I have been reading on here, and have found that a couple people have mounted speakers in the doors, they all look pretty good. However, I haven't seen anyone that has mounted speakers in the kick panels (like in the footwells and such). I am sick of having most of my sound coming out of the rear 5 1/4's.
I have some pioneer 4"s up front in the stock locations, but they really aren't any good for anything over mid range sound. Has anyone done this? Technically wouldn't having the sound farther up, be better?
And input would be appreciated.
Mark

 

I have done this, and lemme tell you the difference is HUGE!! Usually my system amazes people that hear it on the SQ end of things from those kicks.

Equipment -

OLD Orion Cobalt 63cx's MSRP 199 typically less than 40 on ebay
RF 100g2 MSRP 200, I got it new for 140 out of a shop on ebay less than 50

These have about 8 hours in them each, mostly from sanding and painting.








The wire hanging there in the pic below served no pourpose and has looooong since been removed...



When I built those kicks I didnt giva crap about the soundstage, depth, or imaging and fortunately the swiveling tweeters saved me! (Silk domes... none of that titanium silbiance that hurts your ears!)

The next set I build, I'm going to take time on aiming the baffles and probably going to use something like the ID chameleons that can mount the tweet in front of the mid range. I tried doing some traditional teardrop shaped kicks for my HCCA 6s, but the setup was just tooo big to orient the baffles for best imaging.... If you do put a component set that cant' braxial mount like the Chameleons, then get a 5.25" set so you can do the teardrop with the tweet under the mid, then you can toss a pair of 8s in the doors to play 120hz down to about 60hz for lower midbass reinforcement.

The kicks are about 1 year old now. Here is a pic of my cluttered, uncleaned interior....lol

 

Those are incredible. Exactly what I was talking about. I have a couple questions though.
Its that mostly fiberglass? how did you make the form? Also, are those sealed enclosures?
Thanks alot man.

p.s. I have practically the same truck as you, just a 91...word.

 

Basically I bought a set of OEM kickpanels that would fit my truck, took my stock ones and stored them. I then made a MDF ring that would hold the 6.5" cobalts. I then anchored it to the new OEM plastic kicks using plumber's tape tripled over to up it's stiffness. (I also had to use a small piece of plumbers tape on the backside of the plastic panel so that the screw wouldnt rip out of the plastic from the weight of the MDF and speaker.) I also used 2 pieces of the plumbers tape to anchor it to the OEM panel. Next time Im doing 3.

this next point i skipped and I dont advise doing that...lol

At this point you put the speakers in the rings, hook them up, stuff old socks behind the speakers to kill back reflections, then focus on where each baffle aims. If you have an IASCA cd you will be VERY familiar with what competitors call, "The 7 Drums of Death" The first drum is on the far left and should sound like it's coming from the middle of the window sill next to you, the 2nd should be about inline with the kick and at dash level, the 3rd should be on the right side of middle of the steering wheel, again dash height. 4th should be dead center. 5th near the left side of the glove box, 6th in line with the right kick, and 7th at the passengers door sill. Sometimes it's best to listen withyour back turned and eyes closed to check this.

Once you are satisfied with the baffle's orientation, they need to be blocked up. Cut some dowels and glue them in so that they juuuust fit and help secure the baffle from movement.

Next remove the OEM/baffle complex and stretch some fleece or old tee shirt over em, and staple the material down, then fiberglass with resin. Fleece will hold a LOT of resin, t shirt wont. Then lay down a few layers of mat if you used the t shirt. Try to not have any bubbles too.

the rest is just sanding to get it smooth and reglassing to fill major voids that may be there from folding of the fleece/tshirt. When its generally close, a thin layer of bondo is a good thing. Again sand sand sand and try to fill the tiny pock marks that are from air voids in bondo. Sometimes an automotive bondo filler works wonders. Or a high build sandable primer. From there you can carpet, vinyl, or paint.

so they are mostly glass in my case.

Also I had to cut the backside of each kick ever so slightly to fi the magnets from the orions...

 

Bumpin', I can't thank you enough. Thats exactly the help I needed. I am gonna start on these ASAP. Thanks again man.
Mark

 

no problem man, and thank you for the compliments on the kicks!

 

Bumpin - where are your tweets?

 

I dig the kick pannels. Im planning on doing some my self soon. Im gonna buy the ones off Sounddomain.com the brand is q-logic I think. And them Im gonna sound deaden it with custom fiberglass and spray on Dynamat. Im looking at putting the digital designs in them, but also Im trying to get me a killer deal on a set of Focal Utpoia seperates. Hopefully one day I can put up a DB number likes yours soon. I haven't really pushed it because my stock alternator cant handle it. I usally go up to volume 60 which pushes into 140dbs, but I dont wanna push it further than that untill the alternator upgrade. Plus I never bother to bring hearing protection to test my stuff out.

 

Look at the kicks closely and you'll notice that the tweets are behind the grill mounted braxially. The tweets also swivel an ungodly ammount too.

Thanks for the props and that sounds like a plan for the kicks. sounds like you have a killer system too. As far as HO alternators are concerned, I have a 190 amp unit from www.ho-alternators.com. Tell em I sent ya.

 

I might be a sad day for some, and a new day for others. Im selling my DD setup. I got passed a killer deal on sum 15" Eclipses. Im gonna have the fiberglassed into the truck. So I can save my space. But I am gonna see how loud these go, compared to DDs. I have always sugested the Eclispes as awsome sounding seald box sub. Now I might try and follow my own advise.

 

how did you secure the kick panels?