Scion tc daily driver to show worthy project

[excelon72 10+ year member]

Okay here is the build log of the car project that started 4 years ago. Multiple local hack body shops have screwed me but thats almost all fixed now. The main project is the audio project. Earlier this year my wife bought us an additional SUV so that i can FINALLY pull the scion off the street as a daily driver. She started off as a 2007 Scion Tc Release Series 3.0.

I wont go into all the mods as this is an audio forum. I bought a Ultima yellow top battery of course, with a Tsunami 0 gauge multi amp kit. i proceeded to gut the car recently as you can see.

This is the layer of Dynamat i put on the skin 3 years ago.

I will be putting the panel back on with Stinger Overkill foam sound dampener.

The floor has started to be prepped for the Stinger Carpet Pad

Here is the passenger side with FatMat installed

Wire anchors are being installed under the fatmat as the factory wire guides are to thick to allow the carpet pad to fit.

I purchased a few goodies for the new install.

Bought this from a DIYMA member (AudioControl DQXS)

And these from crutchfield to give me better tweeter imaging until i can figure out the a pillar or kick panel situation.

And this custom full width box from Subwoofer Boxes | Subwoofer Enclosures | Truck Subwoofer Boxes and Car Subwoofer Enclosures Well made box and indeed it does fit like a glove

Click to read more...

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

I am keeping my Kenwood Excelon XXV-04s speakers front and for now rear

I am installing the Pioneer PRS-4200 Stage 4 amp and the Kenwood Excelon XXV-03a Amplifier for now until i can swing the Zukki custom amps and ill put the old amps either for sale or in my Rav 4.

I also have an Audio Control Matrix Line Driver this is how i previously had them installed

. My Subwoofer of Choice JL AUdio 12W6v2 SVC. in the old box

This is my old headunit now in the used Rav 4

I will be finishing the FatMat installation slowly as the factory wiring is kind of a pain to move around and resecure. The seat belts need to come out and of course go back in. That part will probably take me a few weeks.

I combined several posts so I can make a cohesive single post.

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

have not had much time lately, but snuck in an hour to cover the trans hump

not new but pulled the crossovers out of the door to put a layer of Stinger Roadkill on the outer door skin

 

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this is where i had them last time.

 

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got a little more work done tonight . got one of the new door panels lined with the Stinger Overkill Foam sound dampener.

and a few more goodies trickle in from amazon

a steering wheel control adapter, a 125' roll of shrink tubing, a 100' roll of primary wire, a bag of 100 zip tie anchors, and a 120' roll of foil tape, and lastly since i was NOT paying the 75.00 crutchfield wanted i paid 42.00 on amazon for the iphone cable to my soon to be head unit

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

second door to receive stinger overkill

cutting speaker holes

a few more goodies trickle in

and thanks to my wife this is the suv that allows me to do this project and take the scion off the road as a daily driver

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

anyway here is this morning update. while waiting for my freezer to arrive i managed to get the drivers side door ready for the speaker wire and speaker

and i see i missed a spor will have to go back and do that

and lastly using foil tape get all the wires nice and secure

 

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anyway here is this morning update. while waiting for my freezer to arrive i managed to get the drivers side door ready for the speaker wire and speaker

and i see i missed a spor will have to go back and do that

and lastly using foil tape get all the wires nice and secure

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

finally got some time today. took out the seat belts. ran into a little issue. the connector is a bit tough. looked it up and you need to remove the black snap keeping the yellow connector in place.

i started to lay the rca cables and the remote wire

i then moved onto the b pillar

i ran the wires for the tweeter. i did not want to remove the dash so i removed the 2 corner bolts just enough to run the wire

the top bolt near the top of the dash

the bottom bolt near the kick panel

the finished run

i ran the wire through the factory grommet from the door

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

the weather was so nice i used it to install the fat mat in the rear seat

and i even managed to finish the passenger door

and this is why you dont by razor knives in a dollar store lol

 

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i am mounting the tweeters on the dash for better imaging. i pulled the dash up just enough to get the wire underneath the lip . It was a PAIN , but turned out good.

i then went about choosing a location for the Audiocontrol Matrix and settled on the glove box as i dont need the space for anything.

Then i had a little time to vibration dampen the trunk

I made the connections for the door speakers and the tweeters. Not bad for a mornings work.

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

Finally got time to do some more work.

the drivers side wheel well was done with fatmat

the drivers side quarter section also with fatmat

finally did the drivers side ..also with fatmat

the drivers side rear seat a mixture of fatmat and Stinger Roadkill

Ran the speaker wire and rca's and straightened them up with foil tape.

Installed the first carpet pad panels (passengers side)

finally installed the stinger roadkill on the trans hump

Installed more carpet pad panels. drivers and passengers side

And got the panels on the drivers side too.

Well thats it until wednesday or friday.

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

finally got some more work done. this next step to me is ultra important.. as a daily driver i didnt realize how much crap gets spilled... had to shampoo entire carpet before putting beck in

 

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finally got some more time. Put the finishing touches on the vibration dampening

then put the sound dampening on the rear seat panels

next i set about making a hole in the firewall after a lot of looking and a few curse words. i settled upon the spot the installers had used for my remote start(thats the black wire)

I refused to spend 45.00 on the proper drill bit so im using my dremel instead... yes its a pain in the butt but it works. this is about 10 minutes of squeezing my fat *** under the steering wheel

and this is half an hour... not quit there yet... let me explaiin the time... number one im not in good shape, two- im 40 and **** doesnt bend like it used to and three the scion is small as frak and i could only stand 2 or 3 minutes a t a time.

. i went out and did some research and found a better but to do this with will use tomorrow. im installing a 0 gauge stinger grommet in it once its done.

these are my most recent putchases

An Audison distribution block

and a Tsunami small gauge fused dist block for the audio control stuff and lighting

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

got a little time to do some work. ran the wire bundle to the trunk

did some more vibration dampening on rear

tape the wires up under the rear seats

not in the build but bought a soldering station to help with this project

i was gonna do more today but i hurt my back pretty bad on the 4th so resting up.. will do more on sat and sunday

 

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Got a little more work done today. replaced the antenna base and mast

Finally got the 0 gauge Stinger firewall grommet in

Cleaned up the rear ground point a bit while the dremel was out

once the rivet gun gets in will try doing door panels, and need to put in seat rear panels before seat belts and such can go in

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

got about 2 hours in today before it started raining. Got the acoustic panels in the hatch quarter panel hollow areas and got the rear seat side cavities filled as well. this is the rear quarter section

yes i know , i know i missed a spot..haha im waiting for more stinger roadkill.

the rear seat section behind the speaker mounts....such a HUGE cavity

the other side...i ran out of 3m super 77 spray glue that crap is expensive!!

 

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FINALLY GOT TO WORK ON THE CAR AGAIN!!

Here is what's new. Bought myself some Pioneer 2 5/8" midranges and am going to install them in the front side air vents. I do not drive her in the winter so no need to use the heat.

There is plenty of room to angle them as well once I cut some of the duct away

I bought a Zapco Ref 650.6 as the driver for the new active 3 way I am building.

I am thinking about wrapping the vent borders in speaker cloth but I am not sure.

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY nice weather finally got some more work done. All the sound dampening made the hatch too heavy for the factory struts soooo.

First I removed the bolts at the base of the strut.

Then remove the retainer clips at the top.

Then put the base back on

And WALLA the crappy factory struts replaced with Strongman Shocks.

Bought them from

StrongArm 4597 Scion tC, Liftgate Lift Support, Pack of 1 : Amazon.com : Automotive

They are very good and will handle the weight on sound dampening AND a spoiler.

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

Got some more time. Got the new Jl audio terminal on, i must say that the JL audio battery terminal is the best i have ever seen. Modular and an incredibly well made product. Too bad they dont make it anymore only on amazon or ebay.

Also i am undertaking an adventerous project and am relocating half a dozen of the fuses from my inside fuse panel to under the hood. Using this gem

AND i am making a resin battery top to mount my circuit breaker , monster dis block and tsunami fused distribution block.

it looks rough now but this is the start

This is the jl terminal taken apart, very well made

 

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Worked on the windshield wipers today replaced the old black rubber with white nylon and added 2 nozzles

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

So got the new Kenwood Excelon Dnx 890HD it is replacing a Pioneer 8400BH. It is superior in every way save music menu navigation.

 

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FINALLY got the door speaker in after over a year

Got the speaker measured in the MDF

This tool is a DIY installers best friend.

Got the wire Booties on there, no the cut isnt pretty cannot find my circle guide. but it is behind the door panel.

And WALLA

 

[excelon72 10+ year member]

Got a little more work done. The basic system is up and running. It is not pretty but its only temporary as i burn in the system and wiring. I want to make sure there are no issues before i rivet all the panels in place.

I also need a new jl grill as this one rusted in storage.

I got the power to the battery. This is also only temporary as i plan on putting an intake in and then an accessory tray / battery cover. I also need bigger shrink tubing as the stuff i bought was not big enough for 0 gauge. must have gotten the 4 gauge stuff.

 

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Finally finished with school and getting to work on the system. Got this on the way

Some Audio Technix 4ga OFC white wire

Partially to start my own big three ground block.