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Astro UBL - 12 12"s in a Clamshell Wall


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Wired in the 4th bass knob cable. Now all four amps work off of the one bass knob. Pictures below (cell phone photos- just so much easier to upload that way...)

While doing this I discovered something pretty cool. The bass knob, as it would seem, is not fully a bass boost knob. When the knob is turned about 2/3 the way up, the system plays at the same level as it does with no bass knob at all. The last 1/3d makes it get even louder. This is good. So- if I'm right, it is more of an attenuation knob. So, less worry about clipping and whatnot (even though Things are O-Scoped). On with the pictures:

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After having them all together with different colors- I really thought about re-doing it all from scratch and use only Blue wire with the lengths all exact for mounting on the amp board... but then I figured- why? Eventually, I will get a nice fiberglass vanity panel up around the back of the box- on the sides and around the Brutus amps. But that is later...

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And last but not least- a new cooler for Scrapin' the Coast. :D

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I do have some more Cool White LEDs and I got some Blue LEDs too- presumably to go hither and thither around the cab- but I dunno if I will do that. It is well lit now for my taste, and the LEDs are crazy bright. We'll see.

Thanks guys!

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Dual alts are in!!! After only about 2 years of meaning to do it too. I didn't take that many photos as I was melting in the heat. I lost 10 pounds in 2 days working in this mess.

A/C compressor pulled out. (A/C didn't work and was giving me fits when I could make it work... so, the space is better suited to a 2nd alt anyway).

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Made a bracket template out of cardboard, transferred that to steel, cut the bracket out with a grinder and cutting wheel b/c that is all I had access to. That was a bear. But- it is done and didn't turn out too shabby. Matched up the holes, got bolts, lock washers, bla bla bla. This pic is with the old belt- it turned out to be a bit too long as the tensioner rode all the way at the bottom.

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Here it is bolted in place, with a new belt. After wearing in, this belt has the tensioner riding right in the OEM groove. B)

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In this picture you can barely make out the red MSD coil that gave out on me after getting everything wired up and running for maybe 30 seconds. It had me thinking that I fried the ECM or something. After some research and some advice from a member here on SMD, I replaced the coil with the 23 year old original and she fired right up again.

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All wired up. I took the harness from the second alt and wired it into the factory harness in parallel. It was literally as easy as matching the wire colors together. For the output charge lead, I had to use 2 runs of 4 awg for the power wire. It was all I had on hand, but it works. Both 4 awgs are wrapped in wire loom and zip tied like crazy. Also, you can just barely make out the air cleaner assembly- I had to get one from a junkyard. The original wouldn't fit with how high this alternator is. I took the donor and cut it up to make it fit.

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So... voltage and amperage is no longer a problem. lol. Yeah, the bass is louder, but better is the word. Even tighter and cleaner than before. Most noticeable is the added clarity and volume in the mids and highs. On the whole, much stronger than before. My wife said the van was "Beast Mode" now. Haha! A funny thing- on punchy bass, the RPMs on the motor will actually drop from the pull from the 2 alternators.... a very strange feeling when driving, because it feels like the van is hitting water puddles -hesitating. Crazy. If I added some proper batteries it would ease that a bit by giving it some more cushion. As it sits now, she is still rockin' the single lead acid. :crazy:

That is all for now- going to Scrapin' the Coast 2012 tomorrow!

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


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Scrapin' the Coast 2012

My Uber Weaksauce Run:

A fun Demo:

It was HOT. Like 100 degrees in the lanes. It put major stress on everyone's vehicles and systems. The van couldn't cut the mustard and gave problems pretty much all day. Nothing really bad though- she just blew some fuses on the TL meter run- nothing burned up, overheated, no scratchy or stinky coils- just the fuses. Needs more batteries for that kind of abuse.

It didn't break a 150, but the van made the full 600 miles round trip at 20 mpg with everything intact. I'm proud of the old girl and I had a great time! :D

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


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Well- redid the soundstage in the Van. Pulled the amp rack for the millionth time, rewired all the RCAs to the amps to be front and rear, removed the lone 3 way active crossover and put the EQ for the subs there. Took a few photos while I was playin' around. :D

Back of one of the 200 watt 2 channels.

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Guts!

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Only 4 mosfets per side. Pity. They still play clean and put out rated or more.

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1999 Team MTX baby!

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The board with the 3-way Xover. That's out now...

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Aaaah the horror!

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Soundstage bits and baubles.

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My son Corban helping me unbox new swag!

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8" MTX Road Thunder Subs for the doors! Circa 1998

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Pulled out the 2 tweeters that were in each side in the factory dash 6x9 location and made a new plate. Then put in one 4" JBL GTI and 1 Silk Dome McIntosh Tweeter:

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Then readied the doors for the 8" MTX Road Thunders. I went easy / lazy and re-used the old door boxes. Just made a new baffle.

The cardboard template:

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Old box with speakers removed. Used to have 2 4"s and 1 5.25- getting ready for 1 8":

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3/4" baffle

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Cut the carpet back and used the Roto-Zip to cut out enough room for the magnet. *Helpful Tip* - Make sure you don't get the rotozip bit close to loose fabric. EVER. lol

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Cleaned up:

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Yeah, I know it doesn't match and looks like I put one piece on top of an existing box... because I did. But it is sealed off.

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Stuffed with Poly-Fill, wired, and ready to go in. These are pretty beefy speakers. They are meant to be subs, but I am running them as woofers. @120 watts RMS Each.

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The driver's side has the bass knob for the 12 12"s, so I had to cut the end and rewire and recrimp it:

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Viola!!

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Ok... on to the pics for the speaker pods for the back. I decided that I was ready for this "rear fill" again. :D I figured out where I was going to put everything, laid out all the speakers, and made templates, then cut baffles, then made my depth with dowel rods (used a hot glue gun to old them in place). Then wrapped them with fleece, soaked them in resin (on the outside and let cure, then filled the inside), smoothed them in bondo, marked the holes, drilled, wrapped the speakers in carpet, installed the speakers and wired everything up.

Baffles cut

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Dowel rods for depth.

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Stapling down the fleece. (Sorry, no crazy colors- white was CHEEEEEEP!)

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Got Staples? :D

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Getting ready for Resin!

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Solid.

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Cut holes for the 4"s and filled the inside with resin too. Double solid. Then Bondo.

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I LOVE You Sander. :wub:

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Un-Interrupted Build Log
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Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


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You know the whole measure twice, cut once deal? Yeah, I measured 10x, marked twice, and cut Once.

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I love you hole drill. These tiny speaker holes would nearly be impossible without it.

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Find the seams. I HATE SEAMS!!!

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I put the cutout carpet material behind the speakers. The whole theory is that it will help break up any reflections or other such nastiness in the box.

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Not yet mounted:

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I used these to join the runs from the Amps to the pods. That way if / when I remove them for whatever reason, I don't have to Cut the wires and work on top of myself.

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Sorry- dark photo. Yeah the stick out, but oh well.

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So, that is it until I get all together photos and / or vid. Although it doesn't look like much, this kind of sucked. LOL. It has been a while since I have had proper rear fill though. As ever, It needs to be tuned again starting with the O-Scoping. But- I like it. -Especially the 8"s in the doors in spite of what they look like.

I believe the rear fill is doing just what I hoped it would.... when the rear speakers are playing, they sound good (other than coming from the back). When I use the fader to bring the front speakers back in- the rear speakers disappear- but when the fader is set to front only, you can tell that a certain something is missing. Back to front and rear and the Image clears up.

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

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Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


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Vid of the Dual Alts Spinning:

Vid of the New Soundstage:

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

Build & Comment Log

Un-Interrupted Build Log
YouTube Channel

Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


You have a beard of a mysterious sea captain. I would follow you to hell and back.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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Speaker grills for the 8"s in the doors:

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Did you know you can use spray adhesive ON speaker grill fabric material? I tried and hey- it worked.

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Much better than without the fabric IMO.

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Both of them done.

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Though I like them better without the grills, they are just begging for someone to put a foot in one of them....

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Ugly and 80's, but safe for old school 8"s. :D

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

Build & Comment Log

Un-Interrupted Build Log
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Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


You have a beard of a mysterious sea captain. I would follow you to hell and back.

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http://hyper-leds.we....com/index.html

HyPer Automotive LEDs supplied 6000k HIDs installed on the Van! :D

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Stripping down again

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The HIDs

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Lenses emptied out

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Lens shield / reflector / whatever. lol

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Secured

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Rubber weather boot

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Light locked in place

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12 - 12"s in the STAY PUFT 1989 Chevy Astro

Build & Comment Log

Un-Interrupted Build Log
YouTube Channel

Chevy Trailblazer 5.1 Dolby Digital DTS Install


You have a beard of a mysterious sea captain. I would follow you to hell and back.

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