Help/info for 1st fiberglass sub enclosures in Chevy HHR

[HHR Panel Man]

I am gonna give making a pair of custom fiberglass sub boxes a try for my Chevy HHR Panel.
Initial thoughts with my audio/video install was to build some type of sub box amp rack Combo in the rear spare tire well.
But as my daily driver/semi show car that my HHR Panel is to me, I really did not like the idea of loosing the spare tire.

I have been using one Pioneer TS-W3002D4 12 In. Champion Series PRO subwoofer, in a Atrend E12Sv B Box Series 12-Inch Single Vented subwoofer Enclosure, takes up Alot of room in the back area and hinders hauling stuff in general, and with my added rear seat in my Panel when the 60/40 split rear seat is folded down the sub box slides all over the place in back.

Amazon.com: Pioneer TS-W3002D4 12 In. Champion Series PRO subwoofer with 3500 Watts: Car Electronics

Amps will be under the rear floor area above the spare tire, mid self area sandwiched inbetween and will eventually be Dressed up for Show in some fashion.

Sliding big sub box has gotta Go and I want Two of the Pioneer 12" subwoofers.

I found a Custom subwoofer install done in another HHR, contacted the owner and he had them custom made at SONUS Car Audio in Clarkesvile TN. I called and talked to Mica the owner of the shop and was told they were about $450.00 Each. So looking at about a Grand for the pair actually installed/mounted in the HHR.



Add in that I am in the Chicago IL. area and your adding in Traveling to that shop, 3-4 days of sitting around in a hotel room while they are being made and installed, plus feeding myself while waiting and driving back home, will add to that Grand.

I just can't afford a grand for 2 small sub boxes, so I will have to give it a try myself.

I'll be ordering up stuff from US Composites. I found this fiberglassing tutorial >
Fiberglass subwoofer box - a tutorial
( Unless there is a Local place in the Chicago area to buy from? )

And have been watching vids on youtube. And searching the web for even more info.

I'm not working (accident/injury at work) so I have nothing but Time on my hands to give this project a try.

At worst, I waste $150.00 or so in materials and keep the current sub box.

From the looks and from talking to the owner, looks to be a MDF backing and then a MDF Ring mounted off center then fleece stretched over it and resined, add some layers of fiberglass to the inside, and maybe a layer on the outside. and bondo it out smooth.

Originals were covered in black vinyl, and are 10" subs.
I may opt for automotive paint.

Gotta figure out how I can mount them in the space, thinking threaded rod in two places through the backing MDF?
Any other tips, tricks, recommedations or even ideas on how to complete this project ? I would appreciate the input.

(I was a body and fender man for about 12 years full time a long time ago)

I'll be asking alot more questions and hopefully I can get this project started and documented with pictures as I go along.

Thanks for any info and help you care to share. Ideas on how to build these?

[vwjmkv]

sub'd! im thinking about doing this my self in a 2008 Jetta, the shop i went to was asking 350+ for a sub enclosure. i ended up paying 250 (should have paid less) because what they made was subpar (no pun intended) and not what i asked for at all... so i will try the ifberglaassing on my own in the summer. GOOD LUCK !

CC

[BoomHz]

Are you tryin for the same design?

And look for a boat shop in your area for resin and material. Epoxy is not needed.

[HHR Panel Man]

Originally Posted by BoomHz

Are you tryin for the same design?

And look for a boat shop in your area for resin and material. Epoxy is not needed.

Pretty much same kinda design. I know my subs are 12" and I will need to expand the boxes for a little more depth I believe. To get the required •sealed box volume: 0.5-1.0 cubic feet •ported box volume: 0.8-1.6 cubic feet.

I Need / Want my floor space Open, and this type of install will allow that, plus let me use 2 subwoofers.
I just bought and recieved a second Pioneer GM-D8500M mono amp, and will be ordering up a second Pioneer TS-W3002D4 subwoofer and the matching Grill.

These were just done, and posted on a HHR Forum I am on and it's a perfect solution for me and to be able to have a pair of subs without sacrificing floor space or my spare tire, jack and other things I would like to carry in the well area.

As I said, I do have 12 years of body and fender, and auto painter experience, I have a complete woodworking shop in my garage, 6HP 80 Gallon air compressor, sandblasting cabinet, fully tooled to do just about anything, garage is Heated and is AC'ed as well.

I just never made a subwoofer enclosure before. Not saying it won't be hard to do, just that I can't afford to spend that kinda cash having them custon made.


I gutted the interior and sound deadend 90% of the interior roof to floor, doors are done with a layer on the inside outer door skin and then the door is sealed up and a layer on it directly behind the interior door panels, roof and floor are 100% covered, rear spare tire area is 100% covered as are the rear quarter panels.I did not tear the dash out to get in behind it and the firewall, to much work to do that. Huge improvement in the car overall. In the area were the door speakers are I did add a 12"X12" area with 3 layers (4 total overall) directly behind each of the speakers.

This pic shows the area with the interior panels in place, the rear floor is in the upper positon to help keep the current subwoofer from sliding all over the place in back. The Flat area, were the glass would have been, is a seperate piece and can be removed, without having to cut up the interor panel.

Ideas and thoughts on how to do this is what I am looking for, not sure how to achieve the outer rim area that fits around the outside edges.

Not sure how much materials I will need, 2 gallons of resin, sheet of 3/4" MDF, and how much and what kinds of fiberglass should I get?

Thanks

[HHR Panel Man]

Nobody has any ideas on creating these?

Is 3M Fiberglass Resin OK to use?

Could really use some ideas on building these.

[vwjmkv]

i haven't built a fiberglass box myself, but from reading around here, 3M is no bueno. uscomposites.com has good quality material and layup resins. i would go there. that's where i will go to purchase my stuff when I'm ready.

CC

[HHR Panel Man]

Originally Posted by vwjmkv

i haven't built a fiberglass box myself, but from reading around here, 3M is no bueno. uscomposites.com has good quality material and layup resins. i would go there. that's where i will go to purchase my stuff when I'm ready.

CC

Yeah I heard of them, just hate to have to order online, rather find stuff locally in case theres a problem. I have read of some getting a bad batch of resin, time (Days) would be lost if I got one.

Hoping some with experience would chime in and offer up some ideas on how they would make these. South burbs of Chicago here.

[getonerd]

i been using good old bondo fiberglass

i would cut some mdf to match that bottom shelf do a few layers of mat pop the glass out shape to whatever you want it to look like

[07azhhr]

3 boxes so far using the 3m resin I recommended you on our other site are all doing or had done just fine. My latest box in my HHR is 99.8% fiberglass.

[BoomHz]

Sorry, woman overheated the computer........lost my processor............desk with these damn convienent CPU tower cabinets aren't worth a shit!!!

Anyways u started yet or still looking for what you want?

[SHAGGS]

If you haven't picked up supplies yet, here's a place in Chi-town you might want to check out. EAGER PLASTICS-Chicago. MSDS for silicones, epoxies, urethanes and polyester resins.

[jhmeg2]

homw depot is where I get my glass and resin. Never had a problem. And yes fleece works great, but you can use almost anything that will stretch and absorb the resin. PM me if you want help on this build. I can walk you through a few things, and depending on how far you are, I might be able to come down and help if needed.

[Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX]

For the sake of not writing it all out... look here, posted a bunch of tips..

First custom sub box


If it's not mentioned, the hardener is what usually goes bad, NOT the resin...

ALWAYS do a small test batch FIRST mixed in the proper ratio, resin, bondo, ANYTHING that's 2 part... (this is one of the few times you'll see me write ALWAYS/ANYTING)