knils

iTrader: (2)

Alright, I did a quick mspaint of my plans so I can show you guys and get a feel for what you think before I build it next week. We are plagued by limited space and the strut bar in our Z's, and I want to put my 2 space hungry 12's in a custom MDF and Fiberglass combo box. They like 1.6 cubes each, this should give me plenty of space for that, and this box will be built like a tank like my usual boxes. I wanted to face the hatch for some added booms I'll post the pics and then descriptions

Here's the measurements I took after I took the spare out and all the rest of the garbage



Here are the plans


The box will be built in two pieces, first part B will be constructed of 3/4" MDF, 1"x1" bracing along all joints and all corners, glued, screwed and silicone sealed, then the seams glassed over. Everything but the top in MDF, including the slanted piece leaning against the strut bar will be assembled.

The oval tube in part A will be made of fiberglass, with very small clearance spacing to ensure fitment under the strut, will be making a cardboard frame and clothing/matting around it, then the cardboard will be cut out. This will be glassed to a three or 4 inch deep section of 3/4" MDF box built in the same fashion as the other. Once A is completed, this section will be slid into position under the strut bar and "threaded" just through the slanted oval opening of section B so it sits flush. This will then be glassed inside the vehicle, cloth and matted heavily, joining the two sections. The top of B will then be formed by cardboard framing inside B, fiberglass cloth/matting to finish her up, cardboard removal through the sub openings, then the usual surface finishing business before stretching vinyl.

From the seat area looking back I feel it will look great, matching vinyl coming down in a slant from the strut bar with a rounded corner about 4 inches above the speaker bar and coming straight down vertical to meet it. I never liked the look back and open hatch look anyway, and this might help to eliminate some road noise too.

Concerns:
1. I am wondering how wide I should make section B, because I don't want to go too on the outsides past the oval and get a funny shape, but I am not sure if it will yield enough space if I run it only as wide as the oval. I will have to play with some calculations.
2. I am wondering about the mounting surface for the subs, as the drivers will sit back into the box fine, but right near the cones will be tight, and I don't want to get an undesired result. I COULD make a custom shape with the bottom on A side, open it up and run it as far as I can and then slant it up to the strut where it needs to be... but then sound waves might hit the slant funny.. or maybe I am WAY over-thinking this...

Please chime in with your thoughts, any and all comments welcome, I will hopefully doing a large build thread on this as well next week. I look forward to your replies! -Mat

iamdigital

iTrader: (44)

zenclosures sells a box like this as well if you're not into the labor.

knils

iTrader: (2)

zenclosures box blows for volume.. If I am not mistaken it maxes at like what, 1.9 cubes? I need ~3.4 to account for displacement and bracing and such...

its just a small rectangle through the strut not near the proper size for these boys, and I wouldn't want to break it either

knils

iTrader: (2)

No thoughts? questions? comments? suggestions?

Is anyone interested, should I bother taking pics of the build and doing a log?

sintaxeror

iTrader: (3)

Start taking tons of pictures, and people will pay attention.

tylerxfire

iTrader: (15)

i am building a fiberglass box right now just for one of my 12's..take a look at my thread, the mold in fiberglass is done now just gotta keep going and picked up some mdf board today///zenclosures requires u to drop the spare tire for 12's under strut bar and i couldn't deal with that

adamtaylorpcb

iTrader: (7)

try this, 2part boxs are a pita to get sealed right

knils

iTrader: (2)

hmm yeah thats something to consider, only thing I would worry about would be wierd waves hitting the bottom there in part A I've started to template it out, I'll make a new thread about it when I have some pics

adamtaylorpcb

iTrader: (7)

even if there is some turbulence, it wont be anything audible


isnt it sealed anyways?

knils

iTrader: (2)

true.. I have cut out the wood pieces for B and I think I may actually be able to use a portion of a previous box for A.. It stopped snowing and it will be clear tomorrow so I will take a bunch of pics and make a build thread