system for a caged racecar.

[Jean]

Oxymoron?

Because Driftcar!

[dubdub]

Okay, a few things... if you've stripped out everything, your stereo will sound terrible - you will have so many exposed, vibrating, reflecting hard surfaces - so accept that as your start.

With that said, this is a blank canvas! If it were me, I would get two enclosed speakers and position them well in the front of the car (think Bose home or marine). You can mount them on the cage and direct them right at you! As for a sub, which over the stripped interior with lots of things to vibrate and a loud exhaust, it will be a challenge to get good clean sound. I'd make a big box - fiberglass if you had the time (weight savings) - to fit between your cage and just be done with it. You are one of the few people who can build a 3+ sq ft box... live it up! (unless you need to carry equipment to the track, in which case I would build a box right behind the driver's seat).

This isn't going to be a build that you'd want in a daily driver, accept that and just get some sound in there... not complicated.

[idanity]

back in the day, we would just say drink a beer to calm down...or smoke or something..

and ive seen a few open drift days with lots of street-able cars with tunes..its not too unheard of. especially if your drift car is a street legal car..(many of us poor folks have to do it like this) :)

also agree with just about every comment...not a racecar, earbuds, no 6x9's, etc.

and i too suggest NOT to get pricey shit...with a helmet on, your looking for loud, not epic..base is good an all, but that can get friggin heavy...and the weight can cost you a car...if you go, do it lightweight, and lowest center of gravity as possible.

plenty of choices on amps...just google 5 channel amp, its all you need.

if you need help on installing 6x9's, .....i have to laugh...i know theres no pre-cut holes in a stock e30, but its as simple as a 4'' grinder, or saw, or dremel if you have all day...

if you can take out a window (without just breaking it) you can isntall 6x9's.

movin on.
do you need a sub ? ..no, you dont.. but they are nice..i get it...i have a 15"DVC sub in my spare tire well..sounds great...low, deep notes from (even lower than i can hear) 27hz on up, brings great presence to the road trips...but i would suggest maybe a 10" or 12" at the most for a drift car..you will hear it, and it can sound ok to good with fg enclosure. (while remaining light) try to get your SPL high.


fiberglass a subwoofer in the spare tire well... and a steel braided speaker cover .
digital 5 channel amp
run neodyne (or whatever light weight) high end speakers.
power cables as short as possible with fuses at both ends..you do NOT want a fire...fire is bad, sparks are bad, isolate your entire stereo and do not use the factory power wires..run them special, fused at both ends...
and maybe use conduit for all electrical wires...this, i don't know much about, but on a track, fires to happen, and many times from a spark.

o, and a usb stereo with remote is more reliable than any cd these days...(especially for lots of G's).
i contemplated running the head unit in my trunk, and fabricating the removable face plate in the dash (on my cabrio. years ago..but never did it...it cant be that difficult...has anyone tried ? ..wont know till its done.

heck, mount some speakers where the rear seat used to be, the lower the better,
make holes in the rear seat wall, (smaller diameter than the diaphram) install them in the trunk, facing through the holes and bolt that shit in..if it gets loose, it will float back into the trunk....


sorry for the long winded post...i carry on, then think of something, the edit, then think of something.....SQUIRREL !!1:;;,,, then think of something again... :)
its your car, if it makes you happy, more power to you.

[dwvw]

I think the system in my car would be good in a race car, substituting the heavier amps for maybe a 5 channel amp. Of course it totally blows your budget.

If I were you I would get a decent deck, 4 channel amp, and two pairs of decent 5 1/5's and call it a day.

Don't use the 6x9's, there is no safe way to mount them in your car.

[pandaboo911]

I'd suspect wearing any sort of earbuds in a tight helmet would be very uncomfortable, pressing in-ear earbuds into your ear can also be dangerous, especially at high volumes. Buy a helmet with built in headphones?

[stinkydriverx]

hahah some of your replies crack me up..
Lets discuss a few things that you guys brought up.

mp3 player + earbuds

Plenty of guys do this. It works for most. I don't seem to like it very much. Maybe I need to just get better headphones and give it another try. Thanks for the suggestion.

stereo = not a racecar

hahah this cracks me up. In my opinion a racecar is subjective. But thanks for your reply .

Actually, the title of this thread is "system for a caged racecar".

calm down.

you really go on a track with music blasting?

In competition, no. Most of the time it's just a pre race thing.

Distractions (Now in Hi-Fi) add 10 horsepower. That's why drifters like stickers so much.

thanks for contributing so much. =]

First, stop looking at "brands", period. All of this shit is made on the same assembly lines. NOTHING in your price range is even close to "Boutique" stuff (Hey You, seriously, you are gonna recommend a $800 60Lb woofer? WTF?) so your job is to learn to look behind the sticker, learn the basic differences and make a decision.

First off, this is a "drift" car, right?

Do you have an interior?

Do you have any idea how loud you are looking to get? I mean actual numbers, not some guess based on what one of your buddies has to say. If you don't know, no worries, lets talk about that. You have to know where you are going before you get started, right?

Next, do some actual calculations on what the goal is for weight.

Then, since you know the weight vs loud thing, you can get started on some math.

BTW, just so we are clear on this, this is not the stupidest stereo project I have heard of, but it is certainly on the list. WTF, you need music to calm you on the track? Do you really think you should be on any track anywhere if that is the case? I am not saying that to be a dick, but seriously, think about it. High speed collisions happen, walls happen, all kinds of shit. If your sub/amp/deck/whatever comes loose (and it will) you die. If you have your music blasting, are you sure you can hear something coming loose?

Hell, I wonder if the car would pass tech if it were a stripped, caged car with a stereo...but whatever, its your car, right?

Let me know if I can help.

Luke

I apologize for my ignorance on the subject. I'm sure it gets annoying or you.

I don't know why you guys are so baffled about the whole calming down thing... The only thing I am going to say on that subject is yes, it helps me calm down. I don't listen to it while I'm on the track. As a few of you said, that would be dangerous. Maybe I didn't make that clear. It's more like a pre-race ritual.
The only interior piece left in my car is the dash. Soon to be replaced with a sheet metal one. So the cabin and trunk area are completely gutted.
The tech question you brought up is an extremely valid one. I know that vaughn gittin runs a stereo in his car. He obviously passes tech. That's at the formula d level... But that is something that deserves my attention for sure.
It wouldn't be that much of an issue to make sure all the stereo stuff was secured tightly in my pre-race check.

I had a feeling I needed to do more research. What you said makes complete sense. I appreciate the offer for help. I will definitely contact you if I need any specific help.
Thanks.

[beta14ok]

This idea kinda reminds me of the movie Kelly's Heros in which the charater Odd-Ball (Donald Southerland) has mounted a giant speaker mon the side of his Sherman tank so they can play country western music in battle. Also used amo' round filled w/ paint! "Woof-woof"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-RP8-UGvx4

[StereoInstaller1]

I would just like to get SOME direction on what brands I should be looking at. A little help goes a long way with me.
Thanks guys.

First, stop looking at "brands", period. All of this shit is made on the same assembly lines. NOTHING in your price range is even close to "Boutique" stuff (Hey You, seriously, you are gonna recommend a $800 60Lb woofer? WTF?) so your job is to learn to look behind the sticker, learn the basic differences and make a decision.

First off, this is a "drift" car, right?

Do you have an interior?

Do you have any idea how loud you are looking to get? I mean actual numbers, not some guess based on what one of your buddies has to say. If you don't know, no worries, lets talk about that. You have to know where you are going before you get started, right?

Next, do some actual calculations on what the goal is for weight.

Then, since you know the weight vs loud thing, you can get started on some math.

BTW, just so we are clear on this, this is not the stupidest stereo project I have heard of, but it is certainly on the list. WTF, you need music to calm you on the track? Do you really think you should be on any track anywhere if that is the case? I am not saying that to be a dick, but seriously, think about it. High speed collisions happen, walls happen, all kinds of shit. If your sub/amp/deck/whatever comes loose (and it will) you die. If you have your music blasting, are you sure you can hear something coming loose?

Hell, I wonder if the car would pass tech if it were a stripped, caged car with a stereo...but whatever, its your car, right?

Let me know if I can help.

Luke

[Asbradley21]

you really go on a track with music blasting?

Distractions (Now in Hi-Fi) add 10 horsepower. That's why drifters like stickers so much.

[nando]

you really go on a track with music blasting?

[Asbradley21]

He said drift car, not racecar, so...

Actually, the title of this thread is "system for a caged racecar".

[AndrewBird]

mp3 player + earbuds

Honestly, this is probably your best bet. Put some headphones in you helmet and you would be set.

stereo = not a racecar

He said drift car, not racecar, so...

[valleymotorwerks]

stereo = not a racecar

[Pl3wA]

id go with skullcandys' and an ipod. works well on a moto

[Farbin Kaiber]

Oxymoron?