners sake I hope you're right!


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## E300 (Apr 23, 2009)

Super nice install. Great example of... "Less, is more".


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## SNEAKY (Jan 19, 2011)

mmmmmmmm, one of my dream cars.


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## f150fx4 (Jan 5, 2009)

I know it's an older thread, but that install is so nice. That's why their the pros and I'm a wannabe. At least it inspires me to go the extra mile on my upcoming install.

Nice car too. 

George


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## m R g S r (Oct 1, 2009)

looks great! i love GT3's (GT2's more, but i'd take a GT3 if it was given to me)


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## raamaudio (May 4, 2005)

Great looking install in a very cool car

I hope you do not mind if I share a few tricks to save a bit more weight the next time you have that as a requirement, what I provide in my Vette audio packages.

1) Ensolite foam(sold by some with a new name and much higher price than I sell it for) using it will allow for much less mat needed, saves weight and does things mats cannot do. 

2) Aluminum channels bonded to the door skins allows much less mat, saves more weight. 

3) Put a patch of Ensolite, etc, behind the speakers, 8x8 or so, it breaks up the back wave, decouples the energy from the door skin, etc.......

4) Alumalite baffles, the C6 door speaker is a 10, a 6.5 baffle, covered in Ensolite, weights just 4.5 oz and very very solid!

5) Neo magnet mids, the ones I use weigh 2 lbs less each than comparable speakers.


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## raamaudio (May 4, 2005)

Though an older post, addressing an 8, etc and no sub, I too have tried it, and a 9, etc....when I got to even decent bass levels the resonance issues would require so much added weight it was not worth it. 

Instead I am having super low weight easily removed enclosures made to fit the IDQ10v3, later I will offer it for the 12 as well as dual 10, dual 12, etc but always as light as possible and easy to take out, take up the least space, etc......

--------------------

Since the 997 has such a tiny cockpit I am sure a decent 8 will provide some good bass

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Just my 2 cents, I wish I could do an install in a GT3, I will have to settle for passing them on the track when I get my roll bar done in my C6 Vert, really

Rick


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## machinehead (Nov 6, 2005)

crnacnac said:


> How many times have you been asked that Bing? You can put me on the list
> 
> Thanks for replying to my PM.
> 
> ...


eplastics looks pretty good can't wait to try them out in my next build


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## ALMO (Apr 29, 2007)

Absolutely stunning! Incredible craftmanship and first class write up


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## kenikh (Jan 17, 2011)

Lightweight SQ - exactly what I was looking for. GREAT work!


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