My carbon fibre sub enclosure
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
My carbon fibre sub enclosure
When I first got my 952 I thought I would just put a nice head unit in, as I didn't want to go all out on a system in it. I was in car audio industry for 20+ years and built a system in my last car that won the state and National SQ championship in Pro-class. I also had a business doing show car custom installs for many years, but I got the 952 to enjoy driving in.
My initial idea was get a head unit with all the cool stuff my old SQ system lacked, like Nav, iPhone integration, etc. I got the head unit fitted but soon realised I was never going to be happy with the 4x6 speakers, and as I wasn't interested in doing build outs in the doors etc, the only way to get better sound was fit a sub.
I was using a little MTX thunder 6000 10" sub in my old daily driver and decided it would be ideal for the 952. The sub doesn't need a huge box.
Well I had a look at the boot/hatch/trunk area, and decided against using the well behind the wheels, as I still wanted to carry tools, compressor, oil etc. Ditching the spare wasn't an option I would ever entertain.
I finally decided to use the rear quarter corner area and limit box to the seam where wheel well cover is hinged. I also decided to do box in carbon fibre, as it looks sexy but is also dark and so more stealth than doing a guards red FG box, and classier than going carpet or vinyl.
OK so I got some cardboard and the madness began.
Then I got some MDF and built base and fascia
Some glue, screws, and clamps and the box begins to take shape
Then some bog/auto filler/bondo to smooth things out (then a truck load of sanding)
test fit before things get to advanced
6mm mdf is glued in place in sections to build rear and side walls, then they are sealed with fibre glass and filler.
more and more FG and filler
The fascia is resined with black tinted resin, so any gaps in the carbon fibre weave don't show, and carbon fibre is laid down when its at B stage(tacky)
Carbon fibre on and now just building up some resin layers before it gets polished
Well that's it so far but will update with more pics
peace
My initial idea was get a head unit with all the cool stuff my old SQ system lacked, like Nav, iPhone integration, etc. I got the head unit fitted but soon realised I was never going to be happy with the 4x6 speakers, and as I wasn't interested in doing build outs in the doors etc, the only way to get better sound was fit a sub.
I was using a little MTX thunder 6000 10" sub in my old daily driver and decided it would be ideal for the 952. The sub doesn't need a huge box.
Well I had a look at the boot/hatch/trunk area, and decided against using the well behind the wheels, as I still wanted to carry tools, compressor, oil etc. Ditching the spare wasn't an option I would ever entertain.
I finally decided to use the rear quarter corner area and limit box to the seam where wheel well cover is hinged. I also decided to do box in carbon fibre, as it looks sexy but is also dark and so more stealth than doing a guards red FG box, and classier than going carpet or vinyl.
OK so I got some cardboard and the madness began.
Then I got some MDF and built base and fascia
Some glue, screws, and clamps and the box begins to take shape
Then some bog/auto filler/bondo to smooth things out (then a truck load of sanding)
test fit before things get to advanced
6mm mdf is glued in place in sections to build rear and side walls, then they are sealed with fibre glass and filler.
more and more FG and filler
The fascia is resined with black tinted resin, so any gaps in the carbon fibre weave don't show, and carbon fibre is laid down when its at B stage(tacky)
Carbon fibre on and now just building up some resin layers before it gets polished
Well that's it so far but will update with more pics
peace
#4
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
CF 1200mm x 1000mm was $100 shipped. Probably about same in FG, resin, filler, and MDF. It's hard to say how many hours as just been an hour or 2 after work here and there, and some 4-6 hour sessions on days off, but I started it about 3-4 weeks ago. I have RDO tomorrow so will get closer to finishing it. I am also fitting a trim ring in CF as a separate piece, as there was no way to get CF to work, if it was added to box.
thanks for the compliments guys. I am really happy with how it's turning out, as it is the design I envisaged in my head before I started. Often things just don't finish as you planned they would.
thanks for the compliments guys. I am really happy with how it's turning out, as it is the design I envisaged in my head before I started. Often things just don't finish as you planned they would.
#6
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Join Date: May 2009
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Looks like a nice job..... Curious as to how you are securing it in place. I'm assuming it's attached in some manner. And assuming such, how much work is it to access the right side rear cubby?
TIA
TIA
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#8
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I will be securing it to the carpet, and as it is a 45 degree angle and running along the hinge line above the cubby, i will be able to tilt it to access the cubby. It also pressure fits under the lip below the glass, so won't tip over. I may add the hook part (in strips) of velcro to back for extra grip if pressure fit isn't enough.
#9
Three Wheelin'
Can you burn the wood out of it so it is a hollow carbon fiber shell? Just an idea. Then you could fill it with dense foam pieces to get good acoustics.
#10
Rennlist Member
You can use the lost foam method too. Starts with a styrofoam block cut and formed to the shape you want, cover it with cling wrap then lay the carbon cloth and epoxy over it and when done pour in a small amount of acetone and away goes the foam leaving a puddle of goo. Pull out the plastic wrap and you're left with a carbon fibre form.
http://www.hunterdogs.org/GeneralInf...COMPONENTS.pdf
http://www.hunterdogs.org/GeneralInf...COMPONENTS.pdf
#11
Team Owner
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: one thousand, five hundred miles north of Ft. Lauderdale for the summer.
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great work and very beautiful. the cf skin is really cool. i have a sub in my 968 mounted at a virtually identical angle w/ a strikingly similar shaped cabinet. like yours, it's a closed box but it extends deeper into the quarter panel. so, if you don't already have amps mounted there, you'll probably have room to add addtional volume should the need arise. subwoofer cabs really benefit by having unusual shapes, as the backwaves are more efficiently cancelled. there's also a 10" or 12" dual vc subwoofer driver made by Rockford that's made EXACTLY for enclosures < .75 cu ft.
the 10" is model # P3D410 P3.
http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosga.../dp/B001AQTZKY
the 12" is model # P3D412 P3.
http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CC0Q8gIwAg#
the 10" is model # P3D410 P3.
http://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fosga.../dp/B001AQTZKY
the 12" is model # P3D412 P3.
http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CC0Q8gIwAg#
#14
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Anyway got some more work done today, and took some more pics. Also started on the centre trim panel and spacer for sub box.
heres another test fit to see how it looks in car
Trim panel and spacer both get a layer of CF
#15
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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Cyberpunky,
i can't argue with that.
yes, you can see about my sub in the first 2 pages of my att ***** car thread.
not to take anything away from Punky's great work; here's the link.
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...ml#post7545052
i can't argue with that.
yes, you can see about my sub in the first 2 pages of my att ***** car thread.
not to take anything away from Punky's great work; here's the link.
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...ml#post7545052