300ZX Stereo Installation Write Up

[BlackWidowZ]

I didn't have plasti dip so I used some rubberized undercoating. I think it will serve a purpose to keep moisture out of the board. And prevent rattle of the board against the metal.. Should also dampen the acoustics of the wood. The spray sound dampening stuff is kinda similar. I wouldn't spray this stuff anywhere though except under the car...... Should work fine.

You also need longer screws btw this is the size you need and washers.



This stuff here is just like dyna mat. I had some laying around since last install i did. Its self adhesive roof flashing or somthing aka peal-n-seal you can get it at lows. I stuck some of this inside the doors. And a few places in the trunk I highly recomend you use this stuff or some dynamat if you are rich in the doors behind the speakers at the very least.

[Trimble Epic]

Is it This Stuff? I'd heard there was a roofing product that does the same thing, but never tried it...

[BlackWidowZ]

ya its basically just like dynamat it has a aluminum/metal type layer then multiple rubber layers, and a sticky tar like adhesive surface. basically if you ever used dynamat you clean the surface with rubbing alcohol well.. just cut it and peel off the sticker and roll it on. makes what ever you stick it to denser reducing vibrations and changing the acoustics of thin metal. instead of a ding sound its more like a dud sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuZvFwV7xDo


im not sure if the one I have is peal n seal but its all pretty much the same stuff. The stuff I have is the generic stuff in this vid. same difference. Way cheaper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaE7RfkN1Eo

[Valdis]

I'll dig up some pics from my install.

BTW, the Bose speakers don't crackle, it's the amplifiers in the boxes which fail. The capacitors on the board typically leak (not uncommon after 20 years of an automotive environment).

Looks like the making of a great article, Here's the pinout for the head unit up to 1995

How is the 1996 head unit and speakers different from '90-'95?

[BlackWidowZ]

I found this on the web not sure if its true. want to say though if you are running your own wires it doesnt mater.

1996 Nissan 300ZX Car Stereo Wiring Diagram
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Red/Black
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Blue
Car Radio Ground Wire: Chassis
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Red/Yellow
Car Stereo Dimmer Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Antenna Trigger Wire: Green/Black
Car Stereo Amp Trigger Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Amplifier Location: N/A
Car Audio Front Speakers Size: 6 1/2″ Speakers
Car Audio Front Speakers Location: Doors

Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Blue/White
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Blue/Yellow
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/White
Car Audio Rear Speakers Size: 4″ x 6″ Speakers
Car Audio Rear Speakers Location: Side Panels
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Red
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Green
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Blue
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Pink

[BigTDogg (MA)]

How is the 1996 head unit and speakers different from '90-'95?

After glancing at the FSM:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/300zx/1996/el.pdf

The pin out appears to be the same. The physical connector may be different, as most Nissan's switched in 1994, but I can't recall if the Z32 did as well.

[Valdis]

How is the 1996 head unit and speakers different from '90-'95?

After glancing at the FSM:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/300zx/1996/el.pdf

The pin out appears to be the same. The physical connector may be different, as most Nissan's switched in 1994, but I can't recall if the Z32 did as well.

There is only so much which can be done with 4" drivers.

I remember you saying that the Bose system used 4" speakers for the doors and rear (unless I misunderstood)... do you know if this is the same with the 1996. I could go tear my car apart and find out but figured it would be better just to ask.

There's a thread here on the nico forums that says:

1990-1996 2 Door
6.5 F. Door
5.25 R. Side (with Bose system 3.89 inches [odd size])

Ref - zerothread/12043

But if 90-95 uses 4" speaker then this obviously isn't correct. Unless those are the sizes that you can upgrade to.

I'm trying to pick out speakers now and I want to know if what I'm looking at will fit. Currently looking at MB Quart Q216's and also considering JL Audio C5-650's. If I do go with component speakers for the front (doors), how creative do you need to get in order to install the tweeters? By this I mean placement.

[BlackWidowZ]

6.5 Front braket install.

!!Warning!!

Anyone that tell you you just need brackets

If you want to do it right its more involved than just brackets. BTW you can get these off ebay. Mine came off a parts car.

1st you want to dynamat or pealnseal behind the hole a little I used two layers.

The doors mounting points are not flat like the board so to prevent rattle and make it fit tight I used some door weather stripping in these places.


One of the screw holes is deeper than the other you need like a 14mm and 1 and 1/12 inch sheet metal screw. The other ones you can use 14 and 1 inch


I used some packaging material I glued to the back of the board to prevent rattle and deaden sound. Actually what I used is the stuff they lay under hardwood floors when installing hardwood flooring.


I used some locktite so the screws downt come out easy from vibrations

Here is the finished product left and right side.



So word of advice its not just speaker brakets.

[Valdis]

Looks really nice.. good stuff

[BlackWidowZ]

my battery is dead. Or I would of rolled my windows down and took measurements. Have to wait till tomorrow, she needs a jump.

[BigTDogg (MA)]

After glancing at the FSM:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/300zx/1996/el.pdf

The pin out appears to be the same. The physical connector may be different, as most Nissan's switched in 1994, but I can't recall if the Z32 did as well.

There is only so much which can be done with 4" drivers.

I remember you saying that the Bose system used 4" speakers for the doors and rear (unless I misunderstood)... do you know if this is the same with the 1996. I could go tear my car apart and find out but figured it would be better just to ask.

There's a thread here on the nico forums that says:

1990-1996 2 Door
6.5 F. Door
5.25 R. Side (with Bose system 3.89 inches [odd size])

Ref - zerothread/12043

But if 90-95 uses 4" speaker then this obviously isn't correct. Unless those are the sizes that you can upgrade to.

I'm trying to pick out speakers now and I want to know if what I'm looking at will fit. Currently looking at MB Quart Q216's and also considering JL Audio C5-650's. If I do go with component speakers for the front (doors), how creative do you need to get in order to install the tweeters? By this I mean placement.

That article is incorrect, I'll edit it later, thanks.

1990 Bose: 4" front, 6.5" rears
1991 - 1996 Bose: 4" all around
1990-1996 Non Bose: 6.5" front, 4x6" rear

Tweeters I'd place in the air vents as BlackWidow will show later, or perhaps just in front of the air vents on the doors. Using time delays in your head unit will help with the imaging issues that kind of placement creates. Previous owner of my car had a s*** shop install his system, and they used a hole saw in the door panels in the worst possible location. Not happy.

[Valdis]

That article is incorrect, I'll edit it later, thanks.

1990 Bose: 4" front, 6.5" rears
1991 - 1996 Bose: 4" all around
1990-1996 Non Bose: 6.5" front, 4x6" rear

Tweeters I'd place in the air vents as BlackWidow will show later, or perhaps just in front of the air vents on the doors. Using time delays in your head unit will help with the imaging issues that kind of placement creates. Previous owner of my car had a s*** shop install his system, and they used a hole saw in the door panels in the worst possible location. Not happy.

Thank you for the clarification
Ok, that is where my tweeters were in my '94 Prelude, I'm glad the same can be done here, they sounded great in that location.
Sucks to hear about the hole saw.. that is why I leave my car alone, no sense on spending 14K on a car and then destroying it.

[BlackWidowZ]

SPEAKER FITMENT

If you do my setup.



front 6.5 no modifiction 6-3/4 if you cut the wooden hole bigger. \

front mounting depth no deeper than 3 inches. At 3 inches if you don't have a spacer it will touch the window. On the safe side do a less than 3 inches.

rear speaker fitment with 1990 rear 6.5 or mdf wooden 6.5 bracket.

rear is only 6.5

The left rear mounting depth is less than the right rear for whatever reason. the box is smaller.

To be safe no deeper than 2 -1/4 inch deep at 2 1/4 it could touch the bottom of the box without a spacer. If you can find a speaker with depth between 2 and 2 1/4 closer to 2 inch depth it should fit the left side.. Right side is no problem.

BTW you dont want speakers that will move too much air if you are re using the rear boxes anyways they are small your going to have to stuff them with poly fill as it is.

I would do 2inch depth rear 2- 12/16 or something front..

[BlackWidowZ]

How to pull wire to the doors.

Tools. Half of a coat hanger strait, electric tape. Wire pulling string.

Ok this is real easy but thought Id share my expertise at pulling wires, so it will be easy for you too.

1st you want to pull the boot loose from the door and the door frame. it comes off easy.



2nd you want to get on your back with your head under the dash. find the door wires by wiggling them. you should be able to see daylight from under the dash since you pulled the boot. Stick the coat hanger through the hole.

I used my other hand and stuck my fingers in the through and grabbed it.

then you just tape the string on. once the string is through the door later you can just tape the speaker wire to the string and pull the string out and with it the wire will pull through.



par3 this is a 2 part process. now basically you want to do the same thing with the boot but you should tape up one end of the coat hanger so its not sharp and doesn't puncture a hole in the boot.
the white thing in the picture is the tip of the coat hanger now just pull through. and tape another string to the bottom there and pull it back through.


now you can just use the strings to fish the wire through. once the wires are all pulled just snap the boots back in.

[A Paratroopers 300zx]

To add to the tweeter install ideas... this is what I did:





Pretty simple and inexpensive. No cutting or drilling the door panels... just those mirror trim triangles. If anyone wants a detailed write up, let me know.

[BlackWidowZ]

ya that would work if you have a low profile tweeter, you count just use some Velcro and stick it there. I'm going for a stealth install and will use a hole saw in the vent duct inside the door. The tweeter will be in the vent and can be heard yet not seen.

Anywayz i order my speakers. I got some JBL GTO608C 6-1/2 for the rear speakers. I probably wont install the crossovers or tweeters with those.

For the front I got these. Auditor Rip 165S

I have these 2 amps already I pulled out of my old car.

MTX Road Thunder RT5000D for my sub.

MTX Road Thunder RT604 I'll use for the 4 speakers.

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Be careful with going too far into the vent, those frequencies are VERY directional and get lost easily.

[BlackWidowZ]

ya thanks bigD, I didn't want to have anything to do with a enclosure in my front doors so I ordered these speaker baffles to keep water off the speakers. Just cut a big hole out on the bottom for the wires and for the speakers to breath. then there is like a roof lol over the back of the speaker. BTW so anyone that wants to avoid problems with bose boxes in the front but wants 6.5 get the baffles. Then cut a hole under the back of the baffle to let air in.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_237XT65/XT ... ml?tp=2809

The speaker baffles I linked to fit with the window down heres a pic.


Wiring Harness installed making progress.


Mic for the hands free phone (blu tooth)


Picked this cable up at the hardware store. Its doesn't say twisted but it is copper 16g twisted, plastic jacket.


LOL I hate this car I'm glad I only have to do this once maybe changing speakers in a 300zx is just stupid why they have to bury everything.

[300ZXttZMAN]

LOL ^ Because Z.

[Ace2cool]

Jukebox??? Nice!

[BigTDogg (MA)]

Picked this cable up at the hardware store. Its doesn't say twisted but it is copper 16g twisted, plastic jacket.

Speaker cable doesn't have to be twisted pair. It doesn't hurt, but it's not important. The importance is in the material and the gauge.

Signal wires (RCAs, headphone cables etc) need to be twisted pair.

Yes. Just doing speakers in a Z is a b****. The price we pay for having cars that rule so fcuking hard

[BlackWidowZ]

Some updates (Teaser/Spoiler)
Blu tooth, nav, hd radio, sirus. I phone pandora, next gen Z DVD etc..


4 channel amp left / 500 w mono block right. You cant really see it but there is a carpeted board under the amps thats mounted to the sheet metal in the rear seat.

These speakers here, from what I heard they are French. Parent company focal, and they sound amazing for 99 dollar comps. Free shiping. One thing I liked about them could be good or bad the crossovers are in this sealed box thing, which will be good for it being in a door that has moisture.




JBL fitting in left rear no problem These JBLs were cheap like 60 dollars free shiping and I heard they sound good for the price.





Custom box not one you buy off ebay built for kicker compVR

[Trimble Epic]

Are those the 1990 Bose rear boxes that hold 6.5's?

[BlackWidowZ]

Are those the 1990 Bose rear boxes that hold 6.5's?

yes, pulled off a parts car.

[BlackWidowZ]

Some people were asking about the tweeters. You should put your tweeter in the vent like in the picture. Then you don't cut a hole in your door panel.

[Trimble Epic]

So, is the drivers door tweeter aimed at the passenger and vice-versa?

[BlackWidowZ]

no dude the passenger has their own tweeter.

[Trimble Epic]

Sorry, I only asked because 1) from the back, it looks like your tweeter is aimed straight across rather than back at an angle toward the person seated next to the panel in the photo above... and 2) back when I was a stereo geek, I had read that aiming the tweeters to fire across to the far listener improved imaging (so that the closer tweeter isn't quite as pronounced as the farther one)

Perhaps looking at your tweeter from the back isn't showing it's actual angle

Still excellent writeup!

[Ace2cool]

Most tweeters come with a cup that allows angle mounting.

[EvanW]

Which deck did you go with? I am looking at a Clarion NX602 for mine.