# The donation build for our own military veteran and fellow SQ enthusiast



## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thank you all for your contributions here:
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/off-topic/155296-donations-veteran.html

Thanks to you, we're able to make this happen for a great guy. Now that the donations have come in, this thread will be used as the announcement and to follow the progress along the way. For anyone still interested in donating funds toward the installation expenses, we welcome your support. You can find the paypal address in the link above.
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Well, it is finally that time! The connections have been made, the donations have been coming in and the planning is about to begin. Without further ado, it’s time to introduce the recipient of this collective effort…

I want to tell you just a little about a new friend of mine who I was fortunate enough to meet at the North Carolina audio meet hosted by Jay and Mike. I met Dustin early on in the day and got a chance to give him a quick demo in the Mazda before it ran into issues. I would say he was one of the “lucky few” who got to hear it, but I honestly drove it down to NC without any gain structure setting and no tune and didn’t have much time to properly set it up. So perhaps I should say he was one of the “unlucky few,” haha ! After we listened for a while we headed over to Dustin’s Explorer so I could see the progress he was making on his build. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one experiencing ‘technical difficulties’ that day as he was having some issues with his system as well. 
Regardless, we hooked back up around lunch time and got to talk for a while and get to know each other a bit. I found that Dustin was super passionate about the hobby and was excited to do more work in search of the great sound we’re all trying to achieve. Secondary to that however was his humble nature. Dustin has served active duty in our military forces and deals with some health issues on a daily basis as a result, but you would never know it-he doesn’t complain one bit. On the contrary, when I remarked about my desk job being insignificant in comparison to what he’s done, he deflected saying “sitting behind a desk all day is hard work. I respect what you do.”
I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I respect the sacrifices he has made on our behalf, and the type of character he exhibits. To that end, I started a motion along with our own Jay Bertholomey (another military veteran btw!) to do something special for Dustin. We know he has a passion for car audio and we decided to reach out to our friends here on the forums as well as to some fantastic industry people to try to put together a great system in his vehicle- and we were NOT disappointed. The response was fantastic! It’s my pleasure to announce that several industry titans have also been touched by this effort and wanted to be a part of it.

There will be more specific details to follow, but I wanted to take a moment to offer my sincere gratitude to these individuals for their generosity. Without you, this would not have been possible.

Scott Buwalda of *Hybrid Audio Technology*- Thank you so much for stepping up and offering your support for this project. Scott knew that Dustin was already part of the Hybrid Audio family as he currently owns some HAT speakers. Scott is a stand-up guy who has always taken the time to assist me personally with questions. In fact, I remember back when I was first looking into purchasing some Hybrid Audio gear. It was a Christmas weekend and I sent him an email with a plethora of questions about the product and ordering expecting to hear back after the new year. Scott not only got back to me the same day within an hour, but also provided his phone number for me so we could chat. That’s just not typical service in any industry. When I asked Scott about whether he would like to be a part of this his response was “Of course, I am in!” I’m happy to say that Scott is providing some Hybrid product to make this a truly exceptional sounding vehicle. You rock Scott! 

You can learn more about Hybrid Audio’s products here: Home - The Home of the World's Finest Loudspeakers, and World Championship Car Audio Speaker Systems.

Jacob Fuller of *Sundown Audio*- Jacob responded immediately and was happy to be a part of this project. This wouldn’t be the first time I have heard of Jacob’s generosity. He is an asset to our community and his company continues to build upon its success from humble beginnings. It’s always rewarding to see truly good people succeeding at what they love to do. When I spoke with Dustin initially, I believe he made mention of getting a great deal from Jacob on the Sundown amplifiers that he already has. He remarked that he was very grateful for that gesture. Knowing this, I felt it was important to keep Dustin in the Sundown family as well with this build project. I’m very happy to report that Jacob and Sundown Audio have been kind enough to provide the additional amplification needed. 

You can learn more about Sundown Audio and their products here: Welcome to Sundown

Don Sambrook of *Sound Deadener Showdown*- Don has been a pioneer in research and information in the design and application of vehicle acoustic treatments for quite some time. Don has always been the type of guy to take the extra time with you to help not only plan out your vehicle’s sound deadening treatment, but to also help you to learn the science behind it so that you know ‘why’. What other company can you recall that recommended LESS of their product to reach your goal? I’ve always appreciated his honest approach to business and his generosity as well. Don is well known to add ‘extras’ in your order, especially if you come out to pick things up. In addition, he’s always taken care of active duty military with discounts as well. Just a truly stand-up guy who embodies the DIY spirit and totally fits for this kind of endeavor. Don is stepping up and providing some acoustic treatment materials for Dustin’s install and we couldn’t be happier that he’s aboard. Thanks Don !

You can learn more about SDS here: Welcome to Sound Deadener Showdown | Sound Deadener Showdown

Installer extraordinaire *Mark Worrell*- I got the opportunity to finally meet Mark this summer and see his work close up. Not only is Mark very skilled in his craft, but he also is just a great guy. During our North Carolina meet, I was having some issues with my system and Mark took about 2 hours of time out from the fun of the day to pull out his tools and help me to trouble-shoot the problem and to teach me a little about gain structure and setup. Mark consistently puts out quality work and I’m excited to have him involved with this project. On the flip side, he was excited as well to offer his services to help take all of these great donations and put his magic touch on it to make a beautiful end result. Thank you Mark, you’re the man!!

If you’re in the North Carolina area and looking for a quality, skilled installer- look no further. Mark Worrell is your man. For those who haven’t seen his work, here is a very small sampling from some of our own members:
Jay’s BRZ: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...gallery/137652-2013-subaru-brz-build-log.html
Deadpool’s BRZ: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...4193-deadpools-2013-subaru-brz-simple-sq.html


In addition to these folks, I want to extend a personal thank you to the following fine gentlemen who have donated in the form of paypal contributions and/or parts & supplies toward the installation. Thank you all for your generosity and for helping to make this thing happen. You guys are awesome!

Al (BigAl)
Matt (El Chupo)
Dennis (OSN)
Erin (Bikinpunk)
(ca90ss)
Mike C (69Voltage)
Jason H (ImJustJason)
Ben R (Benny)
Tim B
Kevin (Hic)
Jason (Bertholomey)

In addition, a very special thank you to my cohort for this project, Jay Bertholomey. Jay embodies everything good about this hobby. He is one of the most kind and generous people I have met and his passion for the hobby is constantly leading him toward that extra “n-th” of performance from his system. Jay does all of the little things behind the scenes that rarely get mention, without asking for anything in return. Whether that’s lending drivers out, making demo discs up for meets or simply the surprise package in the mail with some goodies he wanted to share. He’s just a hell of a guy and I’m proud to call him a friend.


We are going to work on hammering out the logistics and time schedule for this soon. When we do the build, we plan to take plenty of great pictures to share with you guys. We hope you’ll continue to follow along!


-Steve


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## 69Voltage (Jul 30, 2013)

Great post Steve. It's great to see people and industry come together to help out someone deserving. Looking forward to the build log. And please thank Dustin for his service for me when you get a chance.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I agree Mike and thanks for being a part of it!


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## Serieus (May 27, 2011)

this is fantastic - i had no idea that he was a veteran (thank you for your service, sir ), but i thoroughly enjoyed his company at the meet. i wish i was in a position to have been able to contribute to this.

it looks like there's some fantastic support, especially with Scott and Jacob supporting!


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

I agree, is a stand up guy. Myself being a vet too have assisted him in some ideas and trying to get his HU working during the meet. I have not been able to assist further with his build even though we are in the same town, but work has had me busy on the road. 

Steve and Jay, you guys are awesome. As a vet myself I appreciate everyones hand in this build (in or out of the light). I will lend my hands as able to, maybe both of us can have our builds completed for the next meet or for the beginning of competition season. 

-Juan


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## chithead (Mar 19, 2008)

Now you have me curious what the build will consist of  

Excited to see this outcome!


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## caraudioworld (Sep 18, 2013)

subscribed


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## Scott Buwalda (Apr 7, 2006)

Very happy to be giving back in one small way! 

Scott


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## Deadpool_25 (Apr 2, 2010)

This is truly awesome guys. Thank you for putting it together. As a fellow veteran it really means more than some people may realize.

I've been fortunate enough to deal with a few of the people mentioned in the OP, and am very happy to see them acknowledged publically.

I was on Scott's site, Buwaldahybrids, quite a few years ago while I was still active duty. I was looking for some advice and Scott was extremely forthcoming with information and helped me obtain the gear for my install. When he started Hybrid Audio and introduced the original Legatia 1 tweeters, I jumped at the chance to purchase (I still have them). It's awesome to see such a great guy have so much success and I'm proud to be putting Hybrid Audio Technolgies products in my new install.

I heard about Mark Worrell from reading Bertholomey's build log, and eventually got in touch with him about doing some a-pillars for my BRZ. That plan quickly extended to door and dash speakers, and continues to expand. Though Mark is across the country from me I didn't hesitate to entrust my install to him. Not only is he an absolutely top-tier installer, he's also a great guy. I am not kidding when I say if allowed the time I would drive across the country and have him do even more work on my install.

Bertholomey is also a great guy and has been incredibly helpful. If not for him, I'm not sure how I'd have been able to have Mark do the work on my car. He went on vacation and graciously left his car, indentical to mine, with Mark so it could be used as a model. He also answered all my questions when I kept bugging him about his build. Hmm...now that I think about it, his build was a huge influence on my desire to get rid of my 2013 Sonata and get the BRZ that I _knew _I should have gotten in the first place. 

I'm not at all surprised to see them stepping up in this way. Good people do good things. I'm proud to be associated with all of these guys.


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

We have a lot of great guys coming together to help the vets. I had the opportunity to go by Hybrid HQ in Atlanta a few weeks back and was able to meet Scott and Garvin. They are some really cool and exceptionally knowledgeable group of guys. So if Scott and his crew are giving a hand, its definitely going to be awesome. Looking forward to see what comes down the pipe. 

Dustin, you are one lucky man to have all these great guys helping on this one.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Scott Buwalda said:


> Very happy to be giving back in one small way!
> 
> Scott



We can't thank you enough Scott. You're one of the true gentleman of the industry.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I also want to update that Don has gone above and beyond (again!) and is sending out *40* CLD tiles, butyl rope and a roller for us and left the door open if more supplies are needed. 

Don- you sir, are the man. Makes me even happier to know that SDS products are being used in my car as well.

That butyl rope is fantastic stuff BTW. Much better than the "speaker gasket" type materials that usually come in very thin butyl strips. It made it very easy for me to get a good seal and some decoupling for my midbass kick pods when I installed them.

-Steve


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Deadpool_25 said:


> This is truly awesome guys. Thank you for putting it together. As a fellow veteran it really means more than some people may realize.
> 
> I've been fortunate enough to deal with a few of the people mentioned in the OP, and am very happy to see them acknowledged publically.
> 
> ...



Thanks for posting this up. Mark is a true professional and a great guy, as you said. We're lucky to have him involved on this endeavor. You're BRZ is going to be fantastic when he's done icing that cake


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## rton20s (Feb 14, 2011)

In to follow the progress. It is encouraging to see some of the things the good people involved with this site have been doing recently.


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

Family, I am lost for words after learning the level of appreciation you guys all have for me. Steve, Jason, Mark, all of you as I'm sure there are so many participants that I did no, name and wish to recognize. Thank you to each and every one off you. Thank you to the vendors as well. I cannot express the level of graditude I have for everyone. Most of you have light years more experience than me in the quest to obtain perfect acoustics. It should be me supporting you instead of me. I am honored to serve in the armed forces of a country that has fine citizen who selflessly volunteer to support my passion to the ultimate level. There are so many more deserving people than me who are worthy of this build who are also contributors. I thank them as well. I will also be forever in debt to all of you, not just those who contributed but also to those who would have liked to if they were able. I salute all of you. Special thanks to all the contributors and Scott Buwalda, Jacob Fuller, Don Sambrook, installers, organizers, and all others who are making this possible.

I must truly be the luckiest Service Member of all. May God bless each and every one of you tremendously.

Simper Fi


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Just wanted to update that we are currently working out the scheduling for the installation for those that have been following along. Once we have more to report, we absolutely will!

Expect some great build pics and videos to come when we start the process


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## Deadpool_25 (Apr 2, 2010)

captainobvious said:


> Just wanted to update that we are currently working out the scheduling for the installation for those that have been following along. Once we have more to report, we absolutely will!
> 
> Expect some great build pics and videos to come when we start the process


Looking forward to the pics and videos!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks David (dgage) for donating toward the install!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

BlueAc said:


> If amps are still needed I have a BNIB JBL GTO1004 I could donate. I'm local too, so let me know if you'd like to meet up.


Thank you so much for your generous offer! Please see below 





bertholomey said:


> Happy Veterans Day Dustin!



Indeed! Happy Veterans Day to you _*both*_ !

T-minus 1 month until we commence the build for Dustin 

Thank you everyone who has contributed to this project thus far. The support has been fantastic! We now have the "gear" needed, but could still use some funds towards installation costs. If you feel compelled to contribute to this cause, we would certainly appreciate any donation you're able to make. (paypal is [email protected]) Please PM me so I can keep the list current with those supporters of this project.

Happy Veteran's Day to *all* of our military personnel here and thank you for your service!


-Steve


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks Steve!!! I failed to see this thread, and now I'm tracking. 

Happy Veterans Day!


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

Happy Veterans Day to all my brothers in arms and outstanding Americans.


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## Deadpool_25 (Apr 2, 2010)

And to you as well, Dustin.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

The build is now in progress! Mark Worrell is busy on installation and I'm in NC for an extended weekend to help out, along with Jay. Things should be shaping up nicely from here on out as we work to get this thing polished up for Dustin. Bryan, Jacob and the crew at Sundown Audio have also stepped up to contribute even more to this project. More to come...


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## mmiller (Mar 7, 2008)

What a wonderful way to give back to someone who truly deserves it!


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## casey (Dec 4, 2006)

in for this one. cant go wrong with whos involved. Dustin seemed like a stand up dude when I met him at the fall meet. Cant wait to see the outcome!


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

We had a great weekend, and I'll let Steve update this thread once he gets squared away (he just got home after an 11 hour drive ). 

I took some pics that I'll post once Steve posts up.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks guys 

Like Jay said...it was a long drive back home today. We had a nasty winter storm over here in the northeast corridor and it was just mayhem getting home. I95 was shutdown halfway home.

Anyway, onto the *good* stuff 

We got things kicked off this weekend to start the build. First off, we had to remove all of the seats, carpet and interior. This car is new to Dustin, but had some "special" wiring done by some previous craftsmen as I like to say, so out with the old, and in with the new! We ran 1/0 awg copper for the power and managed to squeeze it through a factory grommet on the passenger side. Getting anything through the firewall (and doors) is quite a challenge in this vehicle- that is unless you like to remove the entire dash. We also ran new speaker wiring, remote and antenna wires as well as some high quality RCA cables made of RG-6 for excellent shielding and noise rejection. 

Inside the engine bay, we mounted up the circuit breaker to a nice HDP mounting plate Mark measured up and routed out. It looks great...something I should consider doing in mine...but I digress! The battery is an older stock unit that will be replaced with something a little newer and more powerful. Speaking of power, the ground for this car was a little questionable (again, previous craftsmen) so we installed a new 1/0 ground. We found a useable spot on the chassis frame near the battery, wire brushed and cleaned the area and then bolted in the new terminal. Connections are made to the existing battery for now, while we wait on the new power and some battery terminals. All wiring was tech-flexed and heat-shrinked to keep it protected and looking good.

Out in the back, Mark started working on the trunk layout and began cutting some panels. We talked about the configuration and he's got some nice ideas going that will have the trunk looking real purdy. He's also elbows deep into the midrange/tweeter setup, which we'll have some pics for down the road. I can't wait to see the way these come out- I love where Mark is going with them.

Dustin was able to stop down to the shop yesterday to hang out for a while and even get his hands dirty on some work too. We worked on installing some of the awesome SDS sound deadening products in the vehicle, focusing some good efforts on the front doors. We used the butyl rope inside the doors between the crash bar and metal panels and CLD tiles on the inner and outer metal. Thanks Don !!



We had a visit from the fine fellows over at Sundown Audio as well. Jacob and Brian stopped by the drop off some awesome gear for the install including a new 125.4 amplifier and the sweet new SA8's. If you haven't seen them yet, they are very impressive. TONS of linear stroke, good venting, beautiful frame and details as well. Nice job by the boys on this one and I'm excited to hear what they can do. Thanks again guys!



More updates to follow as we slowly progress with this build (it's a marathon!) and plenty of pics as well.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

I'll update this with the photos I took tomorrow, but I thought I would add a couple of the subs now 


Signed by Jacob










V1 in the back, V2 in the front.


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## casey (Dec 4, 2006)

awesome! what car is this going in?


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

casey said:


> awesome! what car is this going in?


Thanks Casey- It's a Nissan 240SX (1995 I believe).


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

The car is a Nissan 240 SX, and as Steve mentioned, it is a dream car for Dustin. He recently purchased it, and he is working to get it up to the level he wants it to be. Mark and Steve put in some extremely long hours this past weekend to get a lot of work done on this car. 










Dustin and his friend Alex were at the shop the entire day on Saturday. It was a great opportunity to discuss music, military, the hobby, and his plans for the car. 

Discussing the plans for the amp rack and sub box. 




























The car was in pretty rough shape when Mark received it. We pulled an array of wires (power, relay, RCAs, etc), and we even discovered a couple pounds of sand in the rear corner panel.This turned out to be an amazing opportunity to get the car stripped down, cleaned out, and reassembled - to put it on the right track for Dustin to have a show-level car. 

Trunk when it arrived










Trunk (after pulling everything and starting to run wires)










Interior










(Sneak peak of the tweet/mid speaker placement plans)



















Old Sound Deadener










The look of determination



















Steve and Mark ran the wires through the car (RCAs, 0 gauge power (very challenging to get it through the fire wall), remote, USB - all tech flexed and tied off). 



















Steve did a fantastic job getting these power wires squared away - to include new vehicle ground wire. 










Doors.......Dustin had some Hybrid Audio L8's that need to go in the doors. 














































Amp Rack

Mark's plan for the amp rack is to use a simple affair where the 3 amps would be mounted with an effective fan layout that will give complete air circulation. He will finish it with a false floor. 




























Test Fit



















Mark also fabbed a 'box' to hold the 6to8 DSP that Steve donated and the StreetWires distro block that another member donated. 










It was awesome to see all of the items that folks donated for this build. Between wiring needs, speakers, and amps. 

Jacob and Brian from Sundown Audio came by the shop to provide in person the 125.4 Sundown Amp and the two Sundown 8" subwoofers that they were donating. It was fantastic to get to talk to Jacob again and to meet Brian. 





































If I'm remembering this correctly, one of the DIYMA members at the last NC Meet donated 2 of the Version 1 Sundown 8" subs to Dustin (on left), and Jacob exchanged those for the Version 2's. Mark has a plan for a bandpass, ported box to utilize the 2 subs that will fit around / over the gas tank. Should be fantastic!














































Dustin also had a pair of Hybrid Audio L3 SE drivers, and a pair of Hybrid tweeters. Scott Buwalda of Hybrid Audio graciously exchanged those tweets for the top notch Legatia Pro L1 Ring Radiator tweeters. 










The pillars in this car are extremely thin, and the rake of the windshield and the depth of the dash make it extremely challenging to place the tweets / mids. Mark has a fantastic plan on placing them on top of the door card - I'm looking forward to what this will look like when completed!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Here's some low quality pics from my iphone. 

These are mainly of the wiring. Again, everything techflexed and heat-shrinked, tie wrapped up.











Wires were fished and pulled through the factory door grommets. No easy task as it's very difficult to get your hands up to the hole on the inside of the vehicle. Especially when you're pulling 3 sets


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I decided to run the speaker wires up to a terminal block for distribution to make any changes easier. All connections are crimped and soldered- including the 1/0 gauge runs 





New ground. The rusty area you see is the battery tray. Just needs to be wire brushed and rust treated. 





Under the hood, power wire run and the circuit breaker. 









You can see the nice grey piece that Mark fabbed up to mount the circuit breaker to. It's secured to the body metal and provides three mounting points.





.


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## sundownz (Apr 13, 2007)

Fine work there guys! Glad we could help out


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## Deadpool_25 (Apr 2, 2010)

Awesome stuff. I like where this is headed! Again, kudos to all those who stepped up to help out in various ways.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Bertholomey said:


> Mark also fabbed a 'box' to hold the 6to8 DSP that Steve donated and the StreetWires distro block that another member donated.


Just wanted to clarify that the DSP was purchased from me on the cheap but the CBR44 distro block I donated in full  

Thanks go again to all of the guys who have donated various items (and funds) toward this build. We are still accepting any paypal donations you may feel so inclined to make which will go directly toward installation. I matched the total of the current donations made but we will still need more to get this finished to a high level.

I've received some PM's about donation, and we're very thankful for all of your support. $10, $50... whatever you would like to contribute would be helpful. No gift is too small and we're thankful for them all!

I'm very happy to be associated with all of the fine people who have, continue to be, and *will* be involved with contributing to this effort. We've been very blessed with a great team of people to work with and are really working to make this a fantastic build sponsored by the kind donations of the car audio community. You guys rock !


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Jim (Jcharger13)- Thanks for your paypal donation !


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Tuning in!


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## casey (Dec 4, 2006)

looking great so far! cant wait to hear this as well.

dustin...what kit is on the 240? the front fenders are pretty sick.

whats the paypal address...ill throw a donation that way.

also if you need some gruntwork help let me know. im in the greensboro area


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

casey said:


> looking great so far! cant wait to hear this as well.
> 
> dustin...what kit is on the 240? the front fenders are pretty sick.
> 
> ...



Awesome, thanks Casey!

Here's the paypal address: [email protected]


The body kit is pretty slick. I believe Dustin has plans to change out the front bumper in addition to some other modifications. It also has a carbon fiber hood, rolled fenders and massive wheels on it. I want to say it's something like 18x10 on the rears but I'll let Dustin fill in the details.

Thanks again for contributing and being a part of the effort!


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

I was surprised to see how you keep finding more and more ways to surprise me. You really got me good when I walked into the shop only to be surprised the autographed gear. I had no idea that the fine folks at Sundown Audio had reclaimed my highly anticipated SA8v1’s only to be upgraded to a pair of the SA8v2’s. Let us not forget it was our friend Chithead who contributed the pair of SA8v1's in the NC Summer/Fall 2013 meet. He just walked up to me and saw my sundown amps and said “you’re a Sundown fan, than you will love these," before intentionally leaving them in my trunk next to my (2) Sundown amps. He also refused to take anything in return. Just another demonstration of the type of people we have on this forum. By far some of the finest people I have ever met.
It was so much fun watching the Guru’s going H.A.M on the build. You guys have some amazing skills that I was absorbing as much as possible. Some of it felt painful just to even watch like the tall Captain Obvious, twist, stretch, bend upside down to battle a car in quest of getting wires to go where they were never meant. I also enjoyed having a meal with your guys. Outside of the shop was just as full of fun and adventure as well.
I’m going to jump to the drive home based of the conversation my friend Alex who though car audio was nothing more than a pair of 12's in a trunk on the 4 hour drive to Audio Masters in Pineville NC had a change of heart. It went something to the tune of him studying my IASCA/MECA rulebook (provided by Black Rain and Mrs. Black Rain) his remarkable thirst for knowledge in matters of, time alignment, imaging, staging, crossover slopes and distortion. With what I witnessed this weekend let us welcome 19 year old Alex to our 12volt SQ passion. I recall asking him if he though Mark W knew a thing or two about car audio, Alex replied "THE MAN IS AN AUDIO GOD!" 
Jason, Steve—for providing Alex demo the high fidelity acoustics in your cars. It’s your fault “He’s hooked” LOL


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

This thing is going to levels I never even imagined. I haven’t been excited to this level about anything in years. Thank you to everyone who has made contributions and those who plan too. 

Steve: You are a wiring maniac. Thanks for the lessons i learned about wiring this weekend. 

Mark: I feel the same way Alex does about you and can't thank you enough for all your time and talent at our disposal.

Jason: I really enjoyed your help both in life matters, military and car audio your company has been a blessing. Alex is putting together a few albums of music for you BTW.
Sound Deadening Showdown: Don, This stuff is amazing. I’m not just saying that because of your contributions. Most owners know that Nissan 240sx cars are rattle cans. With just a few tiles the dorrs became so solid. Same for the transmission tunnel which is super thin. Both these treated areas feel so much more dense and resistant to vibration. I love the butyl rope fits so much. I’m going to use this stuff for so many applications outside of car audio as well. My prayers still go out for your family.
The Sundown Family: Jacob, Brian I am glad that you have shown me so much generosity and I am forever appreciative of both the contributions you have made to this build as well as the pride you have put into creating wonderful products. I wish I could have caught you guys while you were at audio masters but I suspect we will meet by the time the build is complete. The 
Hybrid Audio Technologies: Scott, thank you for the world’s finest tweeter at any price range. Legatia L1 Pro Ring Radiator (R2). Once again you have lived up to the Remarkable level of character most of the world has come to know you for. I can’t get over the level of craftsmanship that went into creating them. 
Contributors: The extraordinary ladies and gentlemen behind the curtain. I want to thank all of you for your contributions. None of this would be possible without you. But I wonder all the time who many of you are and I thank God that you all are the way you are. Your Contributions have motivated me to continue to do for others. See, your contributions are responsible not just helping with my dream, but 2nd and 3rd order effects in helping others in this world.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

That is an awesome reply - Thanks Dustin!!! 

P.S.......tell Alex that YouTube to MP3 site works like a charm - Awesome Tip!!! 
I really enjoyed talking to Alex (Slim), and I hope everything works out for him.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Well said Dustin  It was great to meet up and spend some time with you again.

Funny- I think my wife thought I was getting flogged down there as I came home with some bruises on my back from the wiring LOL.


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

casey said:


> looking great so far! cant wait to hear this as well.
> 
> dustin...what kit is on the 240? the front fenders are pretty sick.
> 
> ...


Thanks Casey,
it is the Charge body kit except the temporary front bumper. currently a good friend of mine. Aaron of A2Z custom paint and auto werks is repairing the Charge front bumper. thanks for your wilfulness to help with the labor. it would reduce Steve's battle scars attributed to my stubborn car. the wheels are by Work, they are 18x9 and 18x10.5


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

I'm happy to report that my two Ascendent Audio Subs have sold, and I'm donating the funds toward the install of Dustin's car. Merry Christmas!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

bertholomey said:


> I'm happy to report that my two Ascendent Audio Subs have sold, and I'm donating the funds toward the install of Dustin's car. Merry Christmas!



AWESOME! Thanks Jay, you're generosity is second to none 

These kinds of donations allow Mark to do even more to make this a top notch installation.


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## Deadpool_25 (Apr 2, 2010)

Nice, Jason! 

/salute


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## I800C0LLECT (Jan 26, 2009)

Definitely one of my favorite threads to come across in years. This will easily become a showstopper.

Glad to see the support for our vets!!!


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

I800C0LLECT said:


> Definitely one of my favorite threads to come across in years. This will easily become a showstopper.
> 
> Glad to see the support for our vets!!!


I love the sig line you have.....truth. I also like your Hokies avatar! I spent many years in Pulaski VA, and my wife's entire family went to VT. Thanks for reading through this thread, and stay tuned......this build will be fantastic once it is complete.


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

bertholomey said:


> I'm happy to report that my two Ascendent Audio Subs have sold, and I'm donating the funds toward the install of Dustin's car. Merry Christmas!


Jason,
What an exceptional level of love! Just what I wanted for Christmas!
This really brightens my day brother. This thing is going to be a show stopper.


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

I800C0LLECT said:


> Definitely one of my favorite threads to come across in years. This will easily become a showstopper.
> 
> Glad to see the support for our vets!!!


I glad you enjoy the thread. but believe me, nobody enjoys it more than me.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

3 months (almost) and no updates? What's up?!?!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Dustin has been in the process of relocating to the northeast and had to take his 240sx with him for the time being. We still intend to carry on with the build but have to work around/with Dustin's schedule to make it happen.


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

Hi Guys,
I havent given up on the build. I am hoping that as soon as posible I can turn the car back over. As of lately I have been driving the vehicle as a daily driver. I am hoping to be able to continue on with the build. Thanks for staying involved on the build. I am still very excited to get the build as near complete as possible. I am puzzled with how to get the woofers in the doors.

-Dustin.


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## I800C0LLECT (Jan 26, 2009)

car pool!!!!!


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## 12v Electronics (Jun 1, 2008)

Subscribed! I am looking forward to how this turns out!


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

Thanks Tom!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Bumping this. I know it's been a while. Now that things have settled down and Dustin is relocated to the northeast, the 240sx will be headed to my garage in a few weeks so I can get working on it. Due to the distance and his crazy schedule, Mark will probably not be able to continue on with this build so I'm going to do my best to do it justice with my more limited skills. He will be available though to me as always for consultation and advice which I appreciate.


There will be a few changes to the overall build, locations, and some equipment. Not only that, but Dustin has been working hard to totally overhaul this vehicle. It's going to be absolutely killer. I'm definitely excited for this one.



There may be a few parts needs for this one (not necessarily equipment) that I'll post up once I get the car to the garage and can get a handle on the approach and everything needed. I'm thinking more along the lines of installation accessories, RCA's, etc. Would be nice to get a Knukonceptz or Stinger type on board for those purposes. Or perhaps a shop/owner that wants to get involved that's a Stinger dealer that can get some items for me at a reduced cost- that would help too.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

That is good stuff right there Steve - Get After It! 

I'm so glad you are able to pick this up again. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

bertholomey said:


> That is good stuff right there Steve - Get After It!
> 
> I'm so glad you are able to pick this up again. I'm really looking forward to seeing the results



Thanks Jason. I'm really looking forward to it too. I'm gonna have some fun with this one


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## kmbkk (Jun 11, 2011)

Steve, 

Definitely post up what's needed. I may be able to get an install kit sent to you.


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## lostthumb (Dec 16, 2005)

captainobvious said:


> Bumping this. I know it's been a while. Now that things have settled down and Dustin is relocated to the northeast, the 240sx will be headed to my garage in a few weeks so I can get working on it. Due to the distance and his crazy schedule, Mark will probably not be able to continue on with this build so I'm going to do my best to do it justice with my more limited skills. He will be available though to me as always for consultation and advice which I appreciate.
> 
> 
> There will be a few changes to the overall build, locations, and some equipment. Not only that, but Dustin has been working hard to totally overhaul this vehicle. It's going to be absolutely killer. I'm definitely excited for this one.
> ...



Let me know if I can help with supplying the RCAs needed.
I can make them to the lengths needed.


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

Steve please send me a list of what you are in need of install wise.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks fellas, much appreciated.

I'm putting together a list and there may be a few more items once the car arrives, but I'll certainly let you know.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

How on earth I missed this one! Sub'd! Looking forward to the continued saga of some rockin' 240 tunes. Too bad you're all the way up in Pennsyltuckey.


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## fast4door (Aug 2, 2012)

I have some brand new stinger 8000 rca's ( 2 sets 6') still in the box if you need them I can ship them out asap.


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## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

After speaking with Steve about this effort yesterday, I am on board with my support. I'll be donating what I can, but mostly my help with fabricating the trunk.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

TheDavel said:


> After speaking with Steve about this effort yesterday, I am on board with my support. I'll be donating what I can, but mostly my help with fabricating the trunk.



Dave- I'm really thrilled to have you on board for this. Thank you for generously donating your time and support for this build. (I know time is at a premium for you right now.) 
Your addition will really help to elevate this build and I'm looking forward to working alongside you and learning some more techniques from a skilled craftsman of this industry.


For those not familiar, Dave does absolutely excellent, top-tier work and has a great eye for design and layout. He did some fantastic fabrication work on Bill's (Meca Street world champion) FJ Cruiser which you can see in this build log:
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum...213-2012-toyota-fj-cruiser-spartan-build.html




This is very exciting news.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

fast4door said:


> I have some brand new stinger 8000 rca's ( 2 sets 6') still in the box if you need them I can ship them out asap.



Thank you kindly for this offer. Once I know the lengths needed, I'll get back with you. I have used the Stinger 8000's on builds before and I really like them.

Cheers,


Steve


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## Darkrider (May 11, 2012)

I'm so terribly disappointed that I have missed this thread for SOOOO long!

Steve, I'll be PM'ing you about this to find out what I can do to donate/help.

I miss Dustin at the NCSQ meets. I miss talking with him about his scary wife and genius daughter. Hanging out in Dustin's car (on the phone with my wife...) was why I missed the group picture a couple meets back.

Dustin - thanks again for your service. Miss you back here in NC!


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

captainobvious said:


> Dave- I'm really thrilled to have you on board for this. Thank you for generously donating your time and support for this build. (I know time is at a premium for you right now.)
> Your addition will really help to elevate this build and I'm looking forward to working alongside you and learning some more techniques from a skilled craftsman of this industry.
> 
> 
> ...


Which is easily one of my top five fav' sounding cars I've ever heard.. I've already laid claim to be the next owner of the white FJ of awesomness.


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## Donanon (Sep 13, 2013)

I have distro blocks, interconnects etc. I would be happy to donate. When the parts needed list is posted I'll have a look and ship the items out if they are needed.


D.


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

I am glad to see that people are getting together to help out this great guy and service member. I look forward to see what the outcome of this build come to.

Steve, maybe you can contact one of the Moderators here. It seems that Dustin is locked out of DIYMA. Maybe one of the Moderators can fix this issue and he will then have the ability to chime in himself.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks guys, it's wonderful to see people eager to step up and help out for this donation build. 
The "list" of _*needs *_is mostly complete at this point. I used the cash donations to pick up the install items needed to facilitate the system. I have new RCA's in the needed length, speaker wire, power wire, connectors, distribution, fusing, etc. I have my own reel of techflex, heatshrink, wiring, LEDs, wood/plastics/raw materials, fiberglass, etc. and some deadening that I'm donating as well. But there are a couple of specific items that I would really love to integrate into this build to really make it special. They're not "small" items so I'm not sure how to go about it. I don't want to post it here so that it can remain a "surprise" for Dustin.


What I came up with is that I have started a facebook group (secret) for this build. Anyone who has donated, or wishes to donate, contribute or offer moral support along the way please send me a PM with your name on FB so I can add you to the group. In the group we will not only work out any donations, but there will be photos and updates shared there as well that won't make it to the public thread here until completion so that we can keep some sort of surprise for Dustin for the unveiling. 

Again, thank you all for your donations and support for this awesome project for our friend who has served and sacrificed as a member of our military. It's truly appreciated and I can't wait until we can turn over the completed car to Dustin. 

I have some big plans in store. This is going to be a killer build.


-Steve


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thank you to Robert Corwin and Forrest Dexter, as well as and Stephen Krell of Syracuse Customs for your very generous donations to this project! These guys have stepped up big time. 

More to come on that later...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all who have served, and who are still active duty for your sacrifice for our country!


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Thank you Steve! And thank you for your continued service to one of our Warriors.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

And thanks to you as well! We came up with this idea together a couple years ago and it's finally going to come to fruition.  

Also- Some donations have come in recently that will allow us to do a few things with this build that I wasn't sure would be possible. Everyone has been very generous and eager to help out. I can't thank you all enough for your support. Helping Jason and I to make this a reality is a very rewarding experience. I can't wait to get cracking on the install.


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## High Resolution Audio (Sep 12, 2014)

Wow, what a nice rewarding project! It reminds me of my first SQ vehicle, which was a Black 1990 Nissan 240SX hatchback. I had the Boston Pro Series 6.2 in the front and 5.2 in the back. Those little neo 1T tweeters came with 3 types of mounts. Surface, flush and angled. I installed the tweeters in the corners of the dash where with the angle mounts. The severe rake of the windshield verses the dash acted as a wave guide and made for an incredible sound presentation of the top end. Paired them up with a 400 watt RMS 4 channel "Class A" amp that in combination with an Alpine 7994 SQ head unit. Those four factors, made high end details that trumped any car I have ever heard. 

Good luck with the build!


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

Guys if you can see this post then my account has been fixed which kept me from being allowed to post on the forum for quite some time. And more importantly. Thanks for everything.


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## Bikerbrah (Dec 3, 2015)

This is so awesome!! Dustin seems like a really great deserving guy, as I just met him through selling him one of my DSP's for his wife's truck. 

If i would've known all of this a couple hours ago before I sent it I would've made sure to through some extra's in!! I possibly have a few things I would've pitched in myself!

I can't wait to see the build!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

The car has officially arrived now to my garage.

It's build time! 



Because I want to keep some of this build as a surprise for Dustin, please PM me if you'd like to be added to the private FB page for this build. You can keep up to date on progress, give feedback and if you'd like- help support the project with any needs that arise.



Thanks everyone!


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## dgr932 (Mar 31, 2011)

captainobvious said:


> The car has officially arrived now to my garage.
> 
> It's build time!
> 
> ...


epper:epper:


So it shall begin. It was so exciting delivering the car but I was a little sad driving away from my mistress watching from the Rear view mirror. I know it's in great hands and I'm prepared to be blown away by all you damn secret keeping audio loving MOFOs.

But on a more serious note I can't tell you guys how much I appreciate the support, patience and dedication that's being put into this project.

-Dustin


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## Denaliz (Dec 2, 2014)

Subscribed - I want to see this in action! I just sold Dustin my XDI 1200.6-


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

Is there any updates on this build?

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I'm working on it. 

Dash is out and trunk work has begun....

Pics of progress will be added on the private FB page for it so some things can remain a surprise for Dustin.


-Steve


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## RandyJ75 (Dec 4, 2006)

Very cool, Steve.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks Randy 


I'll be adding some pics in here little by little as I progress. The plan is VERY ambitious for me, but I feel confident that I can do it. It will just take some time to complete. This will be a good learning opportunity for me as well to continue trying to progress with my fab skills (which are few currently). I will say that plans include (among other things) doing a nice trunk build out, kicks and some work on the dash


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

So more about the project... The original plan was to install the mids/tweeters in the upper door where the hvac vents are on this car. (The HVAC system is pulled as this is a car Dustin will be tracking). After studying the car and possible speaker positions, I really wanted to try something a little different for this vehicle and decided to cruise into uncharted waters (for me)- modifying the dash. By putting the mids in the dash, I can get them as far forward as possible and retain good height. I'll be taking a page out of my friend Mark Worrell's book with the aesthetics of the dash pieces which are based off of the work he did in Bertholomey's BRZ.


Shapes:


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Snip snip!





Obviously I didn't cut this stuff with scissors 








So I like the way they will sit in the dash and it shouldn't be too difficult to then shape the dash up and make a decent integrated look. 

I then had to get work on the mounting pieces for the speakers. Got the first one glassed yesterday. 












I still need to reinforce them and then do some filler/smoothing on the front side. The rings for mounting the speakers are 1/4" Type 1 pvc and the mounting holes are tapped.


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## bertholomey (Dec 27, 2007)

Look fantastic my friend! Excellent Design and Excellent Execution!


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

Thats looking awesome. Your skills are definitely advancing.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thank you guys- much appreciated. I'm trying to make this thing pretty sweet for a deserving guy. This is my first dash build so it's some good experience for me too.


I got the dash inserts smoothed out and filled, then wrapped in the material. Next up will be adding the LTP lip border around the outer edge, making the press fit grills and then glassing into the dash space.


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## TheDavel (Sep 8, 2006)

Those came out great and I especially love the use of carpet!!!


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Cannot wait to see how those bad boys measure.. That's liable to get very interesting. Awesome job Captn'


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks Dave! (and Scott)

I'm excited about where it's heading.


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## Dubstep (Apr 7, 2010)

This is so awesome! Mad prop's to you guy's for doing this for a Veteran!~


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I test fit the dash back in the car to make sure clearances were right and we're good to go. got the LTP edge on the pods and the templates for the press fit grill outsides are good. I'll probably do a basic cutout and keep them low profile with grill cloth.

Looking to get the dash cracks worked on later this week and get the pods glassed in.


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

Steve, those dash pods are looking awesome. This build is going to have some excellent show of craftsmanship. Awesome work man...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks Juan. Much to do still but I'm chipping away a little at a time....


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

captainobvious said:


> Thanks Juan. Much to do still but I'm chipping away a little at a time....


The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Notloudenuf said:


> The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.



Truth!





So I started on getting the dash inserts glassed into the dash. Before that happened though, I had to address several bad cracks in the dash. I grinded them out and then backfilled with resin to strengthen the areas.







I also had to smooth out the airbag panel. (No airbags in this vehicle).


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Once the inserts were secured in place (I used a bunch of CA glue), I started doing the build up around those pieces and getting the dash repairs covered.











This is some messy business!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)




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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

And where it currently is at.... (I ran out of poly primer, thinking I had more but was wrong. Had to order up some more)


Getting there....








.


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## seafish (Aug 1, 2012)

Wow...lookin GREAT...I am loving the custom felt covered dash speaker inserts as well as ll the effort and wrkmanship going into smoothing out the dash contours.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

seafish said:


> Wow...lookin GREAT...I am loving the custom felt covered dash speaker inserts as well as ll the effort and workmanship going into smoothing out the dash contours.


Thanks!

It's a bit daunting chopping a dash for the first time.


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## req (Aug 4, 2007)

very cool build there! i may steal the midrange location haha. i love the way jasons brz soundstage is.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Yeah his car is awesome. And Mark's work on it has been stellar. He just does such clean aesthetically pleasing work that blends in beautifully. Obviously, these dash inserts were very much inspired by his work. He's a friend and has chatted with me on several occasions about this project and the dash and offered his guidance and support. He's a good dude. I've learned a LOT from Mark over the past few years.


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## robolop (Mar 10, 2008)

This looks very nice.
Beautiful arrangement...


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## claydo (Oct 1, 2012)

Awesome work steve! You're doing a beautiful job.....I mean, anytime you can catch rob's eye ^^ you know you're doing something right! Your fab skills continue to elevate, my friend!


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

very nicely done


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## BlueAc (May 19, 2007)

Good job 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

This is as usual another fine example of work done by a Steve.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks fellas! Much appreciated.

I got my order of poly primer in. Trying a different version from Evercoat called Super Build. It's a much easier mix ratio of 4:1 and builds up quicker than the other stuff. Laid on very nicely and did build up pretty quick. Today we'll see how it sands. It has a lightly tacky feel to the surface which is different than the Slick Sand product I usually use.


This is a quick video clip (click on it) of how it laid on the dash. I did 3 heavy wet coats with about 10 minutes of flash time in between.







.


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## High Resolution Audio (Sep 12, 2014)

Reminds me of my first SQ build. My first brand new car was a Black 1992 Nissan 240SX. Boston Pro's and Alpine HU. 

Steve, your fabrication skills are quite impressive. 

Dustin is really one lucky guy!


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## oabeieo (Feb 22, 2015)

This is awesome . I read the whole thing . 
So cool.


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## sinister-kustoms (Jul 22, 2009)

That dash is sick! Awesome work so far man, can't wait to see more!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks a bunch guys. I'm not on that pro level, but I'm trying to up my fabrication game with each project so I can continually get a little better. Takes a lot of time when your just a DIY guy working out of your home garage. The skills and design creativity that many of the industry pro's have is outstanding. Thankfully, many are willing to share techniques and pictures to help others along the way.


Here is a video of the dash. I got it block sanded down and looking pretty good. It's nearly ready for finishing. I'll probably wait on that step though until I fab up the bezel piece for the source unit and triple gauges. I want to make sure all the clearances are good. Also will want to drop the dash back in the car for a final test fit in case any little adjustments are needed.



https://youtube.com/WGQk6wXgG4k





.


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## BlackHHR (May 12, 2013)

Steve, you gonna help me take the dash out of the HHR ? LOL


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## oabeieo (Feb 22, 2015)

captainobvious said:


> Thanks a bunch guys. I'm not on that pro level, but I'm trying to up my fabrication game with each project so I can continually get a little better. Takes a lot of time when your just a DIY guy working out of your home garage. The skills and design creativity that many of the industry pro's have is outstanding. Thankfully, many are willing to share techniques and pictures to help others along the way.
> 
> 
> Here is a video of the dash. I got it block sanded down and looking pretty good. It's nearly ready for finishing. I'll probably wait on that step though until I fab up the bezel piece for the source unit and triple gauges. I want to make sure all the clearances are good. Also will want to drop the dash back in the car for a final test fit in case any little adjustments are needed.
> ...



Not at pro level??? What? 
Just because you don't have a neon sign on top of your roof doesn't define what's pro or not. 

Maybe it's just me , but I can think of at least twenty places that put out work way less pro than what I'm seeing here. 

So yeah maybe your right, it's not pro it's frikking expert.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

BlackHHR said:


> Steve, you gonna help me take the dash out of the HHR ? LOL



They come out easier in pieces


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## oabeieo (Feb 22, 2015)

lol​.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

More work on the Dash. I also got a start on the bezel pieces. The top one we need to put 3 gauges into and the bottom one needs to fit the audio stuff. I had to do some repair on the lower bezel where it was previously chopped for a gauge install. I ended up cutting out some 1/8" abs and heat bending to match the contour for making the repair easier.

This is what the dash bezels looked like before. You can see the large rough cut hole on the bottom left that needed to be fixed.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

And the upper bezel for the gauges.


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## chefhow (Apr 29, 2007)

YOU ARE A MAD MAN!!!!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks Howard. It's a LOT of work.


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## oabeieo (Feb 22, 2015)

That is so tight! 

I especially love that it isn't a radical change from the stock lines and ergonomics. 
It looks like it was meant to go like that. Very nice work sir.


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## gumbeelee (Jan 3, 2011)

Why can't my fab skills be just half that good... incredible work!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Small update here.

I'm working on wrapping up the pillars for this vehicle. 


The 240SX has long pillars which extend back actually to the B pillar area. Not my first rodeo with pillars like this though as I did a set for a gentleman with a newer GTO.

Here's a couple pics of the GTO pillars I did:











Those were pretty challenging because of the space with the dash and windshield angle as well as the fact that it was a mid AND tweeter- oh and that the drivers were all rear mounted to not show screws :surprised:




Anyway, here are the pillars for the 240sx. Again, really long but only tweeters going in these guys.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I wanted these to be sturdy and durable, so I decided to use type 1 pvc for the baffles.



Chamfered the top ring for styling.







Checking the placement and angle...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Secured rings in place and stretched grill cloth for initial shape (not shown- didn't take a pic of that step, sorry).












Testing fitment...


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

I've spent a lot of time sanding and shaping and am now really happy with the shape of these. I ran out of SEM texture so I may need to lightly sand and apply a fresh coat on them, then top coat with color. The other option is to wrap them. Thoughts on that?


Thanks,


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## probillygun (Oct 10, 2013)

Very nice looking Steve!


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thanks Bill!

Here are some pics of them all finished up. They aren't quite this glossy in person. More between a flat and satin. I'll get some pics of them in the car soon. Trying to hold off on that until I get the dash finished up.


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## Notloudenuf (Sep 14, 2008)

Great work Steve! I'm really enjoying this build.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Thank you sir!

Some hard work ahead for sure. I'm going to likely need to relocate some wiring, do some cutting and the get those kicks made.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Yeah, that'll work


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

That doesn't look like it should be that hard to wrap, you'd just need 2 or 3 people and some 4 way stretch vinyl.

Jay


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Including me I've got about 1/2 of one of those 3 skilled laborers required.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Nick (Skizer) is going to give me a hand with getting the dash wrapped (thanks!). I've never done a piece close to this large and Nick has a lot more skill and experience in this area so I'll be happy to have him over helping out.

Probably a couple weeks out for that.


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

In a pinch, I use carpet or something with no glue on it to set down on areas where I don't want things to stick yet.

Good luck. Dash looks great.

That Neon looks familiar, Seen it at Finals a couple of times, I think.

Jay


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

captainobvious said:


> Nick (Skizer) is going to give me a hand with getting the dash wrapped (thanks!). I've never done a piece close to this large and Nick has a lot more skill and experience in this area so I'll be happy to have him over helping out.
> 
> Probably a couple weeks out for that.


just let me know when


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

JayinMI said:


> In a pinch, I use carpet or something with no glue on it to set down on areas where I don't want things to stick yet.
> 
> Good luck. Dash looks great.
> 
> ...





SkizeR said:


> just let me know when


Thanks buddy. Totally up to you. When it's convenient for you, please just let me know and I'll make sure I'm available and we'll get it knocked out.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

captainobvious said:


> Thanks buddy. Totally up to you. When it's convenient for you, please just let me know and I'll make sure I'm available and we'll get it knocked out.


sure thing. as of right now im booked for the next 10 days or so. doing a pair of enclosures and carbon floor with air compressors in a brz and a headliner/pillars/plastics color change in another subaru at the moment. and then after that, a simple system. But Josh and i are in talks of doing some work on his nissan after that but maybe i can squeeze in sometime between.

also, what material did you want to use?


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## Black Rain (Feb 27, 2011)

So did the dash ever get covered by you Steve or Nick? Trying to see where this great build is at.....

I want to also give thanks to all those that have helped along the way to getting this build done. Dustin is a great friend and very humble deserving person of this.


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

Not yet it hasn't Juan. Nick and I have to arrange to hook up for that portion of it. Maybe I can convince him to help me bang out the trunk too while he's here 


I've been swamped lately between night classes, work, time with the wife, my own build, helping several other friends with their builds and tunes....just not enough hours in the day


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

oh crap, i completely forgot about that. i would have said lets do it right after steel valley since your kinda on the way home, but unfortunately(?) my girlfriend is coming along and i may get some push back on making a detour and working for a day lol


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## captainobvious (Mar 11, 2006)

No problem. We will hook up to do it sometime after SVR.


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

Just bring it to SVR, and rent a pancake compressor for the room. lol

Jay


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

JayinMI said:


> Just bring it to SVR, and rent a pancake compressor for the room. lol
> 
> Jay


so your helping then, right?


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## JayinMI (Oct 18, 2008)

In Steve's hotel room? Sure. lol


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