This will be my first "all fiberglass" sub box. Ive done plenty of research both outside and in this forum for instructions, tips, materials, cost and everything i still may have a few ?s as i go and appreciate any help or comments or ?s for how i did things every step will be documented and pics taken. So far all i have done is cleaned the car and taped off where ill be putting fiberglass i still have a few spots to tape and need to go 2in higher than where the box will stop. Ill get pics up tonite.

Sub box plan-
Its going to be a simple looking box but I want a single 12" fiberglass(7-9 layer) sub box, both the sub and amp will be recessed far enough to make it flat across the top. I plan on using a rockford fosgate punch amp and a pioneer 12" sub

 

good luck and take your time when laying down the glass.
here's the one i made for mine.

 

thanks heres the pics that i said i would upload

 

good luck with the build! I've been tossing around the idea of doing a glass setup for my 12 as well. keep the photos coming!

 

Subbed!

Let me know if you have any fiberglass questions. I've done a few glass boxes in my day.

 

Thanks and will do waiting to recieve the resin and then the build is on!

Will do. In fact i have one question after the fleece has been coated and dried do i leave the support legs in or take them out? and does it even matter if there in or out?

 

well small update for the day got started on the recessed box for the amp its just a little bit bigger than the amp that way i can still fit my fingers in to pull it out if need be so heres pictures of the progress all wood is 3/4 mdf. By the way the box will be covered with carpet so it blends in with the rest of the interior

 

I have been thinking about doing this. What is the air space you will have?

 

subscribed

 

Havent checked probably should so i can figure out whether i can port the box or not

 

Rob2000gt I got the airspace figured out its 4.1 ft³

 

If the support legs are used for structure of the fleece having staples in them, I would leave them in. They won't hurt anything. The support legs for the mounting ring should be removed. I would usually just hot glue them in place. After the fleece sets up overnight, you can heat the glue with the heat gun and yank them out.

 

Okay thanks!

 

will it be flat and flush with rest of the back or stick up

 

flat and flush going to extend the carpet to under the back seat to have a seamless appearance. For the time being a threw it in a small portable box just to have it and wow it pounds my chest!! i have pics of it sitting in the car also a video ill post a link to its not the best quality but you get the idea


Its a tight fit

 

Nice but that sub doesnt look like a 12 in that box lol, looks more like a 15. I hope to do the same soon.

 

Yea its a tight squeeze barely fit but it did, i have another box thats sized for a 10" may widen it and use it in another vehicle heres the video link again the quality is poor stupid cheap nikon camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXUmD1FTUKg

 

Nice

 

Thanks for a small sealed box its great cant wait to get the actual box done

 

Have you started fiber glassing yet? Any new pics of the well area?

 

Not yet i did receive the resin this morning finally just have to find a day where i have enough time to start on it today i plan on getting the rest of the amp box done

 

When i decide to do this I will do a singe JL Audio w7 have been using JL for a few years and love them.

 

Heard a lot of good things about the w7's im pretty impressed with this pioneer though

 

I had 2 JL 8w7's they were so clean and loud in my old Towncar then my old Alero. They were louder and cleaner than 2 MTX 8500 10's. The advantage of the 8 inch is they didnt shake the car so, cleaner sound but was still very loud. I have seen what the12w7 can do to a car definatly not doing that to mine.

 

How much resen does it take?

 

Not sure yet i got alot though ill let you know how much i use once its all done

 

I used 2 gallons on mine, you can save on layering with the fiberglass by doing enough to make it rigid and removable so like 3 layers then doing a bondo/ fg resin mix and mixing it up then rollingthe liquid around inside the box until its all coated, dries rock hard and seals perfectly, I've only done that once but it was pretty cool lol cuts down a lot of time layering

I like how this is turning out its good to see people aren't afraid of fiberglass lol can't wait to see the end result

 

whats the ratio of the two? i typically dont like fiberglass but i want i light box and its easier to get fiberglass to contour to all our curves and akward space

 

As far as an exact ratio idk I know its gotta be pretty liquidy though its more of a pasty fluid, one of the veteran installers made it for me, just one of the old school tricks that's been forgotten you gotta be careful though because if you use too much the light factor is gone, I did my box in the camaro with maybe 2lbs total of wood and then fiberglass and fleece coated with resin, the entire process is time consuming but if you're using a flat piece of wood for he top you save yourself a few hours already. I believe my box loaded weighs less than 25lbs but that's just a guestimate I never hopped on a scale with it

 

Well learned a great lesson always wear latex gloves. I used some non slip gloves well the tops are made of cloth and the resin seeped through, chemical burn!!! anyways got the first layer done waiting for it to dry then ill take pics and get them posted

 

Oh yeah nitrile work the best and either do it outside or wear a respirator, and do not forget to get every single hair flat one tiny hair gardens to a razor Sharp point and at that point you have to let it all cure, sand it all then clean it amending the next layer, use a bright led light to shine on it they find the hairs the best

 

Thanks i didnt even think about that.

 

Did you take some pics of the box as you were laying the fiberglass?

 

i did just need to get them uploaded job has been taking up a lot of my time so progress has been slow

 

Im interested in this build as well... just bought a 87' Z-28. Thinking about a fiber glass box. What are the benefits over a MDF box?

 

lighter, can shape it to the curves of the panels, not have to worry about if your measurements are right seeing as how you lay the fiberglass in the vehicle also if somebody had limited access to tools this doesnt require a whole lot

 

I am actually in the materials collection phase of starting a big sub enclosure project. i am looking to put in two 10" subs and two amps in the sapce where the rear seats are. seats are out and will probably cut out hte carpet and lay down tape/foil right to the floor and build my base in the car.

Let me know how the fleece works and which resin you used. is it too thick to work with or is it just right and not flowing too much either?

with the fleece i see everyone always say to just make sure you pull it tight but i dont see how pulling the fleece tight can simpyl form all the curves for you. I've seen a bucn hfo enclosures where the subs are mounted at a "peak" and the fierglass around it slopes down on a curve. How is this curve achieved? or is a lot of bondo used for this?

how does the bondo work with the fiberglass box? do you just apply the bondo directly over the fiberglass once its dry? sorry, never used bondo before so just asking the very basic of all questions. hopefully it helps this post out and im not encroaching too much.

Thanks

 

lot of questions lol 1st any fleece of cotton poleyester material 2nd the resin depending on how much hardener you use decides if it dries quicker or slower allowing more time to work with it 3rd pulling it tight will just give you the curves or flatness you want(dont know how to explain it any better than that 4th bondo doesnt have to be used it but its a old school way of making the box more sturdy adding fiberglass mat and resin do the same(id recommend this for a starter as the ratio and consistency needs to be a certain way) unless your going for all fiberglass box(no carpet) then use gold bondo and a little bit of bondo glass the mix should be liquidy more like pasty.

Hope that helps out

 

Looks great so far! Kitty hair can be used to add some rigidity, but it's a pita to get smooth. If I use it, I'll keep it on the inside of the enclosure. I'll start my thread here soon. I'm glassing in a 10 inch on the passenger side rear of the hatch. It'll be about 1.5 cubes sealed if my measurements come out.

How many layers of mat did you put down?

 

Thanks for the info! I am looking for an all glass box because I want as minimal weight as possible.

 

When I did mine I laid down about 3 layers and popped the mold once it dried it has to be rigid enough to remove then you can work outside the car, I believe my base was a total of 6 layers and my top was a fleece stretch with my rings angled, once its tight and secure you just soak the hell out of the fleece until it is uniformly coated, it should soak through the fleece so the inside looks the same but it shouldn't be dripping, at no point should you have enough resin that you can see a gloss look, the exception to this is after everything is dried ifyou want to paint it you can use a glossy layer of resin on the top, sand it then hit it with bondo and paint it.

Carpeting as opposed to painting is much quicker and a lot less work mind you, and normally through our shop for a pro paint job we would still pay about 150 at our discount. It's a lot of work but the end result is awesome, I would advise against poof canning it, if you have a compressor and a paint gun you can do it yourself but you gotta treat it like you're painting a car.

 

Well project has come to a halt for now seeing as 1. somebody broke into my car stole the sub and amp and 2. i sold the car and what i had started on the box but in about two weeks ill have another 86 iroc ill get caught up to where i was with my previous box and resume this thread

 

I would be shooting someone in the knee caps.

 

oh yea if i find out who did there mine i was pissed and that was the finally straw with the car but luckily i found a 86 iroc roller thats straight as an arrow sitting in primer for $350