Glovebox/Subbox?

[reelizmpro]

I saw an E34? in a mag once where the guy put a 12" sub in the passenger floorboard (the angled part). It was pretty slick looking but not for the faint of heart. Just thought I'd mention it. Probably sounded like shit though.

[ck_taft325is]

I'm thinking that vibration won't be a problem for the DME. Unless it is built very thin, the box itself shouldn't be vibrating. The vibration should all be directed out through the woofer if built correctly. Also, if the box is mounted at the factory locations (latch and hinge at the back) and there is a small amount of space between the box and DME, there shouldn't be any more vibration hitting the DME than if you had a woofer in the trunk. It might even be less since a sub this size isn't going to make the SPL that a 10 or 12 in a ported box is going to make.

-Steven

While your hypothesis is interesting, math says it's wrong. Even at 8" the box will still flex alternately to the sub itself.

I might be wrong, but I've never heard of any speaker not creating some form of "mud" sine wave.

[SHunter]

Vibration/DME

I'm thinking that vibration won't be a problem for the DME. Unless it is built very thin, the box itself shouldn't be vibrating. The vibration should all be directed out through the woofer if built correctly. Also, if the box is mounted at the factory locations (latch and hinge at the back) and there is a small amount of space between the box and DME, there shouldn't be any more vibration hitting the DME than if you had a woofer in the trunk. It might even be less since a sub this size isn't going to make the SPL that a 10 or 12 in a ported box is going to make.

-Steven

[Erik j]

Sound is pretty nice, Doesnt rattle my teeth, but its a nice smooth base sound. It is the same subwoofer that came in the bose acustamis system.

I have 9 of them total. This summer I might make a few extra boxes and sell them here.

[DRTSRFR]

Hmmm....

So the question is...what kind of improvement did you get?

[Erik j]

I made one for my convertible. There is a fiberglass box inside the glovebox, and the amp in no longer in there either.
I am using a 6.5 inch bose subwoofer from a escalade.

[DRTSRFR]

You know Luke, I don't really know why I decided to keep the handle pocket other than to make it look somewhat factory finished..

But I'm really glad you chimed in. A sliding mechanism would work, or just simply bolting it up may be a solution also.

But now I'm wondering about destroying the DME...

This thing may ultimately end up as art on my shop wall. My other solution is to make a "fake" seat bottom and apholstering it.

[StereoInstaller1]

In that case Lukes box should DESTROY all of the electronics in the car:p

They do. Broken tachs, speedos, all gauges are suspect. I would never do an SPL system in a BMW, nothing over 135db for me.

BMWMAN, I am shocked. You should know better, aluminum doesn't block EMI at all, only Mu-Metal does.

And Mark, I have a question: If you are wrapping with leather, why not just fill in the hole where the handle was? It isn't gonna open anyway, right? You can secure the front with a "pivot" (see E34 seat brackets for an idea I would do) and bolt the rear in...or mount it on sliders and motorize it like I am doing the wifes car.

[DRTSRFR]

In that case Lukes box should DESTROY all of the electronics in the car:p

[bmwman91]

The aluminum case on the Motronic SHOULD block most EMI since it is well grounded. However, the vibrations generated by the sub are a little worrysome. Those electronics are already 20+ years old, and all that vibration isn't going to help improve what's left of their life.

Then again, a M20 car + a sub there is probably going to be about the same as running in an M42 car. The M42 doesn't use balance shafts or anything...it runs ROUGH!

[DRTSRFR]

Thanks for the input guys...

More than anything this is an experiment. I wanted to teach myself the art of fleece/glass enclosures, and boy did I pick a challenge! This will be more of a study in sculpting than glasswork.

But now I wonder...will the magnet affect the DME?

[StereoInstaller1]

I used to do quite a few 911's by building a center console with a side-firing 8". I think you are gonna be pretty happy with that 8" in there, but I would recommend a layer of sorbathane over the DME, just to control the vibrations a bit.

[Cletonius]

You know the dme is right above the glove box, right? If it was my car I probably wouldn't put a sub so close to it.

Either way, good luck with your install! Seems like a neat project. I did an 8" in a center console once.

[DRTSRFR]

Yeah, MDF will take up lots of room and there's not much up there. that's what made me think of the foam as it will allow you to eek out every possible centimeter.

So far, it's solid as a rock and there's actually not much added weight. I don't think there will be a vibration problem.

[SHunter]

I like the expanding foam idea. I was planning on just a flat piece of MDF for the top but the foam will eek out a few more cc's for sure.

As far as vibration, I think that as long as the box is rigid and the woofer is facing down toward the passenger's feet it shouldn't be a problem.

-Steven