Commodore Stealth Installs?

[ONEVIA.]

Can anyone point me toward a site or some tips that can help me do a stealth install???

The car is a VK commodore. Any specific help would be great. Just looking for ideas.

Thanks

[NOCKY]

I've got a VN Calais with a large stealth install.

In the boot I have 2 15" subs, 5 amps, 1 active x-over, dsp module, 32 band eq, spare wheel & toolbox!! and whats more I retain 90% of my original useable boot space.

How did I do it?

2 Amps in the spare wheel (16" Walkingshaw Wheel).
EQ behind custom panel on right side.
All other gear hanging upside down on a custom AMP shelf under the parcel shelf.

(Don't believe the bullshit about amps overheating when mounted upside down, I've cranked my stereo (1100 W RMS) for many hours at a time at car shows and never had a component shut down with thermal protection)

The only obvious thing you can see is the two 15" subs. (Not in a box as my boot is sealed to become the box)

It can be done with some common sense and thinking outside the square.

Generally anti-theft are the main reasons for a stealth install. If this is your reason then some other tips are not to have stickers plastered all over you back window (This just screams "I have a big stereo.... why don't you come and steal it) and don't pull into a carpark with your stereo blaring, lock your car, and walk away (Anyone withing earshot will immediatly know that you have a system in your car).

Hope this helps.

[teK]

Don't believe the bullshit about amps overheating when mounted upside down, I've cranked my stereo (1100 W RMS) for many hours at a time at car shows and never had a component shut down with thermal protection

It's not bullshit, your amps might not have shut down on this occasion, however given hot enough ambient temperature and system load, the same amp is going to shut down when mounted upside down before it will shut down facing upwards. It's simple physics really, and even if your system never shuts down it would be definate that the component life would be reduced. All electronics will deteriorate faster when run at higher temperatures.

[NOCKY]

For Crab-Bait's benefit.

[NOCKY]

And again

[NOCKY]

Whole boot

[pearlvk]

U crazy f@rk, thats sick, Just a quik q?
Do u have a capacitator in that setup , or upgraded ur batt or alt.?
Also how do u actually mount the amps upside down, ps. How do u keep the wood up there? mounted i mean,
Also does your boot rattle alot?

[silver_ice]

are thoese subs bolted to teh back of the seats??
or is the seat cut and they are bolted dwon from the front??

[NOCKY]

The Walkingshaw wheel is real. The spare wheel amps are mounted on a fully carpeted board with all wiring hidden inside the board (routed then filled/carpeted over). There is a fan mounted below the bottom amp (one on top of the other)

The amp shelf is bolted to the underside of the parcel shelf in three pieces (large centre piece and two smaller side pieces). The amps are then screwed to the amp shelf. All wiring goes neatly through the shelf then is run is accordance with good anti-noise wiring practices on top of the board. There are also fans above the amps on the amp board (all fans are controlled by a volume sensetive circuit, spinning faster at greater volume)

The subs are mounted on a sub board that goes across behind the back seat and is carpeted on both sides. The board goes in from the boot side, subs go in from the car side with the back seat removed. The back seat has been spaced forward slightly, with mesh between the foam seat backing and the subs for protection.

Apart from the big red subs, the rest of the install is fairly stealth.

More pics to follow.

[NOCKY]

Centre section.

[NOCKY]

Other side

[NOCKY]

This pic shows the tool box with a fake panel behind it. Mounted on the back of this panel is the 32 band EQ.

[silver_ice]

cool

Is there much muffling with that sub setup? what about with a full back seat?? how does she go?

[pearlvk]

There are also fans above the amps on the amp board (all fans are controlled by a volume sensetive circuit, spinning faster at greater volume)

How did u do This, and how big r the fans?

[NOCKY]

silver_ice - The seats are leather, so I generally leave the centre fold arm rest open (The opening is covered in speaker cloth with a logo embroidered on it). The car has been built for SQ so only just reaches 138db. The boot is sealed and acts as the enclosure for the subs.

pearlvk - The fans are 100mm PC fans running off a circuit designed by a mate of mine.

Midz - Yes the walky rim is genuine as are the other four on the car. The spare rim was purchased from Steve's wheels in Melb. It has been re-painted and has had the rim polished. It did not come with a centre cap, so I put a coustic logo in it.

[RNGTR]

Midz you wanker....:D

I can tell you now the walky is REAL, having lugged the bastard in and out of Nockys boot a few times over the years.......

...and that Amp rack is farken heavy.......

[RNGTR]

:rolleyes:

You are a hero dude.......

Go to the bottom of the class.

[pearlvk]

ease up guys

[DrNick]

Having seen this setup and the car I can say:

1) It is a very neat and great sounding system

2) Those wheels are real. This is the cleanest VN 5L 5sp Calais I have seen.

Sean

[Crab_Bait]

Originally posted by teK

the same amp is going to shut down when mounted upside down before it will shut down facing upwards. It's simple physics really.

I'm confused. :confused: please explain why it will shut down depending on which way the amp is mounted. dosen't seem like simple physics to me.

[teK]

Heat rises. Heatsinks work by taking the heat away from critical components and adding surface area for faster air cooling. If you mount the amp upside down, more heat will rise back into the component rather than absorb into the heatsink, and any heat that does get absorbed into the heatsink will rise back into the components anyway. This means is that the component will be surrounded in heat for a very long time, and if it doesn't shut down during usage it will shorten it's working life. Given two identical amps and no variables besides from one amp sitting bottom down and the other bottom up, the one facing bottom up will shut down before the other.

[NOCKY]

teK - Everything you say is right. This system has been running for 6 years without a problem. My fingers are crossed for the future.