2013 2SS 1LE Build Log - Page 5 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

mattyjman · 04-19-2013, 08:08 PM

well, the biggest update doesn't really come with pictures.

i'm scrapping the work i've done on the quarter panels. i can't get the airspace i need. i've been trying to figure out how to build some internal airspace that could mate up with the boxes, but it would be tough to do all that inside the body of the car.

so, i'm starting over. this time, with no thought towards removing the finished enclosure. 75% of it is going to be inside the car, and 100% of it will be behind factory panels, so there is no need to build a removable box. none.

so, i'm starting over, this time maximizing the airspace i'm using, by fiberglassing directly to the body panels, and utilize a lot of the internal airspace i was able to open up by trimming the metal. instead of trying to work with .7 ft/3 airspace per midbass driver, i should be able to get close to 2 cubes... which will allow me to drop my port tuning and maximize the flexibility of these speakers

so, i'm starting on that this weekend. i need to relocate the battery to the driver side of the trunk, relocate the factory amp to the spare tire tub, and make sure all the wiring works there.

then i'm going to focus on getting the trunk done with all the deadening so i can start on the IB wall, and amp rack.

finally, finish up the kicks so i can put back the factory plastics around the horn bodies, and fix up the wiring.

i obviously won't get all of this done, but the plan is to get started on most, and finish some. its all about managing time, working on other things while fiberglass is curing, etc...

stay tuned... it's going to get a lot more messy before it looks stock again

Jeffm · 04-19-2013, 09:36 PM

You just wasted a good explanation right there

mattyjman · 04-19-2013, 10:36 PM

^ ? huh?

mattyjman · 04-19-2013, 10:44 PM

to revisit something i started earlier on... the amps. Remember I started pulling off the finish... want the 200.4 amps to match the A Class?

So, here we are, with the paint scraped and just a few minor areas to deal with before finishing the amp

i'm looking for some info on how to get the finish the mirror the A-Class. How do i get a nice brushed look. Plus it seems like i need to polish the amps in some way as well, since the regular aluminum is all discolored and not matching.

ideas on how to finish these?

alternatively, I have some left over DiNoc Carbon trim... I'm not much for sticking stuff on vinyl, but these amps don't seem to rely heavily on the external area of the amp, as the heatsinks inside aren't even connected to the amp shroud...

i took a random piece, laid it down... looks kinda tight... plus it could tie in my sports car theme... whatch'all think?

mattyjman · 04-20-2013, 09:30 PM

ok, not much progress to post, but a lot of time spent...

still trying to figure out how to do the mids to capitalize on airspace, but still make the install well, install friendly

the pics won't show it, but the cavity up, down, and towards from the front of the car is seemingly endless, and i was trying to figure out how to seal it all up so i can make a box.

certain compromises had to be made in order for this to not be incredibly complex, so I went with ease of install over allowable airspace.

first up was to seal off the top portion. i cut a couple of ply planks that would fit, and sandwiched them up there with some butyl rope. The rope was just to get them to stay up there... when i fiberglass and milkshake, that combo will make them immovable.

on the b pillar rail side, i took foam/cardboard and sealed up the areas that i could, same for the rear of the car moving towards the trunk. what i couldn't seal up in these three areas, I used some expanding foam to do the rest, and i'll glass over (or milkshake) over everything to ensure strength and a complete seal.

here's the plank in the top:

i didn't really have any good shots of the inserts and expanding foam, but you'll see it in other photos...

once i sprayed that down, waiting for it to cure I turned to the interior portion of the car. i rough cut a shape for each side, slid it behind the factory panel, and started using dowels to space it out the maximize airspace.

on both sides, most of the trim piece is almost completely flush with the panel... just enough room for a layer of ccf to keep tings from vibrating incessantly.

here we are after the panel is removed:

and then, needing to come up with some way to get fiberglass from the trim piece to the car metal, i used cardboard and tape to lay a foundation.

this whole process took a quite a bit of time. of course, the mundane stuff always does.

i know it doesn't look pretty, but this won't be seen, and i'm not looking to score points. functionality is key here, and i think this will work for me.

as for "what" i am going to glass... the fender wall, the trim piece to the factory metal, the front and back internal spaces where i used cardboard/foam, and seal in the top wooden piece... that's it. everything else is as strong as I would normally make it. Everything will get a heavy dosing of 1/4 chop strand, filler, and resin mix to make sure it's airtight and everything is equally coated and strong. then probably add some cld tiles throughout to hopefully keep any sort of possible enclosure resonances down.

by my estimation, i don't think i'll quite make it to 2 cubes each, but i think i'll at least hit my 1.5 cube target after displacement.

mattyjman · 04-20-2013, 09:30 PM

no votes on the amps?

lsuguy · 04-20-2013, 10:07 PM

Have you come up with a way to secure the battery on the driver side? I plan to build my amp rack to work in the spare tire tub.

darkrider01 · 04-20-2013, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattyjman

no votes on the amps?

Warning: I'm old-school and detest faux-carbon-fiber. It makes things look cheap IMHO.

Please don't cover up those beautiful amps. if anything, give them a high-polish or get them powder coated flat black. I hate the flat-black-everything cars too, but a flat back Mosconi amp might look sick.

midnightwarrior · 04-21-2013, 12:48 AM

Its long and probably over kill but it could get you on track.

mattyjman · 04-21-2013, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkrider01

Warning: I'm old-school and detest faux-carbon-fiber. It makes things look cheap IMHO.

Please don't cover up those beautiful amps. if anything, give them a high-polish or get them powder coated flat black. I hate the flat-black-everything cars too, but a flat back Mosconi amp might look sick.

normally i am too, but ... ooops

i've got an idea to replace the mosconi logo, so i gotta put that in the works. honestly, i think it looks awesome in person. yes, i know, it's not real carbon fiber... but... you can't say this amp doesn't look good... especially in person

mikepage0007 · 04-21-2013, 08:47 AM

posted up on another board, but keep a option open top opening trunk lid manually...you will not be able to crawl thru backseat and use manual opener, and these electronic trunk releases don,t work forever

darkrider01 · 04-21-2013, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikepage0007

posted up on another board, but keep a option open top opening trunk lid manually...you will not be able to crawl thru backseat and use manual opener, and these electronic trunk releases don,t work forever

Hmm......this sounds like experience talking. Looks like I have some work to do.

darkrider01 · 04-21-2013, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattyjman

normally i am too, but ... ooops

i've got an idea to replace the mosconi logo, so i gotta put that in the works. honestly, i think it looks awesome in person. yes, i know, it's not real carbon fiber... but... you can't say this amp doesn't look good... especially in person

Eh....I'll give it to you. It does look good.

mattyjman · 04-21-2013, 07:52 PM

ok, not much to show here, just mid progress shots. i got 2-3 layers of chop all the way around the enclosure. i haven't done anything on the inside portion of the enclosure yet.

getting stuff on the top was a mighty pain in the ass. for anyone that could benefit, what i found works best for me was to work other areas first, and wait for the resin to start to gel up a bit, then tackle the portions that needed to be done upside down. this kept my brush from dripping resin as much as if the batch was fresh.

ended the day checking to make sure everything cured...

i pulled off the cardboard where i could to expose the fiberglass underneath so i could determine where we were at, and to give me different access points for future glassing, namely the top of the enclosure where it would be easier to fiberglass down as opposed to upside down.

as you can see, i still have some work to do. i'll probably thrown down a few more layers (2-3) of chop everywhere, and then finish it up with a final layer of kyntex, to ensure strength.

this project was supposed to move along a lot quicker than it is... goal was to have it done by the end of this month, so I could turn my attention to fixing up my house to get it ready to sell in June. Looks like I'm falling behind, but I'll deal with it.

I can believe that I've had to start over three times now on the midbass pods... if it wasn't for that, then I would be a lot close to finishing. However, I'm sure the results will be well worth the work, and be nothing less than stellar... that's the hope at least

04-19-2013, 09:36 PM	#58
Jeffm ICANHAZ Drives: 2013 CRT 1SS/RS Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Skiatook, Ok Posts: 983 View My Garage	You just wasted a good explanation right there __________________ http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254430 Build Thread

04-21-2013, 08:47 AM	#67
mikepage0007 Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: port st lucie ,florida Posts: 4,273	posted up on another board, but keep a option open top opening trunk lid manually...you will not be able to crawl thru backseat and use manual opener, and these electronic trunk releases don,t work forever __________________

04-19-2013, 08:08 PM	#57
mattyjman Drives: 2013 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: United States Posts: 134	well, the biggest update doesn't really come with pictures. i'm scrapping the work i've done on the quarter panels. i can't get the airspace i need. i've been trying to figure out how to build some internal airspace that could mate up with the boxes, but it would be tough to do all that inside the body of the car. so, i'm starting over. this time, with no thought towards removing the finished enclosure. 75% of it is going to be inside the car, and 100% of it will be behind factory panels, so there is no need to build a removable box. none. so, i'm starting over, this time maximizing the airspace i'm using, by fiberglassing directly to the body panels, and utilize a lot of the internal airspace i was able to open up by trimming the metal. instead of trying to work with .7 ft/3 airspace per midbass driver, i should be able to get close to 2 cubes... which will allow me to drop my port tuning and maximize the flexibility of these speakers so, i'm starting on that this weekend. i need to relocate the battery to the driver side of the trunk, relocate the factory amp to the spare tire tub, and make sure all the wiring works there. then i'm going to focus on getting the trunk done with all the deadening so i can start on the IB wall, and amp rack. finally, finish up the kicks so i can put back the factory plastics around the horn bodies, and fix up the wiring. i obviously won't get all of this done, but the plan is to get started on most, and finish some. its all about managing time, working on other things while fiberglass is curing, etc... stay tuned... it's going to get a lot more messy before it looks stock again

04-19-2013, 10:36 PM	#59
mattyjman Drives: 2013 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: United States Posts: 134	^ ? huh?

04-19-2013, 10:44 PM	#60
mattyjman Drives: 2013 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: United States Posts: 134	to revisit something i started earlier on... the amps. Remember I started pulling off the finish... want the 200.4 amps to match the A Class? So, here we are, with the paint scraped and just a few minor areas to deal with before finishing the amp i'm looking for some info on how to get the finish the mirror the A-Class. How do i get a nice brushed look. Plus it seems like i need to polish the amps in some way as well, since the regular aluminum is all discolored and not matching. ideas on how to finish these? alternatively, I have some left over DiNoc Carbon trim... I'm not much for sticking stuff on vinyl, but these amps don't seem to rely heavily on the external area of the amp, as the heatsinks inside aren't even connected to the amp shroud... i took a random piece, laid it down... looks kinda tight... plus it could tie in my sports car theme... whatch'all think?

04-20-2013, 09:30 PM	#61
mattyjman Drives: 2013 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: United States Posts: 134	ok, not much progress to post, but a lot of time spent... still trying to figure out how to do the mids to capitalize on airspace, but still make the install well, install friendly the pics won't show it, but the cavity up, down, and towards from the front of the car is seemingly endless, and i was trying to figure out how to seal it all up so i can make a box. certain compromises had to be made in order for this to not be incredibly complex, so I went with ease of install over allowable airspace. first up was to seal off the top portion. i cut a couple of ply planks that would fit, and sandwiched them up there with some butyl rope. The rope was just to get them to stay up there... when i fiberglass and milkshake, that combo will make them immovable. on the b pillar rail side, i took foam/cardboard and sealed up the areas that i could, same for the rear of the car moving towards the trunk. what i couldn't seal up in these three areas, I used some expanding foam to do the rest, and i'll glass over (or milkshake) over everything to ensure strength and a complete seal. here's the plank in the top: i didn't really have any good shots of the inserts and expanding foam, but you'll see it in other photos... once i sprayed that down, waiting for it to cure I turned to the interior portion of the car. i rough cut a shape for each side, slid it behind the factory panel, and started using dowels to space it out the maximize airspace. on both sides, most of the trim piece is almost completely flush with the panel... just enough room for a layer of ccf to keep tings from vibrating incessantly. here we are after the panel is removed: and then, needing to come up with some way to get fiberglass from the trim piece to the car metal, i used cardboard and tape to lay a foundation. this whole process took a quite a bit of time. of course, the mundane stuff always does. i know it doesn't look pretty, but this won't be seen, and i'm not looking to score points. functionality is key here, and i think this will work for me. as for "what" i am going to glass... the fender wall, the trim piece to the factory metal, the front and back internal spaces where i used cardboard/foam, and seal in the top wooden piece... that's it. everything else is as strong as I would normally make it. Everything will get a heavy dosing of 1/4 chop strand, filler, and resin mix to make sure it's airtight and everything is equally coated and strong. then probably add some cld tiles throughout to hopefully keep any sort of possible enclosure resonances down. by my estimation, i don't think i'll quite make it to 2 cubes each, but i think i'll at least hit my 1.5 cube target after displacement.

04-20-2013, 10:07 PM	#63
lsuguy Drives: 2011 2SS/RS Join Date: May 2011 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 362 View My Garage	Have you come up with a way to secure the battery on the driver side? I plan to build my amp rack to work in the spare tire tub.

04-21-2013, 07:52 PM	#70
mattyjman Drives: 2013 2SS 1LE Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: United States Posts: 134	ok, not much to show here, just mid progress shots. i got 2-3 layers of chop all the way around the enclosure. i haven't done anything on the inside portion of the enclosure yet. getting stuff on the top was a mighty pain in the ass. for anyone that could benefit, what i found works best for me was to work other areas first, and wait for the resin to start to gel up a bit, then tackle the portions that needed to be done upside down. this kept my brush from dripping resin as much as if the batch was fresh. ended the day checking to make sure everything cured... i pulled off the cardboard where i could to expose the fiberglass underneath so i could determine where we were at, and to give me different access points for future glassing, namely the top of the enclosure where it would be easier to fiberglass down as opposed to upside down. as you can see, i still have some work to do. i'll probably thrown down a few more layers (2-3) of chop everywhere, and then finish it up with a final layer of kyntex, to ensure strength. this project was supposed to move along a lot quicker than it is... goal was to have it done by the end of this month, so I could turn my attention to fixing up my house to get it ready to sell in June. Looks like I'm falling behind, but I'll deal with it. I can believe that I've had to start over three times now on the midbass pods... if it wasn't for that, then I would be a lot close to finishing. However, I'm sure the results will be well worth the work, and be nothing less than stellar... that's the hope at least