03 Lancer build and rebuild

[Lumpydonut]

I've been snooping around for a while so I decided it's time for me to post up what I've done so far.

It all started when some kid hit me at school.

I wasn't even in the car at the time so it couldn't have been my fault. Filed the report and he turned himself in a couple days later. After going back and forth between insurance places I got my check, then had to roll in a PT cruiser for a few weeks while my car got repaired. After it got fixed I had some extra cash. Tint came first. I was only 16 so I went the safe route and got the lowest legal percent. After that I had to choose between wheels, or a system. I had just bought new tires for the car when I first got it so I decided to wait on wheels until I needed new ones. So I hopped down to my local audio store to figure out what all I wanted and bought my headunit, amp, and 6.5s. I ended up ordering subs online.

I went with sealed boxes because every ported box I had ever heard sounded like garbage. I wanted crisp bass, not a bunch of air blowing around making it sound loud. Now I have learned a bit since then and know you can have clean bass if you make your box right, but I still think I prefer sealed up. Old stockers

New Alpines

I realize I did a pretty shitty job on the FatMat on the doors but that was because I did it at 6am and it was already hot as hell outside, and I hadn't slept more than a few hours in a week or so. I did a little better on the trunk lid, after breakfast and a monster or two

Seats pulled for easier wire routing.

Wiring, and somewhere to mount the amp.

Nice and clean Amp is mounted behind, didn't get a pic, didn't take too many on the first install because I didn't think it was too amazing. That lasted for a few years, then I got the itch to upgrade. But not before wheels...

Yellow lip is how they came, wouldn't work on a white car so I plasti-dipped them just so I could get them on the car quick, powder coating is in the plans after system. PlastiDip held up very well. This is after a few months and 1 or 2 power washes...

Also plastidipped the letters and grille. I'm not a big fan of chrome.

After all that fun I started deciding on what I was going to get next. The new T1s just came out so I went that route and ordered up 2 of 'em.

Old vs New, I was pretty damn excited.

Decided I was going to go big and build a box and seal off the trunk. Also going to order up some hinges and make my seats fold down, like every car should. But I popped one in one of my old boxes and realized that bitch was heavy. At around 38lbs each my little spare tire cover would snap in 2 if I tried to put them on there, it was already bowing in because its only like 1/8in plastic or something. So I make a new one, 1/2 plywood if I remember right.

[Lumpydonut]

Found some FatMat laying around that I hadn't used, so I decided to do the spare trunk well. After sitting for 2ish years it still stuck, and in 40 degree oklahoma weather. So anyone who says it don't stick obviously don't know what the hell they are talking about.

After wrapping and cutting holes for the hooks to hold it, it fit perfect. Not in that picture but I do also have the trunk carpet still so you cant even see it, I just wrapped it in cheap carpet for the fun of it.

Was just about to order up an alt form mechman and a couple batteries. Hadn't chosen yet, while XS power has great product, I can get Optimas at work for 20% off so I was still thinking. Then bad luck hit......

Timing belt jumped a tooth, and in an interference engine that means bad news. My audio plans have been on hold since then as I am trying to find time/money to get the head either replaced or fixed. Since then one thing after another keeps popping up and not letting me get it fixed, so I took the money I had set aside for alt/batteries and bought this...

The bike, not the girl I had to have something for fun. All work and no play when youre 19 sucks. People kept pulling up to the shop with their garbage systems, and it made me nastalgic about mine. As it happens the local Ultimate Electronics was going our of business so I went in and spent some coin and bought a spool of Monster 8g wire, some speaker wire, and some Stinger RCAs. Put all my old stuff in the GFs car that we share until mine gets fixed, and I am appeased for the time being.

Now it's just a waiting game until I can tear apart my engine and fix/replace the valves and or head. Then it will be back to the plan. I know it's not what everyone around here is used to seeing, but I definitely have big plans once I can get it back on it's feet.

Edited April 8, 2011 by Lumpydonut

[psx2p]

i like the clean build and that sucks about your ride..

[Lumpydonut]

Thanks man! Yeah I can't wait to get it up and running again. I have big plans and I want to see them realized before the end of the summer. I never realized how addicting beat can be, which is why I went so small on the first one. If I knew I was going to enjoy it as much as I do I wouldve went big with the first one.

On another note I forgot to add that I went with two boxes because I used my trunk a lot and two boxes is easier to remove than one. Now that I have a second vehicle to tote stuff around I am sacrificing my trunk for the love of bumpin