I have a friend that builds custom showcars (http://www.teamallstars.com/cars/97eclipse.php) who has been trying to convince me to delete the spare tire and build out a fiberglass box for some subs and an amp.

He promises that we can keep the flat floor pretty flat with some crazy engineering. He also says that we can keep it pretty stock looking.

The plan is to do it next weekend in Atlanta.

Has anyone ever endeavored in such a venture?

While we're at it, we're gonna cut some vynil and black out the pillars and possibly the roof. Oh what fun!

I made a replacement floor from wood, and integrated it with my sleeping/cargo platform. With the platform in place, I couldn't get at the spare tire well. This new floor has a 2x2' trapdoor opening, allowing me to get at tools in the spare well. I have a fullsize spare under the platform further forward. There are pictures on my pbase gallery (see sig).

Apart from the trapdoor, the floor is made from nominal 1" boards. I had to cut out a few notches so the boards rested flat on the metal surrounding the well.

paulj

http://www.pbase.com/paulj3/image/49213936.jpg

Very nice!

My spare is 235/70/16 and I am going to mount it in the roof basket.

I love the platform ideal except I want to keep the rear seats in and still be able to fold them down flat without removing the box.

The reason we are doing fiberglass is so we can round out the back so it sits flush with everything.

We are planning on drinking copious amounts of beer during the install, that with the resin fumes, I will try to take pictures.

Something like this?

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/2137000-2137999/2137881_4_full.jpg

Holy crap yes!

But by looking at the height and angle, it looks like thy may have kept the spare.

I think they used the spaer tire well as part of the sub box considering the size of those subs. Probably built the box in the well and worked their way up. It's amazing what some of these installers can put together.:) Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Drew:)

Nice floor Paul, but are they really 1" thick boards!?

Here's the link to the owner's CarDomain page (I don't know if he is an EOC member), he did some cool things in the doors with the speakers also:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2137881

Nice floor Paul, but are they really 1" thick boards!?
nominal 1" (as labeled in the store), which with loss due to saw width and milling, are close to the 3/4" thickness of the plastic floor. If you remove the floor and put a small board in its place, you'll see that the thickness match is pretty close.

paulj

nominal 1" (as labeled in the store), which with loss due to saw width and milling, are close to the 3/4" thickness of the plastic floor. If you remove the floor and put a small board in its place, you'll see that the thickness match is pretty close.

paulj

Any particular reason you went with dimensional lumber rather than plywood? 3/4" CDX plywood would be actually stronger and more dimensionally stable, especially when getting wet.

I designed the floor as I went along. I first tried narrow boards to see how they needed to be trimmed to fit. Dimensioned pine boards are much easier to work with than a large piece of 3/4" ply. Note also that initially I was trying to leave space in the well for the spare. So the initial pieces just provided a footing for the platform.

http://www.pbase.com/paulj3/image/48565516.jpg

I then remade it with wider boards, and joined the pieces with 1/4" hardware, including panhead furniture bolts.

Another fit issue is figuring out how to hold it in place. Think for example what would happen if you rolled the car. I have tabs under the front edge just like the plastic floor. The center, removable panel, is bolted to the spare tire pedestal, using a panhead bolt and a strap steel extension.

Once I had it made, I realized that I could join it to the cargo platform with angle steel.

http://www.pbase.com/paulj3/image/49213935.jpg

It certainly could be built from a single piece of 3/4" ply. I still suggest making a template from pine boards. You need to cut various notches and bevels so it rests flat.

paulj

Was just curious is all :D I'd probably actually use sheets of cardboard to lay out the shapes then take measurements and traces from that. But I'm weird :D

check out this (http://www.icixsound.com/vb/showthread.php?t=32255&highlight=honda+element) thread. There are plenty of pics and details there. Should be exactly what you're looking for.

Cardboard would work as a 2D template, but would it work for the 3d? Actually, you could use the plastic floor as the template. But pay attention to the notches and tabs on the stock floor.

paulj

Was just curious is all :D I'd probably actually use sheets of cardboard to lay out the shapes then take measurements and traces from that. But I'm weird :D

I'm picking a coutour gauge up at Home Depot tomorrow to do mine:

http://www.tiledepot.us/images/Contour_Gauge.gif

I just sent that thread to Marsh to get his take on it... that looks like the route I want to take, with the exception of moulding the whole thing out of fiberglass.

We're gonna do the install in Cumming on Saturday.

Thanks!


check out this (http://www.icixsound.com/vb/showthread.php?t=32255&highlight=honda+element) thread. There are plenty of pics and details there. Should be exactly what you're looking for.

Paul J...that bed looks great!

jpeaslee - thanks for that link that install looks awesome!

cbr...here's some more pics....make sure to post some when you get yours done! :D

You need to cut various notches and bevels so it rests flat.
Sing it, brother! If you want the front edge flush like OEM, you'll have to cut a major bevel.

The beauty of a single sheet, though, is that you can use the OEM cover as a template. Transfer the outline, and badabing!

Sing it, brother! If you want the front edge flush like OEM, you'll have to cut a major bevel.

The beauty of a single sheet, though, is that you can use the OEM cover as a template. Transfer the outline, and badabing!

My thoughts exactly! I'm all for making the work easier on myself :D

So baller:

So we finally finished the car with a fiberglass & MDF sealed enclosure covered in black carpet and suede. In there we installed a Eclipse 36401 amplifier and a T3 10" sub.

We also ended up installing a pair of MTX T6.6 convertibles in the door and Polk DB1000 tweeters in the a-pillars for imaging, each on their own channel. A pair of Infinity 63.7i 3-ways were installed in the rear doors. An Elemental Designs 6" sub was stuck in the OEM location.

While we were at it, we installed a rear view camera for the Avic D3.

The sound is amazing, very loud and the bass is gianormous for a single 10".

I have two channels available so I might install a pair od DB1000 tweeters on the back sides of the center console to help with imaging.

Nice job, I like the stealth.

I just started mine, I'm leaving the spare in. Where did you get your carpet?

I thought about doing the install there, but I think i'm going to put the two Alpine PDX amps either in the SC console or on the tailgate, and the sub(s) will go in a fiberglass box made to replace the side cargo pockets in the back. :D

I have no clue where the carpet came from... I pretty much drank beer and chilled out during the install.

As far as the Alpine, someone just came out with an amp much smaller than the PDX. I don't recall who makes it; however, i will get my hands on one next weekend.

As far as the Alpine, someone just came out with an amp much smaller than the PDX. I don't recall who makes it; however, i will get my hands on one next weekend.

Anyone else have suggestions on where to find quality carpet?

As for the amps, I gotta see these, I thought the PBX was the lower limit on size. The ones I'm putting in are huge but they're paid for.

I just checked, carpetcame from Parts Express.

I just checked, carpetcame from Parts Express.

Found it, thanks!

Found it, thanks!

You're welcome!

I have no clue where the carpet came from... I pretty much drank beer and chilled out during the install.

As far as the Alpine, someone just came out with an amp much smaller than the PDX. I don't recall who makes it; however, i will get my hands on one next weekend.

Two companies: Arc and Alpine. Alpine makes a tiny 45x4 for behind the head unit, and arc makes a larger "mini" amp that's more powerful.

Two companies: Arc and Alpine. Alpine makes a tiny 45x4 for behind the head unit, and arc makes a larger "mini" amp that's more powerful.

Actually, ARC just came out with a mini amp smaller than the PDX:

ARC: 8-1/4" x 4-3/4” x 1-3/4
PDX: 10-1/8" x 7-9/16" x 2-7/16"


http://www.arcaudio.com/productdescription_pages/amplifiers/ks-series/ks-125.2-mini.asp

Actually, ARC just came out with a mini amp smaller than the PDX:

ARC: 8-1/4" x 4-3/4” x 1-3/4
PDX: 10-1/8" x 7-9/16" x 2-7/16"


http://www.arcaudio.com/productdescription_pages/amplifiers/ks-series/ks-125.2-mini.asp

I've know about the KS series for a while now. Alpine has a smaller amp for behind the head unit that is 45x4. Like I said.

Here's the link to the owner's CarDomain page (I don't know if he is an EOC member), he did some cool things in the doors with the speakers also:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2137881

Michael (NoSkweezePSI) lives in Spokane, WA, and has been a member sice 2004. His Element is one of my all time favorites on the board.

Chief

So baller:

So we finally finished the car with a fiberglass & MDF sealed enclosure covered in black carpet and suede. In there we installed a Eclipse 36401 amplifier and a T3 10" sub.

We also ended up installing a pair of MTX T6.6 convertibles in the door and Polk DB1000 tweeters in the a-pillars for imaging, each on their own channel. A pair of Infinity 63.7i 3-ways were installed in the rear doors. An Elemental Designs 6" sub was stuck in the OEM location.

While we were at it, we installed a rear view camera for the Avic D3.

The sound is amazing, very loud and the bass is gianormous for a single 10".

I have two channels available so I might install a pair od DB1000 tweeters on the back sides of the center console to help with imaging.

This is exactly what I want to do. Was it hard to do?

A 6 pack of beer an afternoon and a little elbow grease and we were done.

It was not hard... with the exception of a little break after laying down the resin cause we inadvertantly got so high.