Fiberglass 12" Sub box in my V!

[Clipsed]

ok so not yet, but almost, I am in the process of getting it finished up. I am a lil more than halfway done. I have a lil more glass to put on, bondo, and sand, sand, sand, sand, ohh yea and SAND! then I can cover it and install it! Only thing I am trying to figure out is how to mount it, since I don't want to drill holes in my new car! I am still thinking about possibilities so if anyone has some suggestions throw em on a post!

So here are some of the pics of what it looks like so far. I took it and just did a sound test with my system in Suzi (my Suzuki Sidekick, her name is Suzi. . . lol) and although understandibly it sounded rattily since I need more glass so it isnt flexing, and need to stabilize the seems, outside the car it was really bumpin! went in my house and it was vibrating! haha just the way I like it! Anyway the project is coming along great and I am very pleased with how the box has turned out so far and how it sounds even from a half way through stand point. I am very pleased with the angle I placed it at and the angle I positioned the sub to be instead of the normal horizontal logo. Anyways here are the long awaited pics!

The black on the glass is what I plan on using to cover the whole thing with.













So what do you guys think?

[Bubs daddy]

Looks like a big bass driver. Hmmmm. I guess I'm showing my age. I just don't understand the whole concept of 5000 watts and speakers that big in a car. I'm for good sound and all but when I see trunks vibrating at stop lights, I just laugh. Seems like overkill to me.

I listen to talk/sports radio most of the time so what do I know.

Some of the best speakers I could get back in the day were Jensen coaxials.

[tsm]

I think within 6 months, you're going to have some pretty amazing rattles coming from the hatch.

I once had a nice array of 4 10" subs in my Honda CRX. It can sound good, if it's not too over powered and if the enclosure is done correctly.

After a while though, things are going to get loose if they're subjected to low bass for a long time.

[MIdnkight-lude]

i would personally put it on the floor facing up. it too huge for a side like that IMHO

[Jemdawg]

Looks like a big bass driver. Hmmmm. I guess I'm showing my age. I just don't understand the whole concept of 5000 watts and speakers that big in a car. I'm for good sound and all but when I see trunks vibrating at stop lights, I just laugh. Seems like overkill to me.

I listen to talk/sports radio most of the time so what do I know.

Some of the best speakers I could get back in the day were Jensen coaxials.

You’d be surprised, usually people that are into SQ use the same size drivers as people into SPL. The difference is that people into SPL do other things to increase pressure inside the cabin. High power is common in both subgroups of car audio. You’d also be surprised to hear how some of those cars that rattle on the outside really sound on the inside, I say some because a lot of those cars are also poorly setup and sound bad or worse on the inside.

[Clipsed]

lol I'm not concerned about rattling since the rattles in my last car only came from the very thin sheet metal roof. And that was in a ported enclosure which realeased the pressure towards the roof! I doubt there will be any major rattles, and I am experienced in car stereos, video, and security and know what I am doing. I am not going for major boom in lamest terms (SPL) I am a sound quality guy (SQ) This 12" Sub is like an 18" it is that good, but the quality of sound it produces is amazing! People don't know what quality sound systems are because they can not afford them. Eclipse is top of the line equipment and way more than what most people can afford and very few places sell Eclipse in store fronts as they are not easy to become dealers for. Along with Focal, Rainbow, Mcintosh, and other high end companies which I am sure many people on this board have never heard before. These companies produce high quality equipment for high end prices. You get what you pay for and when you guys are buying these Pioneers and Sonys I don't say anything because that is what floats your boat.

This set up is going to be very clear and not very loud. But you will hear everything from those high clashes to the low bass drum kickin!

Overkill this is not, that one speaker alone pounds some of the competition running at 250 watts and not 5000 watts. Not even I would put anything in my V that would be more than 5000. Now I do plan on doing something else in a couple of years but seeing as how much critisism I have gotten so far I probably won't post pictures of that project due to all the negative comments I have recieved.

I think people need an understanding of stereo systems and how they work and sound, but I am not going to get into that.

Also TSM if anyone knows anything about system set-ups they would know not to overpower speakers. And not to buy these bs speakers that claim 1000000000 watts, because in the end they can only handle about 100 and not more.

As a side note IMO I think any car that overly rattles no matter what you have inside of it is a POS. I hate to tell everyone, but unless you are into competition systems there is only so much that can be done on an everyday driver to dissapate the rattles, but they will still be there in minor quantities.

I will stop my ranting, but just thought people would have more of an understading on systems, but anyway I hope to get this project done before Monday, except for covering. That will come later since the material I am going to use is $20/yard.

If anyone is interested in seeing the final product let me know and I will post up the pics.

[Bubs daddy]

Wasn't criticising your setup, Clip. Best wishes. I was just saying that to me personally, there's a compromise of what I would like to accomplish in a car stereo. Sure I want rich bass, and sparkling highs but that can be done without adding big sub boxes. A car is one of the smallest spaces in which to reproduce recorded music although it has its own issues of acoustic nightmares because of the configurations of panels, dead spots, reflections and materials.

Good luck on the project.

[Jemdawg]

I always see more available power as a good thing, it gives you much more play with your system. If you get high wattage speakers and even higher wattage amps, you can turn down the gains and get a really crisp sound, fine-tuned perfectly without compromising for more volume. I have a little less than 2000 watts in amp power in my car, with the sum of the speakers handling only around 800 watts, and why? Because I can keep my gains down on the amp, which keeps them far from clipping which ultimately gives me great SQ. My car only really rattles if I wanted to blast THX Utimate Bass Test. Besides, Dynamat does a great job of noise deadening, and the Versa has very little noise outside of one or two panels in the trunk.

[Clipsed]

So after a few months of not being completely finished, I finally got some extra time and $$$ for the extra materials I needed.

Anyways, I am in need of an opinion from my fellow members here in the Versa community, old and new. If you are new, this thread is pretty short and self explanatory.

My question is, should I cover the box in the pleather material you see in the pics, or should I paint it to match the OEM black. The reason I need to decide is depending on which I do, will depend on how "smooth" I really need to sand the box down. If I paint it, it will need to be flawless as to not show any imperfections or high or low spots. If it is covered, it doesn't need to be as perfect, as the material will cover up some of the stuff. I don't mind either one, just confused as to which route to go. Either way I go, it will probably cost the same to cover it too, so money isn't in the picture either.

So what do you guys think I should do???

New pictures to come when I get a camera to use.

[weems84]

i would prob do the pleather, just to give a more uniform look and match the rest of the car. Plus its easier

Are you putting any dynamat in your car. I did my entire trunk, 2 layers on the hatch door. One on the bare metal and the other on the inside of the plastic. I went ahead and did all 4 doors just because i still had dynamat left over. No rattle on the inside, very minor rattle at almost full volumes. The only thing that is annoying that rattles is the sunglass holder when my shades are in there . Anyways just thought i'd share what i did and want to to know if you will do something similar as well.

stereo equip in sig.

[Clipsed]

Yea I am leaning more toward the pleather, I think it looks really nice, but the paint would POP lolz. As for dynamat, I have not put any yet. The bass in my car is not all that loud, but it is really clean and clear, you would not believe. I plan on re-doing it when I get more money for equipment. I will be doing 3 12" drivers and removing the spare tire, but that is a different day and different project lol. But when I think I need it, I will be doing a complete 2 layer throughout the intereior. Besides I get it at cost!!!

[blake.pizzey]

Don't try to hide such a large speaker in the tiny corner there, simply you can't hid that, just make it look nice whip out the spare tire and do i nice lookin fiberglass job there, if u want to still use the trunk you can just throw fiberglass ontop. Personally think it looks like a trumpet coming out of your trunk. Eclipse? pretty sure that is not one of the nicest brands of subwoofers, Audiobohn and JL are up there but not eclipse or whatever

[Clipsed]

LOL AUDIOBLING UP THERE!?!???? wow, Audiobling has nothing on Eclipse. Eclipse is has one of the only subs competing with the JL 13W7 right now, the only others that really compete are the Kicker SOLOX, and the MTX sub that I can't remember the model of right now, and no I am not talking about the $20,000+ jackhammer sub. Eclipse is high end. They have top of the line equipment, and their navigation equipment is the best on the market for in dash all in ones. I'm sorry buddy but ask anybody into competition audio, and they will all tell you what is good. Some names they will mention are Eclipse, JL, Memphis, Focal, Rainbow, and Mcintosh to name a few. Eclipse was one of the first companies to start using ICEPower technology in their amplifiers. Pioneer has since come out with an amp using ICEPower also. Audiobling is trash even compared to SONY car audio equipment. I don't know if you realize Eclipse is also one of the first to incorporate a navi system the AVN2210p that is a double din and you can pop the navi out and carry with you. They incorporated the TomTom navi system to achieve this.

But I am not trying to hide the sub, I put it there so that I do not have a box in the middle of my cargo area, and I can still carry many things. In the corner, it is out of the way, and yet still HIGHLY effective.

[weems84]

audiobahn is one of those brands that people are tricked or convinced into being high quality. they are nice, but not compared to the ones clipsed mentioned.

[Clipsed]

Yes, I think it is funny that one of the big well known shops by me has a lifted truck with a vinyl on both sides of the truck taking up the whole side saying Audiobahn! I would take almost any equipment over audiobahn anyday!

[Kolk1]

Eclipse is has one of the only subs competing with the JL 13W7 right now, the only others that really compete are the Kicker SOLOX, and the MTX sub that I can't remember the model of right now, and no I am not talking about the $20,000+ jackhammer sub. Eclipse is high end.

Im sorry, but there are TONS of subs that out due the W7 for under $500. W7s are nice, but I think there is way to much Hype behind them, and you can get a lot better of a setup for less money.

[Clipsed]

yes you are right, plus it isn't neccesarilly the sub, I know people that can PROVE that. They have used subs that you would not imagine would be as loud as they really are, because of the fact it is the way the box is built, the car it is going in, the angle it is placed, and MANY MANY other factors!

[Kolk1]

Yep, a million dollar sub in a walmart box still sounds like ****.

yes you are right, plus it isn't neccesarilly the sub, I know people that can PROVE that. They have used subs that you would not imagine would be as loud as they really are, because of the fact it is the way the box is built, the car it is going in, the angle it is placed, and MANY MANY other factors!

[Clipsed]

hahaha very true!

It would probably sound better in free air in the car than in that kind of box! lolz

[Kolk1]

hahaha very true!

It would probably sound better in free air in the car than in that kind of box! lolz

I get customers daily, that always think, MORE is better. So they cram 4 15s into a box that is no larger than 2cubic feet of air space.

Thats one part im going to miss about doing my 4 12 box. I take ALOT of customers out to my car to show them what 2 12s can do, if you let us do it, and not jimmy rig it. They would rather SAY they have 4 15s, over being LOUDER and cleaner with 2 12s in the correct box.

[Clipsed]

HAHA I love that! I tell you, I used to have this sub in a ported box in my Sidekick. Guys would tell me damn what you got 2 12's or 2 15's, when I tell them 1 12, they didn't believe me, opened up the back gate and they would go WOW. That is when I tell them, the correctly designed box will do wonders! I ended up getting quite a few customers wanting me to install for them, but since then I have been trying to stay away from getting TOO loud, cause that ported hit!

[cnsmike]

Looks good, be sure and post pics when it is done.

[bobloblaw]

You've gotta dump that Eclipse, and go with some real quality! I hear JVC and Dual make the best stuff.

I know the comment was a couple of months ago, but PLEASE keep posting updates on your project! I agree with you totally about that setup not being overkill by any means.

Besides lousy equipment, the irritating part about most sub setups is people play them way too loud and EQ'd horribly. For way too long, the face of bass in car audio has been the 16-year old kid with the primered car (probably a '93- '98 era Civic) and glasspacks who you HATE living next door to.

Once you've owned a system with tight, responsive, musical bass, you'll have trouble going back to anything else. I just traded in my 2001 Ford Escape for my Versa, and left my old system in it (2x 10 Infinity Kappa Perfect subs, Kicker 800.2 amp, 5.25 Infinity Kappa Perfect components, Alpine 4x100 amp). Going back to a stock stereo, even though the Versa's isn't completely awful for what it is, almost killed me!

What do you think your total materials and install cost are going to run you after all is said and done?

[Clipsed]

haha good laugh there.

I know what you mean about going back to a stocker, that is why I transfered my HU and sub from my old car into the Versa.

Total build cost for me is ~$200-$300 after covering it that is, so far I have spent close to $200 though.

[jfanaselle]

I don't want to be stoned to death for resurrecting an old post, but I sure would like to see pics of the finished product here. Clipsed, did you ever finish this up? I was planning on glassing a 10" into the same corner, but I figured I'd cram the amp over there somehow, too. I'm also interested in how you ended up mounting it. I'll probably start working on mine in the next couple of weeks (leaving town for 12 days for business) and I'll start a new post to show off the pics.

[Clipsed]

I wish I did, I was actually at the stage of covering it, was finishing up the sanding, and that is when I lost the Versa. As for mounting, I still had not popped the panel off to see a mounting solution.