do i have to make new kickpanels or can i just cut my stock ones bigger and put in some pioneer 6.5" speakers. if i need to make one, how do i do it. do i use the stock one as a base or something?

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...threadid=74897

Not sure if you did not see this, or if you just want to go a different route.

To answer your question, you cannot mount a 6 1/2" in the stock kick. Only about 1/2" of depth behind it.

mike

 

yeah, i saw it. i just wanted to make my own. what materials do i need?

 

If you want to do them right...

- 1/2" mdf for the baffles
- Fleece to stretch for the shape and initial resin coat
- about a half gallon of polyester fiberglass resin (you could use epoxy, but it's almost twice the cost)
- some fiberglass mat, various weights for different areas of the kick
- Carpet tweed or vinyl for covering when you are done
- Acetone
- Cheap disposable brushes anwhere from 1" to 3" for different applications (do not use the foam ones as they will desolve in the resin, the wood handle $.69 disposable brushes do the trick fine)
- Gloves and respirator
- Hot glue gun and/or staple gun that is capable of 1/4" staples

I'm sure I'm missing a few things that I normally have lying around, but you get the idea.

previous experience with fiberglass would help quite a bit as well...

I'll post some progress pics for you shortly to see what is involved.

 

Ok, I'll give you a basic overview of the way I prefer. How many other manufacturers will tell you how to make a part instead of buying it from them .

fiberglass mat, fiberglass cloth, resin, and since you have no mold, you'll need mdf to make the speaker rings and fleece for initial shape. I prefer the fleece from selectproducts. It's pricey, but it is so much easier to work with then standard Jo-Ann fabric fleece.

Make a mold of the stock kickpanel. Use this mold to make a new fiberglass kickpanel.

Now use mdf to make rings to hold the speakers, and use blocks of mdf to support them at the angle you want. Attatch them to the fiberglass kickpanels.

Now, stretch fleece over the mdf frame, and spray glue it to the back of the fiberglass kickpanel. Resin will release the spray glue, so make sure that the fleece is glued from the back of the kickpanel.

Now, soak the fleece in resin. Let cure.

Once cure , cut the back of the kickpanel open so you can get inside and layer more mat and cloth on the inside of the fleece. Fleece is not very strong and needs reinforcement.

Optionally, use some body filler to take care of any dips or imperfecations on the front of the kickpanels.

Cut holes, cover in carpet, and call it a day.

To do this procedure, you are looking at probably nearly $50 in materials. There are other ways, some like to use the stock kick as a base, but the problem with that, is that the plastic of the kick never really forms a bond with the fiberglass. Sure, it may stick pretty good if you rough it up, but over time, it may separate, esp in the car. So I prefer to keep my fiberglass parts, all fiberglass.

Mike
www.djsexay.com