# Simple Install on a customized Black 2009 Smart ForTwo



## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

I actually completed this months ago, just never got around to documenting the install. So my apologies in advance for the minimal "in-between" pics.

Anyway, this is my wife's daily driver. For those that know quite a bit about Smart cars, this is the Passion trim (mid trim level). For those that aren't as familiar, there's also the base "Pure" and the high-end "Brabus" trim. However, I believe the Brabus trim was only available in '09 in the US. Since we bought the Smart, the car has undergone a fair amount of upgrades. I'll let the pics speak for themselves.

First, a couple photos before modifications (your typical Smart ForTwo):



















Most of the changes are on the exterior and slight engine mods. With the exception of the coil over set, pretty much installed everything in true DIY fashion . Couldn't have done it though without the help of an excellent web resource: Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia.

Here's most of the Smart non-audio upgrades:

Panimex Body Kit in Gloss Black (complete set - side skirts, rear and front spoilers with integrated LEDs)
Coilover Set - Bilstein B14
16" Sport Edition SM3 Silver + Yokohama S.drive tires
Roof Spoiler by BRABUS
Performance Exhaust by SILA Concepts - Dual Tip Center Exit
Cold Air Intake by SILA Concepts - Powdercoated in a Black Finish
Cold Air Intake Induction Tube Upgrade
Side Scoop (GT) - Smoke Finish
Sprint Booster
HID Conversion Kit - 4300k
Front Parking Light SMD
License Plate SMD Bulbs
Z series Black Antenna
Smann rear window grip
smart base rack
smart bike rack

What it looks like now:


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

*Amp Fuse, Headunit, backup camera, sound deadening*

Ok, so as the title indicates, this is a simple install, ok, very simple . I still tried to keep things tidy and as stealthy as possible.

First, this is probably the first car I've ever encountered where the battery is located in front of the passenger footwell. But this made for a VERY short power run since the amp is located underneath the passenger seat. I know there are those that are lucky to have their battery in the trunk, so similar scenario here where you don't have to feed the power wire through a firewall. A 50-amp fuse is installed inline with the battery, only a few inches from the positive terminal (probably within a foot).










The headunit is a Pioneer AVIC-F700BT. This is a fairly old model and was pulled from my wife's previous car before trading it in for the Smart. Absolutely nothing wrong with it, and still works quite well, so it was fitted into the Smart via a Scosche ST2430B Smart ForTwo Double DIN dash kit.










and installed the GPS antenna in between the tachometer and clock pods










Even though the Smart is a minuscule car, you'd be surprised how difficult it is to see behind you if you strictly use the rear-view mirror. A Boyo license plate backup camera was fitted










and wired up to the Pioneer headunit










Dynamat Xtreme was used for sound deadening. The Smart is not a very powerful car (many motorcycles probably have more power) with only 70hp and a 3cylinder 1.0L engine. Hence, I was very selective in how much Dynamat was used. I forgot to take comprehensive pictures, but basically used it on the outer door skin, the rear lift gate, and underneath the trunk area above engine cover (the Smart's engine is below the cargo area in the back - rear drive, rear engine).


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

*JL-Audio galore: Front stage, sub, amp*

I want to go on record that it was not intentional to match all the equipment and I do not work for JL-Audio . With that disclaimer out of the way, the front stage is a JL-Audio C2-650 component set utilizing the passive crossovers that came with it. I actually inherited this from my brother, where he initially intended to put this in his car and found out the mids would not fit in the stock location without cutting sheet metal, and he did not want to do that.

Anyway, the JL mids fit in the stock locations, and I fitted the tweeter in the sail panels.










Closeup of tweeter:









and the mid:









Just want to comment that installing the mid on a Smart is probably a fairly unique experience. That is, to get access to the stock mid location, the way to do so is to take out the outer door panel! Wonder how many folks have had to do this on their car. Quite fortunate that there's a DIY already, including how to remove the outer door panel. Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia 

Now with a car as little as the Smart, one might think where do I fit a sub without taking up precious space? Fortunately, there is a cavity right underneath the dash of the passenger seat for a sealed enclosure that can house an 8" sub. I was able to purchase a pre-made enclosure specifically designed for that cavity from 4smartcar.com (Smart Car Under Dash 8" Subwoofer Enclosure only). By coincidence, I happened to have a JL-Audio 8w3v3 that I used for a previous car and was able to repurpose for the Smart and this enclosure. It was also coincidental that 4smartcar.com indicated that they designed this enclosure for the JL 8w3v3, so was a great match. Pics of the 8w3v3 and enclosure installed:



















As mentioned, the amp is a located underneath the passenger seat, and using a JL XD600/6 (pic of amp pulled out, but normally mounted via industrial strength velcro to carpet under seat).










The C2-650 component set is getting 75wattsx2 and the 8w3v3 is getting 200watts with two channels bridged. This leaves a pair of channels free. So the amp is probably the only thing I selected that didn't happen to be lying around, with the thinking that it could provide room for upgrades/expansion. For one, if I wanted to some day improve the passive setup that could require more power, I can bridge a set of channels and power the front stage at 200wattsx2. Another thought would be to go in an active 2-way config and utilize a processor, but the idea is that I'd have enough channels free.

So how does it sound? Having had the car now in this config for at least 6 months, I have to be honest that it pleasantly surprised me. For a passive install, the image is quite centered right in the middle where the windshield and dashboard meet, no processing or time alignment (just basic 7-band EQ from the HU). The 8w3v3 up front is incredible. Having a 10w3v3 sub in the trunk of my Civic SI, it can hit lower, but having the sub physically up front is definitely an experience. The JL C2-650 isn't going to win any competitions in terms of SQ, but for a DD and my wife's tastes, it's adequate. I think if I were to upgrade anything in the future, it'd be the front stage, but since it's not my DD, probably good enough .

Enjoy!


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Nice and clean build.

My only beef is with the car 35-40MPG but you have to use premium. You are better off with a civic using regular. Plus you get more room.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

thats pretty sweet, but i worry about how good of a driver your wife is if she needs a backup camera in a Four Two  hahahah

i will check this thing out next time i meet up with ya.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Never assume, my wife tried to back out of a closed garage....

Here's a lesson in marriage from your old uncle Chad.

Just fix it and walk away from it.... Saying "It's simple, when you look in the rear-view mirror and it's dark, that means the F&cking garage door is closed, if you see light (middle of the day mind you) you are good to go."


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

chad said:


> Never assume, my wife tried to back out of a closed garage....
> 
> Here's a lesson in marriage from your old uncle Chad.
> 
> Just fix it and walk away from it.... Saying "It's simple, when you look in the rear-view mirror and it's dark, that means the F&cking garage door is closed, if you see light (middle of the day mind you) you are good to go."


i didnt know you had an asian wife Chad? 

I am scared of Asian women drivers...around here lol


btw, papasin: what are you using as a xover point between the sub and the midbass? with an upfront sub, you can make it a lil higher


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

bigaudiofanatic said:


> Nice and clean build.
> 
> My only beef is with the car 35-40MPG but you have to use premium. You are better off with a civic using regular. Plus you get more room.


Did you see my sig and see what my DD is . Actually, my Civic is an SI and also requires premium, and it being an SI isn't going to ever get 35-40MPG (best I got was 32 driving mostly in 6th gear from nor cal to San Diego)...but I'll take the tick or two shy of 200hp anyday .

There's actually a long story why we ended up getting the Smart but didn't think it was relevant in the build. For one, we didn't want two Civics in the garage. Also, while small on the outside, you'd be surprised how much legroom you actually have in the inside (it has significantly more legroom than my Civic). Neither my wife nor I are big people, but my boss who's 6'6" has sat in it and indicated he has more room in the Smart than his Prius, which is even bigger than a Civic and I believe is classified as a mid-size (vs. a compact).

At the end of the day, IMHO, I don't think getting a Smart is ever a "practical" choice since there are other compacts/sub-compacts in the price range that get near or comparable gas mileage. It's all a matter of taste and personal choice. However, not too many though will be able to fit in what one might think is an impossible parking space in downtown SJ or SF that only a Smart can .


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

simplicityinsound said:


> btw, papasin: what are you using as a xover point between the sub and the midbass? with an upfront sub, you can make it a lil higher


125Hz using the HU. I think that's the highest it will go with the HU controlling xover points without having to set it on the amp.


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

simplicityinsound said:


> thats pretty sweet, but i worry about how good of a driver your wife is if she needs a backup camera in a Four Two  hahahah
> 
> i will check this thing out next time i meet up with ya.


Bing, you're always welcome and always appreciate the insight. Now you know what I'm referring to when I ask about a new front-stage, since those JLs are a distant second (or third, fourth, etc.) than the drivers in my Civic .

With all the kidding around, as for the backup camera...actually my idea. The visibility to the back is quite bad if you're using just the rearview mirror. You'd have to sit in one to see it firsthand. Of course, you could turn your head out the window and not need to see past probably 3 feet .


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

I am just playing, i put a rear view camera on every car my wife owns...and if i had a screen it would go on every car of mine too.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

papasin said:


> Did you see my sig and see what my DD is . Actually, my Civic is an SI and also requires premium, and it being an SI isn't going to ever get 35-40MPG (best I got was 32 driving mostly in 6th gear from nor cal to San Diego)...but I'll take the tick or two shy of 200hp anyday .


I have a 2004 SI and I can pull down 36MPG combined city/highway... On summer non-premium gasoline, summer and winter gas is different here. IF, IF you can find gas without ethanol (assuming your gasoline has ethanol in it there) try it... Honda engines seem to see ethanol as an inert thing, 10% ethanol, 10% less mileage.

That being said, premium, if oyu fill up once a week, is going to cost you about 70-100 buck more than lower grade fuel.. PER YEAR.... In the end it's not so bad. My truck ate premium and then an additive depending on the tune... It always hurt to fill it up, then I did the math and got over it.


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

simplicityinsound said:


> I am scared of Asian women drivers...around here lol


I hear ya. Worst place for me is at a Ranch 99 or any Asian market's parking lot around here. Every time I go I feel like I'm dodging bullets. But when we do have to go, the Smart is definitely our weapon of choice for dodging those pesky drivers and pedestrians, not to mention it can squeeze in between two giant SUVs or minivans who can't seem to park in between the lines .


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

I work at the University of Illinois, us round-eyes are a minority. See a foreign car parallel parking, take a glance at the bumper, and rear wheels, any telltale signs that they have been abused then you vacate the sidewalk, there's a chance it's coming at you.


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

chad said:


> I have a 2004 SI and I can pull down 36MPG combined city/highway... On summer non-premium gasoline, summer and winter gas is different here. IF, IF you can find gas without ethanol (assuming your gasoline has ethanol in it there) try it... Honda engines seem to see ethanol as an inert thing, 10% ethanol, 10% less mileage.
> 
> That being said, premium, if oyu fill up once a week, is going to cost you about 70-100 buck more than lower grade fuel.. PER YEAR.... In the end it's not so bad. My truck ate premium and then an additive depending on the tune... It always hurt to fill it up, then I did the math and got over it.


I have no qualms about Premium vs. Regular...believe it was another person .

I track my MPG on my SI pretty meticulously and get 26-28 combined. I think there's a distinct difference between your 2004 vs. the 2006-2011 SIs though. Your 5th gen SI has the K20A3 motor (vs. the K20Z3 in the 6th gen SIs) only putting out about 160hp IIRC. Like I said though, not complaining about the MPG, was more comparing it with the Smart's and quite happy with the nearly 200hp in a "small" car, albeit, not too many is as small as the Smart.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

papasin said:


> I have no qualms about Premium vs. Regular...believe it was another person .
> 
> I track my MPG on my SI pretty meticulously and get 26-28 combined. I think there's a distinct difference between your 2004 vs. the 2006-2011 SIs though. Your 5th gen SI has the K20A3 motor (vs. the K20Z3 in the 6th gen SIs) only putting out about 160hp IIRC. Like I said though, not complaining about the MPG, was more comparing it with the Smart's and quite happy with the nearly 200hp in a "small" car, albeit, not too many is as small as the Smart.


Kpro helps too  Mine's smaller and lighter also... Thought about going with a newer one but the payload capacity of the hatchback is incredible. The 2012 Si's really have my eye though.

As for the A3 to the Z3, even if if you are not living your life 1/4 mile at a time (we are both free for the exact same 1/4 mile time... LOL 15 seconds) car to car, you are looking at the same performance, due to weight, etc. That's what shot me down... but that K24 in the new one, full torque at 4400 RPM as opposed to 6K RPM! WOOT! Dont' have to drive it like a ricer!


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

chad said:


> Kpro helps too  Mine's smaller and lighter also... Thought about going with a newer one but the payload capacity of the hatchback is incredible. The 2012 Si's really have my eye though.
> 
> As for the A3 to the Z3, even if if you are not living your life 1/4 mile at a time (we are both free for the exact same 1/4 mile time... LOL 15 seconds) car to car, you are looking at the same performance, due to weight, etc. That's what shot me down... but that K24 in the new one, full torque at 4400 RPM as opposed to 6K RPM! WOOT! Dont' have to drive it like a ricer!


I think you're right, weight is probably the major factor in our difference in MPG. As I understand, the sedan is at least a couple hundred pounds heavier than the coupe of the same model year, and I bet the 6th gen SI coupe is already quite a bit heavier than your SI hatch. Couple that with two car seats, almost always trucking the entire family, the audio equipment, full treatment of deadening (dampener + CCF +MLV) and we're probably talking over 500 lbs. in weight difference . But no complaints from me on actual gas mileage. When I look at my MPG log book though, I was getting 26-28MPG even before all the deadening and audio upgrades, so must be mainly the car. I don't take the car often over 6k rpm, honest .

Yes, the K24 motor is attractive, but IMHO, they totally jacked the 9th gen Civic design. Having a family with lots of Civics, my mom has a 9th gen EX, and the handling on it is quite a bit inferior...and I'm comparing this with my dad's 8th gen Civic, non SI. They decreased the wheelbase and have made it a lot "softer". So the K24 motor is probably a great upgrade on the latest Civic SI, but I'm not sure I'd want to sacrifice the handling. Seen quite a few complaints on 8thcivic (and 9thcivic) on the soft ride, some corners they cut on the build quality, etc. Wouldn't trade in my SI sedan for anything in the price class .


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

making me wish more and more that I could afford the 500 Arbath.


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

chad said:


> making me wish more and more that I could afford the 500 Arbath.


Had that car been out when we were shopping for the Smart, that would have probably been what we had gone with, even though the price difference would have been considerable.


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## robert_wrath (Apr 24, 2011)

I love the mods done on the ride. The system layout is simple but dramatic. WTG!


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## papasin (Jan 24, 2011)

robert_wrath said:


> I love the mods done on the ride. The system layout is simple but dramatic. WTG!


Thanks. We're both happy with the mods, and as you can tell, the emphasis was less on the audio and more on everything else . That's the way my wife wanted it as she didn't want to drive just another car like everyone else has around here. The Smart is not a very common car to start with, but even around here, the ones you see are not going to look anything like this one. Didn't want to go OT on it though and still wanted to maintain a classy and somewhat sporty look. The down side is that the average person actually stops us at parking lots and pretty much anywhere to just ask about it...at times, gets to be a little bit of a pain if you're in a hurry (sigh). Some even wonder if this is a newer model straight from the factory . I guess I should take that as a compliment.


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## Smart21 (Oct 26, 2021)

Hello Papasan,

I just joined the forum here and perused detailed the nice upgrades you did to your Smart. I got a chuckle out of the 99 Ranch parking lot reference. I live in Pasadena and have navigated the parking lots of a few 99 Ranch markets and can commiserate. Your mention of 99 Ranch made me wonder if you're in the LA or even SGV area. 

I recently brought home a 2008 Smart Passion which I'd bought from friends for my mom a couple of years ago. She's since had mobility issues and doesn't want to drive anymore, so asked if I'd like to take the car, which I did. I love driving it and am now a fan of Smart cars. 

The car needs a few minor mechanical/functional items fixed, and I'm wondering if you can recommend a mechanic in the LA area who specializes in the Smart 451.

Thanks much



papasin said:


> I hear ya. Worst place for me is at a Ranch 99 or any Asian market's parking lot around here. Every time I go I feel like I'm dodging bullets. But when we do have to go, the Smart is definitely our weapon of choice for dodging those pesky drivers and pedestrians, not to mention it can squeeze in between two giant SUVs or minivans who can't seem to park in between the lines .


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