stereo solutions

[steveo77]

Hey I have a 77 280z and would like to install a nice system in it. Nothing to loud, just a deck and some quality 6X9's

so here are my questions.

i know the alternator on the car is weak (just because there was no need for a huge alternator back when) , can it still support a system?

where can i put the speakers?

i was thinkin behind the seats in 6x9 boxes or doing something like this

you guys have any other solutions?

where else could i put some ? under the dash?

[SteveK]

Hey steveo77

I run

2 Boston 6x9's with custom 40mm ports, in the tools boxes yeah I know, but I would rather have good sound than be historically correct, (duck and runs for cover)

2 x Infinity 5 inch in custom door pods

2 x 6 inch infinities in the rearmost mounts

shed loads of sound deadening matting, doors floors you name it, and an amp (200W now) under the passenger seat, all driven off a remote control Blaupunkt Los Angeles.

I love my Zed but it has to be the worst car in the known universe for mounting a sound stage in.

I changed the alternator out before I installed any audio kit as I wasn’t particularly happy with the stock item and had read a number of tales of woe.

Fortunately I am an electrical engineer but even so it is not a difficult task.

If you do it, go internally regulated, make a few small changes at the voltage regulator wiring and hey presto you have killed 2 birds with one stone and eliminated 2 points of weakness.

There is a good write up around here somewhere that is really easy to follow.

At the end of the day its all about taking worry and weakness out of the equation.

[steveo77]

awesome guys thanks alot!

[PrOxLaMuS©]

have you seen my sound system in my car?

Kenwood HeadUnit

MTX Amplifier 500w

3 10" MTX subs

4 4" Alpine speakers

THe original owner had some holes in here before, so instead of fixing the holes or replacing the whole center console.. I put in some speakers.. doesn't look too bad does it?

Wonder if I can see out of teh back window?

Sure can!

[SteveK]

Yes I had PrOxLaMuS and you are officially a complete and utter grade A1 nutter in the nicest sense of the word :classic:

Dont you get health problems like bleeding from the ears or ruptured kidneys from such a setup.

[Walkingpig]

I have recently done the same thing

i purchased some 6.5 inch splits, 12 inch sub with ported box, and 2 amps

(all fusion equipment of course - starts brand wars)

and i first started with a wonderful cardboard template for actually bolting the 6.5 inches onto the rear struts. but this is hard and very bad since the bolts are also holding your suspension in:)

so in the end i modified the project to have a flat bottom(not sloped around the shape of the strut towers

and simply mounted them on strong brackets coming off the sub box which is facing backwards shooting up into the rear glass.

I do like my SQ so i want stero separation and that meant lifiting the midrange 6.5's up high enough to get over the seats, and 6x9's on the floor(setup in car when i bought it) do not cut it, and it doesn't help that they aren't the best at SQ anyway

the problem is that having them up near the seats, the difference in distance between the speaker behind your head and the one behind the passenger is huge

like 2-3x the distance, as opposed to a normal car where they are out on the parcel shelf and a few triangles would hlep you see what i mean if you dont already:>

(note my speaker boxes also point the speakers towards the center of the car slightly, not just dead ahead.

All in all it does sound quite nice but nowhere near nice enough

::PROBLEMS::

- my sub blows the speakers apart (could just turn it down)- so i am moving the splits to the doors - and putting some 6.5 inch 2 ways in the boxes behind, this will give me more noise outside sub range. Also moving the little splits(currently mounted at the top front corner of the windscreen(way to loud there even on half volume) down to normal position in the corners of the dash(some people make custom plates and put them in the left and right air con vents))

- as previously menitioned - alternator, my alternator was not healthy to start with, so after not being quite sure why my stero was distorting badly and was NOT loud at all, i decided it was electrical problem, especially when my dash stgarted going completely blank, it turned out that the alternator positive peg looked like an oxy torch was shooting out of it, the bolt/stud was completely charcoaled....

I now have a 60amp alternator, and to be honest, if i was to run another sub i would either need bigger, or a decent size capacitor to take the big hits. as at half volume i'm still losing power at idle.. good as long as i dont idle too long:)

- Z cars do NOT, repeat do NOT rattle like some cars do with big stero's, they shake to the point you wonder they haven't fallen apart! my very next step is sound deadening ANYWHERE I CAN GET IT the rear badges are going to fly off soon i think:) all the metal panels vibrate.. i can't get my gear over half volume on the head unit without this unwanted problem:)

so anyway, thats about it for the trials and tribulations of my sound setup:|

Sorry if that was long winded, but i hope it helps direct you as to what to do and what not to even bother trying:)

in summary - i am pleased with my boxes, and sub and the mounting, they barely even touch your rear veiw.

and proxamalus i just have one question? why did you set your subs forward not backwards? i'm curious:)

----------------------------

if anyone is interested my next steps will be to remout the boxes i made in the same position they are currently in. but allowing me to remove the sub box, as i will have a custom fibreglass box made up (lots of money) that curves.. use imagination here....

around behind the strut towers

T1_______T2

| / \ | Imagine T1T2 strut towers, S - 12 inch sub

| / S S \ |but it will curve rather than be straight like that:)

|/ \ |

| |

| |

if i got so carried away. the third and final step would be another custom box mounting a 15inch in the tire well.

but we all have other things to do with our money:)

I am sorry if i droned on too long! which i definately did, and i should move this disclaimer to the top of the page or nobody will see it since you stopped reading on line 6:)

----------------------------------------------

final note - if you want SQ - you have to sacrifice your beautiful L2x engine/exhaust growl, it really interferes with what you hear:)

[steveo77]

wow , thanks guys!

I got more info then what i needed. I just wanted to throw in some decent 6x9's and wanted to know what you guys did.

[steveo77]

so are you guys using harness' or are you hard wiring them in? i can't seem to find a harmess up here in ottawa canada.

[thefastestz]

I just bought a pioneer Cd player that came with 2 6x9's and 2 6 1/2" speakers for $100 at wal-mart and installed it in my 78 280z.

Sounds terrific, i can't belive i only paid $100.

[owenk]

Holy cow my parents in the 70s said I as going to loose my hearing but this generation is going over kill you guys are going to get some weird bone problem or something from all this loud low frequency sound. Heck my kid is running wiring in his car that I can use in my home on a 60 amp 220 circuit!!:eek:

And I thought the Dark Side of the Moon concert was loud, silly me

:stupid:

[SteveK]

Muhahahaha :devious:

Hey nowt wrong with the "Floyd" owenk

Those Zepplin boys were a bit strange though (did anyone really understand "The song remains the same" no, didnt think so what was all that about)

Hey I'm in my 40's and still enjoy some decent sounds in my Z

[owenk]

Originally posted by SteveK

Those Zepplin boys were a bit strange though (did anyone really understand "The song remains the same" no, didnt think so what was all that about)

You need some kind of mind openning chemical to understand Zep. ELP, or Yes etc.