DeathtoToasters

Can people post their ideas for a stealth amp installs?

I want to install my two amps with taking up as little room as possible. I want to keep the spare tire, and the left side of the truck area is going to be a fiberglass sub enclosure.

So lets hear the ideas!

Thanks

shawhite

i would build a amp rack on the rear seat this way you can see them but it would take very little trunk space and you could still get to your spare tire..

DeathtoToasters

Would you happen to have any pics? I am curious as to what it looks like.

keeena

Agreed - easiest route. With a little work and planning you could make it look really really nice too.

If it were me I wouldn't angle the amps at the same angle as the seatbacks. I would make the amp rack so that the amps were straight up and down at the most (90 degree angle). If you mounted the amps at the seatback angle, then you might radiate too much heat back into the circuit board (assuming heat sink is facing the trunk opening). Again, I'd rather be safe than sorry. You probably wouldn't have a problem tho.

If you wanted to mount the amps at the seatback angle, you could mount them with the heat sink facing the seat back and replace the bottom panel of the amp with plexiglass. This would let you see the amp's circuitry, which is a cool look IMO (I have my amps mounted backwards like this). It would also mean the amps are at a "less-than-90-degree" angle for better heat dissipation

In either case, I would also use fans in the amp rack.

Here's a pic of mine (its unfinished, still needs plexi panel on top of the MDF and then a trim panel, but you get the idea).




Another stealth install would be to make a sliding amp drawer to hang from the rear deck. This would be quite a bit harder to do. It would look pretty trick though. You could get fancy w/ linear actuators and stuff...it would be pretty neat.

DeathtoToasters

Nice Idea....

I was thinking of removing the trunk cardboard tray and build a wooden box the same size with a wooden bottom. It would be about 4-5" high. It would raise the trunk bottom by about and inch or so. Then I would carpet that and mount the amps inside. Then make a Plexiglas top. That way the amps are seen but wont get harmed by stuff in the trunk.

Plus I am going to put some handles on the side of the tray and maybe a trunk roof hook like the one currently there now, so that I can get to the spare easily if needed.

I got the idea of the removal amp idea from here:

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/340462

Now he has everything motorized, I am not that rich or talented

For the sub box I removed the plastic tray on the left side of the trunk corner. Then I am going to make a fiberglass box for the one 10" that I have. By taking out that tray it gives about a 3-4" deeper depth for the sub. With me going from the taillight area to right where the trunk hinge comes down. Then only as far out as the edge of the tray, it should give me the room needed for one 10".


Let me know what you think.

keeena

Your sub idea is good - you should definitely have enough room, especially if you make the back out of fiberglass to efficiently use the space.

That install you linked to is pretty nice. The only thing that is poor is the finish work around the edges of the panels (where it meets the weatherstripping of the trunk). Its unfortunate to have a nice install like that but then lacking on the finishing touches. Just constructive criticism.

Floor moutning is fine, but you'll lose more space by making a whole floor thats about 5" deep. I think you'd lose more than 1" as compared to stock (it will be closer to 5"...unless I'm not understanding how youre going to do it). Oh, the amps and amp rack will be heavy...using the hook on the trunk lid will probably pull the trunk closed. Gas struts would be a cool idea, but would require some trial and error. It would be worth it though IMO.

BTW - I added a long post to your fiberglass thread in the 2nd Gen section.

DeathtoToasters

OK kewl......

What I was thinking was almost the same thing that you see in the link that I posted above. If you look at pictures 6-8 on that page you can see the height and size of the box. The reason I thought of it only adding 1" is because of the depth I would get by removing the cardboard tray and the foam pieces underneath it. I have not measured it yet, so I am just guessing.

Tonight I spent an hour or so taping off the whole area for the sub. tomorrow I go over the taping and add tin foil to make sure nothing gets through to the car carpet.

I really need the amps out of the way. I have 3 kids and need to put stuff in the trunk all the time.
Any other easy ideas that will look good, please let me know.

Thanks