we had a thread going on somewhere and i can't remember who, (other than johnny l.) did a custom enclosure for a 10 or 12" sub sitting on the right hand side of the trunk area. looked clean, i wanted to see more pics to get an idea of how difficult it would be to make a custom enclosure...?

ummm... Can't recall where I posted those pictures (my car pics?), but I can send them off to you when I get home.

http://www.ca.dsm.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=337695#Post337695

I used a 10". I'm really kicking myself now for not actually measuring the volume of water the thing held when I was testing for "leaks" to see if there was enough volume for a 12" or for trying out a ported 10" (would be hell trying to get the port the right dimensions for tuning).

Some time this winter I will take some exterior measurements of the finished product and come up with a close approximation of the volume to see. You could always increase it by coming farther out.

Looking at the pictures again, it looks like a box could actually be made with just the right side trim piece out of the car.

ah yes. must must must measure volume and design the enclosure appropriately or you'll have the equivalent to a fat guy farting in the back of your car.

Can't remember if I asked or not but how did it turn out sound wise Andrew?

thats what i was looking for! thanks andrew!

also, what do you do if you need to change the tail light bulb, does the box just come out?

i've never worked with fiber glass before, so i doubt i'm going to try tackling this, i may just give up and get that small sub box but your enclosure would be the best solution for me...fml

Let me ask you this, you bought a DSM knowing everything about this car, right? WRONG!
You get some fibreglass and stop being a puss
Winter is coming which means it's project time.

well, i was hoping to swap my 6bolt for my other 6bolt and a shep trans this winter..not looking forward to a custom sub enclosure. although, i may try this come spring?? maybe...? lol

winter is pretty long...

Soundwise, it is damn good. Not going to break any SPL with 1 10", but "carry on my wayward son" sounds bloody awesome!

When I measured the hatch area where I was putting the sub, I brought the bottom out farther than initially planned as that gave me the extra depth I needed to get the volume I needed. I'll have to find my book, but I took measurements of where I was putting it and estimated that I had to come x out from the side for the proper volume.

The sub is held in by itself pretty well, but I did two things that ultimately hold it in. I don't run a spare (usually, long trips I'll just toss it on top), so I put a mdf board and bolted it to the tire hold down...this is what I have my amp and cap on. On the passenger side of the board, I fastened a 2x6, planed, to push against the sub box. It is that 2x6 that holds the sub in place in addition to providing the right side brace for the lid, which I also recut using MDF. To get the sub out, I have to unbolt the amp rack, one bolt, slide it across, then the box lifts out.

I did the job with the trim piece in the car, next time around (want to better aim the sub and use a thinner fleece and try to get it to sit a bit flusher) I'm going to either take the piece out, or buy a junkyard one to do it with and use a mold release agent instead of masking tape.

All in all, it was the only option for me for a sub. Since I DD it during the summer, I need the space, but hate not having a nice strong bass component to my music.

The only other option I would consider is:
1) getting any old rear seats...the flip down sections
2) remove all the upholstery
3) create a mount for two 13" TW5
4) fiberglass them keeping the folding mechanism intact
5) give up on having rear seats

After everything else is up to par (in a few years) I'm probably going to pursue this path.

I like the idea of the seat, but volume wise, where would you put that?
I'm going to pursuit this rear enclosure. It will allow me to keep the shape and get some boom boom in the truck.
I think I understand what you're saying for locking it into place. You had the base of the enclosure made of MDF, and you had an additional piece cut to cover the remainder of the spare wheel well, thus covering the entire area. When you used the screw for the spare tire to hole the second MDF board in place, it locked everything down. Am I correct? If not, it still seems like a sound way to anchor it. I'd like to throw a 10" Kicker L3 back there. Do you have any idea of the volume? estimate?

1 cubic foot for a sealed box with a 10"
1.5 for a ported box (plus space for the port) 10"

1.5 for a 12 in sealed box
2 for a 12 in a ported box

IMO (Ive built more then 10 custom enclosures) A 10" in a sealed will give you the best all around definition and if you need more low end then a 12" in a sealed box is the way to go.

Ported boxes give great low end but terrible definition, bandpass boxes go even further twords low end.

I had a box custom made for me by the head enclosure developer from Clarion in Oakville(friend of the family), it was a big bandpass box with dual separated chambers and vents, one for the front of the speaker and one for the back, all of this was powered by a 300watt amp and an 8 inch sub...yep 8". This box/sub out 'bassed' my buddys 3 x 10" in a sealed enclosure, mind you it didn't go as loud but it sure as hell pounded harder.

Just goes to show it's all in the science, not in the presentation. I'll believe that no problem!
I'm for sure going with a 10". I listen to a lot of trance and electronic so I need the solid definition. Very very little rap (if any at all) so the supurb lows aren't necessary.

Maybe I'll go rip out my rear trunk panel and fill it with water to see what I come up with. I know the L3 will require a little more space seeing as it's a square sub opposed to the traditional circles. Get a little more umph umph for your dollar dollar.

**I just recalled that my friend who had those only really listened to rap... Sounded great but I've never heard a kicker pumping out what I want to hear.... hmmm.... Perhaps a nice JL sub will be the way to go.

Model Volume ft3 (L) Power Handling
S10L3 .8 (22.7) 400W RMS
S12L3 1.25 (35.4) 400W RMS
S15L3 1.8 (51) 500W RMS

These are the air volume numbers for a sealed box.

liters?

just focus on the ft3 number for simplicity. your looking at just less then a cubic foot for a sealed box with your S10L3

hmmm, I'll just convert then. Filling with water is going to be the only way to get an accurate measurement of volume.

This is the cross section of my trunk currently:




Black is the metal of the car
Red is the mdf board and 2x6 bolted to the tire hold-down
Grey is the amp and cap
Pink is the mdf trunk floor (hinged)
Blue is the enclosure

It is the vertical 2x6 which is what is really holding the sub in place.

As I recall, I ended up close to 23L. Remember that you need to account for the volume of the sub, which in this case, left me with the 18L I needed for the 10" w3v3.

Johnny, for that JL 13", you only need .8ft3, or 23L. I'll have to measure the seats, but I'm pretty sure the frame itself would make up fairly close to 23L.

Ahhhh. Clever clever clever. I was hoping to store my extra fluids down there (coolant, oil, washer fluid, brake, etc) But I do like the amp and cap being out of the way of luggage or what ever junk you have in the trunk.

Now I know how my gf feels when I get talkin bout car stuff with my boys. lol

Lol
Thread hijacked!!