New paint + SSD mount + GPS + newsetup

So first off, the SEM classic coat didnt match. so scratch that. waste of 15 dollars. i bought some black plasti-dip aerosol ($6 @ home depot) today and will try that out when i get a chance. its supposed to be a decent match. otherwise im gonna go to SEM color coat satin black and give that a shot.

I was able to get some scrap aluminum sheet about 0.08" thick from the scrap at work. i work for a local government agency and our sign guy had a bunch of 12"x3.5" pieces of scrap so he let me have one. I'm gonna bend up the sides and mount it to the same platform taht the pc will be on. and mount the hdd inside of the U shape.

I got a new skin for iGo8 that Spawn from Digital car put together and what a world of difference. the only problem im having is that only california maps seem to work. which luckily for me i live in california, but i go to reno and tahoe sometimes and always seem to get lost. so hopefully ill find some better maps.

I've also connected the m2-atx power supply to the system with my 300watt PSU supplying the 12v line with a toggle switch emulating the ignition. This allowed me to get all of the cable tied and squared away as well as organized and ready for the top of the case to be put on.

i'm very tempted to reinstall windows on the hdd because its running a bit sluggish. but im not sure. its kind of hit or miss. i'm gonna see what happens once i get a codec pack on there and videos working better.

Oh, and I'm still waiting on Lilliput factory to get back to me regarding the flipping of my screen. I may have to get a newer 629GL to do so. I have the right model, but hte firmware is from 2007 instead of 2009 like the new one. when i tell it to flip, it just stays normal. its strange.

Bezel at 95% completion

Bezel: It's painted. Some dust got on it after i wet sanded down the first coat and ill have to sand it back down and throw another coat on it. I need to wear gloves next time because im apparently allergic to something in the SEM Classic Coat paint that makes my skin break into hives. SWEET!!! Here's a pic after the first coat:



GPS: I switched from DeLorme Street Atlas to iGo8 and WOW. What a difference. iGO outperforms delorme by a mile (no pun intended)

Audio Decisions

Well, I've decided on the amp and sub. I'm going to be purchasing a JL 10W1V2-4 and power it with a JL a1200. The a1200 is a 175w RMS @ 4ohm amp, 500w Max monoblock A/B amplifier. It's a good match for the sub and its not too big and doesn't require a lot of power, but has had great reviews. As for the sub, i've read nothing but great things about them. So I'm stoked! I'm gonna MDF/fiberglass a sealed enclosure on the passenger side of the trunk in the spot where the cubby is. That will come out and i will match the contours of the other side of the trunk to make the trunk symmetrical (because im weird like that).


Mid-bass Door 6.5"

i still havent decided what 6.5" door speakers im going to get. i'll probably just go with some of the phoenix gold ti-6 by morel that i spoke of previously.

Amp purchase

Amp Purchase

So with the replacement of the stock dash and deck speakers, I decided to replace the amp. This was a bit tricky because of the nature of the Saab audio system, but I finally figured it out.

I purchased a JL Audio a6450 (6ch x 45w @4ohm RMS amp) that allows me to do exactly what I need. I will be passing ch 1/2 to the dash speakers on a high pass filter, ch 3/4 to the rear deck with a high pass and then using the combined signals (pre-high pass) to send to ch5/6 where I will most likely sum them and send them to the 6.5" door speakers as a mono channel with a low-pass.

Door Speakers

I am going to replace the 2ohm door 6.5" speakers with some 4ohm 6/5" mid-bass drivers. I am looking at the Phoenix Gold ti-6 which are supposedly decent speakers and affordable ($140US for the pair).

Mounting the amp

The a6450 will be mounted in a false floor in my trunk. I haven't decided if this floor is going to be full floor or only half and have a 'step up'. The only reason for this is because I would like to keep access to the spare tire.

I plan on leaving a second amp 'chamber' for an additional sub amp that will power a single 8"or 10" JL w3v3. I haven't decided on the amp or sub yet. I think I will use a JL a1400 (500w class D) or a JL a1200 (300w class A/B).

Sub

The sub will be mounted in a custom fiberglass enclosure on the passenger side of the trunk. There is currently a small area which is apparently for golf clubs cut out in the side, which if I take off the panel, leaves a nice sized chamber for a single sub. I will hopefully render both the floor and the sub enclosure soon