The second step was figuring out how to get the new wire everywhere. For the amp power cable, I ran it through the high side of the passenger firewall. I’m not exactly sure where because I couldn’t see it. I stuffed my white RG6 through and was able to pull it down from under the dash so that’s where it came through. I grounded the amp on the transmission tunnel close in front of the console. I ran 12ga from the amp to the crossovers which I located under the front seats. I also ran 12ga from the crossovers to the mid and tweeter in each door. The sub channel I ran an extra long 12ga to the rear so I’d have plenty of room if I needed to stuff the box behind the third row for some reason. Getting wire into the doors really wasn’t that much of a hassle with the exception of the driver’s door. I took about an hour running the amp power, about an hour running the driver’s door wiring, and about 30-45 minutes each for the remaining doors. For the driver’s door, I found it was necessary to remove the parking brake pedal from the kick area. I then had to pull the accordion boot from the jamb and cut slits in the end to allow more wire to comfortably fit through. I had to do this on all of the door boots. After doing this, and a liberal application of wire lube, I was able to shove my RG6 through the boot and pull my 2 sections of 12ga.
After getting the wiring terminated and ready for the speaker installation, I started to assemble each door. On the front doors, I dremeled out the factory tweeter hole and used the flush mount pods to install the tweeter to the front of the door panel. On the rear doors, I chose to use the door handle trim as my tweeter location so I wouldn’t have to cut a visible location on the actual door panel. I made my hole in the trim and a slightly larger hole in the door panel behind where the trim sits. I used the flush pods here again as well. When I put the 5.25s in the Thunderbird, I had a friend cut me out some 1/8” steel plates that adapted from the 5x7 to a 5.25” hole. I dynamat’d these on both the front and rear of the plates and installed the speakers to them. In the Expy, I had to add the grille trim to them in order to keep the surround from hitting the door panel. I bolted these in and put the interior back together.
In the first picture you can see the tweeter in the upper part of the door and the mid showing its face from behind the stock grille.
In the second picture you can see where I located the tweeter in the rear doors.
One day I’d like to step up the size of the mids because I feel there is much more to be had than what the 5.25s offer. Not that the 5.25s disappoint, but they don’t have that kick of a 6.5 or 6x8.
Now we will dive into my discovery of a drug-like product, destroying everyone’s spare time, PlastiDip.
This stuff is outrageous. If you haven’t used it, go get a can from your local Lowes or Home Depot and try it. I don’t care what you use it on, spray it on your cat, you’ll think its awesome (NO don’t actually spray it on your cat… or your neighbor’s cat). A removable paint that protects whatever surface it is applied to. I’m addicted. Literally.
I hate the Pueblo Gold lower section on my truck and wanted an effective way of getting rid of it while having the option go to back and remove it.
ENTER PLASTI-DIP
This stuff is so awesome it can actually be used to make a visor strip on your window in whatever shape you want! LOVE it.
A video walk-around of the truck the day after I dipped it
Window tint… 20% to match the rears
I actually did an exhaust before the dip but I don’t have the sound clips or pictures of anything right now. I’ll do those later.
All of the dip has since been removed as I have a monthly package at my local Drive and Shine and use it on average 5 times a week. A section would come off here and there, I blame that partially on prep but also partially on using spray cans instead of gallons out of a gun. I’ll be doing it all again, but probably in gunmetal grey. I’ll also do the mirror caps to help tie in the look.
