phenryiv1 325ic Stereo Install & Interior Thread

[phenryiv1]

Subbed as I'm doing an audio job in my vert at the moment as well.

When you get more into speaker install, could you post a picture of the hardware for the rear speakers? My car came with both rear speakers uninstalled and no hardware in sight. I'd like to see what was used originally.

I can do that, and 1 better...

In the next week or so I am getting a 318ic parts car. I can pull the hardware for the rear speakers if you want/need it.

[exhaust]

Subbed as I'm doing an audio job in my vert at the moment as well.

When you get more into speaker install, could you post a picture of the hardware for the rear speakers? My car came with both rear speakers uninstalled and no hardware in sight. I'd like to see what was used originally.

[phenryiv1]

Good news: I got my e34 speakers last night.



Bad news: 1 F and 1 R were damaged. Seller was responsive and we are working on a solution now.

Hopefully I can get this sorted and get them installed soon. Actually, I am just hoping to get my car back after the body shop session that is going on day 18 (after a 10-day estimate).

[phenryiv1]

So...small update.

I found a guy parting out some e34s over on Bimmerforums. He had some 608 front speakers (from different cars but similar condition) and several sets of e34 tweeters and rear speakers. he also had a cool leather owners manual case so I snagged that as well. All told, $70 shipped for all 6 drivers.

I will use the Dayton tweeters up front with the local crossovers from Luke, then the e34 or Dayton rears with e34 front tweeters in a quasi-coaxial mount with some universal crossovers.

Any suggestions on budget-friendly off-the-shelf crossovers for the rear setup?

[phenryiv1]

I'm curious as to how you fit those Dayton midbass drivers. They look like they will stick out and hit the kick panel, unless you use some sort of spacer.

The surrounds do have quite a bit of protrusion to fit behind the kick panels but i picked those based on a GAS recommendation (the thread is in here somewhere). I should have done e34 premium mids but I got impatient.

So some clarification on the Dayton ND140-4 midbass drivers that are in Clay's car. I shot him a PM and here was his response:

So my previous speakers were already mounted over/through the grills, and my new Daytons are the same. My glove box opens fine currently, just need to find a good grill to protect them still. I surface-mounted mine using my old "step-up" rings from previous speakers.

I wanted to post this for anyone else considering the same route. While fabricating rings is child's play for me (I run a speaker adapter fabrication business) I don't want any more interference in the kickpanel area since the deadpedal on convertibles is tight as it is. Even my size 9 shoes don't have extra real estate. Add in ~1/2" for adapters and ~1/2" for domed grilles and I lose the deadpedal function.

This changes my approach somewhat, in that I will now seek some of the 65 13 8 370 935 midranges from an e34, at least for the front. I will test-fit the Daytons in the rear location to try to salvage some of the money invested but if they don't fit there I'll just call them a loss.

I SHOULD be able to cobble something together with them in the rear with maybe the OEM e30 premium tweeters. I was going to just run coaxials back there but I hate to waste a good pair of speakers. I'll likely mimic the rear setup concept shown here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=329887

[phenryiv1]

Some potential progress today (untested, so it may have been a waste) was to splice my antenna cable back together.

I connected the single center lead, re-sheathed it, and taped over it.



Next I pulled the braided layer as tightly as I could and augmented it with aluminum foil:



I taped the crap out of it:



And reconnected it:



Fingers crossed that is works.

[phenryiv1]

^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks.

[DRTSRFR]

These splicing kits make it pretty easy...

http://www.grainger.com/search?searchQuery=Coax+Splice+Kit&cm_mmc=PPC:+MSN+Main+4-_-Electrical%3EWire%20Connectors-_-Splice%20Kits%3ECoax%20Splice%20Kit%3EBroad-_-Coax%20Splice%20Kit&adgrpID=1091425696&kwdID=20238653938&ef_id=VGL2pAAABW3IRQZI:20150626143851:s

[phenryiv1]

So here is my not-so-solid temporary connection:



As luck woudl have it I was selling wheels yesterday and I happened to mention my antenna situation to the buyer and he gave me his antenna cable end to use to splice together. After cutting it open the center lead looks like a single filiment. Is that correct?

Suggestions on how to splice the 2 parts together? Best I could find is this, which tells me nothing...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=221053

I do have a new cable but for now I want to have this until I do the whole re-wire for the amps and additional signal cables.

Not to spam the forum but I will be posting the question out in the open as well but I will also capture the answer here for posterity.

[phenryiv1]

I managed to do a quick & dirty antenna repair on the mangled end of the OEM antenna cable. I took apart the 12V +/- connector and wired it up to the Z3 antenna base and then used the raw end of the antenna cable and was able to get a solid signal to the headunit. No pictures now (and when I have them I warn that it is ugly) but at least I know that it is possible to have to work until I install the replacement antenna cable.

[phenryiv1]

As far as the antenna wire goes, you can buy a connector that will fit on and allow you to plug the antenna in. No soldering or crimping required.

Do you have a link?

I bought a replacement cable (front to back) but I'd try a connector forst if I could find one.

[AndrewBird]

As far as the antenna wire goes, you can buy a connector that will fit on and allow you to plug the antenna in. No soldering or crimping required.

[phenryiv1]

No progress on the steering wheel cancel but some good news in general:

I got tired of driving the car with no stereo so I broke out the multimeter and the electronics troubleshooting manual and went to work. The 12V+ wire was still reading nothing but the 12V switched was good. I went back to the fuse box and re-checked the fuse- blown. Not sure how but it was toast- and I swore I had checked that a few weeks ago. I stole the fog light fuse (fogs are not installed while I await the return to the body shop) and it powered right up.

Bonus was that my tach and 12-button OBC also powered up. I have no idea how long the fuse had been out but the lack of a tach had been a concern for me for a while so having it back up was a nice side benefit. I was about to drop $$$$ on the SI board service but it seems to be working now. Sometimes it is (literally) the little things that make big differences.

Now, I admit that this stereo is far from attractive but it does have all of the features that I wanted. I installed it quickly to test function- later I will work on texture/color matching the trim ring and running the USB cable for a thumbdrive/iPod/phone connection.



And I finally have some music for the drive!

After getting tired of looking through boxes I dropped the $9 on a new Z3 antenna grommet. The antenna is not connected but at least the hole is now water tight.



I have the new antenna cable (HU to antenna) but am waiting until I run other cables to do the install.

Next up I will look to get the front speakers replaced. I don't know what is currently installed but they have, um, questionable bass. I am guessing some entry level coaxials as the OEM tweeters are not installed but I still have some highs coming from the front.

[phenryiv1]

Right now the update is that I don't have an update. I ordered (and received) the German Engineering keyless entry module but the car is on the way to have a (reluctant) service at a shop. I need to install camber plates and am on vacation so rather than to get nowhere in the next week (in terms of progress) I am turning it over for the camber plate install.

In the interim since the last post I still have not identified the issue with a lack of 12V power to the head unit (as well as to the dome light and the 13-button OBC) and my check panel seems to have a mind of its own.

My main concern over the last week has been the fact that after installing a Momo steering wheel and Momo hub the turn signal cancel function has ceased to exist. The cancel "nub" on the Momo hub is shorter than on the slip ring on the stock weheel, which is probably the culprit.

Still working on a solution to that.

[StereoInstaller1]

Yup, Clays' car... First set of LPCNs ever shipped, he is a childhood friend of Justin Bresee, my business partner... So he got them first!

Ask about when I showed him how his big-ass Infinity Kappa Perfects had zero information below 200hz....his car pissed me off enough that I finally got motivation to get the E30 Crossover stuff off the ground!