Ok people I have gotten may car back from paint and now is the time to start the Audio Install. I'll try and keep things rolling. I will also try to detail all that I can. If you have question just PM or post. So to start this DIY off let me start with the Dynamat install. The e34 in pretty well souond proofed but can be beefed up to improve get ride some of the road noise. Most of the e34 noise is going to come from the tranny hump and I will get to that. also if you have an exhaust you will get some sound in the cabin. So I started by stripping out the rear seat, deck and pads.

People over the next 2 weeks I'll be striping the interior out down to just the drivers seat and doing a complete audio system install. From laying DynaMat, new wiring, custom box build and moding the front kickers for 6.5 components with fiberglass. Here is a complete list of what will be installed. I have yet to see a complete DIY install showing everything on the net. Everytime someone post a question about car audio for the e34 no one ever replies or replies with just text.(I have ..........) Wouldn't a DIY picture tutorial be nice! Let me know what you think. If there is enough people interested I'll start a thread and update it as the work progresses.

Also start posting PICS of your Audio install. No matter how it looks.

-DynaMat Extreme
-Alpine 7998 Head unit
-Kicker RS 5 & RS 6 Components
-Kicker L7 12" DVC 4 Ohms Sub wired in parallel @ 2 Ohms
-Kicker KX650.4 Amp
-Kicker KX600.1 Amp
-Stinger Expert Dist. Block
-Stinger Expert Fused Dist. Block
-Stinger Explert ANL Fuse
-Stinger Expert 0 Gauge Power Wire
-Stinger Expert 4 Guage Power Wire
-Stinger Expert 8 Guage Power Wire
-Stinger Expert Battery Terminals
-PG + Batter Terminal
-Stinger Expert 0 Guage Ring terminal for ground
-Stinger Expert RCA Directional Interconnects
-Stinger HPM 12 Gauge Speaker Wire (from x-over to the amps)
-Stinger HPM 16 Gauge Speaker Wire (to the x-overs)
-Stinger Cage Fans
-Stinger Expert Cap
-Bosh Relay

Seat pads removed:
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/seat1.jpg

All the parts removed.
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/seat2.jpg

These are the speaker pods that need to be removed and modified later.

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/pod.jpg

I bought 2 boxes of DynaMat Extreme Bulk packs. Found them on eBay for $65.00 a peice. Make sure to get a wood roller. HomeDepot wall paper dept. ,razor, Clean rag and 409(this is to clean the surface before installing the DynaMat.)

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna1.jpg

Here is the first piece installed. Take your time and plan what will go where. When laying the pieces peel the backing off slowly as you place it. Once in place roll it roll it roll it.

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna2.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna3.jpg

Shot from the trunk:
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna5.jpg

Here is the driver door with the panel and pad removed. You can see the OEM sound dead pad but here is were the scraps come in handy. I cut to long strips from them and cleaned the inside of the door.
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna6.jpg

More tomorrow.......need to get some sleep

theDogger

-Custom Trunk build 10" Sub to fire threw the Ski Bag Hole. Not sure if I will do a vented or sealed box. I'm in the process or drawing up both. The way I've designed the setup I can build both and swap them if I like. The seal will roughly be .77 vol. and the Vented 2.25 with a 18" vent.

http://bigfootdesigns.com/ebay/trunk1.jpg

theDogger

This morning I removed the rear and center counsel in order to run the RCA Cables. Taking apart of the rear and center counsel is not difficult. If you have never attempter it or are not sure I suggest that you get a Bentley and take you time. You should not have to force anything off. Damn interior got really dirty when it was painted.

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/interior2.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/interior3.jpg

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/interior4.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/interior5.jpg

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/interior1.jpg

more to come......

theDogger

you are bad ass dude.. this will be pimp!

Here are some more pics of the DynaMat install. I have removed both the front seats (fixed the seat cables the head rests were not moving and the drivers seat was tilted) and started to remove the rear carpet and lay the DynaMat. Let me tell you there were some funky smells under there. You can see a stain where Coke was spilled I then proceeded to clean the floor panels and lay the DynaMat down. This is actually a good time to do some detailing.
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/rear0.jpg
My leather is in excel. shape...but time for some Leathernique.
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/rear1.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/rear2.jpg

Here you can see the Stinger Expert RCA cables under the blue tape that I ran throught the middle counsel....
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/rear3.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/rear4.jpg



theDogger

:clap: more more. keep up the good work.

i envy your skills :D :D :D

Just to let everyone know that this is my first time installing a audio system. i have never done anything before other than a head unit install. I have spent the time researching and figured its time to do it. I would also like to to say thanks to Alarmimg Sounds in Rancho Cordova. Roman the shop owner has been more than helpful when question arise. Unlike most shop who will not even offer some assit unless your buying something.

theDogger

Dude, your efforts are appreciated. I can't wait to see more

Well it has been awhile since I updated this DIY...The Holidays have slowed down the progress and waiting for Speaker wire. The DynaMat is pretty much done now. The entire rear and front 1/3 rd of the trunk is done. I really think that the DynaMat has made a difference. I drove the car when the rear was stripped and had a lot of cabin noise. Especially on the Exp. Ways. Now driving it just with the DynaMat it has really quited the road noise in the cabin. Can't wait to get the OEM pads and seats in should really be more noticable. I will also be spraying the door and the rear truck with Dyna Spray. it just to hard to get into these places. much easier taping and spraying. Now just waiting for the speaker wire and to get my brother-in-laws table saw and router to start the box construction. So here are a few more pics of what has been done....

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna_1.jpg http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/dyna_2.jpg

These are the two AMP that will power the Kicker Components. Runs at 75 watts @ 4 Ohms and 500 watts @ 2 Ohms
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/amp400.jpg http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/amp600.jpg

These Stinger Expert product will run the power. ANL Fuse, Maxi Fuse Dist. Block and Dist. Block and RCA Directional/Shielded and twisted
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/stinger1.jpg

Here is a shot of the rear Kicker 5.25 next to the OEM speaker

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/Kicker5.jpg

theDogger

looks good..can't wait to see the finish product :D

The dogger does it again.

Let me be one to say, your car is an idol to many in the e34 community.

You amaze me with hpw fast this project moves along. Keep up the good work, and keep us all updated.

:handclap
:buttrock

Very nice. And how much weight would you estimate the Dynamat has added to the car? You may want to look at upgraded suspension as the extra weight will make the car feel a bit more "floaty" on the road.

AudioMan,
I hear ya.......I have Bilstien Sports and BavAuto springs. Here is the conclusion that I have come to. The DynaMat was 1 1/2 bulk kits. about 20-25 lbs. The MDF box will be about 100-150 lbs, the amps about 40-50 lbs for the two. So I'm looking at about 225lbs added max. I am lookinig into H&R springs and swapping out the exhaust with a Remus direct to the Cat. So with the muffler swap I should loose about 50-65 lbs. I do not plan on using a resonator so maybe more weight. But I hear ya.

theDogger

Dogger- Lookin' good!

Are you sealing off the front of the trunk (er...front if you reference the front of the car) and dropping in an MDF front or are you making an entire MDF box? Just curious :)


FYI- The window switches in the center console, mine were quite dirty. You can actually take them apart and clean them, I did it to mine and they look great now. It's tricky, but not hard. The block of 4 switches just snaps in...if you look at it you'll get the idea.

If you're worried about the back end riding low, I have some stock rear springs in the garage that would probably take you back up a bit :devillook

abakos...

If you look back up at the top of the post. I posted a pic of the trunk. What I am doing is DynaMating the front 3rd of the trunk. The Box is a 2 peice design. The front part of the box basically will seal the rear box to it. The Kicker L7 10" will fire through the ski hole directly into the cabin.( Did it this way because I do not want any trunk rattle!!) So then the entire floor board will become MDF with the 2 piece box mounted on top of it. I hope that this makes sense.

theDogger

http://bigfootdesigns.com/ebay/trunk1.jpg

So just to be clear, in your diagram of the box you will build... we are looking at a top view with the big black circle being the spare tire?

twistedbydsign9


Yes your are correct! You are look down on the trunk from the top. What you see is a rough diagram of the 2 piece box. There will also be an amp rack for the 1 amp and accessories. and over the top 1/4 of the spare tire hole will be the larger amp in the floor....


theDogger

Awesome man, keep it up... I wanna see more.

-southsails

Well it has been awhile have updated this post. With a vacation to Disneyland and several birthdays including my own Happy 33rd!:eek: But anyway. I worked on the kick panels today. I was going to modify the OEM but was pleased to find out that my Kicker RS6.5 fit with very little modification. I went to Alarming Sounds (Rancho Cordova, Ca) and picked up a pair of 6.5 speaker adapters and modified them to fit the kick panels. I started out by removing the backing. I will DynaMat them and put the OEM pad back over the DynaMat. The I started by filing down the OEM mount points and gained about 1/8th of an inch. The Kickers are about 1/4th inch deeper than the OEM

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick01.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick02.jpg
After removing the OEM Pad I soaked the panels in the bath tub with some dawn soap and hot hot water to get the glue of of the kickers so the DynaMat would stick....It a pain in the ass....
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick_temp.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick03.jpg

I cut some DynaMat out using the OEM sound pad as a template..and after applying the DynamMat I re-glued the OEM pad..You can real feel and hear a difference with the DynamMat applied....
]http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick5.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick2.jpg

Then the modified speaker plate was attached and the speaker mounted with 1" #8 Bolts and #8 Nylon Nuts. There is just enough room to hold the nuts under the speaker plate to tighten them. Also almost forgot to mention...I used 1/2" door foam between the plate and the speaker to help seal it.

]http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick1.jpg]http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/kick6.jpg

After finishing both kick panels I trial fit them. They are tight but with moving some of the OEM wiring out of the way the kick panels mounted up with no problem.


Tomorrow I will post pics of the rear deck being put together and the running of the Stinger 16 gauge speaker wire. I have already spent some time cutting the OEM speaker wire out. It took 100ft of Stinger's HPM 16 gauge. This will connect to the x-overs then 12 gauge from there to the amps....

Well its getting late...I post more tomorrow and the next day....


Happy Holiday's

theDogger

Very nice, keep it coming. I didn't realize that the kick speakers were actually mounted to the kick panels. I figured they were mounted in the car, and the kick panels just covered them.

Were the tweets difficult to mount in the door, or did you put them somewhere else?

this is sweet dude, where did you learn to do this stuff, you seem pretty knowledgeable for a first time install. i was thinkin of doin the same on my 5er, and this thread has been more than inspirational, keep up the good work man.:clap: :clap: :clap:

Collosus,

Well this is my first install of this type. I have in the past done a few head units and speakers but never this much. I spent a lot of time researching things and trial and effort and creativity. I searched the net and could find nothing at all. The best advise I can offer is to take your time, have the right tools and try and find a shop that is will to help answer questions. That is probally the biggest grip I have about all of this. Most shops that I went to ..to get help would blow me off or be like just bring it in we'll install it or try and sell me shit...What is the big fucking secret. I think that it basically boiled down to I wasn't dumping Hundreds of dollars into there chop shop. Well anyway I found a shop here is Sac area call Alarming Sounds. The owner Roman is cool as hell. He offers advise and takes time to draw diagrams and answer what ever questions I have. This has been a big help

Any way do you goto any of the EuroTek meetings in Chi. I'm moving back in about a month. You can check it out there if you like....

Happy Holidays
theDogger

cool man, yea i gotta check out the ride at one of the Eurotek meets, im in school now, but im back pretty often. im doin the research thing now, tryin to get info everywhere. thanks for the advise, and again, awesome project man, more ppl should post step by step install like this. (BTW, my eurotek name is tha same on that board)

Good job there man. I remember for a concours show I had removed my front seats just to clean :) Some of us are a bit more insane than others. I am working on my setup slow but steady. I am de-lidding (if thats a word) my modded xbox, mounting it in my trunkw all so you can see inside, then relocating the cover to a feaux-floor so it looks like its under plexiglass in the floor. etc etc... shoudl look nice. here is a shot as of Late august, much has changed.

http://www.orbitalinternet.net/pics/sub.jpg

post the new ones urinemachine, haha nice name

dogger, do you think i could do an install with the existing wiring, or do i have to change the wires (525i too:buttrock )

C-

I have heard several thoughts on this. The stock wire should be 16 gauge twisted . BMW uses good wire. I would say that half the people that I asked said to keep it and the other half said trash it. So since I was doing a full install and pulling the interior apart I just re-wired. If you rewire you have to use Twisted Pair just like the OEM wire. This will help reduce the noise. BMW's can be a royal pain in the ass when it comes to this.

So my advise to you is this...if you are adding amps and speakers the stock wire should be cool. Why re-invent the wheel. But if you are adding a ton of power you may consider running new wire for sure. Also if you have to run RCA's take the time to run them down the middle counsel to avoid system noise. This important.

If you are going to re-wire follow the same path as the OEM wire. The 5 series has some deep channels and will allow the wire to be tucked away nicely. A issue that I ran into were the tweeters in the sail panels. I had to sodder to the OEM wire because there is no way to run the new wire without removing the door and drilling. So I have about 2 ft of OEM wire.

So I hope that this answers the question. If you provide some more info. I might be able give some better details and suggestions

Happy Holidays
theDogger

yea that does answer my question, im not going all out here as far as power. i just want to improve it and learn how to install it.

well, heres what i got planned so far, basically anything i put in will be an improvement at this point, but i didnt want to do a shitty setup either (i dont think this is so far)

HU--Alpine CDM-9801
FS--Infinity Kappa 60.5cs (comps)
RS--Infinity 6002si (coax driven by HU)
Amp--Alpine MVR-T320 (2 ch runnin the front comps)

As for the sub(s) im still debating what to do. im sure i want to go with JLs, but im not sure if i wanna plunge into a 10W7, or W6v2s or W3v2s. i also was sure that i was gonna biuld a classic box firing back, but after looking at your design and some others on the net, firing thru the ski hole is really interesting. Hows the sound/SPL in comparison? wada ya think of the setup so far? about the wireing, i think im going to hold off on putting new wire so the speakers, i dont think i need to from your advice.

thanks man, and keep up tha good work.

Originally posted by theDogger

If you are going to re-wire follow the same path as the OEM wire. The 5 series has some deep channels and will allow the wire to be tucked away nicely. A issue that I ran into were the tweeters in the sail panels. I had to sodder to the OEM wire because there is no way to run the new wire without removing the door and drilling. So I have about 2 ft of OEM wire.


Hey Dogger, just had my door panel off 2 days ago... and the tweeter wire is actually not hard to run AT ALL. I had it fall back into the panel a few times, to which I just pulled it all the way out until I was done fixing my door. Then I just ran it back up. There is really no difficulty in running new wires to the tweeters, just as long as you buy new clips for your door in advance.

I will grab some more pics of my xbox/video install when it isn't so cold out.

UrineMachine..

Are you sure? What year is your e34. Mine is a '95 e34. When I traced the wire from the top down and from bottom up it goes into a connector. When the door is open you can see the joint that houses the wires. It also has the other wires for the locks and windows. The door has to be removed to take the 2 screws out of it. When it disconnects there are 2 pieces. The one on the door has a female connect and the car frame has the male. So from the inside kick panel I followed the wire and with a flash light I can see were the wire connects. Maybe the difference in car years. I'll post some pics tonight.

So all I did was cut the OEM tweeter wires about 6 inches below the connector and soldered the Stinger wire.........




theDogger

COLLOSUS ........

some food for thought...If you fire the woofer into the trunk you will get trunk rattle. Thats why I used the ski port. All of the sound will fire into the cab. I feel that there will be no difference in the level of bass out put. The bass relys on the enclosure. If its right and the sub has good power ........

IMHO

theDogger

interesting, well, my friends got subs in his S4, so i'll fuck around with the placement and see if i like the sound thru the skipass because i like the idea of having the closed side to the trunk (more usable). in your diagram of the sub box, are the lines in the middle bracing? if yea, from where to where,( i was doin a little readin on bracing last night:D ). also, where are you tossin your amps? i was gonna have mine against the back seat, but with the consideration of the sub firing that way, i dont kno if thats a good idea.

Alex:)

C-

Ok what I'm doing with the box is this and I will try to discribe it best I can. The box will be 2 parts. A front baffle and the main box. The front baffle will provide the space needed from the back seat so the vent can fire. The baffle will extend back about 6". Then the main box will bolt to it to seal. The vented box will be 2.25 + port for SLP/Street (kicker specs.) . The sub will line up with the ski port and the vent will be behind the seat to the drivers side. I'm trying to work out a different box with the vent closer to the woofer and the ski port. Hope that this makes sense. So have said all this if you were sitting in the back seat and looked into the port you would see a woofer 6 inches back and be able to put your arm into port to the left or right of the sub. I can send specs if you like

Hope that this makes sense

theDogger

hell yea, if you got the time, please do send the specs. i think i know what you're saying, so all venting is thru the pass right? the baffle is the blue part on the diagram right?

PM specs here or on Eurotek if you got the time

thanks buddy, this is the greatest fucking thread of all, time, at exactly the time when i was trying to get ideas WTF, thats awesome!

You guys and your fancy smancy ported/vented boxes :) With enough power, and the right subwoofer, I love the sound of a sealer box. 0.66 cu ft with an alpine type-r 10" DVC an audiobahn amp bumps MORE than adequately.

TheDogger,

the driver side tweeter connection in my car (1992, wired same as yours) simply connects to the tweeter via funky spade terminals, then goes down the door... behind the door panel... back in the door, then meet the rest of the harnessing for the switches and mirror and window etc and goes down into the car. It's not all that big a deal at all to run new wire since you just ignore that wiring harness but run the wire through the same holes. It's very easy I had my wire fall out of the tweeter location and down the back door, i didn't even need to use a coat hanger to run it again.

Damn I can see that! the way you are discribing it sounds like I could just thread it. Hear are some pics of my door harness. As you will see the wire can't be threaded through....

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door1.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door2.jpg

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door3.jpg http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door4.jpg

let me know what you think....I see no way of runing a wire throught that harness.I'll look harder tomorrow and see but maybe the year are different..

theDogger

Originally posted by theDogger
Damn I can see that! the way you are discribing it sounds like I could just thread it. Hear are some pics of my door harness. As you will see the wire can't be threaded through....

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door1.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door2.jpg

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door3.jpg http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/door4.jpg

let me know what you think....I see no way of runing a wire throught that harness.I'll look harder tomorrow and see but maybe the year are different..

theDogger

I am sayinig ignore the harness. You can easily make room for a 12 gauge wire to come up seperate from that molex connector. That rubber hose can accommodate a twisted pair for sure. Bypass that harness entirely, its been done, i've seen it done, its easier than you're making it.... literally ignore that setup, just terminate that current wire, run a new one entirely.

UrineMachine, and what is your idea to get the wire to pass from the door to inside the car? Do you propose drilling another hole then covering the new wire with some tape or plastic/rubber tubing?

Ideally, you would want to run the new wire through the facotry harness, but it is just about impossible in this case unless we are missing something in your description?

I think that theDogger has gone the most realistic route in this case as the factory wire is more than sufficient for the power that the tweeter will ever see.

Thats the question I am asking. How do I run a after market wire through the molex? You can...all of the wire goto a male connection that is solid to the female. You can't push a wire through there. Even if you could it would just push against the connector. Only way I can see to so it is to remove the door and drill a new hole and mount a new gromet and loom....If you have pics that please post I would like see it.

theDogger

you can do it a couple ways

It's just a molex connector, you can back the pin out of the male side and the receptical out of the female side and run the wire up to the molex connector and through. I know it's possible to remove the pins because I did it on my factory amplifier harness and alpine radio molex connector.

Or, if you notice by looking at the connector, the one side is thick plastic (no wires or contacts). You could dremel two channels or one wider channel for wires to pass on the top side (outside) of the molex and then under that rubbing booting. That is very simple, more simple than re-plugging the connector. I agree the stock wire is plenty thick enough, but some people don't agree. I worked at circuit city, and I'd talk to the (surprisingly good) installers and had seen how they did a couple E30's and E36's.

thedogger-progress looks awesome man, im confused on what u are trying to do though as far as the sub and the box. Are u gona have it firing through the armrest? if so why are u dynamating the wall around it. I feel ur pain with connecting the component set wire. When i hooked mine up in the kick panels i wasnt able to run the wires through anywhere so i wasnt able to mount the tweeters in the doors.

Did some more work tonight. I almost finished running the speaker wire. Got tired and will finish tomorrow. So this maybe the last post to the DIY for a few weeks. I'm getting ready to move to back to Chicago. Once settled I will eagerly continue the install and the DIY.

Well tonight I almost finished the speaker wire. I ran Stinger HPM 16 Gauge twisted. I have also cut all the OEM wire out at this point. The there was a total of 125ft of wire ran. Make sure that you mark your wire comming out in the trunk and write it down in a log. Would not want to play a guessing game when everything gets hooked up.

First I re-ran the negative power ground. Used Stinger Pro 4 Gauge and ring terminal.

This is the OEM ground wire....
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/pwire1.jpg
The OEM wire replaced with 4 gauge
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/pwire2.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/pwire3.jpg

Ring Terminated end and the battery terminal
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/pwire4.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/pwire5.jpg

continued.....

Ok now for the speaker wire.....I pull the carpet back again and opened the plastic channels and ran the speaker wire where the OEM use to run. Making sure everything was smooth and flat. Also was sure that on the right side of the car were the speaker wire runs with the power wire I 90 degreed the crossing.

http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire11.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire22.jpg

Here is a better shot you can see at the foot of the rear seat where all the OEM wire is run.
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire33.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire44.jpg

This is a shot of the channel on the right side of the car. Nice and deep.
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire55.jpghttp://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire66.jpg

This is the right side wire spliced into the OEM tweeter wire . Make sure that you cut the OEM wire long enough and connect the negative to negative..
http://www.bigfootdesigns.com/audio/wire77.jpg


Well that is all for now. The left side is just like the right. The new time that I post I will have finalized the trunk and what I'll be doing with it. Right now I'm leaning towards a sealed box at .77 cf

Merry Christmas to all.........

theDogger

still working on this, i wanna see the finnished product...:D