'77 Chevy K10 Custom Install questions.

[KingCutlass79]

Ok, so after quite some time watching Steve's videos on his channel I have to say that I'm very impressed.

I was a former MECP certified installer at a couple shops in California, but unfortunately I didn't really get to design custom boxes like Steve does. Most of my custom work came in the form of stealth installs and classic vehicles like Mustangs, Vettes, Chevelle's etc. where the customer wanted the car to appear stock but have great sound coming from the vehicle.

Well, I've had a few vehicles with a range of systems and have used a lot of different combinations, but they were always sealed boxes and always easily removable for vehicle usage.

Now I have decided to change that. I want to start a whole new install in my truck (which i'm restoring...#3 so far) and I want this one to be crazy.

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Here is a list of components I currently have:

*2 Orion P15D2 series subs in a sealed box. (I made a custom mdf box for the extended cab of my colorado at the time)

*1 Memphis 1100d (MCD1000) amp. I LOVE memphis amps, i can't say enough good things about them. I've had the same amp (previous model) hooked up to Three Infinity 12's in the back of a Celica running stable at .5 ohms. I had to do some cooling to keep the air flow moving, but it would kill inside the car.

*Alpine Head unit with multiple pre-outs. I can't remember the model number off the top of my head and my wife has the truck it's in right now, so I can't look it up. I'm also a fan of Alpine Head units, always liked them, both in style and functionality.

As far as main speakers, I got rid of most of my stash of aftermarket speakers a month or so ago before I decided to do this build. (I am moving in a few days to the west coast, so I probably won't check this thread past tomorrow until I get there. (about a week)

I do however have some nice Pioneer 6 1/2's and Pioneer 6x9's. These are basically all i have left over and they are what I'm going to have to use for now until I can up my mids and highs a little bit.

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Here is where it gets interesting.

I am going to install the 15's, deck and speakers into a single cab 77 K10 4x4.

Second, I am going to switch from a sealed enclosure to a ported/vented enclosure because they are so much more powerful with the exact same setup versus a sealed box.

Third, I changed the truck over to a stepside because the old fleetside was junk and I don't plan on hauling anything with the truck anyway. I have a Yukon and a 26' trailer if I need to haul anything.

SO, here is where my questions start:

1. I want to build the vented box in the bed and port it through the cab, however I'm not exactly sure how to do this in a manner that will be flexible enough to account for frame twist/roll if taking it off road or tough enough not to just vent everything out between the box/bed and the cab.

2. I plan on makng an amp rack that fits along the back wall because I plan on keeping the bench seat in the truck so my wife, my boy and I can all ride in the truck. So where would be a good placement of speakers for this truck? I'm not afraid to cut into the doors or build custom kick panels considering it no longer has a parking brake after I did the disc brake conversion in the rear.

3. I will be picking up another model 1100d to run 1 per sub and a memphis 4 channel to run the mids/highs. So given that the truck has no carpet and I don't plan on putting any in, would it be safe enough to build a channel under the cab to route the power wires and rca's under the body and have them come back in through the firewall? I'm thinking some kind of thinner "C" channel aluminum would work well on the bottom of the cab as to provide adequate rock/dirt/mud protection. I'm concerned about noise pickup through the rca's if they are run below the truck though.

4. Since I will be upgrading to three amps, I plan on running probably 0 gauge to distribution blocks under the seats where they can be hidden with fuseblocks and what not. What kind of alternator would you guys recommend given the amount of power that it will be using?

5. Lastly, box sealing in an exposed bed. I want something that will be solid and only let bass into the truck and not rattle the hell out of the bed but durable enough to be stored outside in the rain. I am moving to Washington, it will rain alot. I am going to bed-line the whole inside and underside of the bed and cab, so will bedliner stick to mdf? I was also concerned with a way to get at the subs later if I upgrade or blow one so that they can be replaced. Don't want to seal it all off and not be able to get to it without destroying the box.

Thanks.

[Neckbeard]

A idea instead of a blow through is to weld the bed to the cab so it flexes with cab instead of the rear of the truck

[KingCutlass79]

I'd rather not weld the cab to the bed personally. I still need to do some work to the bed to finish it and I like the idea of being able to take the bed off to do work on the back of the truck. I still have yet to put the body lift on the cab becuase I was waiting on my steering shaft extension to come in.

I plan on upgrading to 3/4 ton axles in the future, and when I do I will be converting it from leaf spring to 4 link in the rear and coil overs in the front, which is basically a rock crawler setup. When I do that I'll be boxing the frame, so the suspension should do all the flexing and the frame will be mostly rigid at that point.

If this were a 2wd street truck that might work, but in a 4x4 design it needs to be flexible. If it's welded and it twists it could seriously damage the body or chassis.

[-X-RaTeD-]

Nice truck

[KingCutlass79]

Thank you. I have a whole build log worth of pictures and a lot of $ into it already. It may look a little rough on the outside, but I have all new doors and panels to weld on the cab to finish fixing any rust that is left on the truck. I just rebuilt the engine and the whole suspension, everything is new from the frame up.

I didn't think it was necessary or appropriate to post a ton of un-related photos of the truck in a car audio forum.

[David]

The accordion boot is pretty much your only option, unless you have extreme twist and flex in you're frame you should be ok. I can't think of any other way unless you make a custom boot

[KingCutlass79]

I figured something along the lines of rubber conveyor belt since it's thicker and yet still mildly flexible. The truck shouldn't twist that much, but I'd like to have enough room for the possibility instead of just building something solid and then it shatters if the suspension locks.

Any ideas on my other questions?