Subwoofer Install Tutorial: TONS of pics, none of my buttcrack

[Sherwination]

Nice thread.. Im going to bookmark it for the E30 build

2pts!

[Ladzio]

I ended up installing a slim 80W Blaupunkt woofer in the front passenger footwell. Not much space lost and although its does not rock the car, it supplements the lows very nicely. Will post pic soon.

[StereoInstaller1]

how much did you pay for it so i have a ballpark idea of what to spend? im gonna be sad if i cant find the nice maroon interior to match.

Mine was in a parts car I have, so nothing.

I painted mine with Leather paint...but my interior is black.

Keep your eyes open, maybe you will get lucky!

Luke

[joshuaaa]

how much did you pay for it so i have a ballpark idea of what to spend? im gonna be sad if i cant find the nice maroon interior to match.

[StereoInstaller1]

Josh, an armrest is basically the same as tripling the subwoofer power.

If you can, do it. If you can't, do it anyway.

I got mine from an '85 325e, my 87 325is didn't have one. It was shabby, so I got leather paint from Select Products and painted it. Looks great, a year later.

[joshuaaa]

just got my box.. its better than christmas..

but luke, is it better to get a armrest back seat? or will i be fine to just keep my current seats?

[StereoInstaller1]

Cost effective? Stock premium sound up front, but using aftermarket 2 way crossovers.

A cheap 4 channel amp with variable crossovers.

A cheap SVC 12" sub, with a Qtc under .5

Fronts speakers run off of half of the 4 channel, the other 2 channels bridged to the subwoofer.

Including deck, you could have great sound for under $600 using my box (about $200 shipped, typically)

[Turf1600]

So what would be an optimum, cost effective sound setup, assuming one can get a hold of one of Luke's super boxes?

I called up luke and told him what I had to spend - and he sent me the best he could. It included a box, sub, components, tweeters and wiring. I already had a HU.

[blck325is]

So what would be an optimum, cost effective sound setup, assuming one can get a hold of one of Luke's super boxes?

[StereoInstaller1]

Or, in my case, more than you need.

[AndrewBird]

In that picture, the box is on it's back/side. The hole is one of the ports that go up through the rear shelf.

And yes, front speakers, meaning tweeters and mids, and a 12" sub. That is all you need in an e30.

[Tree18is]

If you look at your picture of the box where you are drilling the hole, down to the lower right of the box there is a "port" looking hole. is that what it is?
if it is why is there two? the ones you made custom in the stock speakers, and the custom box port?

and let me get this straight, there is just front speakers and a 12?
nice!

[StereoInstaller1]

Tim, the ports are a pain in the butt to get in because they are so damn tight.

I use a cardboard tube between the plastic trim port adn the ABS coupler in the box to assure a tight fit.

There is no cardboard available that fits correctly (that I can find, anyway) so I trim both the inside and the outside to make it fit.

Tom, as far as re-working the rear seat....well, I highly recommend finding an armrest, that much I can tell you. I am not an upholsterer, nor do I pretend to be one...no sewing machines here, I can tell you. I am sure that anyone competent in auto upholstery can handle it just fine.

Luke

[h82crash]

If you have a non-armrest seat, do you need to cut out all of the foam from in front of the woofer? My seat looks perforated but it is not, theyr'e just dimples. I was thinking of cutting a hole in the seat and trimming the opening with vinyl or something. Has anyone done that?

Tom

[Sha1234]

after the port tube have been installed in their home in the rear deck, how do you secure them in the box? cause there is nothing worse than port leaking, i just want to know your process of getting them air tight


Tim