Sir Rupert Hobo

so i ordered everything for my system. the prev. owner took everything out(no speakers). and put the stock radio BACK in.

here's a list of what i will be putting in.

head unit
4 channel amp, powering 4 speakers
mono amp, powering a 10" sub

question # 1

where can i get those little clamps that you need to take out the head unit? i asked best buy and they said i have to get it through the dealer.

#2

can i just get rid of all of the stock amps?

#3

where could i put my sub box? i was thinking in back of the hatch(in the far back, in the middle)

#4

how would i drill holes for the box and amps?

#5

i can't seem to find a good detailed web site that shows step by step on how to do an install the right way. does anyone know of any?

and no, there is no damn way i am letting anyone touch my car. i will be doing this by myself. i'm NOT an expert on this stuff so please be patient w/me... i wanna learn.

thanks for any help.

SERIES7

Have someone do it for you.

Touring FD3S

I agree with SERIES7. Everyone HAS to know someone that knows stereo stuff. Your best bet is to learn from them, even if it costs you a little bit. Your installs aren't going to be easy, especially if you are trying to do them yourself and are new at it. And continuously posting, or even reading how to do it is not as effective as having someone help you first hand.

David Beale

First you need the factory service electrical wiring book.

You can take out all the stock amps. If you don't have the Bose, there is only one (centre amp) on the right side of the radio. Shiny metal box. The Bose system uses that amp. as well as an amp in each door speaker box, and the amp in the wave tube.

On the cable to the centre amp. box you will find one large dia. wire (white as I recall). That is the accy. switched wire for the audio system. It works well, and has a 30 Amp breaker. If you are putting in a capacitor, connect it to that wire, and use that wire as your source. If you want to be fanatical, you can run a ground wire from the battery.

Your sub. should go beside the shock tower on the passenger side. You need the centre for access to the spare (unless you decided to go without a spare, in which case you can sink the sub into the spare well). The drivers side shock tower area should be kept clear for access to the fuel pump. If you make the sub box easilly removable, then you could put it wherever you like. There should be studs sticking up from the hatch floor area (for the Bose wave tube and whatever).

You can use the stock antenna (rear), and the power antenna wire will connect right up to an aftermarket tuner. It's the larger of the two antenna connectors. The small one goes to the "diversity antenna" on the rear hatch glass. It isn't very useful, even if you could find a mating connector for it.

You will have to make a cct. to adapt the meter lighting because it is a pulse width system, or just adjust it separatly on your new head unit.

I recommend using the stock door speaker wires. They are smallish, but work fine (they're not very long). If you want to change them it's a real hassle routing the cable and messing with the door connector pins. I just found out they are actually an AMP product, BTW.

Run new cables for the rear speakers, as access to do this is fairly simple. Run them down the sides by the existing cable trays. Be careful with speaker polarity, and don't ground any speaker wire.

You will be spending some time adjusting the freq. response of the head unit because the car interior is so small, so get a good test CD.

Good luck!

Sir Rupert Hobo

thanks alot david. is this for an FC? what's a bose wave tube?

Sir Rupert Hobo

BTW series7 and touring FD.. i know you're just trying to save me the trouble of ******* up, but i choose to just do it by myself. and right now i just moved in this area and i don't know anyone that'll even know what's going on. i will REFUSE to have someone else install it for huge $$$. i'm just a stubborn bastard..

nillahcaz

iTrader: (2)

there is no good place to do a clean install. if you have never used fiber-glass to make a box before you will have to make one out of MDF and just put it in the back. You did not give enough info for me to help you. do you want it all out of sight or just put where it fits or do you want to make it for show?
I would run new speaker wire to ALL the speakers try to keep the RCA cables away from ALL power wires and wiring harness. also try to use a grounding block and ground the two amps and the head unit as well as other stuff you may have so the hole system has the same ground potential, this will help keep out noise make sure to use a good size ground. there are a lot of ways to set the gain on an amp, I like to use a test tone from -0db - -6db. then use an ocilloscope (sp?) before you hook up the speakers, there should be no flat spots on the wave when the gain is set. -0db will be the safest for your equipment. and -6db will be louder. i know that not every one has an ocilloscope to use, so another good way in my book is to hook up the amp and turn the gain to about half way, have a friend stand back from the car about 10' and turn the radio up to about 3/4 volume, play a GOOD cd or sat radio. and slowly turn the gain up and have him give you a sign when he first hears distortion and turn it back a little bit.
what is the rated out put of the amps and what size are they?

David Beale

Sorry, you didn't say you had an FC. My instructions are for an FD.

Sir Rupert Hobo

first, i'm sorry i haven't given enough info.

second, i already have a 10 inch box/sub. i am willing to put it ANYWHERE. and it's not for show.

sub

mono amp

btw, i think the sub would benifit better if i had a more powerful amp.

i'm gonna do a search for grounding, but how hard is it to do?

rjuge

normally I'm all for giving help to noobs, but normally noobs understand what grounding is..

I would seriously recommend getting a knowledgeable friend to hook it up for you man. It's not hard, but you can really f**k up your car if you don't know what you're doing (esp. with amps).

If you insist on doing this yourself, PM me with the specifics of everything you've got and I'll give you a rough tutorial on it....

But, bottom line, you should get someone else to do it or do it WITH a friend...

nillahcaz

iTrader: (2)

you need to DOUBLE the watts to make it 3 db louder in most cases.
also you can get some rubber pads made to put on furniture's feet and use them as spacers/vibration dampers and mount the amp right on the side of the box. I would not do this on a show car it dose not look the best so i got a custom box grafted into the storage bens.

cprx7

You getting an Infinity sub and powering it with a BOSS amp??!! Would you also put pep-boys tires on a Ferrari?

nillahcaz

iTrader: (2)

i second that.
this would be a better amp for the money
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=1&cc=01&avf=Y