370z Custom Subwoofer Install - thought I would share
 

Hi All,

I am always tackling little projects to get out some creative energy and work with my hands and thought I would share this one. I use to have an aftermarket 10" sub in my 2003 350z in the stock spot behind the seat. I took the stuff out after my brother killed her (he borrowed my car and totalled it !! I already had my 370 when that happened so I wasn't too upset. At least he wasn't hurt). At any rate, the stuff has been sitting in a box for a few years and I thought I would stick it in my 370z. After searching around for ideas, I didn't really find anything that worked for me. It basically came down to using the spare tire well and filling up the entire hatch back area with heavy wood or encasing in in fiberglass. I drive my cars and neither of these sounded very appealing to me. So I took a shot at fiberglass for the first time and I am happy with how they turned out so I thought I would share. I am sure there are other Z owners that would like to add some subs but there isn't really anywhere to put them in this car. This was my approach and thought maybe some other my like this idea and do it too.

Below are some pictures and I also shot some video while I was doing it to share how it went. I posted the video on youtube so if you have any interest in tacling this, it should give you some decent direction on how to go about it. Maybe you will come up with a better idea, who knows. If anyone does decide to tackle it I would love to see what you do, so let me know.


At any rate, here is the video link:

Nismo 370z - My First Attempt at Fiberglass Subwoofer Enclosures - 10" Kicker Install - YouTube

and here are some pictures:

Awesome job !!

I like the third picture the best, they look stock. the first one has a weird shape, but either way they all came out nice. :tup:

Very good work! :tup:
Especially considering you say that's your first time doing fiberglass.

http://www.geekzenith.com/wp-content...-my-money.jpeg

but lets say someone ask you to make one for them.... how much just for the fiber glass?!

That is pretty cool....can you see the subs through the hatchback glass?

Did you put in an amplifier too?

I have both my sub and amp hidden...less of an invitation for anyone to try anything stupid.

Outstanding work! These are the best I've seen yet!

Thanks for sharing. Very cool. I like the idea of placing them in that nook. You made good use of that useless space and kept easy access to your spare. I would do the same thing if I were ever to install a sub. The only thing different for me would be the size of the sub for that space. I would put a 12 lol. Seriously tho, an 8 would do it for me in that spot. Great job!!!

Looks good! How dO you secure the box to the car? I'm a little concerned it might go through the windscreen

Sorry, but I wouldn't do them for money. You really need the car to do it - at least I would. I didn't make a mold - I don't know how to. I would have to do them in my car again and it's not worth the risk to me. You dump that resin over and your replacing whatever gets hit. Not only that but it will probably smell for the rest of the time you own the car ! Once was enough for me in the car. It really wasn't hard though. If you like the idea, give it a shot ! I thought it was fun. I would like to tackle something else now. Just not inside my car !. Below is a picture from a winter project I did 2 years ago and back then I wanted to do something alot more slick looking. I was looking for a Z dash to use instead of wood but that were too hard to find, too expensive, and an overwhelming amount of work to try and mount it a clean fashion. After doing this project, however, I have this little voice in the back of my head saying "Redo it and make a fiberglass dash !"... haha. I probably never will but it really has been on my mind lately.


As far as how I mounted, you are probably going to think I am nuts but I used velcro. Industrial strength velcro. You gotta keep in mind these things weigh nothing. I would guess a half a pound each, maybe less. So, basically, all you have to fasten in place is the weight of the magnet. You also have to consider that since these are molded to my actual car, they fit in there like they were made at the factory so they will stay put without even being fastened. Would I drive it unfastened ? Not a chance ! They would go flying across the car, I am sure. But I put a few 3 inch strips of velcro on the sides (as well as the back) and they aren't going anywhere. I have a birth defect - my right foot is really really heavy. It's made out of lead. I havenpt had a medical diagnosis, mind you put I am pretty sure because the right pedal always seems to go to the floor against my will.

Seriously though, I have driven it about as hard as I can thru the windy roads in my area and they aren't going anywhere. Since the velcro is on the side, the woofer aren't pulling away from the strips, they are pulling sideways on the strips. You have to pull like a mule to get them out of there.

I don't know if you have ripped your car apart back there but there isn't anything there. The sides panels are in with plastic clips, the bottom is literally foam blocks which have been cut to fit, and its covered with a piece of plastic and a carpet. There isn't anything to fasten them to unless you cut into the molded side panels. No thanks, I'll sick with the velcro.


Yes, you can definately see them through the back window. I don't drive this car to places were it is at risk tho so it's not really a concern for me. If I have to go to a store or something, I have another car so I take that. I would hope that a thief would realize that they aren't going to fit in anything but a Z tho ! And yes, I ended up having to buy a new amp. My old stuff was crap to begin with and time did it no favors. I picked up a cheap little 500 watt kenwood amp. It sounds really good though. I am impressed with it. It's not really stealable tho unless someone has alot of time on there hands. It's underneath the rear floor in between the subs. There is a rear cross brace under there and the amp is in between the brace and the cabin.

The boxes look amazing...

Not sure what that last picture has to do with it but I want! lol

Not bad for your first time.. looks like it turned out well for you.

very clean!

For your safety, find a way to secure your subs. That was a good question by harry370z.

What's that video game thing you have at the end picture? How much did that cost you?

Mr. Aurora, how and where did you run your wires from the subs to amp, and how did you run the wires from the head unit back to the amp? I have a couple of 8" subs that im wanting to install back there, which im sure ill have just enough space considering the size of them, but i want to do it as clean as possible, no wires showing, but also dont want to have to do a lot of drilling through the panels or firewall. Any help or suggestions would be great.

I basically gutted the car. I removed all of the plastics around the trunk, an i removed the plastics on the left and right sides behind the seats. After the factory head unit was out i pulled everything around the stick shift up (but left it on - just moved it out of the way) and using an electrical snake i ran that from the stick shift hole up under the plastic still remaining - the flat panel behind our heads and into the trunk which comes out under the trunk carpet. Then i pulled string back to the stick shift, then tied wires and pulled them back to the trunk. You can get from the head unit to the stick easy enough. Also, just because i am anal retentive, instead of running the satellite an sirius to the roof, i popped out the round plug on the dash on the passengers side and run them there. Sirious would get better reception on the roof but i wanted a clean install...

Does that help ?

Yes it definitely does, I have some other wires ran where you ran yours, but they are wired to a toggle switch on the center console where the seat heater controls would be if they came with my vehicle, for my led fogs/drl. So im pretty familiar with that tight area right there lol. I was just wondering what you did when you got back to the panels right behind the seats, because thats exactly how i wanted to run mine, straight down the center. Thanks a lot for the help. PROPS!

I should add something too - BOLT that **** down. I originally thought industrial strength wide velcro would work - i must have been drunk or something. I don't know what the hell I was thinking. When the weather changed that **** loosened right up and one box went for a ride during a "spirited ride". There is NOTHING to fasten them to so I ended up covering the entire trunk in thin underlayment and boltin them down. No choice in the matter. Make sure it opens to get to the spare tho. Post pics when your done....

That's very cool. I've been struggling with where to put some subs too. I like that placement. I just put a temporary little sub box in the hatch area until I figure out what I want to do permanently. I like your idea. Thanks for sharing.

I was wondering if those things were gonna move around or not lol. Its still worth it to me so that I can have a fresh, clean looking finish to the audio system. I was thinking about fiberglassing at the very back of the hatch by the rear bumper, in those corners. Just round off the fiberglass box, and have it wrapped in black carpet to blend in. Although I do really like the textured,rhino lined look of yours.

Pretty cool idea! how did you get the material to look like the interiors plastic?

It is his daily driver :roflpuke2::roflpuke2:


OP great sub enclosure design, really looks OE.

Does anyone still sell the sub pods that are placed at the end of the cargo area to the side?

Very Nice! I plan to do something similar if/when my L7 reaches the end of its life. It's in a bulky box right now that sits right in the middle of my trunk area. Very nice use of space on your part!