GTP Install Worklog

[RFR2212]

Well, this is the beginning of my worklog for my '00 Grand Prix GTP. Things are still very wide open now. Here's what I'm starting with:

Alpine DVA-7996 DVD head unit
Clarion VMA 7191 Montior
Eclipse 88120DVC subs (2)
MTX 1501D
Kicker ZX460
Kicker ZR260
Front stage MB Quart QSD 216
Rear fill MB Quart DKE 113
1/0 power/ground cables
1 farad Lightning Audio digital top cap (2)
Optima Red Top

Think that covers a good bit. Hopefully this will be completed within the next month or two depending on availability of parts and what not.
Criticism welcome... Going for a great all around system, if anything, a slight focus on SQ...

 

[RFR2212]

Since we all like pictures...

I'm going to try to focus all the pictures here, in this post if possible, and narrate at the same time.

Trunk wise, this is what I'm working with. I'm thinkg a box that'll fit under the rear deck, and the subs will have a slight tilt both towards the centerline of the trunk, and up a bit. I think the sub amp will be mounted ontop of the box, and to the passenger side, the 4ch kicker amp and the dual caps behind it.

Here's my optima red top battery. Could potentially be changed out to a yellow top this summer.

 

[expo5.0]

well don't change it out to a yellow top...

just add a yellow top or svr in the back


other than that it looks awesome! got some great stuff to go in,

i say you get a set of mbquart premiums or similar components for up front, and in a car i would go with rear speakers so some coaxials from the same brand as the components.

also, you made is soiund asymmetrical the way you were doing the amps and stuff?

my vote goes for the kicker amp hidden and keeping everythign symmetrical. everything you'll have visible is nicer than the kicker then and it just won't fit in color scheme wise either.

 

[RFR2212]

Days work...

Here's quite a few photos from todays work. I initally wanted to get the sub box half built, but i just decided to rough it all in...

rear view of the box:

front view:

test fitting: Also, the jack will be relocated, the spare tire flipped upside down and then I will mount my kicker amp under a plexiglass cover. There will be a false floor built around the whole trunk, raising it 3/4 of an inch.

drivers side: Here in the corner I'm going to mount my XM tuner and strobe controller behind a flat panel.

Pass side: On this corner I'm going to tuck the jack and tools behind a panel, then mount my dual caps behind a panel there too.

Center seats: Here is a little pass through door in the rear seats to the trunk. Looking through here, in time you will see my alpine amp for my subs. I might have a piece of plexiglass etched with the brands of major components I used...

And after it's all done, this is mostly what's left of a 4x8 foot sheet of MDF...

I also purchased a set of MB Quart Components on eBay, model # QSD216. Kiss my tax refund good by on them! 6.5 components for the front kick panels. I think they'll get the job done!

 

[hydroxy]

Are you going to carpet everything?

Looking good... I'd just worry about trunk rattle now =)

 

[IAmTodd]

Man, I'm thoroughly jealous! Thats one great looking car, now you have to go and add a nice system to it.

 

[RFR2212]

Are you going to carpet everything?

Looking good... I'd just worry about trunk rattle now =)

Oh, I'm aware of that. That's why I've got 50 somethin sq ft of cascade sound deadening comming this week. I'm going to use all that's necessary on the trunk! No trunk rattle here! Everything will be matched with stock colored carpeting, so it's going to blend well.

Man, I'm thoroughly jealous! Thats one great looking car, now you have to go and add a nice system to it.

Thanks. Let me tell you, I haven't owned a car for about 4-5 years now, and I can't figure out why. Don't get me wrong, I loved my explorers, but wow! This things quick, smooth and gets way better milage!

 

[hydroxy]

good luck on getting rid of the rattles... but in my experience you never will =)

 

[IAmTodd]

My first choice in cars would be a 2 door Grand Prix. But I'm worried about how it preforms in the snow. I take back roads to school everyday and they get bad in the Winter. And I'm also planning on going to college where ther zero road maintanance done and the get the snow really bad. So you'll have to report back when the white stuff begins to fly again!

 

[RFR2212]

Thought I'd add... I've got the MB Quart QSD216 components up front, and for the rear, a set of 5.25 coaxials DKE 113's for the rear. I've decided that the Alpine amp is going to be set into the floor in the spare tire hole, and the kicker is going up front. It's got a much better fit and look.

Heres the question?? the kicker amp is supposed to do 30x4 or 60x2 (as the general listed power) I'm sure it does more. Do I go ahead and bridge it to a 2 channel and make it a 2ch amp getting my fronts more power, and use an old 30x2 Alpine that I've got lying around the house for the rears?

This would make do (unless it works well) till I could get a higher power front amp to really juice the fronts (listed power rating is 90-170 watts) and then give the rear a bit less juice?

Give me some ideas here guys.. This week I'm going to start on the raised floor, spare tire mount and the new jack mount and the cap mount.

 

[expo5.0]

you chose just about the speakers i would have.

i'd run them straight off of the one amp if you plan on upgrading in the future.

 

[RFR2212]

This was last nights work. Got the trunk covered in cascade v-max. Dunno how good it is, but it was 52sq ft for 180 bucks... Alot of coverage, the whole trunk is pretty much covered. I saved a sheet and a half for the rear deck. Tonight was spend planning and getting the rear seat and deck out. This weekend, I'm going to mount one amp, run RCAs, and try out some liquid Stinger sound deadener in the rear seat floor, maybe door panels, and behind the seat metal seperating the trunk. I gave the trunk lid 2 layers of deadener. We'll see how much it vibrates.. Oh, this cascade material can become pretty sharp, and slice your fingers easily. My MB Quart components are in the mail, and i ordered my carpeting and wiring today. I am going to try for 2 weeks from now. I'm leaving the car stock for the drive to school for graduation in a week. Then it's all comming out for fun.
Here's some pics

 

[terdrocket]

Set up the amp to run 30x4, and bi-amp the MBQuarts. (There is a place on each crossover to send two channels into)

 

[mhn3773]

if ur trunk still rattles with the deadener use spray foam =) seriously i did it to a civic and it helped a ton..way less vibrations and u can hear how much better the car holds in the sound..plus the trunk has more weight now so it shuts like a BMW trunk lol

the stuff is like 4 bucks a can itl take 2-3 cans and u must remember it EXPANDS ALOT!!! lol so u might want to take the truck lid off or cover everything with towels because if u are not carefull it will oze lol

also if u go the spray foam rout ( highly reccomended) put a towel in the bottom of ur trunk under the trunk lid because the foam will take a while to try and keep expanding..took 2 days for the civic to stop lol didnt expands much but the tinny droplets are hard to clean up

 

[RFR2212]

Heres the work accomplished through dinner time today...

Testing out the stinger liquid road kill deadener

my amp brackets:

amp and amp brackets:

trunk rough install to this point:

Tonight I'm going to add a layer or two more of the Stinger and pull the sub box and liquid nails the joints.

 

[RFR2212]

Im going to pick up a Kicker ZR240 for my rears, and then use my ZX 460 for my fronts. I'm also going to pick up a broken kicker amp, and build the cover into a bridge for the two amps, so it should appear as though they're all one amp.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

That Alpine 1505 sure looks sweet. Please let us know how it all sounds.

 

[RFR2212]

Todays work was adding another layer of deadener to the doors and deck. Here's how the doors finally look. Maybe some day I'll do the insides of the door skins...

I sprayed the box with a layer of rubberized undercoating:

 

[RFR2212]

Since no one has showed much interest in the monitor and what not, and I don't really feel like ebaying it, as I'm lazy... I thought of a removable mount located here. The HU install kit is one of them kind where it's filling a 1 1/2 DIN space, so im sure i could incorporate a mount for this to be removed if I wished.

Just an idea I had... lemme know, I don't want to get too crazy and custom w/ fiberglassing and cutting and what not..

 

[mechanic021]

what kind of monitor is that? why were you gonna put it on ebay were you trying to sell it at one point?