97 Dodge Caravan Sport *new vehicle*/ Malibu build PGS 1-22

[Kevin M]

Got a couple teaser pics. I went and got a simple tablet to work as a media player and HD. It was only 83 bux. Not all that bad considering I can use it for all kinds of other stuff. I just have to figure out where to mount it. A couple examples. I'm not really sold on any but the last one. Might be the best integration into the dash.

May have to relocate the climate controls for this idea but it looks the best to me.

I'm going to finish the trim piece for the wall next weekend and start focus on getting this started after that. Looking to do an 8" center channel in the dash too. Trying to work out a design for that now. looks like I'll need that ms8 after all...

[Omega5002]

I like the bottom configuration the best, though you think you can relocate the control to where the vents used to be?

8' center channel, and 15' midbass driver on the doors should be interesting, and I know you'll do wonders with an Ms-8 as well

[Kevin M]

I can drop the climate controls down without any crazy modifications. I was going to do the 8" in the dash but i turned into Mr. Scaredypants when it came to cutting the dash so i got another idea. I picked up some selenium st200 supertweeters from Partsexpress over the weekend and am going to install some 6.5" Alpine and put them on 240 watts. You should be familiar with the Thales. They are just like the pair I sent you a month or so ago. I would like to get the supertweets in the kicks along with the alpines but there isn't much real estate down there so I am going to have to be clever. I'll put up some picks of the new Seleniums when they come in the mail.

I also went and got some 5/8" threaded rod to reinforce the baffle that was flexing nasty style. Almost an 1" (yikes). Here are a few pictures and a video of me putting everything together...

The hardware that I used. There is this combo on either side of both walls. The lockwashers were added after I started a thread and everybody told me to go ahead and use them.

Picture looking int he trunk. Not 100% straight but no big deal. The other is a picture of a couple before and after cutting wheel shots from my dremel.

Picture from the front. I still need to build a trim panel to make it pretty around the port.

[Kevin M]

It's been a while since I have updated but since it is tax time it's time to wrap this build up. I got a couple Deka intimidator batteries. One for under the hood and one for the back. I still need to buy one more, maybe two; and make some copper buss bars. I also got a few dblink fuse blocks so each amp has it's own fusing. Overkill for a system like mine but it should look pretty cool when finished.

I also got a couple 1/3 octave eq's that should be here in a few days. I plan on doing some serious tuning and dialing everything in. Here is a picture of the Crossfire eq's I'm using. They are mono so I have 30 bands of adjustment for each channel. CFQ31M is the model no. I had planned on getting an ms8 but wanted to run these instead. I will be getting a third one of these to tweak the center channel when I get around to building one. Trying to get over the fear of putting a hole in the dash. It is more expensive this way but the aesthetics of having 3 rack style eq's makes it all worth it.

Here is a video showing a little of the batteries.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5iLEt2JEms&feature=youtu.be

...and a video of me demo'ing a track by purplesyrup and cheezin when I got the door flex on camera.

[Omega5002]

Sweet man, those EQ's look nice
Almost thought they were Pro-Audio eq's till I saw the DC input, though being 31 bands, especially on each channel, should give you a lot of tuning options for sure

[Kevin M]

They're based on the pro audio rack units but these are dc. I would run alesis if I could afford it. Still that being said the two of these set me back 260 bux. The gains I will get with these makes it more than worth it.

[Kevin M]

I got the front battery installed. It was a pain for sure. It barely slid in front of the floating mount for the radiator fans. The cables weren't long enough to mount facing up but that's no big deal. Here are a couple pictures. I could see by listening to the stereo that the other battery was deficient. Once I get another I will install the two in the trunk and i should have enough for my power needs. I just need to pick up an agm charger that I can put on the batteries every couple of days.

[Lbox88]

Wow that is a tight squeeze. If your looking for a charger on kind of a budget, the diehard gold works pretty decent. I just throw it in 2A AGM mode and let it run overnight and it tops off my two g31's and g47 just fine.

EDIT: This one, but I think it can be had cheaper at Meijer. At least at the ones here it can. Just don't get the cheaper small speedcharge and $20 float charger ones, They're made by schumacher and fail..... a lot. had two of them try to charge at 16v.

http://www.sears.com/diehard-microprocessor-controlled-battery-charger-and-tester-80/p-02871225000P

[Kevin M]

Thx bro. I will look at meijer first.

[Kevin M]

It's been a while since I updated the thread. I cancelled the order on the two rack style eq's. They couldn't give me an eta on them getting them or delivery so I went another route. Here is one of two kicker 30 band eq's I will be using. It's much smaller than I thought it would be. The subs are still running through the the clarion eq. I like having independent control of the sub output and giving 50 hz a little boost every once in a while. The midbass play down to 60 hz so I'm not sweating it.They can be used in mono and in stereo so I will use it in stereo until I get a second one but after I spend a few hours dialing it in it may be unnecessary. I should have a couple videos of install, tuning, and sq before and after vids in the next couple days.