89 C1500 Build log. 144 @ 28hz, loudest single cab w/o blowthru?

[n8ball2013]

no problem. I rented one and fucked it all up and then returned it. It was a bitch to get the wheel off and even worse connecting the airbags back up. You know how hard it is to connect them when you're as far awway as you can possibly be while looking in the other direciton.

[ChrispyShimp]

Sorry N8, no air bags on my truck, but I can imagine the PITA dealing with the airbag though. Like working around a bomb, right?

This truck has no airbag of any kind on it, so I was spared that bit of fun.

On another note, My mom hates how loud the system is, every single time I turn it up even just for a second she freaks out and thinks a cop will come out of nowhere and give us a huge ticket, even though we have the windows up (It was raining) It's annoying to have a system you've worked on for a long time and not be able to listen to it, it's so bland driving the truck because it's quiet and I'm itching to play my latest favorite, Switchback by CellDweller. I Love how it sounds in there, blows me away how loud and clear I can play it.

If anyone in Longview TX or Gregg county could let me know where the next bass-head meet is, I'd much appreciate it. I have never been to a meet before, and I'd love to stop by and see what it's all about, give a few demos (Dat 23 hz hairtrick kinda demo)

I also want to stop by Twisted's shop and let him see the truck, maybe even get an alt or some sound mat. Many thanks in advance.

I'm also open to suggestions/ideas for the truck, I won't be doing much big build stuff anytime soon, but little experiments on the side, I'm game. I kinda want to pull the wheels off and try my hand at polishing them to a purtty finish, like either brushed or mirror like shine. Any suggestion would be thought over.

Anybody know anything about powder coating? I want to try that some time.

[LotsOroom]

Very nice build up, im going to have to come get a demo one day (I live in Fort Worth) but dude, paint thinner is like $2.00 a can at walmart.

[harlemn8ive]

I love this build. The fact that its a budget build is awesome. Im still a noob and its hella frustrating not being able to purchase the skars dc etc. You have guven me the courage to go forth with a build i can afford. Thanx

[ChrispyShimp]

Very nice build up, im going to have to come get a demo one day (I live in Fort Worth) but dude, paint thinner is like $2.00 a can at walmart.

Wow, You'd come all that way to get a demo? I really appreciate that!

But don't do that just for me, let's meet at a show, like in Tyler, I know sometime's there's an event over there, and I can meet Twisted as well, trade demos maybe.

Also, thanks for the tip, I didn't know it was that cheap, saves me from scraping out the DAP in the gun. (I cringe at the thought)

I really hope that vinyl stays. If you used DAP Weldwood.. you didn't use nearly enough

Yeah I got the smaller can, I didn't know how much the vinyl backing would soak up. Next time I'll get the big can.

Also, that DAP reacts with paint pretty bad, so always be sure to check before you slobber it all over your box like I did. That Matte Aluminum dissolved before my eyes.

[ChrispyShimp]

To harlem8ive, I've done a lot of research (Mostly Google, lol) and I stop by the local pawnshops and have a look around, see what they have. Probably the hardest thing to come by with a budget build is an mono-block amp that will put out a good chunk of power.

70-90% of the amps for sale at the pawnshop (at least the ones around me) are the dirt cheap POS amps that say 4000 watts but

in truth the only manage 1000 RMS @ 1ohm. I don't go by what brand it is, I go by the fuses on the side of the amp.

But this is also not entirely reliable either, as some people actually replace these with larger fuses(rarely) and thus if you go strictly by this, you could be buying a fire hazard. Research the brands, and if it's something you've never heard of, don't buy it, go home, and look it up. Shiny does not mean it's good.

With my Volfenhag subs, I had no clue about the brand, and I went home a looked it up. If you find something you like, Don't buy it, go home, research the brand, look it up on sonic electronics (they have a lot of specs on discontinued items, very nice of them). If it seems to suit your needs, sleep on it, and it you have to have it in the morning, then go for it. (You can also sorta bargain with them, like you'll buy two items for 20 bucks less or so. And remember, you greatest bargaining tool is to walk away)

Typically pawnshops will have something they can use to prove an amp or sub works. MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE they test it and that it works!

I bought a 5 channel amp that had 2 working channels, so make them test each one. I had them test every channel of my G4500 (That took like two fucking hours because they were incompetent) But it all worked and I took it home.

If you are getting a sub and box, ask if you can pull the sub and have a look at the voice coil(s) and condition inside the box. Burnt wires are a sign of way too much power or very poor connections, and you can see if the spider is torn up. Also, smell the box. If it smells horrible, that smell will be in your car every time it plays.

With all the crap and ignorance of the pawn shop and it's customers, there can be some pretty hideous stuff for way too high a price. Be wary of this.

Brands that are almost always good for the money are Rockford Fosgate, JL audio, JBL, Sundown(Very rare, people know it's good) and a few others.

I personally dislike Kicker because SOOOOOOO many noobs swear by them and think they are the best. Way too mainstream. Nothing bad about their product really, they do rated power, but for the price, I'll take a used Rockford over a used Kicker.

If you want to have a special build, kicker is a little too common IMO.

You can get a stomping system going for a pretty nice price, my subs were 250 bucks and the box was water damaged, the wires were burnt, and the subs had quite some rust on the motors, but they are pretty big 12s and I'm more than happy to beat them to death.

Really the most important part in most systems is the box. You get you a good box (And I'm not talking about cookie cutter, one size fit's most, "Oh It's a Probox") kinda box, I'm talking about one designed with your particular subs in mind. The box is the biggest make or break part of the system.

There's a lot of really experienced bad asses on this forum, got to the Sub-woofers and Enclosures section and ask away, they are prompt and very straight forward with enclosure specs, they don't mess around at all, and they will help you get the tuning pretty close to whatever you want.

There's also electrical upgrades that are essential (IMO) to getting the most out of a system.

You've probably heard of the big 3 before, I made it into like the big seven, lol. And please, don't buy the crap ass wire kits at the pawnshop, they really suck.

Don't compromise on the wire, get something decent like from SHCA or Tsunami or KnuKoncepts, they all have some good stuff, complete kits or the individual parts.

Again, research the products out there. Literally, Google it.

Hope this helps you get a build started, and if you do, try and post it!

[ChrispyShimp]

Here's a pic of the black grill, it came out very nicely for less than 10 bucks of paint.

I'm working of getting some videos, I went to several different places and flexed their windows, I'll see if it came out well on camera, if it's good, I'll post it.

[ChrispyShimp]

The bumper is next, but I won't have to scrape all that chrome off, it's still good, and I'll get the black plasti-dip and try to get it to match.

Also I royally screwed up all my videos today, i had the camera recording when I was driving and had it off when I thought I was filming, epic fail!

So all I recorded was the camera sitting in the seat while I drove around. I never looked at the screen and thought I was recording, but it was backwards.

So I'll get some better ones later, having a buddy around to hold that camera really helps.

On another note, I thrashed today trying to get a friend's install done, but he had to leave before we could finish.

He'll update soon, he may just be waiting for it to be finished before he posts. It's gonna be sweet when it's done.

[Smoove]

The grill came out nice.

[ChrispyShimp]

Lol yeah, when all you have is the cheap stuff and the change you manage to scrape together, it really stimulates creativity. Like DIY copper lugs and DIY crimps.

I like to imagine what I could do with a nice budget, so many options open up if you aren't too concerned with feeding yourself. (I eat my wallet empty a lot, lol)