I wanna start building a stereo system for my Lightning this winter.

For starters I want to put Component Speakers in the doors. Do I have to go with 5"x7" or can I put in 6.5" rounds in? Will 6.5" round speakers fit without modifying the doors?

Do component speakers work off just the stock stereo, or do they need to be hooked up to an amp? I see they come with tweeters and a crossover- does that work off an amp or will it work on the stock stereo?

I will be building a Sub box out of MDF and fiberglass. Where can I get the supplies to do the fiberglassing for the face of the box? I have seen epoxy and fiberglass at Pepboys, Will that work good?

Thanks in advance!!!!!
Josh

 

I'm building my new one right now.

1st: 6.5's will fit but are you getting Coaxials or true compnents? The midbass will fit in the stock slot without any hassle, but I'd get a 1/4 piece of hardyboard or wood and just cover the hole and cut out a hole for the component. If you truly care about the sound I'd spend an extra 50 bucks and get some fatmat to seal the doors off. Your midbass will increase rediculously. www.fatmat.com seems to be the best prices I've found. I just ordered 100 sq ft. for 100 bux. That will do all my doors and rear 2 times over.
I'd try to mount the tweeters in the pillar or upper door trim. They're directional, so staging them down low by your knees won't really bring them out as much as they could be.

2nd: Fiberglass is everywhere. Any marine store will carry some. I bought 2, 5-gallon buckets from a mArine supply shop after blowing 20 bux a gallon at Home Depot (although for a box this small a gallon or 2 would do the whole thing.) You'll need some "mat" too which isn't too bad on price. for the shaping, I went to a cloth store and bought stretchable white fleese. You just staple it to the MDF frame and pull it until you get the curve you want, then staple it again. Just resin it to harden it, and then you can add mat. Works great.
I have a full write up on my last stereo instrall in my Explorer with plenty of pics of the galssing if your inetrested:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...ad.php?t=93403

here's how it turned out:


Good luck bro.

 

6 1/2's will fit easy if they aren't too deep. You'll need to make an adaptor plate and cut a little metal if you want to center it perfectly for the outside opening.

Check out my pics..
Click Here

As for how to power them, get an amp. Running them off the deck will be better than stock, but disappointing.

-Mark

 

Thanks guys, Thats what I was looking for!!!!!

I will go with the 6.5 components for the doors, I'll make the adapters just like you did with the hardwood. Looks like their is a little trimming required to make them fit right, but thats what I'll have to do. I already have the 5"x7"coaxial's for the rears.

I will be adding the head unit and amps in the spring, just wanted to beef up the sound for now.

 

I'm not sure I took pics of it, but I did kickpanels too.. Focal 5 1/4 and tweeter down there. I run the doors and kicks off a JL 300/4 amp.

-Mark

 

You can fit 6.5s without cutting by using a .25" thick adapter. Many will even fit with a thin plastic adapter. Always amp front speakers if you can.

Nice job on the damping work. I'll be doing the same soon. Did you run into any hassles with the interior (dis)assembly?

 

I found that the speaker didn't center in the outside door panel opening without moving it away from the body. You are right about using a spacer and it working, but the speaker was slightly obscured behind plastic. Cutting a little metal allowed me to center it in the wide part of the opening..

For the dampening, I removed the stock dampening and used it as a template to cut the good stuff.

-Mark