Built some custom kicks and pillars for my V

**jonyb** · 11-16-09 09:23 AM

This will be a thread for the install I'm doing in my CTS-V. Most equipment is here and I've started a few things.

Equipment:
Alpine CDA-9886
Metra double-din dash kit
Wet Sounds WS-420 pre-amp/line-driver/eq
Digital Designs 6.5" component set (kicks and pillars)
Digital Designs 6.5" coaxials (front and rear doors for fill only)
Digital Designs M3B 1500W mono amp
Digital Designs C4A 100x4 amp
Digital Designs 1508 8" woofers (2)
Stinger 1/0 power wire, ANL fuseholder up front
Stinger Helix RCA's
Stinger 5F digital hybrid capacitor

Pillars were built about a week ago. There was originally a Blose tweeter in each one. I removed those, cut them out, and fiberglassed a ring in for the tweeter. Each panel was glassed, sanded down, then wrapped in suede.

Next will be forming up the kick panels to hold the 6.5's. The trick is that the e-brake is like a truck and sits below the dash, not to mention there's a clutch pedal, so that's gonna take some trickery. Probably start on those next week.

**jonyb** · 11-16-09 09:24 AM

1 week goes by.......

Finally got some more work done. The pillars have been tucked in my closet since done, so now I started on the kick panels. The floormats in the car are tan, and I'm slowly swapping everything over to black as I can afford to. I've got new black OEM V floormats coming, so it'll look a little different once the work is done.

Started making the form

Resin and fiberglass mat

Raw forms ready for sanding and to be trimmed down

Cut out some speaker rings, sanded flush, and mounted the plastic ring

Wrapped the ring in foamboard so the speaker is recessed

Mounted the ring to the form and about to wrap in grill cloth

**jonyb** · 11-16-09 09:24 AM

I missed a few pics inbetween, but basically wrapped in grill cloth, 2 coats of resin, then sanded down and covered in suede to match the pillars and seat inserts

Mounted in drivers side, again, black carpet and floormats coming soon.

Both completed on the bench

A new toy that helped this job in a big way

And another goody added along with a UUC short shifter. The old shift knob wouldn't stay straight because it was broken, and the bushings were destroyed on the original shifter.

**jonyb** · 11-16-09 09:28 AM

Also started on mounting up the pre-amp. This dash kit sucks for using a single-din head unit. It's almost like something is missing. There's a gap between both trim rings that will have to be filled. I filled the gap between the top and bottom of the eq, but can't start on the middle between the head unit until it comes in and is mounted.

If this doesn't turn out right, I'm gonna pull the eq and relocate the volume and sub control to the dash, then mount the chassis and remaining buttons in the trunk and use a pocket in it's place.

**soulja** · 11-16-09 09:43 AM

Impressive. I can't wait the see the finishes project. As for the speakers on the floor. Aren't you worried about stepping on them?

**jonyb** · 11-16-09 10:53 AM

I am worried about stepping on them. The woofer is angled so much that I'll miss with teh clutch, but the e-brake in the floor will be tough to get used to. That's why I recessed the speaker into the panel, so the grill wouldn't take too much abuse.