I haven't been in the interior board too much, but I saw a couple of nice looking interiors and kinda got motivated to relocate my sub, and hide the T-top well under a solid cover. Since my transmission is out, and I'm broke, it seems like the perfect time for a cheap project!

 

No one's made a custom hard cargo cover panel? Guess I'll be the first then :P

I'm thinking something like 1/8" hardboard, with like 3 or 4 laminated strips about an inch and a half wide forming a perimeter around the panel for stiffness. Should be rigid enough without weighing a ton. Maybe I'll end up making it hinge longitudinal so the passenger half (well not exactly half, it would have to clear the hatch pull-down bump in the rear plastic) opens to reveal my battery box and amp, and the drivers side half is solid and hides my sub box. The sub half would be attached directly to the top of the sub box, which will also have to be supported off the floor somehow since I wouldn't build the cover to support a ton of weight like the box hanging off of it.

 

Are you thinking of doing something similar to what the 2nd gen Ford Escorts had? That's what I'm envisioning- a board/cover that raises and lowers with the hatch.

Great idea- my sub box sits too high to do anything like that.

 

No, I guess I was a little unclear. I'm thinking of something very similar to the factory hard covers. I'll modify this pic a little later to give some visual aids

 

A visual:

 

Id love to see the end result...

 

i have seen one like that , i would be very interested in one . if the person is on this forum that had it , please post some info. . my present camaro does not have the window shade style cover . i miss the cover , cheers .

 

Anybody have any ideas for a latch/catch that would look at home back there? I'd just use a cylinder lock like whats on a toolbox, but I'd rather not have another key on my keyring. I'm thinking I will use simple aluminum angle mount brackets for the hard side. A couple of stealthy black flat head cap screws will allow for easy installation and removal.

 

What about a simple slide latch.....we have one on our outdoor storage cabinet, as well as on my daughter's car for the 'door lock'. Basically a channel on one surface that a flat piece of plastic with a nub for a handle on the other latched surface slides into to secure the door. Don't know where you'd score one.

 

I think this one will work good. $14.74 on Amazon. Although after thinking about it, with the sub being in such close proximity to the panel, I might have problems with the vibration making it rattle. maybe a "lift and turn" type compression latch would work better.

I'm also thinking a solid perimeter around the hatch would work a little better too. As shown in the pic.

 

 

Subscribed

 

Heh, now I guess I gotta follow through with this

 

Mine's not hinged, but easily removable to gain access to the amp.

Expanded metal covered in acoustic carpet (speaker grille carpet)...



In place, it hides all and protects the amp and sub from shifting cargo...



What it covers...

 

sounds like a plan

 

I like it. How much does it weigh? looks like 1/2 or 5/8" thin wall square?

 

Do you know why Amps have those raised metal lines that usually run side to side or up and down? They are called cooling fins. Heat rises so there must be at least 2 inches of clearance between the amp and the custom cover and of course an open section which allows the air to circulate. Thats why you'll never see a certified car audio installer mount an amp under the rear deck in the trunk unless the amp is of brand and has a thermal activated cooling system. Your basically playing with fire. Even if your amp has a cooling fan, there still is no ventilation to allow the radiated heat caused by the MOSFETS to ventilate.

 

I don't think the cover itself would cause problems in this case, it looks to be a couple inches off the amp and it is thin, ventilated material to allow the sound through.

Mine will have a few cu ft of free air space to cool, but it's also about a quarter of that size

 

Good point. With the subs pounding, the sound pressure level would just push and exchange the different air temps.

 

FWIW, the amp was installed by a MECP certified technician. It only looks flush mounted, the facad around the amp is open on the ends, and yes, the cover sits a few inches above everything. In the 4 years it's been installed, I've had zero issues with heat.

 

Well not all certified installers are the same. Some will cut corners to make an install faster. Many think that the general public is dumb. Well that's not the case in my position. Hell, I used to order the free audio installations guides from Crutchfield back in 1997. So believe me. I know what I'm saying (but I don't know everything) Not all installers are honest in their workmanship.

 

4 years and still going strong? Nice. Good for you man.

 

A good indication of whether or not your amp has adequate ventilation is feeling the top. If its anywhere north of *warm*, you may want to consider a different mounting strategy

 

The way I bump my system doesnt even amount to your claim. If you put your hands on my super hot 1600 watt Sony XPlode mono-block amp, you would not be saying those words. I have my amp exposed to the open air. After about 5 mnutes of hard pounding Nuthing But A G Thang, you would wonder how these amps can run so hot and still keep on pounding for hours. Here is my system...