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Altoncustomtech's 1998 Chevy Vldenture

I take the words "Open to all Projects" literally, so I'm going to go ahead and post the build I did for my wife's van up for everyone to see. If it's a crime against nature to put the van on the site, then by all means accept my apology for the assumption ahead of time and feel free to delete it, lol.

My wife and I have owned this van going on about 7 years now. It's been a great daily driver and hasn't given too many real problems. It's been through 3 prior builds before this one, although this one is easily the most powerful and expensive yet. The headunit is a Kenwood KDC-X991, component sets are Hifonics Atlas 6.5's. Laugh if you must, but I would put the set up against most sets under the $500 mark any time. I've had my fair share of speakers and these sound the best to us, especially for the measly $120 ea. set we paid. They are mounted in custom build MDF baffles along with a bandwagon's worth of sound deadener. I give that info up front as this build/rebuild did not include any changes to the HU or components. The last build had Hifonics subs and amps, both of which I was sorry I had purchased and as soon as it started going bad, I began to purchase much better replacements. When the subs went bad I purchased a pair of 12" Fi Q subwoofers. For anyone who doesn't know Fi, please visit the website at www.ficaraudio.com. You'll find some of the nicest, american built, made to order subwoofers available. The only ones available in such a matter as far as I know. The Hifionics amplifiers were replaced, thanks to some luck, with Sundown Audio amps. An SAX-100.4 now powers the component sets and an SAZ-2000D is powering the Q's. The van is equipped with a DC Power 230 amp alternator as well as a C&D Dynasty High Rate 75ah secondary battery in the rear with the amps, behind the amp rack.

Enough with the descriptions, let the photo's begin. Hope you guys enjoy the build as much as I did building it.

First thing I did was build then enclosure. 4.2cuft net tuned to 32hz with a plexi window.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0221.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0222.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0227.jpg

My son helping with the project.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0226.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0229.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0230.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0231.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0232.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...N/DSCN0233.jpg

Some pics of the amps and subs that are in this build.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0220001128.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0220001130.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0220001131.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...220001131a.jpg

That is a good looking box....

Now I begin on the amp rack. With such a large enclosure I had to find a different place to mount the new amps. I found a good place for them and went with it.

http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0807001313.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0807001319.jpg

Had to create a template, piece by piece for a beauty panel to flush the rack board to the wall of the van.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0808001200.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...808001200a.jpg

If you notice the rounded corners, the 1/4" ply couldn't make the bends so I had to improvise. The routing in the center of the board is for the 4 gauge power wires and the speaker wires for the 4 channel amp. It's so that the wire's will be recessed into the board and not keeping the board from sitting all the way up against the wall of the van where the rear wheel well is. Along with the holes drilled for the wires to make the connections to the amps.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0811002045.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...811002045a.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0811002018.jpg

Carpet on the amp rack board.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0811002108.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0815002335.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0813001518.jpg

The amps mounted now.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0815002345.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0815002350.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...815002350b.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...815002350c.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...815002350a.jpg

And now for the finished product. Again, I'm sorry I don't have the complete installation sequence. At the time I finished this, my wife was in the hospital with stomach trouble. I was staying at the house in the evenings and nights so I could take care of the kids and get them on the bus in the morning before heading back to be with my wife in the hospital. I couldn't sleep so I worked on the van and completed it. I didn't think about taking any pictures until it dawned on me I hadn't taken a single one after installing everything and mounting the amp rack. So I took a few on what remained.

If you notice, the middle seat belt and the cup holder are still in place as well. :D
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0824000015.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0824000024.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...824000024a.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...824000024b.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0824000056.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0824000057.jpg

Here's the next morning with everything installed, tuned and tested.
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0824001546.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...824001546a.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...0824001547.jpg
http://i889.photobucket.com/albums/a...824001547a.jpg

And there it is. The Fi Q's are easily the most smooth, authoritative and best overall sounding subs I've ever had the pleasure of owning. The Sundown amps are great performing piece's of equipment, well worth their modest price. Thanks for taking a look. I thought it would be a good thing to share my interests with everyone. Hopefully the Jimmy will be getting it's own work done very soon.

I guess you are booming with the trunk of funk? By the way I hope your wife feels better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wlorton (Post 370299)

That is a good looking box....

Thank you. The way the paint turned out still bother's me. An unfortunate side effect of my Type A personality, lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKSDAD (Post 370319)

I guess you are booming with the trunk of funk? By the way I hope your wife feels better.

As I stated in my introduction, most of what I do is audio related. So yeah, the wife booms the funk to no end, lol. Yes, she's doing much better since then. I brought her home from the hospital later the same day the last pictures were taken. It brightened her day to see it done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wlorton (Post 370320)

Its awesome!

lol, Thanks!!