# California build thread



## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

So I am in California, 6 guys decided they really wanted me to work on their cars more than the guys around here. So they paid for everything and here I am.
5 370z's
1 370z roadster

I will be posting up pics of each one as i finish.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Ok today was:

Alpine w910
Polk MM
Bost Acoustic Amp
Metra Axxess
Kenwood rear camera


The goodies









The ride









How much I want to take this head unit home with me









Stock









Wiring new speakers


























Rear camera









Done right


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Wires ran


















Amp location









Power and fuse









Rear camera









Finished


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Next up we have threeseventy

Basically he wanted to keep the stock head unit and add a little more Bump. We started this last last night and I knew we would never get it done, so this morning I cam and finished it. Today "day 2" was two installs.
So we installed:

Polk DB 6.5's
Boston Acoustic amp
Kenwood KSC-SW10

The car


















Installed new speakers and ran new wires.



























Soldered and heat shrink as usual 









Installed









All wires organized


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Power wire ran


















All stock wires ran to the new sub and high level inputs on the amp









Amp installed









Wires cleaned up


















Sub installed









All and all I was impressed with the quality of sound that the amp and sub were producting as they were getting high level inputs.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

3rd install and second of the day was simple

Who just wanted a simple rear camera and head unit 
We installed

Pioneer Head unit
Pioneer Camera
Metra Axxess

The ride









Rear camera wires ran and organized 









Lots of wires









Test install










Finished


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## hottcakes (Jul 14, 2010)

you ever try to convince these people to get better gear or you just simply provide your services?


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## MaXaZoR (Apr 1, 2007)

I'd REALLY like to know how you convinced these guys to fly you out to Cali...All the audio shops can't suck out there.


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## JWAT15 (Mar 6, 2011)

great work! GOD THE FACTORY RADIO IS UGLY IN THAT CAR... really dropped the ball on that nissan. 
i'm a nissan guy myself and have owned altimas maximas and getting a g35 soon!


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

MaXaZoR said:


> I'd REALLY like to know how you convinced these guys to fly you out to Cali...All the audio shops can't suck out there.


shh...we all do suck! dont let the secret out! 

i have done stuff like this in the past, flying out...i think hes providing a service at a cost that cannot be matched by local shops and not to mention hes a known quantity on the Z forums.


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## DonH (Jun 25, 2009)

lol all the audio shops do not suck out here... there are quite a few that are great!


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## eviling (Apr 14, 2010)

uhm..i could easily do work like this. anybody here could...wheres the fiberglass  thats what i wanna see


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

hottcakes said:


> you ever try to convince these people to get better gear or you just simply provide your services?


There are a few BUDGET builds that only wanted better sound and did not want to spend a lot. Anything is better than the factory crap in these cars.



MaXaZoR said:


> I'd REALLY like to know how you convinced these guys to fly you out to Cali...All the audio shops can't suck out there.


It is not that they all suck it is that they can not be trusted in the words of my customers. They drop their car off to either a shop that has never done a Z before or trusts that their guys will do things right such as running new speaker wires, I can not count the times I have redon a shops install and they told the customers they did something but it was either never done or done half a$$ed.

I have done over 30 370z's and the owner of a 370z forum and he put his own recommendation about me out there. My wiring for instance is soldered and than marine grade heat shrunk. Some would say that is not needed but it is what my customers are looking for. The little details that make me wanted.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

eviling said:


> uhm..i could easily do work like this. anybody here could...wheres the fiberglass  thats what i wanna see


Fiberglass is not what they wanted, I supply what the customer wants. 

I have done fiberglass before that is not a problem to me. 

Also this is not the first time I have been flown to California it is the second.

You have to also understand that this is a family thing as well. As noted I am well known on the 370z forums and that is yet another reason I am sought after.


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## 46panel (Nov 28, 2011)

Nice cars!!


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Today was a 2011 370z

Installed:
JL amp
Pioneer head unit
Polk MM speakers
Metra Axxess

The stuff









The car









New wires ran









New speakers


















New tweeters in factory bracket



























Wires organized


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Our high quality light source "flashlight died"


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

U comin out to CES this year?


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## Jumbo Jet (May 31, 2008)

I dont know the name of the color, but the first car at the beginning of the thread is my favorite color on the 370. 

As someone else mentioned, I was hoping they would choose better equipment too.


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## Paul1217 (Aug 12, 2007)

I'm not sure why everyone is ragging on the choices of product? Polk makes great speakers, Boston and JL amps, Alpine and Pioneer screens? Where's the bad product? Just cause it isn't Hybrid and Mosconi doesn't mean its not good product. And as he said, it is a MUCH better choice than the factory stuff.


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## Salad Fingers (Jun 14, 2009)

bigaudiofanatic said:


>


Umm... normally I don't care about this kind of stuff, but since we are talking about installation quality and attention to detail, have you ever seen this on page 3 of the JL Slash manual under "Cooling efficiency Considerations"?

"Amplifier mounted vertically with heat sink fins pointing down: Poor (not recommended)"


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Salad Fingers said:


> Umm... normally I don't care about this kind of stuff, but since we are talking about installation quality and attention to detail, have you ever seen this on page 3 of the JL Slash manual under "Cooling efficiency Considerations"?
> 
> "Amplifier mounted vertically with heat sink fins pointing down: Poor (not recommended)"


Never had a problem with them facing that way and to add they are only running at quarter gain.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Paul1217 said:


> I'm not sure why everyone is ragging on the choices of product? Polk makes great speakers, Boston and JL amps, Alpine and Pioneer screens? Where's the bad product? Just cause it isn't Hybrid and Mosconi doesn't mean its not good product. And as he said, it is a MUCH better choice than the factory stuff.


Thank you this next one people should like a little more.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Today was a 2010 370z

The goodies
Image Dyanmics CX components
Image Dynamics Q 10 inch sub
Alpine PDX5 amp
MTX re-q5 for bose integration 
OEM rever camera integration
Parking brake bypass for using nav functions while in drive

Part 1
The ride


















The stuff









Starting dynomat




































Crappy bose speakers









Factory bracket


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Dynomat the doors









New wire


















Speakers wired


















New tweeters installed









Crossover wired


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Both power wires ran back









Grommet wrapped


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## Salad Fingers (Jun 14, 2009)

bigaudiofanatic said:


> Never had a problem with them facing that way and to add they are only running at quarter gain.


Yea, you probably won't have any issues, it just isn't recommended. Another benefit to flipping it (and the other amp install you did) around would be to not have the wiring show. 

As far as the gain statement, the dial should be set relative to the input the amp receives. The Slash amps have an input range of 800mV-8v. So if you are getting 800mV to the inputs of the amp, then the gain all the way up would be the proper setting. If the inputs are receiving 8v, then all the way down would be correct. I suppose if what you are saying is that you are getting a small amount of input voltage at the amp and that the gain should be set higher than it is, so the amp isn't working as hard... you might have a point.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Today was my very first convertible z!

Let me just say it was a learning experience. Much more to deal with in terms of where things are ran and how to get them to the trunk. 

Things installed:
Focal 6.5 polyglass components 
Alpine PDX5 "future expandability"
Sony
Metra Axxess

The parts









The car


















The polyglass woofers did not need much of a spacer just the one it came with.



























Tweeters installed









Crossover mounted









Same for the other side


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Taking middle apart









This gave me an idea









Wires all ran









Amp installed









Rear camera installed









Me and the car


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## MTopper (Nov 4, 2009)

great work man. very impressed by how many cars and how fast you did them


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

MTopper said:


> great work man. very impressed by how many cars and how fast you did them


Thank you, I do quality not quantity after getting all of them done I only had one day to play around but no biggie as long as my customers are happy.


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## MTopper (Nov 4, 2009)

no i understand quality over quantity. thats why i was impressed so much by the amount of cars you did. it wasn't just throwing speakers and such in using electrical tape or closed end terminals like a lot of places and people.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

MTopper said:


> no i understand quality over quantity. thats why i was impressed so much by the amount of cars you did. it wasn't just throwing speakers and such in using electrical tape or closed end terminals like a lot of places and people.


Thank you,

I am now back in NJ everything went well and everyone is happy. Hope to go back soon or somewhere else.


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## KyngHype (Sep 7, 2009)

I'm in heaven I love 370s, nice work man..


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## mrm1776 (Oct 30, 2010)

Pretty nice work. All simple, but elegant in their simplicity. My only feedback would to try and hide the wires a little more. At least where they are connecting to the amp. In my opinion, one clean bundle of wires looks a lot better than 5 or 6 wires all running independently. When I was installing I used to actually run my wires underneath the amp after bundling them nicely (sometimes looming them). That was only if I didn't have the option of hiding the wires completely under the carpet or under an amp rack.

But good work otherwise. And good on the soldering. Soldering is one of those things that just makes a good install that much better.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

KyngHype said:


> I'm in heaven I love 370s, nice work man..


Ya they are great cars. I have done a little over 30 of them. 



mrm1776 said:


> Pretty nice work. All simple, but elegant in their simplicity. My only feedback would to try and hide the wires a little more. At least where they are connecting to the amp. In my opinion, one clean bundle of wires looks a lot better than 5 or 6 wires all running independently. When I was installing I used to actually run my wires underneath the amp after bundling them nicely (sometimes looming them). That was only if I didn't have the option of hiding the wires completely under the carpet or under an amp rack.
> 
> But good work otherwise. And good on the soldering. Soldering is one of those things that just makes a good install that much better.


Thank you, I actually never liked cutting into the carpet of the floor, I agree with you that they could of been hidden a little bit more as well if I had cut the carpet.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Xandr said:


> 370's are realy great cars, but nothing more in this thread... quality of work is very! VERY! poor. Money poured down the drain!


Um ya I can not see how you can say that. Plenty of good quality work here not to mention all the customers were happy.


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## eviling (Apr 14, 2010)

bigaudiofanatic said:


> Um ya


i just find it hileriouse that they flew you out to cali from NJ, the furthest posible distance wiht out flying somebody out of alaska or HI. and to top they're putting in grade c gear.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

eviling said:


> i just find it hileriouse that they flew you out to cali from NJ, the furthest posible distance wiht out flying somebody out of alaska or HI. and to top they're putting in grade c gear.


Hey I know what you mean but yet again I revisit my previous point. Simply is that they did not want a shop that my have done one or two 370z's trying to pull their car apart. 

I am currently talking to someone in Japan for a install on a C class Mercedes


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## eviling (Apr 14, 2010)

bigaudiofanatic said:


> Hey I know what you mean but yet again I revisit my previous point. Simply is that they did not want a shop that my have done one or two 370z's trying to pull their car apart.
> 
> I am currently talking to someone in Japan for a install on a C class Mercedes


well if your busy give them my number i have some free time :laugh:


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## Jonny Hotnuts (Mar 15, 2011)

Not trying to be a dick but putting wires through the lock hole on spade terminal ends on speakers and twisting is not an acceptable method for connecting leads. With vibrations from driving and from the speaker will cause arching and result in a series of problems with the contact. Considering the components I can not see any reason to solder the leads; its time consuming and makes driver replacement difficult if not impossible for the owner (and lets face it Focal designed the driver for spades). I am confused because depending on what you did here is on the very ends of unacceptable to beyond overkill spectrum. 

(*And no, I am NOT a 'hater'). 

~JH


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

I am not going to comment on the quality of the installs themselves.

but just a word of advice:

try to be more modest and more willing to learn, be less defensive. Its easy to show off installs on a car forum, but out here on a car audio forum there are a ton of people that have years and years of experience, with knowledge and skillsets that far far above yours, and of course, above mine as well...so we are all here to learn and improve our skillset.

I just felt like your posts from the get go seem to imply that you got everything nailed down...u got all the skills you need and you only do these types of jobs cause thats what makes your customers happy...and putting down a general statement regarding "california shops" is a bit rude IMO.

the more we absorb, the more we improve and progress as installers. 

also keep in mind that being flown out to california to do a bunch of simple amp n 4 box n 4 installs speaks more to your excellent salesmanship, willingness to work on a budget that is lower than local high quality shops, and ur ability to establish a good rapport with an online community, than to the installations themselves; because regardless of how ultimate skilled you are, these types of projects dont show them off.

I hope i dont come off the wrong way, i figure i would just say it because i know what it feels like in your shoes...I did similar things many years ago..  So just wanna offer my piece of advice that could have helped me back then.

cheers,

b


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## Xandr (Jan 17, 2011)

Jonny Hotnuts,
simplicityinsound,
+100500 guys!
join to said above


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

One more suggestion, while on the forum look up the installs of a few people that commented on this thread, for example simplicityinsound's installs. Be seated though .
Not trying to be rude but if you look around on this forum's install threads you might understand the comments a bit better.


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## simplicityinsound (Feb 2, 2007)

Wesayso said:


> One more suggestion, while on the forum look up the installs of a few people that commented on this thread, for example simplicityinsound's installs. Be seated though .
> Not trying to be rude but if you look around on this forum's install threads you might understand the comments a bit better.


thanks Wesayso, 

please remember i am not to be considered ANY kind of standard, and like i said, this isnt about the install quality on his work. 

I have known him online for a quite a few years now...and follow his threads on the Z forums, i just think wanted to give some advice regarding his overall approach


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## Wesayso (Jul 20, 2010)

I understand, point taken, but I also get the reactions from fellow members here. Most of us here do quite a bit more than just replacing speakers with aftermarket gear and adding an amp. But the OP is providing a valuable service no doubt.


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## mr.metoo (Feb 20, 2010)

Waste of money flying you out, any amateur shop could have done what you did. And no I'm not a hater but there really Isn't anything special or difficult about the 370z.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Jonny Hotnuts said:


> Not trying to be a dick but putting wires through the lock hole on spade terminal ends on speakers and twisting is not an acceptable method for connecting leads. With vibrations from driving and from the speaker will cause arching and result in a series of problems with the contact. Considering the components I can not see any reason to solder the leads; its time consuming and makes driver replacement difficult if not impossible for the owner (and lets face it Focal designed the driver for spades). I am confused because depending on what you did here is on the very ends of unacceptable to beyond overkill spectrum.
> 
> (*And no, I am NOT a 'hater').
> 
> ~JH


:laugh: May want to check again I twist than solder the wire directly to the terminal.
Just like this so they will never fall or rust off:


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Wesayso said:


> One more suggestion, while on the forum look up the installs of a few people that commented on this thread, for example simplicityinsound's installs. Be seated though .
> Not trying to be rude but if you look around on this forum's install threads you might understand the comments a bit better.


I do high end installs as well like with customers amp racks and fiberglass. That is not what these customers wanted.


May want to look at my "need help let me know" thread


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## so cal eddie (Oct 1, 2008)

I know alpine didn't make it easy to flush mount these decks, but it seems the deck could've been set back at least half an inch. 

Also, I understand that certain people trusted you to work on their vehicles, but I don't know what the point was of posting all of these basic installs.


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## mrm1776 (Oct 30, 2010)

I'm sure someone got some benefit from them... There's no need to be negative. I always go back to the "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all". That doesn't mean that you can't provide some constructive criticism, but your comment just didn't seem appropriate.


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## DonH (Jun 25, 2009)

ive done quite a bit of installs... popping a pannel off of a car, drilling a hole in the firewall running wires, solder and heat shrink etc, is the same on just about every car in certain years. granted newer cars have much more "going on" behind the scenes. Its a great jesture to you that they wanted to fly you out to do them. i would say hell yes also, i cant blame you for that. IF they would have re-searched a little more im sure they would have found that getting an out of state installer would be null and void. 

but to not take any credit from you, good job on such a short time


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

To those that appreciate what I did thank you. I am actually working on a stealth FG box for these cars along with like a amp rack that people can mount whatever amp they want to it "size permitted" 

I love doing this stuff and love doing the bigger installs even more. I have a 2012 ISF coming up soon, plenty of pics will be taken of that as well.


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## DonH (Jun 25, 2009)

Nice be sure to post pics


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## Xandr (Jan 17, 2011)

will wait for your new build log, realy great but not only HU mounting and wiring over the carpet. I hope you will rehabilitate yourself.


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Xandr said:


> will wait for your new build log, realy great but not only HU mounting and wiring over the carpet. I hope you will rehabilitate yourself.


Just check my build thread and also look for bmw build to.


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## neuspeedescort (Feb 23, 2010)

why not supply us links to your work other then making us hunt them down. i to am not a huge fan of these installs but have kept my mouth shut to this point. your talking a big game but i'm not seeing any links to your work as ammo to defend yourself.

granted i (and all of us) have done work like this amps over carpet, stock speaker location replacements and that is seriously my main customer base. but i don't post it all up here like i'm the man. i only post up my truly custom work. the cooler one off stuff.


NEUMAN


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## bigaudiofanatic (Mar 1, 2009)

Very first big install

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...stall-gallery/77430-bmw-7-series-install.html

40th anniversary 370z. Sub box I did not build. *Will be heading back for stage 2 including custom FG speaker pods behind seats, second battery, second amp and a few other things.*
http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr199/bigaudiofanatic/2010 Nissan 370z 40th Anniversary/


All others
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...-our-members/55330-need-help-let-me-know.html

Also do detailing
http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr199/bigaudiofanatic/2006 Pathfinder Detail/


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## eviling (Apr 14, 2010)

bigaudiofanatic said:


> Very first big install
> 
> http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...stall-gallery/77430-bmw-7-series-install.html
> 
> ...


can't beat a man down for being willing to work, and i can respect you very much for that. you bust your ass to get clients i can tell and you bust your ass to keep em  I can see that, but this build isn't the best to wirte home about haha, but the "very first " build is very well done, i can tell you were still new to bondo because your work looked like my work last summer  haha


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## butdamnbrian (Oct 3, 2010)

Wesayso said:


> One more suggestion, while on the forum look up the installs of a few people that commented on this thread, for example simplicityinsound's installs. Be seated though .
> Not trying to be rude but if you look around on this forum's install threads you might understand the comments a bit better.


as a point of comparison, check out the 370z build bing of simplicityinsound undertook for my z (which i have since sold  ).

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...dget-sq-nissan-370z-spare-tire-retention.html

bing, you rock


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## AntiJager (Dec 20, 2011)

I just wanted to chime in. Im from the 370z.com forum (astrosfan) where Big has provided alot of valuable input to the users in that community. I know these are basic builds but those guys are very meticulious about their cars and would rather pay someone with a good rep to do their stereo installs, his presence in the 370z community has been very helpful to many of the members, myself included...... even though he is baised towards Alpine..... i kid, i kid.....

Im sure there were other ways to install these setups but everyone on that forum is very happy with his work.....

just my 2cents.....


Oh, and its a pleasure to be a part of this community. I'll be posting my build sooooon.....


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