World Champion Camaro Custom Install

[TeamTCA]

HEAD UNIT (OEM)....

1SS or LS cars WITHOUT Boston Acoustics amplifier have a built-in EQ curve to compensate for low frequencies... Designed for door location speakers. Cars with the Boston system have a "flat" response and the EQ circuit is built into the amp. Both units also have a "LOUD" circuit that bumps up low end with rise in volume control. I bought another 2SS radio and had it sent to Panasonic OEM to: RESET VIN #, flat response, NO LOUDNESS, remote turn-on mod, and turn down "chime" output... Result was as close to an aftermarket unit as possible. Both decks have 8V balanced outputs (speaker level). Well, actually they are the SAME deck in any Camaro, just programmed for each specific model, either an LS, 1SS OR 2LT, 2SS. I also purchased the OEM steering controls, added them to my car and then had my local dealer flash my BCM for them to operate.

STOCK 1SS or LS with above mentioned functions ENABLED from the factory (radio outputs hooked directly into RTA meter) for comparison:




MODIFIED OUTPUT NOW:









Again, flat response is exactly what an aftermarket headunit would look like. When using a processor, you can then EQ the car like you want but using an unaltered signal, as the first one, it is much harder to fight problems that are already there BUT with a simple component set upgrade up front in the stock door locations, they would sound pretty good. NO substitute for tuning your own car though...

[TeamTCA]

Oh, the MS-8 is a very cool piece BUT it is critical on the position of your head when setting it up with the mics(headphones). Try it several times in different positions, even slightly. One thing I did stumble on when testing is to sit in the back seat in the middle of the car with your head leaned up just above the center console. It is a pain, but should work out ok. Rear speakers on the back deck aren't ideal either but if you get it close then you can manually adjust volume levels of them. Will need to make a few EQ adjustments as well. BASS is almost entirely to loud to begin with too. Just some thoughts for you....

[Indy Bumble Bee]

Damn... you make me want a system again...Fantastic work!

[dmullen]

Just really incredible work...thanks for sharing.

[YOUNGnRECKLESS]

so crazy.....Nice work!

[JoshBobGuptaMarley]

I love how stock you left it. Its a really clean build! Were you worried about signal loss going through the stock system?

[Zach@ExtremePerformance]

Nice work, Mr. Crowder, as usual!


From the pics, looks like you built the kicks so they block the nearer side of the nearer 6.5", to minimize off-axis loss? (if that made ANY sense)

[IBM/2SS/RS/LS3]

Great install. Good idea on the aperiodic door enclosures.

[MARINE1991]

I think I just wet myself... that has to be the best I have ever seen.... That must have been hard to get it all tuned in... Can you post a video of a walk around and to hear it, I know it wont be as good as being there but its the best we have....

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by TeamTCA

HEAD UNIT (OEM)....

1SS or LS cars WITHOUT Boston Acoustics amplifier have a built-in EQ curve to compensate for low frequencies... Designed for door location speakers. Cars with the Boston system have a "flat" response and the EQ circuit is built into the amp. Both units also have a "LOUD" circuit that bumps up low end with rise in volume control. I bought another 2SS radio and had it sent to Panasonic OEM to: RESET VIN #, flat response, NO LOUDNESS, remote turn-on mod, and turn down "chime" output... Result was as close to an aftermarket unit as possible. Both decks have 8V balanced outputs (speaker level). Well, actually they are the SAME deck in any Camaro, just programmed for each specific model, either an LS, 1SS OR 2LT, 2SS. I also purchased the OEM steering controls, added them to my car and then had my local dealer flash my BCM for them to operate.

STOCK 1SS or LS with above mentioned functions ENABLED from the factory (radio outputs hooked directly into RTA meter) for comparison:

Attachment 293384


MODIFIED OUTPUT NOW:

Attachment 293385

Attachment 293387

Attachment 293388

Attachment 293389

Again, flat response is exactly what an aftermarket headunit would look like. When using a processor, you can then EQ the car like you want but using an unaltered signal, as the first one, it is much harder to fight problems that are already there BUT with a simple component set upgrade up front in the stock door locations, they would sound pretty good. NO substitute for tuning your own car though...

So you mention "I bought another 2SS radio and had it sent to Panasonic OEM to: RESET VIN #, flat response, NO LOUDNESS, remote turn-on mod, and turn down "chime" output..."

Does this mean the loudness setting is adjustable? Do you know how to adjust it? Is the chime output also adjustable?

Impressive work you have done to get this done...

[Agent WD-40]

Originally Posted by TeamTCA

FRONT DOOR SUBS...

Attachment 293373

Attachment 293374

Attachment 293375

Attachment 293376

Attachment 293377

Attachment 293378

Attachment 293379

Attachment 293380

Attachment 293381

Attachment 293382

What are those baffles on the back of the speaker bucket? What did you do to get the speaker to mount flush in the OEM speaker bucket?

If I was closer I would take my Camaro to you in a heart beat. I consider myself pretty into details with my audio work but this is another level.

[TeamTCA]

The factory speaker mount "buckets" were hacked up just preserving the outside and mounting surfaces. Lots of cutting & grinding to smooth them out. Then I used a 3/4" birch baffle cut with a router to fit, also NEW subwoofer OD was rabbitted to fit the speaker flush in the housing. I tried it originally without being flush and the poor thing slammed into the door panel when it played a low note.

Focal has made several versions of this 5" sub (these are the the Utopia's). We have used the KX also. Now, I think you can only get the Be version which is really pricey. There are designed to be in small sealed enclosures so when you mount one in the door it is like having it in a 3 cu ft. box which is way too big for them to function properly. They sound good at low volume but will NOT take any kind of power. To solve this issue, I used a single ScanSpeak Aperiodic "flow resistor" behind them. Another piece of 3/4" birch plywood was used. Cut to fit down inside the rear of the OEM speaker bucket, rounded on the inside, and then the Aperiodic resistor was glued in from behind. All this does is provide some back pressure on the sub so that it does not "unload" at higher volume levels. You can still overdrive them if you get crazy with it but they are pretty impressive. Not to be confused with a 10" sub or anything, they are designed for places where minimal space is req'd. They worked out good....

As for the OEM radio.... All models of the Camaro have exactly the same radio with different wiring harnesses and programming options depending on the car. I wanted to keep my original unit intact and found another one on eBay. I also have different front main panels with controls (cosmetic) also. I knew someone at Panasonic OEM, which is who builds and programs the radio in the Camaro and I sent my second radio to him with a list of things I wanted done, if possible. He had great success and claimed it only took a few minutes. My main issue with the stock head was to have a "flat" output. I also inquired on lower the "chime" volume. My radio was the first and only (as far as I know) that has been done this way. -12dB level from stock setting. You can still hear them but they are much lower than stock. The problem is that when you keep the OEM deck and use high level outputs to drive either a processor or amps, the higher you turn up the gain at the amps, the louder the chime is. Can get to be very annoying but you usually only here them when the key is on and the door is open. This also affects the turn signals and so on... I will investigate to see if it is possible to have a few more modded like mine but definitely not gonna be at your local dealership. It apparently requires some sort of special tool and interface to link up with these LAN-based decks (that's why I got lucky and knew someone who could do it). This same head is used on five GM models, I think... Lacrosse, Enclave, Camaro, and others?? Last but not least is the fact that ANY radio from another Camaro will have that car's VIN# encoded to it so that it only works on that particular car. ONLY NEW units ordered from GM and not previously installed will be clean (no VIN recorded). Once the deck is installed in the car, it then "learns" the car's VIN# making it a unique fit to that particular car. The same thing has been present in most GM vehicles since about 2003. A simple reflash from your local dealer can fix this problem BUT they will charge you at least an hour to do it and most Tech's at your small local shops don't understand what they are actually doing on it anyway.

One could go even a step further on this stock head and replace a few outputs and maybe even upgrade the D/A converters inside. My guy at Panasonic seemed to think that there would be NO advantage to this as he said that the stock deck was pretty clean. And I can agree with that. It is very impressive for a stock unit. All the work in my car is mainly done with the external processor. Every speaker has its own amplifier channel which is known as "active". There are NO passive crossovers in the car other than a phase correction circuit I built for the main front two 6 1/2" mids.

My whole plan from the beginning was to build a system in this car and show all of the fans out in Camaroland that have one of these cars that you don't have to change the stock headunit to make the cars sound fantastic. I hope any or all of this info has been helpful. Again, thanks for looking and the nice comments on my install. BTW, I have a big trailer and can pickup/deliver anywhere in the continental US.... LOL

[TeamTCA]

MORE FRONT SUB PICS.... (sorry for low lighting)

[TeamTCA]

You can't use enough sound deadener either... The car has virtually nothing in it from the factory. Probably to help keep the already heavy beast's weight down to a minimum. 200sq ft of 50mil material with some 1/2" pad under the floorboard area is roughly 100 pounds extra but it sure does quieten the car down...

STOCK:


















After Dynamat:




























Lots of stripping, and time to install but well worth it.....