Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Alright, so here’s the build log of the biggest car audio project I’ve taken on by myself. This first post will be mostly text, old pictures, and explanations, so if you just want new pics, keep scrolling. As stated on the previous page, changes made are:
1. New subwoofers
2. New sub install
3. New trunk wall
4. New amplifiers
5. Completely new amp rack
6. New wiring
7. Some more flash in the install
To start off, here is what the last completed install looked like:
Amp rack built by Mark Brooks, ported enclosure for Dayton HO’s built by Ryan Slade. Looked good, sounded good.
When Ally decided on an infinite baffle subwoofer setup in her car, we decided to test her old sub, a DB Drive K3 15D4 against her new Acoustic Elegance SBP-15 in my car while she ironed out the details of her install, which led to this thread: Thanksgiving break IB install/driver comparison
So after that, the DB Drive sub stayed in my car for a long time, and was used at FreezeFest and SBN, just like this:
I liked the ability of an IB setup to play so clean and low, so I wanted my next install to include a pair of IB15’s. The Acoustic Elegance ones are incredibly hard to find, so I looked into Fi, Dayton, IA, SSA, Gladen, JBL, Image Dynamics, and probably some others. I had response graphs out the wazoo, and probably any of them would have been a good choice, but in the back of my mind, I still wanted AE subs, so I held off on that purchase for months longer than I intended.
While waiting, I drew up how it should look. I planned on building a wall in front of the subs with a removable grill to protect them, just like this:
So that takes care of changes 1, 2, and 3.
Fast forward like 3 months to the Spring Fling competition in Tennessee, and my right side amp gets fried. My fault, but that certainly throws a wrench in the gears. They don’t make the MB Quart DSC4125’s I was using anymore. I was planning on switching amps eventually, but certainly not this soon.
Couple fried FETs:
So quickly to the drawing board, I figured I’d just replace the 2 front stage amps with something that’d be a drop in replacement. But since my accident at the competition was due to the circuit boards being exposed, I decided the next install would have the covers remain on the amps. Then came deciding on which amps to get. I played around with a design involving more Clarion DPX amps to match the subwooferamplifier that I thought would look pretty cool. I’ve always been more in the “a watt is a watt, amps basically sound the same” camp. But for this one, after some convincing, I decided to try some high end amps after I thought of a way to make them look good too.
After seeing some of the awesome builds on this site, especially those from Bing, I wanted to emulate some of the techniques and design ideas in my own build, doing the work myself, especially now that I have a router, courtesy of Chuck. So that takes care of my reasoning behind changes 4 – 7. There may or may not be some speaker updates coming as well.
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
After replacing the front sub with the Dayton, I still felt like working on stuff, so I started on the wall that would go behind the subs. The goal was for everything to go together like the previous install without screws so panels could be removed quickly by hand if need be. This piece would be braced between the amp rack on the bottom and the rear center seatbelt mechanism on top.
A few cardboard templates later, and I had this:
And here it is in the car:
It was during this that I learned my trunk is not symmetrical at all. The curves on the sides are completely different, and the spots that I used to measure where the cutout would go are obviously not the same difference from the center, evidenced by the unequal spacing of the cutout. Lame.
Take 2: Wall is taller, cutout is taller and narrower, and the side curves fit better. Win, win, win.
So then a floor piece was cut to cover the wires and brace against the wall and the baffle to support them.
And it was carpeted:
The original plan was to have a thin trim ring press fit into the cutout in the wall, and another similar piece covered in carpet and grill mesh that would press fit in the cutout to protect the subs. The stupid trim rings like this gave me fits. I could never cut them to exactly the right size.
It’d look perfect, but then it’d flex a tiny bit when fit into the cutout since it was so thin. I tried making the grill with a piece this thin as well and it was also too flimsy. I went through about 5 of these rings before I gave up and did it a better way.
Now, back in time again, Ally happened to see the AE IB15’s pop up in the classifieds a few weeks ago, 5 minutes after they were posted. I emailed the seller ASAP and was able to pick them up despite like 25 other people wanting them. Huge victory for my install thanks to her being bored.
So the day I got them, I built a baffle out of two ¾” sheets of MDF screwed and glued together just like my test baffle, except cut much cleaner this time and with nicely countersunk screws. Carpeted on both sides since it’ll be viewable from both sides, and attached to the car using twice as many brackets as the test baffle, as well as additional screws. Sealing was done in the same was before with thick compressible foam, just with carpet over it this time. The baffle is completely sealed, and there is no messy expanding foam in this install.
Here’s the baffle in the car with the subs mounted:
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Some more boring stuff before I get to the cool stuff:
The wall was carpeted and checked for fitment in the car:
Speaker wire for the subs techflexed and heat shrunk:
Color coded just like the rest of the wires:
Now, to go with the black amps that I'd be using, I decided on silver carbon fiber vinyl to provide a nice contrast with the dark equipment and dark carpet. Here it is applied to the trim ring, which I got right this time routing out a portion of the wall on the back for it to fit in:
Close up of the pattern:
You'll see more of that stuff later.
Next, it was time for the grill to cover the subs. I used some black diamond mesh grill with around 72% open area. This should breathe enough so that the subs are still IB even when the grill is in place.
It was cut and attached to another 1/4" MDF ring, then carpeted. Here's a close up from the back:
To add some visual excitement, I decided to do some raised lettering with the RALLI ///// ///// ART logo. This was painstakingly measured to scale, cut, carpeted, and applied to the grill. Here's the result:
And here it is pressed into the wall:
I have some tiny neodymium magnets to use if it won't stay press fit once the 1.79 square feet of cone area starts moving air.
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Impressive
Are you covering the front side so those brackets arent viewable?
2010 MECA Extreme World champion,
2005 IASCA World Champion Pro 600+
2010 MECA Mike Baylor Sportsmanship Award
2011 MECA SQL Spirit Award
2012 MECA SQL Judge of The Year
2012 IASCA FINALS SQ/INSTALL Judge
2012 USACi Japan Finals Judge
Looks good man. I'm sure it feels great when you can look at it and say, "I did that". There's nothing wrong with getting help, but it feels that much better when you know you did the work yourself...especially when it turns out well.
Can't wait to hear it too.
.
Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.
I've always felt like at certain frequencies some of the wires in my dash would rattle against stuff, so I finally did what I had been meaning to do for a while, which is cover them in foam:
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Thanks man! It was great meeting you as well. Glad you enjoyed the car. Seems like we have similar preferences as far as tuning, so I definitely liked yours as well.
I finished the trunk last night, and I'm extremely happy with how it came out. Pics coming soon.
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Alright, I finally got around to taking and uploading all the pictures.
I was holding off on some of the details until I got it all done, but now it is. So, to pick up where I left off...
I wanted to use edge-lit plexi in this build after seeing such cool installs with it. Some of you may have caught it in one of the above pics, but there is a 1/2" plexi ring that is flush with the silver carbon fiber trim around the opening in the wall.
Tried the LEDs too and they worked... for a while. The strip ended up cracking right at the beginning, so I had to cut off then resolder all the wires just ahead of the cut. It works again.. but that sure scared me.
LEDs will be powered and controlled by this unit:
IR remote mounted under the switch for the normal trunk light:
After some consideration, I decided to replace the MB Quart Discus series amps with Mosconi One series 120.4's. The Clarion DPX11551 would remain the subwoofer amplifier, but the logo would be rotated and the cover painted black to match the color and texture of the Mosconis.
To gain a bit of extra trunk room, this amp rack is sunken slightly into the spare tire well, still retaining the tire itself.
Here's a shot of the floor piece. It sits on the tire itself on standoffs so wires can pass underneath.
Here's the piece that the amps will mount to:
Carpeted and spacers added to the sides so that the Mosconis and Clarion sit at exactly the same height:
Some holes drilled for wires and test fit with the amps. Note the black cover for the Clarion amp.
Mounting panel for the distribution block and LED control unit carpeted and standoffs added:
Mounting panel for the Mosconi 6to8 processor carpeted, standoffs added, wires zip tied:
Final mounting spot for amp rack and wiring:
Now for the main false floor piece that will cover everything with a cutout in the middle to show the amps.
Piece was cut and given a roundover:
Middle became the cover piece with raised Mitsubishi logo: (sorry for the dirty lens on this one)
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Next up is the trim piece for the amplifiers. One of the most precise parts of the project.
A piece of 1/4" MDF was cut to fit perfectly around the amps:
Then trimmed to fit behind the main floor piece:
Next, the plexi to go around the amps was cut and sanded:
Trimmed so that LEDs fit perfectly around the perimeter:
LEDs attached with black tape:
Trim piece covered with silver CF vinyl and attached to the floor piece along with the plexi to check fitment:
Everything fitting correctly... begin final assembly.
Cover pieces for the distribution block and processor were cut and carpeted, and then everything put together.
The narrow floor piece that goes between the back of the wall and the baffle which is shown in the second post on this page is the "keystone" of the trunk install. Once the main floor piece is pressed down, this piece is pushed down and locks everything in place. It braces between the baffle and wall so that nothing can move. It's all very solid.
So here it is, the final trunk.
In full stealth mode:
Remove the carpet and you see the new false floor with the cutout and raised Mitsu logo:
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Pop off the Ralliart grill and you see the AE IB15's on the 1.5" baffle through the cutout in the wall, trimmed by the silver carbon fiber:
Remove the cover piece for the amps, and you see the two Mosconi One 120.4's and the custom painted Clarion DPX11551 trimmed in silver carbon fiber vinyl.
Both together:
And now for the lighting:
Red (because it looks awesome):
White (because it really lights up the silver trim)
Blue (because the Clarion logo lights up blue)
It can do other colors too, but those are my favorites.
So there you have it... the product of 2 solid weeks of work. I'm very happy with how it came out and proud to be able to say I did it all myself. This has definitely given me even more respect for the work that installers do. My fingers and back and legs and everything have been so sore at the end of each day.
Thanks again to Chuck for the plexiglass and having all the right tools to work with it. And of course to Ally for being the invaluable extra set of hands whenever I needed and someone to bounce ideas off of (even though she'll tell you I never listened to her)
Anyway, I think it looks good and it also sounds fantastic. I'm very happy with the new amps and subs. I'm going to a competition this weekend so I'll see if the judge agrees.
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
Quote:
Originally Posted by DAT
Dang, TEAM AP always has the best Installs, did Ally do this for you?
j/k Nice work!
Haha thanks. There were probably dozens of times when she wanted to drag me away from it. But she was a big help when I needed it.
Anyway, first thing I did after this was completed was drive 800 miles in one day with a big old suitcase in the trunk. It passed this test with no damage or overheating or anything, so I think it's good to go.
I do still have to do the trim panel for the subs on the cabin side, but I'm gonna take a bit of time to just enjoy it before anything else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by m0sdef
Install looks great. Those AE IB15's look so sexy!
Thanks and I agree. I love how the light reflects off the backs of the spokes.
Re: '04 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart - First Build Log
"Man I wish I could listen to some Tatooine, Wind & Fire right now."
Linear Mode
