Best Install Options

[Godsmack 361]

As the title said I am looking for the best options for my install.

I am thinking of just using the HU power beacuse I honestly don't want an amp in there right now. I have a mediocre at best JVC HU for the moment, and stock speakers. The dash takes 4" speakers and the back (which I could give a shit less about) is 6x8 IIRC.

Sean (M5) had asked for some pictures with a 3" circle around the A pillar (if I understood right). Well Sean all I had laying around is a 2" challenge coin so hopefully this will work nonetheless.

My goals are loud, clear-ish (not a SQ guru but I know what muddy music and just off music sounds like) music for daily driving around. Especially with the T-tops off. In the car I typically listen to hair metal, classic rock, new rock, and some rap too. Think bands like Guns N Roses, Metallica, Godsmack, Pantera, Megadeath, Atmosphere, Rob zombie, Disturbed, etc.

I'd like some ideasas to what in theory could yield the best results and why. I will tell you this, kick panels are OUT. I drive a manual and need the foot well room.

[///M5 2,833]

Room for anything in the doors? I see plenty of room for pods up top

[Godsmack 361]

Full depth is about 3 inches when the glass is down on the doors. I have no problem having the panels glassed to make room for componants in the doors.

J

[Godsmack 361]

Hell I got 4 Bravox 8" 'subs' sitting on my shelf taking up room..........

God I may need to amp my front stage after all.

J

[///M5 2,833]

What do you have for amps, h/u, processing, etc?

[Godsmack 361]

I have a few DD amps, a kicker 800.4, an old sony (the first line after mobile ES......not great but not bad) and 2 old RF amps. All able to power a good componant setup.

As for h/u, right now its a POS JVC. I am plan ning on changing that out for a Pioneer or Alpine soon.

Processing.....nothing at the moment. I was looking at the RF 360.2

J

[Godsmack 361]

Might of gotten a McIntosh 100x2 amp

[Godsmack 361]

Sean,

I am looking to have my door panels re-done here shortly. Any chance you mind offering some input as to a setup (just need speakers and placement suggestions)

J

[ssh 924]

If you go with a nice comp set then a 2 channel amp would work fine.

I'm not sure if there would be any big advantages to using a processor with a comp set, since there is already a passive network in play. Someone else can chime in on that.

But if you do go active, 2way, then a 4channel would be needed.

The RF 3sxity.2 requires a windows mobile phone, laptop with bluetooth, or a palm with bluetooth for doing setup and any tweaks.

If the depth is 3" with the window down, depending on the new panel, and if we space the baffle out a tad when glassing, you could pretty much fit anything depth wise. Weight may be an issue if it's a dedicated mid that weighs 5 pounds or something, have to see how those mounting clips for the panel are.

[Godsmack 361]

I'll be taking and posting some pics tonight. I'll ensure to include plenty of 'depth' pictures of the door behind the panel and the panel itself too.

I had like no time last night.

J

[ssh 924]

I'll be taking and posting some pics tonight. I'll ensure to include plenty of 'depth' pictures of the door behind the panel and the panel itself too.

I had like no time last night.

J

No worries, I was busy as well.

[Godsmack 361]

Pics for panels (more with the panel removed later)

J

[Godsmack 361]

[///M5 2,833]

Since you nixed kicks, I see 3 choices that I'd choose based on other factors. 2 way with a ~7" in the door and the tweet in the a pillar, 3 way with the biggest thing you can fit in the door with the biggest mid you can fit up top and a tweeter above it, or 2 way with the biggest thing you can fit in the door plus a 3" full ranger on axis up in the pillar or if you are willing cut into your dash.

[Godsmack 361]

Since you nixed kicks, I see 3 choices that I'd choose based on other factors. 2 way with a ~7" in the door and the tweet in the a pillar, 3 way with the biggest thing you can fit in the door with the biggest mid you can fit up top and a tweeter above it, or 2 way with the biggest thing you can fit in the door plus a 3" full ranger on axis up in the pillar or if you are willing cut into your dash.

I have a set of Q-Logic Kicks back in NY (provided someone didn't thrown them out). I'll have them sent out so I can see in person about foot room. As of right now I just cannot see having the room.

As far as cutting into the dash, are we talking to flush mount into the dash, or to mount in pods similar to what j-roadtatts did in his car?

I have 4 8" Bravox PXW's (dual 2 ohm) sitting in my garage now. They were my original idea for mids if I had gone all out and used my Stetsom 10K D and my 5 DD 9512's in a truck/suv.

Please feel free to recommend brands as well. I am more than willing to spend money on equipment, but it might just take some time (gotta sell some shit before I can spend more $$$)

I am currently in discussion to have some custom door panels made so I can work with things as needed.

J

[Tirefryr 1,742]

Are you worried about soundstage at all? I have done a couple of the third gens and everything up front sucks. The doors and kicks are completely covered by legs and there is no way around it. The pillar idea might work for the tweets, but my experience with dash or pillar mounting in those bastards has been less than stellar due to reflections, and the T-tops just further compound the problem. Perhaps you could find a driver with a small dispersion pattern or use some type of wave guide and bounce it off the t-tops. Ha Ha. The last two I did "successfully" had mids in the doors and larger format tweets in the upper door corner.

[Godsmack 361]

Thanks for the suggestions Ryan..........

I'm not looking to compete for any SQ titles or anything. Just good and loud to the average me.

J

[Godsmack 361]

J

[Godsmack 361]

Cardboard fell apart as I was pulling off the driver's door.

Definatly gonna have to have new ones made now.

J

[ssh 924]

So there's a cutout in the sheet metal in the lower right hand corner, with a depth of 2.5" or so. Between that and a baffle over a new door panel, you'd have an easy 3-4" to play with for depth. And since the motor could tuck in that panel, you could probably fit a 8" driver relatively easy without having it stick out super far.

I'm thinking: new wood panel, right hand corner circular cutout. Then an 8" mdf baffle (or whatever size driver you end up using) glued down. Then UPOL filler on the sides of the baffle down to the wood panel until it's smooth.

Then cutouts for armrest and door lock. Attach plastic tabs around edges, wrap in new vinyl, attach top plastic weather piece. Only thing is the speaker would go right where the cup holder was...

Any way, lets see what you end up using and well go from there.

[Punkeyboozter 19]

Not to be funny but I recon you should clean all that shit up first before doing any thing else. Kind of a shame to have a cool car like that falling apart? Not to mention god damned dirrrty.

Just to so I dont completely go off topic here is my input.

You have plenty of space on the dash for fiber pots and you will not be covering too many vents if any on there.

Second option; I really do like my pillar pods.

[Randal Johnson 544]

WOW !!! This car brings back memories !!!

I had a 1985 Camaro IROC Z28 ... I really miss that car ... Mine had the Alpine plates in the stock locations (dash and rear quarters) ...

Sounded Great ... Can't wait to see what you come up with here ...

[Godsmack 361]

The mechanical runs damn well. Its the interior that needs cleaned up.

Headliner- Coming down for new carpet this week/weekend

Seats- When money allows me to reupholster I will

Carpet- Already got em picked out just gotta buy them

Panels besides doors- (going to get scuffed and painted black)

Body- Pained 2 years ago. The paint they used was shit, and it will be getting that this winter. Right now I am tending to things as they annoy me, aka headliner, door panels, steering wheel and shifter. The seats look like shit but that I will live with.

J

[Randal Johnson 544]

Excellent project vehicle my friend ...

My friend has those Boston Acoustics plates in his Trans Am running off radio power ...

This is his weekend drag machine so nothing heavy but wanted something to listen to ... Sounds great for what it is ...

Might be an option for ya while you get other stuff taken care of first ...

just a suggestion ... Any "hop ups" to that HO305 yet ?? First thing I did to mine was the underdrive pulleys and exhaust system ...

[Randal Johnson 544]

Not to be funny but I recon you should clean all that shit up first before doing any thing else. Kind of a shame to have a cool car like that falling apart? Not to mention god damned dirrrty.

Just to so I dont completely go off topic here is my input.

You have plenty of space on the dash for fiber pots and you will not be covering too many vents if any on there.

Second option; I really do like my pillar pods.

Is those the Hybrid L1 pros ???

I was in competition this past weekend with a very similar setup (sounded Great) ... Very nice ...