Just About Finished My Boot Install

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

As the title says really, i like to have a sub and amps in my car but hate the fact that i i can't really use the boot as i may scratch the amps. To get around this i have made a false floor to cover the amps and also fit my tool kit under as well. In total the whole thing has cost about 8 pounds for the bits, 4 quid for wood and 3 quid for the boot floor covering ( out of a saxo, i knew they had a use after all)

All i need to do now is make some sort of cage to protect the sub, any one any ideas?

Now you see them

 

and now you don't

[hengti 2]

nice job!

 

you can get screw on grills to cover sub cones - try Sextons or someone like that

 

careful with the cover over the amps though - probably best not to leave it installed permanently, as the amps will need the air to dissipate the heat they generate

[Dino 3]

Is that my old Velocity Amp I spot in there?

 

I cant remember if its you I sold it to mate!!

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

thanks for that i'll give them a try.

Overheating shouldn't be a problem, i've left gaps all around the sides and in between the legs that hold the top up.

 

Dino

 

 

yup thats your old amp, still going on strong, although i have managed to scratch the top of it.

Edited April 10, 2006 by tidypug

[Paintguy 0]

Nicely done, but now everyone's gonna think I'm copying when I get around to doing mine!

 

I've been measuring up for exactly the same idea (just mirror-imaged). Can't start putting the stuff in yet as I'm waiting for it to arrive.

 

'Won' myself a nice old skool Phoenix Gold ZX450 amp on ebay to replace one I had nicked, and I'm just bidding on an EQ215X Their older kit is much more highly than the newer stuff, but it's hard to get hold of, as everyone hangs on to it.

 

Next problem will be the sub box. Doing the calculations for a proper sized box, with flat extension down to 20Hz,rather than just using manufacturers spec, I need a box thats physically bigger than the 205's boot!!! Might need to rethink that one

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

thanks mate , i was going to put the sub on the other side too but found that the washer bottle was in the way.

 

Sounds like your going for proper quality gear for you ice install, should be sweeeeet.

[Danxs 0]

looks very neat. those polk subs always sound nice and tight from what i have heard. top job.

[Jonmurgie 2]

Looks much neater... something like that in the little 205 must rock Haven't had a decent car stereo install for years and years now... ho hum!

[Super Josh 4]

'Won' myself a nice old skool Phoenix Gold ZX450 amp on ebay to replace one I had nicked, and I'm just bidding on an EQ215X Their older kit is much more highly than the newer stuff, but it's hard to get hold of, as everyone hangs on to it.

 

Andy, man after my own heart. I've got an Eq 230 sitting here, and a Bass Cube to act as a bandpass filter, to keep the driver destroying sub sonics at bay. Oh, and 3 Soundstream Reference 500s And a DSP for some time delay too, just need to get around to installing all of the kit.

 

 

 

 

Josh

PS

Tidypug, is that Polk Momo a 12 or a 10?

[Paintguy 0]

Oh, and 3 Soundstream Reference 500s

3 is just being greedy

 

I got outbid on the 215X, so I'm still looking, but I'm trying to limit myself to a single amp for weight & budget reasons, but I can see myself getting carried away again......

 

Sorry for the hijack, but how are you going about upgrading the alternator Josh? I've looked around, and the biggest standard unit I can find is 70A. The ZX could potentially draw more than that, so I could do with something a bit bigger.

[Danxs 0]

hmmm, phoenix gold, i have a bit of old school phoenix ready to go into the 309, m25 and an m50

[Super Josh 4]

Sorry for the hijack, but how are you going about upgrading the alternator Josh? I've looked around, and the biggest standard unit I can find is 70A.

 

I gonna use a big Power Cap, innit No seriously, you can actually get an 80A alternator for the 8 valve, it's a Mitsubishi one, and is fitted to models with Aircon. Although that won't be powerful enough for your needs. I've sourced a 150A one from a fully loaded XU10 motor, they also do then in 90A and 120A.

The mounting is different, so i'm looking into adapting it, oh, and the pulley needs changing too. I'll keep you posted on my progress .

 

 

 

Josh

[DaveW 6]

How many rattles can you get now?

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

its a 12, i did have an infinity perfect 10 but found it didn't go loud enough

[DaveW 6]

I feel 12' sub is much better, a 10' is ok but it just lacks the punch.

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

and won't drop quite low enough

[Paintguy 0]

Thanks Josh. My next move would have been to look at one of the later luxury barges, or maybe a big diesel, but I'll be lazy and let you do all the hard work for me. Then I can just copy

 

 

And did I see someone mention an M25 & M50? Some really nice kit going around this forum by the looks of it.

I had my eye on a Route66 that was recently on ebay (M25 and M44 combined in a single heatsink), and there's a Frank Amp'n Stein for sale over in the US for $1000!!! (MQ430 + MS2125 )

[Dino 3]

I am gonna buck the trend and disagree with all of you.

 

I've found that you can so easily go OTT in a 205 with the sound system.

 

I've had many different systems in my 205s over the years and the nicest by far was the last one I had in my car before I stripped some of the interior and fitted the cage.

 

It was simply the following:

 

High end Alpine HU

Infinity Kappa mids/tweeters upfront

Infinity Reference speakers at the rear

Alpine 2 ch V amp powering a 10" Kicker Amp

 

The above system sounded SOOO much better than the previous multiamp'd 12" system. I found running two amps and a 12" sub far too overpowering in such a small car.

 

There is also the point of how noisy it is in the 205! Why bother going for such high end components when all clarity is killed by road noise, exhaust and rattles!!

[Danxs 0]

Thanks Josh. My next move would have been to look at one of the later luxury barges, or maybe a big diesel, but I'll be lazy and let you do all the hard work for me. Then I can just copy

And did I see someone mention an M25 & M50? Some really nice kit going around this forum by the looks of it.

I had my eye on a Route66 that was recently on ebay (M25 and M44 combined in a single heatsink), and there's a Frank Amp'n Stein for sale over in the US for $1000!!! (MQ430 + MS2125 )

 

i saw the route 66 too, started the bidding a tad high and didn;t get much interest, that the one?

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

Dino, the reason that i put all the amps and speakers in is that i keep just adding to it bit by bit, a sort of evolution. I'll probably get bored with it all soon but while i've got it, i'll abuse it.

 

 

Paintguy, when do you need to start thinking about getting an uprated alternator? I had a bit of a problem with the battery going flat on me. When the car was running it was putting in about 14v i think no matter what and i even put a new battery on (a bosch item). The problem was that the car would start then after i had been running and stopped the engine it would be flat.

[Paintguy 0]

i saw the route 66 too, started the bidding a tad high and didn;t get much interest, that the one?

Yep, that was it.

 

I know it's a bit of a classic and all that, but they did seem to be expecting a lot for it!

 

 

I'm actually with you on this one Dino. I've had multi amp systems before, but as I mentioned, I'm trying to keep it simple this time with a 4 channel, running front componants and a sub (still to decide which one). Some coaxials in the back run off the head unit for a bit of rear fill, and that's about it. As you say, the 205 is hardly the environment for an SQ install, but I want some form of equalisation to try and even the response out a bit.

 

I didn't really need all the features of the EQ215X I was trying to get, but the bandpassable centre and rear fill outputs might come in handy if I move the system to another car. And the crossover section provides an easy way to add some subsonic filtering, to keep some control over the sub.

 

I've had the componants for ages, and they're pretty top of the line, so it'd be a waste to stick them on the end of a 'Halfords special' amp. (well, that's the excuse I'm giving the wife anyway )

[Paintguy 0]

Paintguy, when do you need to start thinking about getting an uprated alternator?

I'd say with 2 amps, you ought to be considering it now....

 

Judging by the size of that Velocity amp, it looks a thirsty beast, and I can't tell which of the JL e series amps it is, but unless it's one of the Class D monoblocks (which it doesn't appear to be), that'll be drawing a fair bit of juice too.

 

As a very rough rule of thumb, add up the value of the fuses on your amps. That'll give you their potential maximum current draw. They'll use nowhere near their maximum most of the time (neither will my ZX450), but it'll give you an idea how much they could need if run to their limits.

 

I'm guessing that'll add up to more than the 205's alternator can put out! And there might lie your problem. The amps are drawing so much current, that there isn't enough spare to charge the battery. Or the amps might even be draining extra current from it.

 

 

Whilst we're on the subject, it's good practice to run your power cable (probably 4 guage) right up to the alternators output, rather than just stopping at the battery as most people do. Also make sure the earth straps between battery, chassis, and engine are uprated too. Current can only flow at the rate that the thinnest cable can take (simplified), so there's no point having massive power cables running up to your amps, if they have to earth out eventually through a weedy little cable connected to the engine ( the alterators body is the absolute earth/ground in a cars electrical system when the engine's running, not the battery -ve)

[TEKNOPUG 3]

Looks very smart.

 

My boot is full up with spare wheel, so I'll have to be a little more creative when it comes to tunes in the car.

 

Anyone have definitive details of direct-swap high output alternators? I presume that the ones from diesels are a bit beefier?

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

i see, the jl is a d class so that should help a little, i've got the alternator that came off the mi, it looks quite new although i did manage to damage the front fan, i'll see what amps that can put out.

[Paintguy 0]

Oh yes, just put my glasses on and I can see the D

 

Really must try and spend less time in front of this screen lol.