Black Beauty Project Build - 06 Ford F-250 Super Duty **1/27/18 - New pics starting on page 41**

[scooter99]

Damn, work blocked Photobucket. WTF am I going to do all night? lol looking good though from the video.

Looks great man, I really wish I had some of that ultra cover black laying around, all I had was rustoleum and it takes forever to cure lol

Just went back to the beginning because I want to see how you built that box, but the pics arent working

Thanks guys. Sorry the pics aren't working, I'll have to see what's up. I haven't looked to see if they're working for me or not yet. I'll go take a look. One of the many many MANY reasons I hate Photobucket, but the problem is while I can host off of Facebook, which is where I used to do it, I can't get Facebook on at work number one, but secondly my truck forum that I belong to and copy this thread to doesn't allow pics from Facebook. So I have to have a direct url site which is where Photosuckit comes in. Anyway, I'll take a look.

In other news. I got quite a bit done yesterday. Started a couple of new projects, got some ideas about wiring, had to fix my existing dash that cracked last time I took it out, and made a change on the dash for the tablet.

I also sat down last night and went over my enclosure details, because I was kind of disappointed yesterday after having it in the truck. It looks like my calculations were wrong. Or at least it seems that way. I had this enclosure at around 1.15cu ft and tuned to 34-35 hz. I think I said that in the video. After rechecking the specs on sketch up and running it through a couple of enclosure calculators, I'm closer to 1.05 cu ft, and tuned to around 40hz. So when I set up yesterday, I tuned the amp to I think 100hz on the crossover, and put the subsonic at 35hz. Well I kept bottoming out, or getting the mechanical slapping noise.

I didn't have time last night when I figured this out, but I think I'm going to get the CC1 back out, and re tune it to 100hz and 40hz on the SSF. See where that gets me. I also need to remember it's purpose. I'm trying to tune it as a sub right now, and when I go to the center console with it, it's purpose will be mid bass which as it sits right now would serve it well.

I have lots of pictures, but I didn't get any video of it playing. Maybe I can work on that tonight, I'll get a before video and see if I can re create the slapping. Then re tune it and see if that changes anything. I am still planning a sealed enclosure, to see what that does, but I want to see where I can get this one first before I do that.

It's going to be a bit before I can get pics up, but I'll work on it throughout the morning.

[scooter99]

Just went back to the beginning because I want to see how you built that box, but the pics arent working

So I just went back and looked and they are working fine for me. Not sure what was up. Sorry.

[scooter99]

Ok so a few posts back I said I was fixing my head unit and it morphed into something else. Well that something else was me installing the amp and sub and one of my xp950's. Not sure I needed to do that, but I figured it couldn't hurt and I needed to run the cable anyway. So that's why I did it.

Love these SHCA Machined parts!

SO glad I made the lead so long for the enclosure. With it sitting on top of the seat like it is, it would be difficult to connect to the amp. This way I could set the box outside and connect it.

I wound up messing with it for so long, and tuning it and listening etc, that by the time I was done I was disappointed in it and didn't take a video. I'll try and do that tonight. The enclosure feels so much bigger than the numbers say it is. I have my doubts about it being in the center console, but I think I can make it work. So that was it for the enclosure. It's in, it's playing and i'll do some more tuning with it considering my new information and see where I'm at after that. I wish I could afford an IM-SG so I could see exactly where i was tuned and all that. But I just don't have the funds for it right now. Would certainly make life a little easier though.

I started a new project this weekend as well. I said before i cracked my dash panel that is currently in my truck, which sucks, but that's life. But I had to fix it. So while I had that down and on the workbench, I decided to pull the HVAC unit and the roof cubby and see what I could do with it, how close it was as is, how much work it would take to make work, etc.

First off I'm sorry ahead of time. I sucked with these pictures. It was honestly let's see if I can get this thing off, and it morphed into getting it out and it was a bit tricky so I said to hell with putting it back in for pictures. So, like I said, Sorry. I'll explain though.

So these are the pieces together. Obviously on the workbench but just imagine them flipped over and on the roof.

The two pieces are held in by metal clips. They're tight, or at least they were in my truck. Just pull and they'll come off. I would think if you have one of those interior panel tools, that might make things a bit easier. But just pull the outer shell off.

Now you're left with this inner piece.

This end is right up by the windshield. See the metal clips? You can pull this end out, again it's tight.

This is on the other end. Once you've pulled the front end down, you won't be able to swing it down, it'll be stuck and I'll address that next. Once the front is loose you should be able to slide it towards the front of the truck a little bit, and then pull this tab out. Again, still won't be able to take it down but it'll be loose of the frame now.

You can see in this picture there's a long tab on the side. This is what makes things tricky! See the line on the tab? That's the dirt line from the headliner. There's about 3/4" on either side that sticks over on the top of the headliner. Well if you look at it, if you are still in your truck, you'll see there's about 1/4" between the side of the inner panel and the headliner. So do the math. 3/4" x 2 = 1 1/2" and 1/4" x 2 = 1/2". So you have to figure out how to maneuver 1" of excess in there. If you carefully, CAREFULLY, pull down the headliner so it's lower than the entire piece, you should be able to slide the piece to one side, then pull the other side down, and slide it out.

Now, take a break because that was a PITA!!

[scooter99]

Then of course I have my HVAC Controls. To remove that it's just 4 5mm screws. I think it was 5mm. Might be 4, I can't recall they're pretty dang small.

I just started messing with it after that to see how it would or wouldn't fit. Knowing what I know now about the clips and how this goes together that presented a couple of new challenges. As you can see here I couldn't get it to go all the way in, without hitting the clips.

Still has to be cut to fit, but there's a long way to go from here.

Also going to have to cut the inner piece to fit as well. The issue there will be keeping the clip holes so it can go back together the way it's supposed to.

I started looking into the actual control body a bit to see if I can shave any girth off of it. I found these tabs. You push them in and the front releases.

on both sides

But then it has 2 ribbon cables. Careful not to pull those too hard. In order to get the rest out, you'll need to remove 4 star screws. They're super tiny. I don't remember the size, but I had to use my Husky Micro Driver Set.

While we're here, I took a picture of the back. There are a whole bunch of pins to this thing that are going to need to have a whole bunch of wire routed to extend this thing. Oh well, if customization was easy, everyone would be doing it right! LOL

[scooter99]

This is what you're left with after sliding the back off.

Now comes the fun part. Started taping off on where to cut.

There's not turning back now! OH MY!

The unit slides in much easier and has much more room without that back on the controls! So that's how it will go down. I may need to make a new case or something for the back part though. I'll deal with that later.

I had some more adjustments to make.

Now I'll get down to the dirty! Taped off the controls.

Put it in place, and ca glued the tape to the panel. This way I don't ruin the actual controls with the ca glue.

And I think we're just about ready!

[scooter99]

I have for sure gotten my use already out of this kitty hair. I think it may be the best investment I've made yet. LOL.

Not pretty but it's on and filled.

after waiting a while, it dried and I pulled the controls.

Did some sanding and cutting and getting it knocked down.

Did a little test fit. Put it on the shelf for effect. I like it.

It was starting to get late in the day, so I decided if I need to put the controls back in the truck, I'll need something to give me the control effect so I decided to cut a piece of 1/4" mdf and glue it in place. This will give me the area I need to fill to and all that without actually needing the controls.

[scooter99]

With that set, its filler time!

Then did some sanding. LOTS of sanding.

That was where I left that last night. It'll take a bit more work and lots of sanding to get it where I want it. But in a few short hours I'm happy with it.

While all of that was going on, in between drying etc, I worked on the dash panel too. I made some changes. BIG changes.

I've been kicking around the idea of the CTS 2 on the left side of the dash. Most of you know. Well when I pulled the dash off this weekend I found there was a ton of room back there to be able to re route the HVAC duct. I had already made the decision to put the monitor over there, just whether or not I could do the upper or the lower part. I would prefer the upper part, but it was depending on lines and invasion and some other things. I just want the dash to flow.

Well after looking at the right side over the tablet, and looking at how the lines were there, compared to the right side where the factory lines were still there, I was suddenly not happy at all with it. They're rounded over the tablet, I lost the sharpness of it, and on the right of course it's sharp. SO I took that into account.

Let's get started.

Here's where I'm concentrating today. I pulled the tape and paper from around the area. Immediately I was unhappy. I didn't do a good job taping and some of the paint flaked. But now I'll worry about that down the road.

This is where I'd like it.

The problems I'm facing are the intrusion into the gauge area, and the size of the monitor overall. But this would be the most ideal spot to put it.

I like this, but it is a touch low. I could live with it, but it's not my favorite spot as I originally wanted.

So I grabbed the pan I made Friday night, and trimmed it down as I said I would.

Then taped off the area I wanted to work with.

[scooter99]

Then it all spiraled out of control. I let the air saw loose again!

Put the pan and the monitor in place.

Like the result so I ca glued it in.

and then the vent below.

It's all really tight in there. I managed to retain the dash clip there. But as you can see it was tight.

SO I taped off the gaps up front, and mixed up some more kitty hair.

After some drying time, I pulled the tape up front. Filled in nicely.

[scooter99]

Next I did a lot of sanding on the panel.

All over. here around the tablet, recall there were some concern areas, so I figured i'll just sand the whole thing, and fill where I need to and essentially start over, sort of.

Now, remember that the reason I over load on pictures is to learn and post my mistakes and hopefully people can learn from them. Well I learned from a mistake I made in the early goings of the tablet install. Recall the tablet didn't have square edges. It has rounded edges. If you will remember I filled to the top edge, and when I removed the tablet I had a bad failure because the filler cracked around it. Well, I remembered that here. I want a flushed look on this monitor, but it also has rounded edges.

So how do I fix this? I bring the monitor out to the mid point where it's the highest, and use that as my square edge. To do this I just overloaded the back with foam tape.

Then I put some wax on it, and put it in place.

[scooter99]

And just like that, it's ready to fill.

And I went around the whole panel and filled the lines and flaws, etc.

That's pretty much how I left it. It was getting late, and i was getting tired. So this is how I left it. I should've sanded it last night when it was in that green stage, but I didn't. SO I'll work on that next time.

It was for sure a roller coaster weekend. In all that I was supposed to change my glow plugs, harnesses, and fuel filters as well, but I never got to that. oh well. There's always next weekend.

That's it for now.