[V8] stereo install

[Ed Kellock]

Sounds like a much more ambitious install with loftier expectations that
mine.  It is good to learn of ways to improve upon my speaker treatment if I
begin to feel less satisfied with the sound.
 
I am scratching my head over one thing though... two-sided tape?  Prior to
my little bit of cutting, I thought about reversibility for a moment.  Can't
imagine any reason I'd ever go back to a stock radio in this car, what with
all the Bose stuff fubar.  I decided to make the install a solid one going
forward and that required modification of the radio hole.  A stock deck
could still go in there and IT might need some tape or foam to keep it from
bouncing in there a bit.  But from this point, if I change the deck, I'm
sure I'd probably go to a better aftermarket unit than to replace any of the
stock stuff.  I'd even sell the car with this deck in it since it was so
inexpensive.  
 
Anyway, to each their own.  I'm super pleased with mine.  Haven't done any
stereo install stuff in over a decade and this was actually pretty fun.  The
primary driver of this car is ecstatic as she hasn't had a fully functional
sound system in this car since we bought it.
 
 
Ed
 
-----Original Message-----
From: J123fs at aol.com [mailto:J123fs at aol.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 7:49 AM
To: v8 at audifans.com
Cc: ekellock at gmail.com
Subject: Re:stereo install


I too finished my stereo install late November, though I have been still
dinking around with it a bit.
I removed ALL the Bose stuff and I also had a couple issues with mounting
hole in the 91. I solved it via not using the mounting sleeve at all, and
using two sided tape on the top and bottom (pressure sensitive stuff) made
for car usage from 3M  (I assume better with heat).
The other issues I have had to deal with where ignition noise, space to run
patch/power wires and getting the right adaptors ( 5.5 to 4.5 ) to fit
standard speakers in the front Bose boxes (sourced via ebay) and antenna
adaptor (Crutchfiled or Ebay- very cheap).
The adaptors for the speakers themselves needed to be adapted by cutting off
the mounting ears and filling the tri-mount holes in the boxes. I also
needed to cut off the mounting tabs on the speakers and use a adaptor ring
to clamp down the speaker unit. I also took the Bose boxes apart and removed
the amp and blocked the port (not a correct port design for most aftermarket
speakers-won't get into that too deeply, that's for Huw on the Quattro list
to rant about) and covered the exterior with DynaMat so the speakers will
sound decent - no plastic resonance.
The ignition interference issues where only solved via after putting both
power chokes and ground loop isolators on the headunit, and three amps power
leads. I also isolated the power leads from the shielded RCA patches from
the headunit by running them on opposite sides of the car sill- which was
fine, as the amount of room next to the big cables (seatbelt/engine
tensioners-what are they called again??) was super limited for 4 patches and
2 speaker leads, and remote and antenna wires.
There is still a super faint hum (I'm very picky) that I'm sure will go away
as soon as I install the new ignition wires (which I have, just been too
crappy out to install- they are 30 dollar NOS Bosch from a VW 16v- one wire
is too short BTW).
The system still needs some tweaking with the electronic crossover points,
but all in all is order of magnitude better than the Bose ever was - better
highs, un-muddled lows, better imaging.
Jack

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