New Car, new install. Box, False Floor help & resources needed.

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

I purchased a new car (06 civic sedan) and for the past couple weeks have had my HUGE 98 lbs woofer/box in the trunk with the amps just laying there. I planned on just leaving everything as it was until I got it deadened. However, I realized that I need to do something about making it a little cleaner since I plan on keeping this car for a very long time.

Last night I decided to do my first fiberglass install and go all out. My plan is to combine fiberglass, plexiglass, and lightweight MDF to make a secure fit box and false floor. I'm pretty hands on, and just feel like I can make my regular install a little sharper, thus giving more trunk space, and ultimately shed some unecessary weight.

I'd like to have a box tuned to about 28-30 hz, as mine is now, and I love it. I figure doing so can allow me to save a little bit of volume in the enclosure.

I'm trying to decide if I want to have the sub facing outward (toward the back seats) with the spider inside the box, or just go with a regular in the box install for the subwoofer. If I go with the spider inside, I would really like to do something with plexglass so I can see the spider. I'm just not sure if it's going to be worth the extra trouble, and money.

I also want to do an amp rack, with about a 3" raise and have the amps underneath plexi just so they show only. This would help me hide the wires. However, I worry about heat dissipation. I know alot of people have their amps exposed when using a false floor to let the heat escape off the top of the amp. I'm not sure how efficient it is though. If I seal it off completely, I'll be using two bigger-sized computer fans off a relay to cool that area.

I'm not sure how I can get the plexi to stay on the mdf/fiberglass either. I've gone through about 10 sites with tutorials on fiberglassing, but nothing that shows the connection with fiberglass to plexiglass or mdf. I know there has to be some.

I really would like this to be a very quality install. I'll be experimenting w/fiberglass and plexi for my first time. I hear plexi is expensive. And I also wonder about the SQ when using that combo. My reason for fiber is to conform to all the edges of the trunk. I want to use every bit of space I can to save room toward the front of the trunk. Also, I don't know about exact volume. I'd like to go ported, but with plexi, I'm not sure how that would work out. Any advice on anything would really be appreciated.

Here's a little drawing of what I want to do.

Fiberglass- Black

Plexi- Aqua

Lightweight MDF- Brown

Click to read more...

 

[mikey060 10+ year member]

try to use as much mdf in the black zone along with the fiberglass. should save on cost and it should make it stronger

that is, if you are able to

 

[bikinpunk 10+ year member]

One thing I've wondered, and I may have missed it in tutorials I was skimming; Can you screw MDF directly to fiberglass and it hold well? I see the connection of mdf and fiberglass all the time, but is there anything else used to make that bond stronger?

 

[jeepintn 10+ year member]

One thing I've wondered, and I may have missed it in tutorials I was skimming; Can you screw MDF directly to fiberglass and it hold well? I see the connection of mdf and fiberglass all the time, but is there anything else used to make that bond stronger?

good question... i have been wondering the same thing... like after you staple the first layer down(usually fleece from what i have seen) and it cures, you just start layering up the glass matting?

 

[PowerNaudio 10+ year member]

polyester resin adheres to mdf very well as long as there are no contaminats like oil and stuff like that on the mdf. so you can staple the fleese to the mdf and start glassing the mat on there till you get the thicknes of glass mat that you decire.

 

[DFW40 10+ year member]

I have since made a fiberglass box and redone the false floor with MDF which I covered in resin and then painted like the box. I got some plexi from Home Depot and it is about .25 inches thick and works fine. There are no real exact tutorials since most projects are very unique.