WazzuRunner

Hey I'm new to the boards and just seein what you guys think? With the help of a friend we fiberglassed the back part of the box so it is flush with the body panels and used MDF for the sides and front then bondo'd the crap out of it. We cut out a bigger section of MDF to go around the box and complete the look so its flush with the paneling. Topped it off with some mocha carpet (doesnt quite match stock but close enough) We couldnt find any vinly cheap enough so we settled on the carpet. So far it sounds pretty good.

WazzuRunner

here's another angle. As far as the amp goes, i hid it behind the same panel on the opposite side. Theres a stock vent there and so far i havent had any problems

bamachem

Looks nice. Any pics w/ the panel off?

LBC994runner

pics are kinda small, but it looks good.

WazzuRunner

sadly no, we tottally forgot to bring out the digital cam and take pics. those are from my camera phone so i apologize for the bad quality

NX Tacoma

Looks GREAT! How does it sound?

COYOTA $x$

Did pretty much the same thing. MDF and Fibreglass I used vinyl for the cover, and tried to shape the outer panel to be more flush with its surroundings. JL12W6dvc.

The one in my truck sounds OK, not the best Ive had though. Im sure most people would be plenty happy though.

COYOTA $x$

Continued....

bamachem

COYOTA:

I need some more details... That's EXACTLY what I have on my to-do list.

COYOTA $x$

Its a piece of cake if you know the tricks/shortcuts of the trade. It will be Messy/smelly when working with the 'glass but simple to do.

I didnt take any pictures other than what you see there.

I would recommend going with a 10 rather than a 12,(based on typicall volume requirements and speaker mounting depth) you might be able to make it totally flush (mine sticks out 1 3/4 inches from the original panel) I had a pair of 12's laying around already, so I used one of those rather than buying a new 10.



This is the general Idea, theres way too many detail-details so use this as a general guide rather step by step complete instructions.

Wish I had pictures, cause I wont what to type 20,000 words here.

Anyway, pull off the panel.

Remove the storage box off the plastic panel (drill out the melted plastic attachement points)

Heres what I did, you might have a better way....

1. lined metal body panel with sounddeadener, let adhere overnight

2. I used spray-glue and a couple of old flannel shirts and spray glued a layer on top of the sounddeadener. Makes it easier to put on the first layer of Fibreglass.

3. After flannel is ready, mix up some FIbreglass resin, using a brush or a sponge (disposable, as youll need about 7-10 for the project) put a light layer into the flannel. Using fibreglass mat, add layers of more fibreglass to all metal surfaces inside there. I glassed all the way to the seat belt mechanism, to maximize internal space and then blocked that off with MDF later.

Youll have to 'glass the upper seam up there in the panel, and again the flannel sprayglued in first, makes adding the resin easier, also use some flimsy cardboard to add support while it dries.

The area back around the taillamp assembly, youll want to glass as well as use expanding sprayfoam to totally seal the area. (Spray foam first)

All the sides and back are glassed/foamed you can now start building the front panel mounting. I did several layers to make things easy.

layer one: cut a big ol piece of 3/4 MDF and get it to fit on the inside lip of the metal body panel area (do not cut out a speaker hole yet). Make the piece as large as you can (single piece) and then fit and mount using liquid nails at all points that it makes contact with metal, also drive some screws through the metal and MDF till its solidly in place. ONce you get in there it will make sense.

make a second piece of MDF of the wheelwhell arch area and do the same

SPeaker depth and where the plastic interior panel hangs, will determine how much more space you will need and will have to build out further. I used two layers of 3/4MDF

You want about 3/4 inch gap minimum behind the speaker magnet, measure as best you can how much space behind the MDF you have, and how much more room you need to mount the speaker. ( i had to


using some 1/4 inch ready panel (like pegboard withouth holes) get ready to make the outer panel. cut so that it fiits around the speaker as well as cover up the old storage box lid. Get the position of the speaker against where you want the hole to be and then cut your hole in the ready panel.

Mount to the interior panel and then test fit in place insided the truck

ONLY after the exterior ready panel hole is cut, THEN while panel is testfit hanging, trace the speaker mount hole, remove the panel

go and cut (while wood is in place) the further needed speaker holes in the other layers of MDF that you . (that way it all lines up perfectly and mounts stronger)


Ill tell how I built the outer panel later so that it "smoothly" bulges out and how the speaker and grill appears to be flush later..... gotta run for now

Starting to remember how much work this was....

Bob_98SR5

wow guys, you did some amazing work! personally, i'd like to do what 4RUNR did and put two smaller subs on the *other* side of the cargo area.

but anyways, you guys should try to document this stuff into pics if possible and add it to the tech section!

bob

Wes Whitmore

I do know that the right side is bigger. The black plastic tray is .5ft3 by itself. If you found a woofer that had a shallow magnet, you could just fiberglass inside the tray and mount it to a baffle board. That way, you could pretty much do the whole project outside the car. I remember that it was deepest at the bottom and got smaller as it worked its way up towards the window.
Good work!
Wes

4Hummer

Thats Exactly what I want to do with a 10" JL Sub.

We need a write up !

COYOTA $x$

You should see how much is available if you take out the Tray !!

I was surprised.

The left side has the Gas tank filler in the way.

WazzuRunner

yeah the right side on the rear has the most room. I was lucky that i had a small enough amp to fit on the other side. We mounted it just to the rear of the gas filler. We had to cut a couple grooves into some interior metal to make it fit but nothing major. I'll go take some pics right now to show how we used two diff pieces of MDF to make it look flush. The first part was only the box with the sub, the second was a bigger piece that completed the look. I'll be back later to post a pic.

WazzuRunner

here we go. As you can see its two different pieces. The box part of it extends all the way to the sheet metal in the car with the fiberglass part being the back part. The only hole we cut in the plastic panel was around this box. After all was said and done we cut out that longer bigger piece of MDF so we could lay it over the box and it appeared more flush with the paneling. If anyone has questions feel free to IM or PM and i'll try my best to help.

williemon

This has been my dream for my 90 since I got it. I have 2 JL 10" subs and 2 MTX blue thunder 10" subs that I want to install. 2 on each side. It wont bother me if the box extends some into the cabin like the wheel wells do, just not that much. I will run all subs off of a PPI 150 watt 2 channel amp with 2 ohm loads per channel for 300 watts per side. A writeup would be most cool.

WazzuRunner

good lucking getting any more than 1 12 doing it the way i did. The space isnt deep enough unless you come out more into the cabin. And you'd have a helluva time fitting one on the left side, you'd have to cut big time into that rear pillar to make it work

Bob_98SR5

i like the cargo space on the right side which is why i wouldnt put it there

bob

Wes Whitmore

Yea, Im with you there. That is where my power inverter goes. There just isn't enough hidden storage on the 4runners...