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Trunk Sound System - Custom Fabrication
by Joe L
email: jjl294@hotmail.com
Step by Step Process:
1) Think it out before you do it!!
I had sort of an idea when I started and probably changed my mind 7 or 8 times as I was going along, I will probably end up changing 1 or 2 more things before everything is finalized
2) I stripped my trunk totally of everything stock ... I wiped everything down with Alcohol and dropped in a Bulk Pack fo Extreme Dynamat (150 bucks, 250 bucks original price) and then I sprayed it with 2 cans of Dupont Undercoat with Sound Deadener (5 bucks a can - 10 bucks total)
3) I wanted the subs to be on opposite sides of the trunk. I decided I would use the plastic the Celica came with to get an exact mold of the inner quarter panel. I talked to some of my friends that work for Tweeter and Best buy and they told me the best thing is using masking tape to cover the panel and then lay the glass right over that ... So here is the coating I made of the Masking tape on one of the panel, I repeated the step for both panels.
4)Here is the first coat of fiberglass ... Basically what I did was take some Fiberglass resin and poured a light coat on the masking tape to make the Fiberglass cloth ... I cut the cloth into strips about 3 in x 12 in ... I just did one light coat for each and then removed the plastic paneling ...
5) Here is the pod taken away from the plastic ... it's real thin but I added more layers too it ... You have to work with this stuff in steps
6) Here is the same panel inside the trunk ... fits like a glove ... I will be adding some more glass around (where the dead space is) ...
7) This is the right side sub box ... I had to use Foam core to build out the box to the shape I was looking for ...
8) This is the left side ... The same thing was done...
9) Unfortunately I had to move my progress outside because glassin sticks like hell ... So I made a work shop in my shed and let them dry in my backyard
10) I knew making the subs at the same angle was going to be tough so I asked around and I found this to be the best way ... I cut 2 pieces of Mdf at 30 degree angles and cut out the Sub rings with a router ... they came to pretty well and are almost identical ..
11) Here is the beginning oftthe sub boxes in my truck without the baffle attached.
12) I added the Fleece baffle and soaked it with about 1 gallon of Resin.
13) True Mass Hardcore Custom Stereo
14) Here is where my stereo was stuck for about a month ... I had a brain block on the amp rack and how to tie anything together
[ 08-16-2002, 03:31 AM: Message edited by: isaac ]
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15) Here was my solution ... I used spray foam insulation to "form" the shape I was looking for ... Here is the first layer ... kind of looks like eggs ..
16) I added 2 more cans on each side of the foam and started to carve it down to the shape I was looking for.
17) I found the exact middle of my trunk and cut away the insulation for where my amp rack is going to sit ... I then pulled out my sub box and started to bondo (finally) ... Here is my first coat of bondo ..
This is how my trunk sits now ... In the upcoming weeks I will continue with the bondo, amp rack and wheel well...
18) The well wheel basically is made up of spray expanding foam, mdf and bondo. I covered the well well in cerain wrap and then sprayed the foam in, cut the piece of mdf and pushed it down to an even level. I let it dry and then i put some bondo over the mdf so it would have the same texture as the sub boxes ... it worked out pretty well.
19) The sub box on the right is getting close to done. I basically used about 2 cans of spray insulation on the box to get my desired shape ... I let it cure for about a week and then shaved it down with a hack saw blade ... I put it in my trunk to see how it fit .. fits really nice!!
20) Once I got the foam to about where I wanted it I started the bondo the box in the trunk.. I got a good coat of bondo on and let it dry, I pulled it out and sanded the crap out of it ... It's not even close to smooth but I have a couple more coats to do and ton's more sanded but you can see the shape starting ...
21) And here are the new wires 0 gauge running back, into f distro block w/a cap ... only the best!! ... Thanks to my boy at tweeter! ... Crew all the way ...
It's getting close to competition time and I am trying to finish everything up as quickly yet best as I can ...
I was having a mind blank on the sub boxes so I decided to take the weekend and run all of my new wires ... They are all Monster Wire, 0 guage running back to a distro block which takes 4 guage into the amps and bat cap ... A Optima Yellow Top is under the hood for a little added juice ... The brand new monster wire RCA's are powering the signals going to the amps (they are great but you pay for it - almost 350.00 for a 4 channel and 2 channel) ...
I removed all the seats from my car and ripped out the carpet to make running the wires a little bit easier.
Yellow Top Battery w/ O gauge fuse
Here are some progress pics from making my other sub box. What a pain!! It took me 2 months to get it somewhat close.
After hand sanding this box, I laid down a coat of primer to see how it would look. It is pretty much done but I need it perfect so I'll be putting down some icing to fill in small little knicks and scratches.
This is the amp rack, inside the box will be the cap and the distro blocks the 300/4 and 500/1 will sit next to each on the top of it.
More Stereo = More Tint
The updated progress on the Celica ...
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HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO FABRICATE THE BOX, IN THE END HOW MUCH WAS THE MATERIALS TO DO THE BOX, AND IF YOU WERE TO SELL THAT BOX HOW MUCH, ALSO HOW GOOD DOES IT SOUND
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Posted by: Anonymous Guest
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It took me 11 Months from start to finish ... That was working pretty much everyweekend through warm and cold weather ... The system sounds outstanding ... it is a SQ set up so the bass is not overpowering but enough to sound good ... I would have to say the materials cost about 1000 bucks ... there is a ton of fiberglass, bondo, etc that i used ... also I dynamated the entire car ... If you have the pateince and time to do it definatley attempted it .. I would personally not do such an extreme project again ... e-mail me if you have any more questions at jjl294@hotmail.com.
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WOW!! Great job!!!!
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I am thinking about doing something similar with the trunk of my celica. Not as extreme as yours, but it will have to 12" subs on either side. Basically my boxes will have MDF for their faces and and sides, and fiberglass for the back to mold to the trunk. I know very little about working with materials other than MDF and would like info on what kind of fiberglass to buy and common places I can purchase it. Also, if I should follow the directions that come with the fiberglass or are there other guidelines to follow? Also, are there other materials beside MDF that are rigid, thinner, and easier to cut into odd shapes? My end goal is to maximize available trunk space for usage after the subs are installed.
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Great guide, really looks good!
One tip, instead of using the can foam to gain the desired shape, just use 'stretch' fabric or "polar" fleece (fleece that has the fuzzy stuff on both sizes) and stretch it from one part of wood to the next and staple it on securely. Then add fiberglass resin with fiberglass mesh cloth to it so it says hard and then add bondo, sand, add primer and it should be looking pure professional and exceptionally rigid.
In short, just complete the frame of the sub box and then use the "polar" fleece to connect it all to have perfect contours.
I'm going to do mine in the summer - two 12" subs (infinity) with a 600W RMS amp. Shouldn't cost me more than $200 CDN (I live in Toronto).
I'll post a guide when I do install it.
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