# Whiterabbit's Install



## alphakenny1 (Dec 21, 2005)

Many of you who was at Marv's might have known that Steve (whiterabbit) got into a car accident and unfortunately could not bring his car to the meet. But he's a trooper and still came out to the BBQ anyways. Anyways, Steve had asked Vestax and then Vestax asked me and raadkins16 to come to help steve pull out all his gear out of his car before going into the shop. If any of you guys know Steve, you guys know how much blood, sweat and tears he put into the system and all of us who knew him was crushed at the fact that he had to pull out his gear despite all the work he put into his car. So while I was there I had a camera and took plenty of pics to show off his work. Sorry for some of the quality of the pics, I suck. Hopefully Steve himself can chime in and answer some questions about the install. Let me do a quick rundown of the equipment: 12 batteries, 3 processors, 5 amps, one 15" phase linear aliante, two fuse boxes on both sides of the quarter panels, tons of wiring, fitting 3 drivers in the kicks on both sides (soap stone baffles), 3 cd changers and a **** load of techflex and loom. Also, is there anything in the trunk?


----------



## alphakenny1 (Dec 21, 2005)

Enjoy!!


----------



## dingaling (Apr 14, 2005)

holy crap Steve, didn't know u had that much **** in there....

impressive...yet sad at the same time....


----------



## mobeious (Jan 26, 2007)

thats crazy full 3way in kicks


----------



## garvinzoom (Mar 23, 2008)

Wow, that would suck having to remove all of that equipment. Did he remove it because he did not trust the body shop or was he afraid of damage due to welding?


----------



## unpredictableacts (Aug 16, 2006)

What kind of batteries were those? and why?


----------



## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Man, sorry about the tough luck Steve. Thats a LOT of crap you have in there !

Cant wait to see what you do to improve on the old install


----------



## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

they look like the same batteries I used to use for phone system backups


----------



## maestro (Jul 7, 2007)

hey steve, 

you got a great attitude man! obviously the most important thing is that you and sara are ok. let me know if you guys need any help with anything even if its questions related to your home purchase.

jody

ps if you need a place to keep all that equipment when you're not using it my passat has some room..  especially for that sexy arse aliante 15


----------



## drocpsu (May 3, 2005)

that is insane!! Where did you even fit all of that stuff in the car? Wow.


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

unpredictableacts said:


> What kind of batteries were those? and why?


Look like something else you may have seen this weekend Eh?


----------



## unpredictableacts (Aug 16, 2006)

chad said:


> Look like something else you may have seen this weekend Eh?


white trash forum perhaps?

Shot me some info on them..standing out in the cold sucks.


----------



## Ge0 (Jul 23, 2007)

Steve,

If you are reading this, sorry man... I know how much time and energy you must have put into that install and it must have crushed you to tear it out. Randy (the other hated dude) went through the same thing recently. Look on the bright side. You now get a chance to do it bigger and better next time.

Your car did not look totally destroyed in the photos. Frontal damage mostly in the radiator region. Is the insurance company totalling it? Is there a chance you can put your gear back in once its repaired? Perhaps hope? Just looking to lighten up the mood...

Excellent work BTW.

On a side note, I rather enjoy the volley of chat that goes on between WR and I. I hope you have SOMETHING up and running soon....

Best of luck. Hope you and your loved ones are alright...

Ge0


----------



## Pseudonym (Apr 17, 2006)

goddamn, that all fit in a civic?


----------



## alphakenny1 (Dec 21, 2005)

Pseudonym said:


> goddamn, that all fit in a civic?


to be honest, he's insane, lol. He cut plenty of metal to fit the 4 amps and 3 processors in the quarter panels. He's just one of the most creative guys in car audio I know.


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

Steve,
More props for you, bud. Again, glad everyone was OK, and can't believe that through all this, you still came over to give me back those tweeters and also listened to my car. 

Keep us posted on what happens to the Civic or otherwise.

About the batteries, well, it's just like any other 2nd power source in a car; Steve just chose a bank of cells in this case where he could get higher/better power density than a single brick.

And I agree Steve is one of the most creative (and hard core) guys into car audio, Bay Area or otherwise. Just incredible stuff he does and has done to his vehicle!


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

shinjohn said:


> About the batteries, well, it's just like any other 2nd power source in a car; Steve just chose a bank of cells in this case where he could get higher/better power density than a single brick.


And in any shape or spacing config you want


----------



## capnxtreme (Feb 5, 2008)

WhiteRabbit,

Sorry about your car man. It's really incredible what you've done to it.

I hope you don't mind, but in searching for amp mounting ideas, I coincidentally stumbled upon a 2 week-old post of yours on civicforums:



WhiteRabbit on civicforums said:


> we are quite blessed with our cars, there is TONS of hidden real estate if one is just clever enough to look, and create the mounts.
> 
> The rear deck is a great location. the amp may hang low, but removing the torsion bars allows tucking much higher.
> 
> ...


Not to make this more complicated than it needs to be, but could you please elaborate a little on the back-seat mount? By backer board, do you literally mean tile "backer board"? You zip-tie the "backer board" to the metal mesh, and then screw the amp into expansion nuts mounted in the board?

Thanks! Truly inspiring.


----------



## 3.5max6spd (Jun 29, 2005)

Steve, i'm speechless looking at these pics as one has to truly see to believe how complex and large your system was, and to still make it 100% stealth.

I'm very sorry about the damage, but the fact that you and and your girl were able to walk away from it is the important thing. Needless to say, i'm very much looking forward to your future builds and what you share of them, I've always found you to be one of the most positive, helpful and hardcore guys in this community . 

Peace.


----------



## Zorasmiles (May 1, 2008)

A true "STEALTH" install. In fact I stand corrected, "this install is the definition of a stealth install"! Sorry to read about the accident, and I hope you have minimal time away from your family, friends and car audio. Goodluck with your next build if your ride is totaled by the insurance company and you have to work your magic on a new ride.


----------



## unpredictableacts (Aug 16, 2006)

chad said:


> And in any shape or spacing config you want


OK I am interested....where can they be bought and what size voltage are they?


----------



## alphakenny1 (Dec 21, 2005)

Well I just talked to steve and the insurance company has declared the car totaled as the estimated costs exceeds the actual value of the car. Sucks really. But the funny thing is that steve is ecstatic about getting a new car. Haha and its not surprising at all. He's looking into some car audio friendly such as the 7th gen accord due to its "massive quarter panels." Haha. Well good luck man and can't wait to see the next install!


----------



## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

unpredictableacts said:


> OK I am interested....where can they be bought and what size voltage are they?


search for 12 volt batteries turned up this ..

http://store.sundancesolar.com/12vol18amsea.html


----------



## Jroo (May 24, 2006)

I want to know what type of batteries they are and how he wired that many up. Every time I stop by a shop and talk about batteries and caps you get different answers. Everybody has their own answer and how their shop would do it. Are each of those batteries wired up in series? Did he do what the SPL guys did just with a buch of smaller batteries?


----------



## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

alphakenny1 said:


> Well I just talked to steve and the insurance company has declared the car totaled as the estimated costs exceeds the actual value of the car. Sucks really. But the funny thing is that steve is ecstatic about getting a new car. Haha and its not surprising at all. He's looking into some car audio friendly such as the 7th gen accord due to its "massive quarter panels." Haha. Well good luck man and can't wait to see the next install!


How did the car hold up with all of the structural mods Steve had done. IIRC, he extended the driver's seat rails and at one time had cut out the front floor to mount subs  I'd imagine that was just the tip of the iceberg.


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

alphakenny1 said:


> Well I just talked to steve and the insurance company has declared the car totaled as the estimated costs exceeds the actual value of the car. Sucks really. But the funny thing is that steve is ecstatic about getting a new car. Haha and its not surprising at all. He's looking into some car audio friendly such as the 7th gen accord due to its "massive quarter panels." Haha. Well good luck man and can't wait to see the next install!


Steve's OK right? he made it thru injury free?



Jroo said:


> I want to know what type of batteries they are and how he wired that many up. Every time I stop by a shop and talk about batteries and caps you get different answers. Everybody has their own answer and how their shop would do it. Are each of those batteries wired up in series? Did he do what the SPL guys did just with a buch of smaller batteries?



Batteries are in parallel, they are SLA (sealed lead acid) and are commonly used as backup power for emergency lighting, alarms, UPS's etc. Often times you can find them in surplus situations and go nuts


----------



## 60ndown (Feb 8, 2007)

my sympathies for all your time and effort lost steve.


----------



## Rudeboy (Oct 16, 2005)

60ndown said:


> my sympathies for all your time and effort lost steve.


Sounds like he's happy to be able to start a new project


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

He strikes me as a person that's perfectly happy in the shop


----------



## iyamwutiam (Nov 20, 2006)

Dear Steve:
Sorry about the accident-hope everything works out. I am hoping you will do a review of the 15 Aliante si- I personally found it to be an amazing sub- and hope that you may inform others on this site-via your impressions.


----------



## alphakenny1 (Dec 21, 2005)

Rudeboy said:


> How did the car hold up with all of the structural mods Steve had done. IIRC, he extended the driver's seat rails and at one time had cut out the front floor to mount subs  I'd imagine that was just the tip of the iceberg.


I'm not sure really but Steve told me that the car was still drivable or steerable, lol. sounds like the only structural damage was to the front and everything else was pretty much okay. 



chad said:


> Steve's OK right? he made it thru injury free?


Yes that was the group's first concern when we heard about the accident (at the marv's bbq) and he eventually made it out to the BBQ and we actually had dinner last night. So he seemed to be in great spirits and is excited about his new venture.


----------



## STI<>GTO (Aug 8, 2005)

This may be my favorite install ever. Just from reading his posts, I knew he was going for a completely OEM appearance. Great job Steve.

Any build pics? In particular, the kicks and sub enclosure (which appears to be a very small cavity with an ap vent)?


----------



## 99IntegraGS (Jan 18, 2007)

I'd love to see detailed pics of the kicks install. That is some seriously impressive work.



JD


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

alphakenny1 said:


> I'm not sure really but Steve told me that the car was still drivable or steerable, lol. sounds like the only structural damage was to the front and everything else was pretty much okay.
> 
> Yes that was the group's first concern when we heard about the accident (at the marv's bbq) and he eventually made it out to the BBQ and we actually had dinner last night. So he seemed to be in great spirits and is excited about his new venture.


Yeah, funny that Steve and I talked about structural concerns in his vehicle several times. The seat mods were one concern, but the metal cutting up front in the kick areas was what I worried about. I don't think he ever cut out to fit subs, just the kicks for mid basses.  One good thing: he never modified is A-pillars, which IMO is one of the most critical things.

Fortunately, the crash was not more severe than it was, and his car held together well nonetheless.

Steve, can't wait to see what you do with your next vehicle. I just have two words for you, please.....

*AIR CONDITIONING!!!!*


----------



## Whiterabbit (May 26, 2006)

Thank you everyone for your emotional support. We can only take things in stride here, as what is done is done. Excitement is certainly too strong a word to describe the acquisition of a new vehicle, but so is frustration or despair to see the old one go. The theme for that day was simple: it is what it is.

I may not make a habit of sharing photos online, but I have never kept any secrets of the install. My install is an open book for all who are interested.

I would be happy to talk to anyone about any feature of my install. I'll elucidate every small detail to those who'd like to talk about what's been done, why it was done the way it was, and even alternate ideas to accomplish similar goals or design constraints that allow for alternative installation products. Lord knows the people local to me are tired of hearing my opinions on what I think they could do in their own cars, much less care about the minutia of mine!

(FYI, I feared the A-pillars so much I JB-welded the backstrapping on for a tweeter mount, and when I wanted to screw the pillars on I made a threaded hole by gluing in a plastic clip in an existing hole than using a wood screw bored through the plastic. I was worried about making even the smallest hole!)

I prefer to talk in real time about install details; I prefer the one on one dialog. I should have my AIM name attached to my user name here (it's whiterabbitttttt) and those who don't use the program can use meebo with excellent results. Best way to get me to talk about all SORTS of possibilities, or just explain what is going on in my car. I prefer that to answering questions about my personal car in the forum.

The new car will be just as engineered as the first. Already found lots of innovative real estate (now that I do not have access to enormous quarter panels) that will let me be at the top of my game as always.

Expect to hear of more unique installations (especially now with the shrinking size of amplifiers) as I plan out exactly what will go where and how. Also with the shrinking cost and extending availability of sensors allow for more advanced alarms and creature comfort features than ever before.

The spirit is stronger than ever, as is the dedication to the hobby.

I agree that air conditioning is a nice feature


----------



## Zorasmiles (May 1, 2008)

Whiterabbit said:


> Thank you everyone for your emotional support. We can only take things in stride here, as what is done is done. Excitement is certainly too strong a word to describe the acquisition of a new vehicle, but so is frustration or despair to see the old one go. The theme for that day was simple: it is what it is.
> 
> I may not make a habit of sharing photos online, but I have never kept any secrets of the install. My install is an open book for all who are interested.
> 
> ...


You, kind sir, are one of the most approachable and optimistic individuals on any of the several forums I frequent. Your willingness to spend time answering questions and improving on previous installs based on trial, error and success reveals a lot about you as a person and your character. Like other posters here in the thread, I will be patiently waiting for you to fully recover and start the new build. You accepting and optimistic qualities are allowing you to bounce back and dive into the new project without any hinderance. Goodluck!


----------



## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

Wow! I was wondering what happened to you.

You stopped posting somewhere around May and I hoped nothing bad happened.

The most important thing is that you're ok.

But it must be difficult to reverse all of your hard work.

New vehicle...new slate.


----------



## Chadzilla500 (Jun 30, 2008)

HOLY CD CHANGERS! have you heard of an mp3 player or an ipod? lol ...props for the time involved in that install though... wow!!!


----------



## Robdoggz (Sep 16, 2007)

Chadzilla500 said:


> HOLY CD CHANGERS! have you heard of an mp3 player or an ipod? lol ...props for the time involved in that install though... wow!!!


This guy doesn't waste his car audio on crap mp3's or ipods... Seriously if you know him you will understand why he has his mass of cd changer's.


----------



## khanhfat (Feb 4, 2008)

gawdamm he puts ampin the doors that's goona b heavy as hell... lots of wiring on that sucker and lots of carpet on the rear seats. Nice touch on the UH next to the hand break


----------



## Griffith (Jul 10, 2008)

alphakenny1 said:


>


What's that metal pole in this picture?

Anyone know what headunit Steve used for this install? Was the headunit mounted in the stock hu location?


----------



## Whiterabbit (May 26, 2006)

Nakamichi MB-X. My favorite CD player ever made ever. A joy to use and even more bliss to listen to. mounted in the dashboard with extra care taken to ensure it was perfectly flush. Because oddball silver trim rings, uneven faceplates, off color lighting, all adds up to poor aesthetics.

That metal pole is an under cabinet light from IKEA. $3.99 for a box of three. They were designed to run on 12V AC via step down transformer. The other two went on the trunk lid so that they were firing down also when the lid was full open.

Wired to turn on via relay by the trunk lid pin switch. Lit up my trunk like a Christmas tree at night. Bright as day! 

(you can see the board installed under the rear deck blocked the flimsy little OEM trunk bulb, we all have a need to see in the trunk at night occasionally.)


----------



## slvrtsunami (Apr 18, 2008)

subscribed to keep up to date on progress!


----------



## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

<3 IKEA and their cheap lighting.


----------



## Whiterabbit (May 26, 2006)

ya knuckleheads.....


----------



## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

Christmas tree.


----------



## HondAudio (Oct 19, 2006)

I feel compelled to chime in with the following two points:

- colored Christmas lights, when strung around the upper perimeter of a room [where the walls meet the ceiling], make excellent mood lighting any time of the year.

- I'm trying to find Christmas lights that plug into my car's cigarette lighter for the same reason: mood lighting. Anybody seen any?


----------



## borgs (Mar 29, 2007)

Beautifully done!! thumbs up


----------



## Whiterabbit (May 26, 2006)

I don't like colored lights in a car. For me it is white incandescent until cars come with white LED's from the OEM. Only then will it be OK to use white LEDs in a car. But never colored.

regardless, any 12V system will work. find some lighting with a transformer and check the bulb rating. Things like track lighting, undercabinetlights, etc etc. You can always put color filters on the cans of these ikea lights and make your car look, uh, lit via colored lights.


----------



## shinjohn (Feb 8, 2006)

OK, I say enough with this old thread....  I want to see work on the new car!!!!
So what happening, Steve? Haven't talked to you in awhile (unfortunately have been still travelling to Asia off and on...) Did you get the new car, and have you started cutting it up yet?


----------

