Stereo install is complete
12-03-2007, 09:28 AM
#1
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Stereo install is complete
It took a long time- but I had fun doing it. The car came apart pretty easily- it wasn't all to much different than an American car. I see why these are more expensive than a comparable American car. They are put together soo much better. Everything is solid and insulated to the max.
Audio equipment is as follows:
Factory headunit
Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2 processor, EQ, and electronic xover (controled via bluetooth on my laptop)
JBL GTi (no passives- all tuned actively)-Single 12" sub, 7" mid, 1-1/8" tweet, and 5.25" coax in the rear doors for a little rear fill
Arc Audio FD1200.1 on the sub
A/D/S P840 on the mids and highs
Elemental Designs deadener
Knu wiring
Monster XLN Pro RCA's
IPOD hookup located in the ashtray
Other mods:
H&R springs
Koni adjustable shocks
clear front marker lights
CL grille
flat hood emblem
It's 99% done. I still need to clean up a couple things in the trunk. There's a little glue overspray on the carpet edge of the false floor (white stuff you can see around the Arc amp) as well as add some carpet or black paint to the edge of the false floor around where the A/D/S/ amp is mounted (You can see the the wood showing in the area I am talking about).
After getting the Sonotube enclosure built- I really didn't like the way everything was looking in the trunk- so I changed plans and just built a regular enclosure. I screwed up there though. I centered the woofer on the front baffle. I should have raised the woofer 2" on the baffle to account for the fact that the false floor is 2" tall. It still looks fine though- most people probably wouldn't even notice it though.
So far I love the sound- everything I read about the GTi line was correct. The tuning is very close to being done also. I will most likely leave it as it is for another couple months until the speakers have a little more time to burn in. I think everything turned out looking quite good. My goal was good/clean sound and I didn't want to mod the vehicle in any way which couldn't be reversed. I even sourced plastic harness/terminals from Tyco and had them imported. That way I didn't have to cut anything on the factory harness. I just left those wires lay behind the dash and made all new harness' for myself. Although the pictures don't show it too well- the carpet I used is a 99.9% dead on match with the factory trunk carpet. Both the color and the matt is as close as can be.
The windows will be tinted in a couple weeks. The wheels have been nothing but a pain in the rear. I ordered a set of wheels that I was told by the manufacturer would clear the calipers. Turns out they were wrong- the spokes rub the calipers. It's been nothing short of a nightmare getting that straightened out. So- for the time being it's still on the stockers. I guess it doesn't matter too much though- the car doesn't get driven much.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...r&linkid=link5
Audio equipment is as follows:
Factory headunit
Rockford Fosgate 3sixty.2 processor, EQ, and electronic xover (controled via bluetooth on my laptop)
JBL GTi (no passives- all tuned actively)-Single 12" sub, 7" mid, 1-1/8" tweet, and 5.25" coax in the rear doors for a little rear fill
Arc Audio FD1200.1 on the sub
A/D/S P840 on the mids and highs
Elemental Designs deadener
Knu wiring
Monster XLN Pro RCA's
IPOD hookup located in the ashtray
Other mods:
H&R springs
Koni adjustable shocks
clear front marker lights
CL grille
flat hood emblem
It's 99% done. I still need to clean up a couple things in the trunk. There's a little glue overspray on the carpet edge of the false floor (white stuff you can see around the Arc amp) as well as add some carpet or black paint to the edge of the false floor around where the A/D/S/ amp is mounted (You can see the the wood showing in the area I am talking about).
After getting the Sonotube enclosure built- I really didn't like the way everything was looking in the trunk- so I changed plans and just built a regular enclosure. I screwed up there though. I centered the woofer on the front baffle. I should have raised the woofer 2" on the baffle to account for the fact that the false floor is 2" tall. It still looks fine though- most people probably wouldn't even notice it though.
So far I love the sound- everything I read about the GTi line was correct. The tuning is very close to being done also. I will most likely leave it as it is for another couple months until the speakers have a little more time to burn in. I think everything turned out looking quite good. My goal was good/clean sound and I didn't want to mod the vehicle in any way which couldn't be reversed. I even sourced plastic harness/terminals from Tyco and had them imported. That way I didn't have to cut anything on the factory harness. I just left those wires lay behind the dash and made all new harness' for myself. Although the pictures don't show it too well- the carpet I used is a 99.9% dead on match with the factory trunk carpet. Both the color and the matt is as close as can be.
The windows will be tinted in a couple weeks. The wheels have been nothing but a pain in the rear. I ordered a set of wheels that I was told by the manufacturer would clear the calipers. Turns out they were wrong- the spokes rub the calipers. It's been nothing short of a nightmare getting that straightened out. So- for the time being it's still on the stockers. I guess it doesn't matter too much though- the car doesn't get driven much.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...r&linkid=link5
Last edited by bumpnzx3; 12-03-2007 at 09:32 AM.
12-04-2007, 07:29 AM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
svt- i'll help as much as i can, although i've never torn into a pre-w203
beverlykasper- there's pictures in the link at the bottom of my first post
beverlykasper- there's pictures in the link at the bottom of my first post
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12-18-2007, 10:00 AM
#8
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2003 C230
Bravo on this install!
I feel so stupid, I am just trying to figure out how to install the MB CD changer into my C230, and you have redesigned yours into the Starship Enterprise.
Great work and great pics on this install. You rock.
Great work and great pics on this install. You rock.
12-18-2007, 10:23 AM
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Thanks!
You should be able to find a how-to with pictures on the dash destruction and wiring for the CD changer. I remember seeing them somewhere on here when I was searching for pinouts/wiring diagrams.
You should be able to find a how-to with pictures on the dash destruction and wiring for the CD changer. I remember seeing them somewhere on here when I was searching for pinouts/wiring diagrams.
12-18-2007, 10:13 PM
#10
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2003 C230K SS
Looks Great. The picture timeline is awesome.
You can fit 7" mids in the front doors??
And where did you mount the tweeters, or does 1 1/8" fit in the stock location?
You can fit 7" mids in the front doors??
And where did you mount the tweeters, or does 1 1/8" fit in the stock location?
12-19-2007, 10:50 AM
#11
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Thread Starter
There's a ton of room/depth in the front doors. Mainly because of the interior door panel.
The tweets fit pretty well in the stock location- no modificatons needed.
The tweets fit pretty well in the stock location- no modificatons needed.
12-19-2007, 11:33 AM
#12
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Location: Missouri
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E500(Sold), SL500(Sold), C350(Sold), ML350, SL65
12-28-2007, 07:50 AM
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Thanks!
Cleaned up- as in trunk design or cleaned up as in the glue marks and wood edge showing around the A/D/S/ amp? If it's the latter- already taken care of.
Like I said- there's some parts of the sound I like more than my Rainbow Audio setup in my Focus, but other parts of this the Rainbow has the upper hand.
Cleaned up- as in trunk design or cleaned up as in the glue marks and wood edge showing around the A/D/S/ amp? If it's the latter- already taken care of.
Like I said- there's some parts of the sound I like more than my Rainbow Audio setup in my Focus, but other parts of this the Rainbow has the upper hand.
