Boot install - Pretty but Practical??

[geo1400]

hi guys and gals. Recently wired up an amp and 12" sub, what I wanna know is whats the best way to install it?

I mean it's just floating around just now and I wanna secure it down in a way that it's not gonna take up too much space but still look half decent.

Anyone got any pics of boot installs? Is it ok to screw the amp to the sub box to save space? silly questions really but quite clueless.

Cheers Geo1400

[toby]

Yes I think it's ok to screw the amp to the box - I've done that with mine and it's been fine.

Is it a ported box?
If so the ports want to face towards the back of the car I believe.
I've put my box on a rubber floor mat and it doesn't move around much.
Some use heavy duty velcro and it sticks to the carpet or even shelf brakets screwed to the back of rear seats.


There's no such thing as silly questions fella - only silly answers - most of mine being proof of this...

[NIX]

Just in terms of securing it, I used heavy duty velcro. Can be a btich to take of when you need to but you dont regularly need to anyways.

[geo1400]

It's an enclosed box, no ports. Just wasn't sure whether you could screw the amp to the box because of vibrations and stuff.

Right, i'm gonna somehow attach the amp to the box, making it compact and accessible and fasten it down with some heavy duty velcro. Sorted!!

Cheers guys

[tim-ix]

Right, i'm gonna somehow attach the amp to the box, making it compact and accessible and fasten it down with some heavy duty velcro. Sorted!!

Have a good think about this geo1400. An amp,sub and box will weigh a fair bit. When my brother drove his Golf into a stone wall his sub box ended up busting it's way through into the back seat. If there had been anyone sitting in the back it would have done their spine in a treat. Maybe the rear bulkhead on an E30 will contain the box in an accident, but if you've got a ski hatch then maybe it won't. It could certainly be worth considering bolting it to the boot floor anyway.

[geo1400]

Very interesting point tim, one of those ones you never think about...

Thinking about it now though!!

[Richy325iTouring]

if it goes through a steel buckhead that part of the structure of the e30 then you would have had a shagged e30 anyway

[tim-ix]

It's easier to buy another car than another spine. The Golf (mk2) stood up pretty well to hitting a stone wall at around 45-50 ish. OK, it was a foot or so shorter than it started out and my brother's mate's ankles got a bashing, though no broken bones, but that sub box really scared me when I saw where it ended up. It's something I hadn't previously thought of and I had a box in my Mk1 Golf too at the time.

If you think about the weight of all the MDF, the speaker and the amp it's a heavy old bit of kit.

My old Scout leader was knocked out by a cricket bat he left on his parcel shelf when he crashed his car, which was funnier.

[e30guy]

here you go



and at night

[/img]

The box is screwed down with numerous self tapers and small angle iron. But mine was a snug fit because of the shear size. Then the front is screwed onto the box. Oh yeah and iscrewed my amp to the box

[cass1_5503]

ive had no probs with mine its just wedged in doesnt move at all

[geo1400]

That looks pretty cool. I don't really understand it though. Is that an actual enclosed box? or is it just a cut piece of MDF the shape of the boot?

I've just got a 'normal' box and seperate amp, so when it stops raining I'm going to sort it out, it's just really the amp I need to put somewhere.

Anyone got any more pictures of boot installs? It's good to see other ideas.

[e30guy]

If you were talking to me, It was a $500 box with plexglass on the back (with respect to the orientation of the subs). and then i cut a piece of ply, what we had lying around, and then covered it in the boot carpet out of a e23 we had lying around which is nearly an exact match for the standard boot carpet. Then screwed that on the back of the box and now you dont see the ugly screw heads that lined the box.

[geo1400]

Ah I see. I undersrtand now. Thats a good idea, looks nice and neat.

[e30guy]

That was the idea. Also looks sweet at night

[spence_star]

check out some ideas on my cousins shop website they do installs for a living. http://uniqueautodesign.com/

[gasgas]

here you go



and at night

[/img]

The box is screwed down with numerous self tapers and small angle iron. But mine was a snug fit because of the shear size. Then the front is screwed onto the box. Oh yeah and iscrewed my amp to the box

Nice install, but is it still possible to remove the spare? im thinkin of doing something similar, but the spare was my only concern. cheers.

[lenny-d]

doesn't look like much but has 2 amps and a power cap hidden behind the panel.

made a wooden frame of my boot floor and then secured it to the floor, built the box as thin as i could and mounted the 2 amps on the back of it and the powercap on the side and then made the front panel (also the front of the box)

[lenny-d]

gas gas

does your motor have a ski hatch and if so does it make a big difference to the base in the car with the subs facing it

[dazleeds]

gas gas

does your motor have a ski hatch and if so does it make a big difference to the base in the car with the subs facing it

punching out the ski hatch will make a huge difference
go get chopping

[choppa7]

When I had a fiesta, I got a sheet of 18mm MDF. Cut it to the size of the box base and amp + a little bit extra, at each corner I had 4 squares of 18mm MDF measuring 2" then another bit of 18mm MDF underneath. So you've got 2 sheets of 18mm MDF 18mm apart yes?

I slid the MDf under the boot carpet and screwed the amp and sub to the base then passed the cables through the carpet inbetween the sheets of MDF and hidden under the carpet.

Looked tidy enough and kept it secured in one place. Oh and the MDF was siliconed to the boot floor so it wouldnt slide about.

You can see much in this pic, but you might get the idea...

[gasgas]

it didnt have a ski hatch but it does now!! chiselled the spot welds off! does the bass travel through the seat foam ok? as i havent got an arm rest! hope so!!

[Cotty]

does the bass travel through the seat foam ok?

No worries

I had a 12" sub in my 2 door and the base was everywhere

[tailoutcharlie]

was just about to tackle my sub install. didnt even know i had a ski hatch, how handy.

[BimmerBoi]

here what i had in my e30

[J_Mac]

Standard box ported at the sides, i blocked the ports off and put the amp on a one side and made 2 ports on the back of the box so they face inwards... the sub cover chavey chavey chav chav lol was a fiver and protects me 1200 watt sub, so i'm happy

[DrBen]

Hi geo1400, I had 2 subs in separate boxes in my boot, both with an amp screwed to the side. ran that way for maybe 2 years with no problems at all..

[Rosc0PColtrane]

Face the subs away from the front of the car. bass sinewaves have a wide amplitude so travel through thrings easily.

Sod the spare wheel, carry a can of tyre weld.