Loud & Low 8th Gen Civic - UBL #3 - The Final Chapter - Up to date

[scooter99]

So I've decided to make yet another UBL. The others were kind of cluttered with plan changes and stuff that didn't work. I don't want to necessarily delete those, because someone may be able to use that information, but I also wanted a UBL that's not so cluttered.

I know that I try alot of ideas, and document alot of pictures. But I do it for everyone's benefit. Someone may learn something from my mistakes, and sometimes I've gone back and looked at my work, and it's prompted me to see something I could've done better and I end up doing that.

So this is going to be the final chapter UBL for my civic build. I will try as hard as I can to keep it on track and to keep it up to date. I update it simultaneously with the build log. So both get done together.

Here we go. I'll start of from the amp rack where I really started things off. If you want to look at the other build log, I'll ink those in my signature.

Now for some real work updates! Yes I got it started finally. Had a couple hours to get some work done yesterday on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon. So I decided to utilize it to get some fiberglass work done. I'll hold onto the secret for now, but you can see the work and wonder for a while. It'll be revealed shortly though, don't worry. Can't keep it secret forever, and when it starts to develop you'll figure it out and see.

So I got the area cleaned up and ready for some foil and tape.

A little bit later, I had an aztec type design and some plastic coverings!

Got some supplies set up, running low on most of it.

Then I cut out some chop and got it in place. I was pretty low on this and thought I was going to have to use some cloth, but it worked out ok.

Time to get some wax on it so it'll come off later!

Then obviously I wasn't able to take pics while I was glassing. But here's the first layer.

Corners

[scooter99]

Second layer added tonight. Went and got more resin and brushes etc, but they had no chop mat so cloth is what I had. So that's what I used. Here we go!

So we'll see if it dries in enough time to pull it out tonight!

Stay tuned for more soon!

[scooter99]

So I was able to pull it out last night and after 2 layers it's pretty stout. It's not meant to be structural, so I'm probably good at these two layers. but I may add a third if I decide it needs a bit more.

I still won't give it away yet, you'll just have to be patient and wait for the next few updates, but I promise you this...................it'll be well worth the wait! I should have some more to show in the next couple of days.

If you want to chat about this or hear all the behind the scenes talk, check out my build log linked in my signature. Thanks for checking in!

[scooter99]

So I left off last time with pulling the fiberglass shell out of the car, and it was next time to clean it up and get things ready to build on it. It came out pretty easily, thanks to the foil I put down!

Then I peeled the foil and tape off. Most of it anyway, cause some of the tape lifted up and the resin got under it. But that's what happens sometimes.

Next I just trimmed off the excess mat that was hanging off. I'll trim it with the grinder later to get a nice square edge.

NOW FOR SOME SEXY TIME!

Had to make a panel for the amps to sit on. This isn't the amp panel, just a template for them so I can get some looking and setting done. Then I'll transfer them to 1/2" birch.

[scooter99]

So here it is. Finally revealing the configuration. Well some of it anyway The best is still to come, but I'll save that for later.

I put the shell and the panels in for some test fitting and some adjustments etc.

Wasn't really happy with that and the angle so I took it out and did some adjustments outside of the car so I wouldn't have to lean over the trunk. At this point I was starting to think the glass pan wasn't going to work.

That was all I got to on Friday night. I had things going on so I had to pack it up and do some more on saturday.

However, the more I thought about it the more I was tempted to toss the pan. Sux cause it's a lot of material and a lot of work, but that's how things go! Try it and if it doesn't work you learn from it.

So I got up Saturday morning, and had a couple things to do in the morning but I went out with the amps and did some testing, no pics unfortunately, and I was much happier without the pan. It's tight in there anyway, and the pan takes up some of that precious space so the pan just simply had to go. Chalk it up as a good experience. So I moved on.

Started feeling around on the deadener, cause it seemed be lumpy and loose. Well, it was. I pulled it all. The black original Dynomat. The rest was good, the foil stuff, but the black mat was just garbage. No big deal, clean slate now. That wasn't why the pan didn't work btw. Just to clear it up before you guys ask.

So the next order of business was to create a flat floor base. The bottom of the well is just too uneven to get a good base and it just made it too difficult to deal with getting the amps straight etc. So, back out comes the cardboard that I use so much. Helps after you've moved too, you have an abundance of it at your disposal!

Worked it a little bit

and finished up a template

Time to transfer that to a piece of 1/4" ply.

Test fit it.

Sits a little high so I marked it for trimming.

Got it trimmed up and it fits perfectly. Sits on the floor flat. Dropped it about a half inch almost.

[scooter99]

So I had a piece of 1/2" birch that I was hanging onto that got all messed up cause it was left out under my leaky tarp at my old house. But most of it is still good so I didn't want to just trash it. So this is the best time to start using it.

You can see how it's weathered. But thankfully it's all on one end and one side. SO about 70% of it is still usable.

And I have just the use for it! Time to transfer the template to it!

Got all that cut out, now it's time to clean it up!

I didn't have any 2 sided foam tape, gotta get some, so I had to improvise. Took some scrap pieces, and used them for spacers, and then screwed the half inch, to the pieces, to the template.

This allowed me also to use these points as feet and stops so the template sandwich wouldn't move. Not the normal way to do it, but hey, works for me.

Add in one router with one flush trim bit,

and you get a matched up template and final piece.

[scooter99]

So while that was good, there was an issue, that I already knew about. I used 1/4" for my template, so if I just put this in there, then it will raise the floor up an 1/8". SO to keep that down, I got a little creative. I actually didn't do the best job on this, but i'm trying not to think about that. LOL you all know how I am!

Anyway, back to the router. I flipped the template over again, and used the 45* bit to angle the edges on the bottom. This will allow it to sit down and clear the edges of the wheel well. This was probably too big of a bit to use, but it's what i had on me. My other one is in my trim router box, and I was too lazy to go get it. LOL

before

after

You can see there that I had it a little low. It cut right at the edge of the top part, maybe a little into it, but we'll see if it will work, and if not, I'll make another one.

The three steps, Cardboard, to 1/4" ply, to 1/2" ply.

Fit test

Not bad. It's a little loose at the curved side, but the back side is perfect. Sits nice and snug in there. This wheel well is not symmetrical so you, and myself, have to remember that. It's going to really show up in a bit.

So now that that's done, it was time to get those panels made into the 1/2" birch.

then there were two!

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TEST FIT!!!!!

These pics you can really see how non symmetrical the well is. See there's about a 1.5-2" difference on the left side.

So I had to make sure the amps didn't extend up above the floor level. I didn't have anything long enough to go from bump to bump on the trunk of the car, not sure if that makes sense or not, but there are bump that raise up on the trunk floor. The floor base for the trunk will sit on those so I have to stay below that level. So I took the two 1/4" templates and put them together with a square to get a straight line and used that for my guide. Here is the height check!

Right side, within an 1/8"

Left side within an 1/8"

That was what I did on Saturday! Good progress! I took the step backwards, and tuned it into 2 steps forwards. I was very happy on Saturday night!

[scooter99]

So I sat Saturday night thinking of how I was going to brace up the panels for the amps. It was too hard to get a protractor in there, and I needed a way to measure the angle. Apparently all I needed was some rest.

Sunday morning I got up, and it hit me!

So I got out a scrap piece of 1/4" ply again. Put the panels in place, and traced the angle.

I cut one side out and then compared it to the other side. There was a difference in angle. Not good for me. So I decided to go with one angle, and then they would match!

Did a little look on the panel, and liked it.

But cutting that was a little bit of a pain in the ass with a hand saw, so I decided to get out the beast of a chop saw!

I love this thing! One of my favorite tools!

So I cut out the size piece I needed from the 1/2" birch, and was ready to chop it down to size.

[scooter99]

Now I must say this:

** I IN NO WAY CONDONE WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO, OR ENCOURAGE ANYONE ELSE TO DO IT! IT'S A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS THING TO DO AND UNLESS YOU KNOW YOUR TOOL YOU'RE WORKING WITH VERY WELL, YOU SHOULD NEVER DO THIS. I KNOW HOW THIS TOOL WORKS, AND I KNOW WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE DONE WITH IT BECAUSE I'VE WORKED WITH IT FOR NUMEROUS YEARS AND HAVE ALOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH IT!**

Ok, so now if you cut your hand or fingers off you've been warned and you're a dumbass, don't blame me! Moving on!

I got my angle finder out, and figured out the angle that I needed for these and transferred it to the saw and locked it in place.

Next I measured out the placement of the blocks, so I could get 2 out of each one, and it was time to get busy!

A short time later, I had neat little braces!! WOOT!

I measured the panels out to get them pretty equal.

Then I got out the counter sink bit and also transferred the lines to the top so I could see what I was doing. Started with the outside two braces.

Then slide the middle two under watching the lines and pre-drilled and attached those.

Then I did the next one. Here they are side by side. Perfect match!

End view, nice and straight and perfectly angled and matched!

[scooter99]

Then I went and did a test fit to see, and had a minor issue. The last braces were hitting the sides of the well preventing them from sitting in place correctly. So I cut a 45 off the bottom back edge and we were golden!

Sit's beautifully!

Now comes the good part! Test fitting the amps once more! WOOT!

Now the final configuration will have the power side at the back, and the signal and adjustment side on the front. Well that's back meaning back of the well (front side of the car), and front of the well (back side of the car). Confusing isn't it! LOL.

Time for a check on height! Perfect!!

NOW, SHIT'S ABOUT TO GET REAL!! Well sort of anyway!

Look who we have here!!

Where's it going to go???

Right here!!!

Well maybe! I did a little look, and there isn't much room to play with to the floor level. This is with it sitting on the amps. No panel holding it up or anything. So this may not work! But I have some things to try first!

So I shimmed it up, about a half inch, giving me a 1/4" to play with above the amps, and then have a platform for it to sit on and anchor to.

Then I put some pieces on the bumps to simulate approx 3/4" to raise the floor up that much.

And then remeasured! Looks good. Got about a half inch to play with! WOOT!

So here is what I'm thinking. I have plans for this, and I can get it in there by raising the floor up. The question is, do I wanna do that. I have another plan that I may do also, but I'll have to think on that a bit before my final decision.

So now that the braces and angles of the panels are set and decided. I needed to anchor those down to the base. I just did some measurements and then did the counter sink and put screws in. SO now they're anchored to the base plate. This is what it looks like outside of the trunk.

Half pipe anyone!?! LOL

So now I have to decide a couple of things. First being these panels. I'm thinking I may do new panels that come out to the ends of the wells and then another piece that goes all the way to the top or just short of the top, or even just flatten out and over. I have reasons for this, that I don't want to reveal yet. But these are those areas. Any suggestions or ideas are welcome as always.

So that's it. Full weekend of working. I have some decisions to make before I continue on, but that will be hopefully very soon.

Thanks for checking in.

If you want to leave comments or suggestions or ideas, or even just shoot the shit about the build, feel free to check out my build log which is linked in my signature! Thanks!