Originally Posted by Maximum RPM

Here is my car audio install. I had a zero compromise rule with this install. My number one rule was that the system must look really cool and clean and must only be heard and not seen except for the head unit of course. As all of us know there is limited space in the hatch area so I didn’t want to loose any space to a subwoofer. I looked at everything from Wicked CAS, Z Enclosures, local brick and mortar stores to custom installs but nothing allowed for that total stealth look I was looking for and allow me to keep my spare tire. I decided that the best thing to do was to make my own subwoofer box. When I planned for the install I preordered two Kicker 8” subs for an install in the smaller enclosure area just ahead of the spare tire area. In the end that space didn’t allow for enough room and there were too many wires to work around and I couldn’t get enough cubic volume in the box. So, I went back to the drawing board. I looked at every sub out there. I wanted at least a 10” woofer but it needed to be no deeper than 3” total depth if I wanted to keep my spare tire. I decided on the Pioneer TS-SW2501S4. It had the size and dimensions I needed to complete the job the way I wanted.
To build the sub box I went to my local Hardware store and purchased sheets of MDF board, screws, liquid nail and of course a roto zip tool for cutting the circles. I started with a ¼ sheet of MDF on the bottom cut to 16 ½ inches. Followed by four ¾ inch MDF sheets cut to 16 ½ inches on the outside with an inner diameter cut to 15 ¾. The next piece I cut was a ¼ sheet of MDF cut to the diameter of the spare tire opening. In the ¼ MDF I cut the opening for the sub to sit in. The next sheet I cut was a ¾ inch to sit on top of the ¼ inch sheet. This sheet levels up the sub and gives it a nice clean flat flush look. I then glued and screwed all pieces together except for the last one I just screwed it in on top so I can easily take apart to access the spare tire. I then drilled a small hole in the bottom of the sub box screwed in a bolt on the bottom threw the spare tire and into the car to hold the sub in place. I connected the speaker wire, installed the subwoofer and put the top on the sub box and put the hatch back together. When it was complete with the carpet in place the sub disappears from view.
The amplifier I got was the Rockford Fosgate Punch P500X4D. It had the dimensions I needed and the power I wanted. The head unit I choose was the Kenwood DNX-690HD. It also had all the features I was looking for like navigation, bluetooth, XM radio and HD Radio.
What a journey it has been. I spent five weekends perfecting this install. I bought a lot of product and returned a lot of product. In the end I am very pleased with the way it turned out. As with all things I am not done. I am having the windows tinted, Ill be upgrading the component door speakers soon,. Ill be putting butterfly doors on and getting some leather seats down the road.