I have an idea about a way to modify the sailpanels but Im not exactly sure how to do it. What I want to do is take the sailpanel, and where there is the "speaker grill" (the area that has cuts to allow the sound out) cut that part out and fold back the carpeting so there is a hole the size of a 6x9 there....that part is easy enough, but now comes the hard part. I want to take a piece of plexyglass (bout 1/8 inch or so) and somehow cut a dragon in the center of it. Then I will paint it black (not sure how to paint plexyglass), then take that, attach it to the sailpanel where the hole is, and have a compete sail panel again. Then I want to get a 3" neon tube and mount it above the 6x9, put the sailpanel back up, and when I turn on the neon (by switch) I will have a cool blue dragon glowing and have the awesome sound of my Boston Accoustic 6x9's coming from the sailpanels. I would like to find a pair of old sailpanels to try this on that way if it looks crappy I still have my good sail panels to put back up. I have told several friends about this and they said that it sounds like it would be cool and look good too. So I need some ideas on how to get a decent dragon cut into the plexyglass, how to attach it to the sailpanel, and basically anything else that i have left out. Oh ya, and do you think it would look pretty good?

 

That sound like alot of stuff that is going to be rattiling around by the speaker, may cause more bad noise than good noise.

Heres some thoughts:

The dragon, make a vynial stick, than put the sticker on the inside or outside of the glass. I got some Dragan stickers at a store called GADZOOKS in the mall. (a skater/surfer/snowborader/gangster clothing store)

The red light, if the light isnt position properly that you probabally wont light up the whole speaker, probabaly just to lower section of the cone.

Cutting the hole, if you make a 6x9 whole in the panels. The panel isnt a soild peice of plastic (as you know), so there wond be a nice smooth edge aound your oval. You might want to make "cover" out of some thin flexible board, the same shape as the panel with the smae 6x9 whole, than place it on the outside of the panel (with no fabric on ether one), glue the 2 together, than place fabric, this will give you a nice smooth edge on the oval, when you fold the fabric back.

If done neatly I could look cool, If done bad, not to hot.

 

you could use a soldering gun to melt the plexi-glass to make the dragon shape.. not sure if it would work though.

not really my taste with lights and dragons, but if you like it go for it..

 

I don't know about the dragon thing, I guess it's just not my style or something, I think a camaro emblem or chevy bowtie would be better, but other than that it sounds to me like it could look nice, but I'd be worried about giving up sound quality...

If it was me doing this, I would probably spend my time on other stuff, but hey it's not me, so if you do decide to do this, post some pics...

 

i dont think you would have enough room to put a neon back there would you?? what about a strobe light.. one of those mini ones. or those windshiled washer light up sprayer things... u know?

 

I would think that putting the speakers behind the sheet of 'glass would seriously muffle the sound. Even left stock, I didn't like the imaging from the sail panels, so I moved the speakers to the rear deck behind the rear seat. As far as aesthetics are concerned, as long as you did a good job, your backlit dragon could look very cool. Personally, I'm not a big fan of interior lighting, it's hard enough to see out the windows at night as it is with my tint. If that's what you like, though, go for it, and post your results so we can see how it came out. Good luck!

 

There will actually be less sound loss w/ the plexyglass cuz there will be a dragon cut completely out, not just etched in it. That's why I haven't just gotten a sticker and put it on a piece of plexyglass. Im going out to the junkyards to see if I can get an old set of sailpanels to test on...I think a mini 3" neon would fit in there, they are pretty small...

jawsforlife....my sailpanels are a solid piece of plastic...well, one of them is...the other is like a thin piece of cardboard...

I've heard of gadzooks, I have bought dragon stickers from there even, lol. I have it on my armrest. I'll have to get a pic sometime.

Does anyone have a old pair of sailpanels I could buy for cheap?

 

i could go get some grey ones for probably 5 bucks from this junkyard ive been at. if u actually want them

 

Let me check the junkyards here first and if I dont find any I will contact you bout the grey ones.

I get the feeling that everyone thinks Im just etching a dragon into the plexyglass. I am cutting clear through the plexyglass, so there will actually be a hole there that you can reach through. It should as good or sound better than the way the sailpanels are now.

Here is a picture of the dragon sticker I got from gadzooks at the Hutchinson mall...It is on the armrest.

 

oops, heres the pic.

 

no offence but.. isnt a dragon sort of... r|cey? why dont you put the symbol of your car... its a firebird right? if not then put the word "camaro" or "Trans Am" or something in! that could look cool. im sure you can come up with something better then a dragon

 

I have been waiting for someone to tell me dragons are *****. I have a dragon/blue interior theme and I will prolly stick with it. There are lots of people on here that are dragon fans. Look up dragon and see what it stands for...I think it refers nicely to our cars...and its a camaro

 

acoustically, i dont' think cutting a dragon shape out of plexiglass will give a real good sound. you'll get lots of unwanted interference from the non-circular edges, and plexiglass isn't acoustically transparent like the cloth sail panel covers.

also, if you have a lot of small protrusions of plexiglass, they may cause additional vibrations.

i personally don't care what shape you cut out, but something like that dragon sticker would look like a lot of work, and i just don't know if the sound would be any good.

 

couldn`t you just have the dragon silk screened onto the cloth of the sail panel and then backlight it

 

The only way to know is to try i guess

and what is silk screening?

 

its the kind of **** that you make logos on shirts with.. like a big stamp i guess.

 

have you thought about just getting it stiched into some cloth?

 

maybe you could.. oh.. i dont know.. put a BIG johnson with the luggage there? lol

 

Ya, but I want the backlighting and I dont know how well a light would shine through the sailpanel....

 

IF you could find sopmeone capable of stiching with something like fishing line, when backlit, the thread would carry the light, ala fiber optics. At least I think it would lol

 

thats a good idea!!! although i think that even if there is a light back there, with out hole or anything in the sailpanel. like if you just took it off right now, put a light in, and put it back on without modifying it. you would totally see all of the like. So cutting some hole wont really make a diff i dont think.