Subwoofer in stock location
 

I wanted to upgrade my the audio in my 03 track edition while keeping a nice clean stock appearance. I read on many sites that the stock sub location didn't work well and sounded awful, but I thought it would be worth while to try myself. I added some pictures of the box design i settled on.

I started by applying Dynomat to the entire inside of the sub location
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Before building the box, I drew up an idea in Sketchup to get measurements and angles that needed to be cut out.

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Before installing the sub, I tore apart an old pillow and used to stuffing inside the speaker box to disrupt sound waves making the sub feel as though the enclosure was larger.

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After everything was installed, I was extremely pleased with the sound quality. I ran a 4 channel JL amp to my components up front and bridged the last two channels to the sub, giving me the all around great sound quality i was looking for in my car.

at first i was all "OH GOD NOT ANOTHER ONE OF THESE THREADS" but then i scrolled and saw it was your project so :thumbup:

any more pictures?

Yeah I can take a few more and post them up tomorrow sometime.

Im guessin the speaker is facing up , and not towards the drivers seat right?

Yeah the sub had to face up. This seemed to be the only way i could make something work that was close to spec for what the JL 10w3 needed.

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Ive since painted the box black so you don't see it through the grill like this picture.
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Mounted the JL 4 channel in the glove box aera.
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Looks good. Any chance you have the dimensions saved? Im looking to undertake a similiar project soon.

x2 :icon21:

Really great box! Since it's a DIY, could you please post the dimensions? I want to make a box for my 10" Alpine Type-R. Since the sub is pointed up, is there a big difference in the quality of the sound vs the sub pointing the seat?

Next week I'm doing the same exact thing with my Z can't wait. how does it sound ?

Do you think you can fit a 12" type r in there?

I would like dimensions as well.

I don't know about a 12". but i just put 10" Type R in and it sounds pretty good.

did if fit in there easy?

Yea it fits in perfect. I could of actually made the box alittle bigger. I will post up a pic tomorrow if i get a chance.

x3:icon21: Dimensions or it didn't happen

Now if you just paint the front face of the enclosure black, you won't even notice anything is changed behind the speaker grille. Looks like a pretty cool idea. I've always wished that the Z could have a filled in bottom end without adding a visible enclosure.

Alright here are a few dimensions of the box i used. It fit real easy into this spot and could've been a tad bigger. I really doubt a 12" could be made to fit but maybe.

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Thanks! i will make it fit haha

Were all those angles needed?
Main obstacle is the bracket in the back reducing the available depth.

I tried this way first but didn't like the sound with the sub facing up inside that compartment. Spent some time making a box that would have the sub on the outside. Unfortunately it was not possible to make it fit behind the original panel. The sound is much tighter and more musical with this setup.

I'm also working on a fiberglass enclosure that will fit behind the panel and the sub facing the seat, work in progress. I have the first design but it needs some more work. All of us that tried this know that the magnet will hit the bottom of the box so I will have to make some changes to make it fit properly.

can any one tell me how it sounds? good? loud? with or with out dynamat? how bout facing up? or facing seat?

i had a punch p2 8inch in the stock location with no dynamat and facing the seat, it sounded horrible for two reasons, the sub sucked and my rear section rattled like no tommorow, i ended up ripping it out and going subless

what was ur airspace?

great looking end result :thumbup2:

Here's my setup, which is very similar to "asteffy"s. Great minds think alike :)

Actually, my pic hosting site is down, so I'll post pics later.

http://deanwcains.smugmug.com/photos...95_XjpEg-L.jpg

http://deanwcains.smugmug.com/photos...59_WzYVF-L.jpg

I will attempt this as well. I like the clean OEM look, uncluttered trunk/hatch space so I can carry my gym clothes/books (leaving the passenger seat for a passengar), and better weight distribution.

Dcains, do you mind sharing more info on that box? :) Looks like a perfect fit!

It's 3/4" MDF, and I hope I'm remembering the dimensions correctly:

14.5" left-to-right, 12.5" front-to-back, 6.5" top-to-bottom

The sub is 10" diameter.

Thanks bud. Overall how happy are you with the sound?

Very happy, It's not real boomy, and no rattles in the rear section of the car. Nice, tight bass, louder than I need while driving, and accurate. The amp is a 250w mono from JL, but I forget the model number. The sub amp is mounted in the glove box, and there's another 4-channel amp (forgot that number, too) mounted below the glove box for the Boston separates, front and rear.

http://deanwcains.smugmug.com/photos...95_G8yN9-L.jpg

wow nicely done! I like how cleanly you installed the Dynamatt type material, with perfect cuts! You must be a perfectionist. :thumbup2:

I'm a trauma nurse, so I get a lot practice putting patients back together. Plus, if you make straight cuts you end up with more material to work with. I think I bought 40 sq ft of the FatMat, and there was some left over after I did both doors, the sub compartment, the area around the rear speakers, and the sub box.

EDIT: I think the box must be 18.5" wide by 12.5" deep. Sorry for the wrong dimensions above - don't know what I was thinking.

Forgot to post a pic of the grille. I popped off the Blose emblem, sanded it flat and polished it, and then glued it back onto the grille:

http://deanwcains.smugmug.com/photos..._Kc2kLrF-L.jpg

I also used FatMat on the back of the grille, in all the little squares, but that may or may not be necessary. I never tried the grille without the FatMat, but I had a lot of little scraps that I was only going to throw away.

Thanks for the updated dimensions. I see you wear the Bose badge proudly below LOL

I was looking on ebay and spotted this custom Sub box from SRQ Custom Autosound.

It looks like it uses the OEM mounting tabs to secure the box, and it fires down.

Anyone using this?

I'm concern about the weight of the box plus sub being roughly 30lbs or more and the aluminum frame won't be able to support this weight over time, especially over bumpy roads.

I just wonder how the box is fastened to that frame, since I don't see any screws. The other concern is how does it sound with no actual outlet for the bass from the compartment that houses the enclosure and glovebox.

It is fastened using that metal looking plate to the stock frame mounting tabs, which is why I'm concerned about the weight of the unit being held just by one side. But another member seems to be happy with the unit. I should have searched. oh...

https://my350z.com/forum/audio-and-v...ml#post9101525

I'm not talking about a weakness of joint between the metal plate of the enclosure and the frame of the car. My concern is the connection between the box of the enclosure and the metal plate of the enclosure.

As for some sort of rear support, maybe install the enclosure and temporarily remove the glovebox. You might be able to reach in from the glovebox side and see how much clearance there is between the bottom of the enclosure and the floor of the car. Then you could fasten an appropriately-sized rubber or wooden block to the underside of the box, to offer the addition rear support.

I spoke to them and they said that piece that you mention is attached via glue, fiberglass, and resin. Comes with a 1 year warranty.

Good idea about the secondary support. Maybe I'll cut out a piece of high density foam that way if my cut is not that precise, it'll just compress.

How would you rate the Fat Mat?

I've got nothing to compare it to, but if I rap my knuckles on the speaker enclosure it sounds like a solid block of concrete. Last Summer I also used it in my '92 Alfa Spider when I was replacing the carpeting. I did the floor pans and the gearbox tunnel, and it deadened the road noise very well. The best part was that I used two layers on the driver's side floor, to insulate the heat from the headers and cat, and now I can drive in just socks, without burning my right heel on a long drive.

do you recommend deadening the box itself, did it make a difference?

I didn't do any comparison, and this is the first time I've ever used the FatMat. But the box is totally dead and airtight, and that's how it should be. As for the FatMat on the metal panels, you can tap on the metal and it really doesn't seem much different before and after. I had a 40 sq. ft. kit, so I just tried to use it up.

Mine:
- JL Audio 10W3v3-2 10” Subwoofer
- JL Audio 500/1 Class D Monoblock Amplifier (on top)
- JL Audio 4 & 8 Gauge Wire Amplifier Installation Power Kit

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going to try to make one next weekend. Any suggestions/ recommendations on what sounded the best? Trying to just mount the sub into the stock location or making a box and sticking it there?

Holy thread revival. Just wanted to answer his question, even though hes probably already asked it elsewhere. Make a box, its worth the 10 bucks youll spend on wood and glue (more if you use dyna/fat mat.)

Does anyone have the dimensions for a good 10" sub box that they made in the stock cubby hole?

Mine, which is pictured above is 18" x 12.5" x 6.5", out of 3/4" MDF. It seems to be the largest size which will fit if you just want to make a box with 90-degree angles. BrainLeash69's box, looks like it has a bit more internal volume, which may be important, depending on the subwoofer you choose. Either way, a sealed enclosure is the only way to go.

thanks i will probably get started on that this weekend :thumbup:
How does yours sound by the way?