thxone

I will start this for those who want to discuss the sometimes difficult task of instaling stereo's in our 280's

I have done car audio instals for about 3 years somewhat as a pro but only one instal in a 1980 ZX, a 2+2 with a friend of mine...(he donated his car and time). What I found was a task for sure. Uncommon wire colors (compared to todays cars where you can usually find wire kits) common grounded speakers, difficult speaker locations (left dash speaker) and a odd shaped radio opening.

We started by selecting an aftermarket CD player (Alpine) then we had to figure out a way to mount it. We used 1/8th inch stainless steel and rivited it in place. The steel mounting kit took two days to get perfect and to have a perfectly centered opening. The only way to steal the radio is to remove the entire lower dash. Looks stunning and is very stable. Same shape as the MSA kit. We had a time with the wires so we decided to scrap the factory radio wires and run new better quality wires. Before instaling the CD player we ran all the new wires and wires for the amps, we did have a plan laid out before the instal and modified it as necesary.

We ended up for the time being with 2 way 4 inch speakers in the dash and 5 1/4 2 ways in the rear that took some modifications to put in. For the low end we went with 2 Audiobaun 12's and a wedge shaped enclosure with the subs facing the rear glass. A total of over 800 watts push the 12's and though not to my taste is very loud and will make your eyes dance in their sockets. This instal is to be continued.

I however have an 82 coupe. As you may be aware the coupe has two storage areas right behind the seats and the rear speakers are below them facing the rear of the seats. I am happy to say after removing the compartments I discovered that there is a chamber under them where you can see the rear of the rear speakers and has plenty of room for me to do a custom fiberglass enclosure for two eight inch subs. I have not yet decided if I want to do two 8's or two 10's I still need to do some mock ups with the 10's before I decide. The doors will be the location of the front speakers and the dash will not have speakers in them. The doors will have either the Zapco 6 1/2 inch components or the JL XR 6 1/2 components in custom door enclosures, both sound supurb to my ears after a demo at a local stereo shop. I have not decided on the amplifires yet as they will make or break the instal sound wise but size is an issue as I want this to be a stealthy instal with supurb sound.

Any suggestions on anything would be cool. What are some of your ideas or instals in a zx you have done. What problems and solutions did you come accross or come up with. I can answer some questions for you but I am still learning the 280zx cars so I will help if I can.

duowing

While we're on the subject. I was thinking about getting the MSA kit to install my CD player, but the picture on the site doesn't make it look like a CD player can be installed in there. Has anyone used the MSA kit for the 280ZX?

NismoPick

Nope... just built my own:

thxone

In my dealings with radio kits like that, there is usually a reference line on the back of them to cut it out and make it fit a din sized radio. I myself will be getting the MSA radio kit shortly, good price and the other radio I did with Stainless Steele was a bit of a task although it looked killer and was/is very sturdy. Here is my temp setup just to get the wires right for my Alpine.

SHADY280

i just went to an audio shop and bought the install kit, it looks good and fuctions great, then made a braket at the rear of the head for anti theft. then you can get the wiring harness adapter kit from the lovely sheves of walmart beilieve it or not, total cost without deck 40 cdn.

thxone

I have been tossing this Idea around for door speakers for a while and decided to put it on paper to better hep me see it. I know there is room to do this on the door and an enclosure like this would not be hard to make. It is mounting it that is going to be a pain if I want it to last and not fall off. I think the end result will be more rounded on the edges though..this is to boxy.

280zx81

you could always make it out of glass and form it right on the door panel but that is a ton of work I did that with my show truck I built.

Bleach

I was just going to use a 1" spacer ring and stick the speaker and ring right on the panel... sheet metal screws right through the door. The panel behind would have to be cut out but I don't think any steel will need to be cut. Simple and easy.

Since my black panels are in great shape, I also was considering buying a pair of panels from another 2+2 in any color and then just re-do them in simple black vinyl so those would be the ones cut out for speakers.

280zx81

but if you do that make sure you use some sort of dynomat to create an enclosure for it

Skully

didnt you guys see the person on hybridz that makes whole door panels from fiberglass with a speaker mount and it looks nice...

SHADY280

speaking of speakers, has anybody ever tried to put a 10" sub in the very left rear of our cars where the little cubby is? i want it to be flush with the wheel house cover and look like its not there so thieves cant see it as easy. that and you keep the spare and keep the space to haul cargo around

NismoPick

I've seen a couple 280zx's w/ a sub stuffed in that left corner.... I think there's a couple on cardomain that show what they did. If you're good at fiberglassing and/or using mdf wood, build yourself a "lil cubby" for a sub.

Let us all remember... lots of weight in sub's does not equal a faster car. I know you're all saying "We know that duh!" but I've talked w/ more than a handfull of people who all said "how can I make my car faster?" and when I say "ditch the effin 5billion pound box in your trunk" they all give me the ARE YOU EFFIN KIDDIN ME?!??! look. Then I say... oh... I forget... all your bass propells you forward at the speed of sound.

jfairladyz

Is it possible to travel faster than the speed of your sound system

thxone

Ok Ok, time for me to go full all out nerd on ya! LOL!

The answer is yes you can travel faster than the speed of your sound system. All you need is a stretch of open road, a subwoofer on the road facing the same direction the car will be moving, A bass CD that has some 20hz signwaves, a 280zx with a driver and you are all set.

A 20hz signwave is about 56 feet long at 1,100 feet per second
A 280zx going 39 miles per hour travels at 57.2 feet per second
A 280zx going 751 miles per hour travels at 1,101.46 feet per second

So it is possible to reach a given point before a 20hz bass note has time to reach that same given point...no wait...or is that 56 foot signwave traveling at the speed of sound which is 1,100 feet per second....no wait would you then have to drive at a speed of 751 miles per hour to travel 1,101.46 feet per second to beat that 20hz signwave which is only 56 feet long? Yes it can be done but you would need a quad turbo L28E/TTTT with 150lbs of boost and lots of open road with the brass Jewels to want to go 751 miles per hour.

I will try tomorrow and let you all know how it goes.......

jfairladyz

So technically speaking, in an off shoot sort of way, my Z could travel faster than the speed of sound*

*sound being defined along the terms of the above post

280zx81

Yes but the problem is its about frame of referance and the stereo is inside the car so the speed of the car in comparison is to the stereo is 0. This means the only way to outtrun your stereo is if it is outside the car

280zx81

those are the door panels I made for my truck

Bleach

well, you're a freakin' pimp! Nice job

duowing

See the 280ZX is indeed the best Z car.

RodMoyes

Huh... I know there's "something" in that picture, I just can't tell what the Hell it is 'cause it's so damn blurry...

Whatever it is, I'm sure you did a great job...

Rod.

280zx81

Thanks
If anyone is making custom panels like that and needs any tips just message me because I've learned how to do it pretty well and made pretty much every mistake you can.

SHADY280

just get them covered in fabric so you dont freeze or burn you arm to the paint, that would be like vinyl seats for comfort. did you just use mdf for the basic mount and glass and bondo for the final?

280zx81

Ya then like a flece type of material to get the shape right but I don't drive the truck much anymore so I'm not worried about comfort with it. Just because of the point its got I'm scarred to leave it anywhere. Thats why i got the 280 to drive everyday.

thxone

Well I mocked up my 10's in the coupe today, I think they would work but I would have to build out the factory speaker location to fit them in there. I think I will go ahead and use a pair of 8 inch speakers instead. The factory speaker locations I am speaking of are the two just behind the seats in the coupe. There is more than enough room to put eight's in there but I will have to build an enclosure behind them so they are nice and sealed. This location should still produce good bass as they will be loading off the back of the seats and should be well hidden from would be thieves. The storage compartments just above them will hide the amps but I may have to enlarge them to fit the amps.

The final speaker choices and amps have been made and are as follows: In the doors will be the JL Audio XR 6.5's components in wood and fiberglass panels, The subs will be JL Audio 8W3-V2's in sealed enclosures, the amps will be JL Audio consisting of 1 300/2 and 1 500/1, and the head unit is an Alpine CDA-7894. Future plans will be a Kenwood eZ700 head unit and a Kenwood 1/2din EQ and possibly an Audiocontrol Epicenter. This should get the sound quality I am looking for and the volume without attracting bass-heads down the street.

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nismo619

I remeber how much of a pain in the *** it was for me to custom make me a metal peice to fit perfect in my dash so i went down and bought some thick sheet metal and i used my dremel i moved the c.d. player from the center of the consol to the far right side and the remaning space to the left i put in and after market boost gauge mine looks real clean and nice i think i did post pictures of it... all i have is a high power pionner 45x4 out put going to 2 6.5 kenwood 2 ways in the back seats and 2 kenwood 3way 6x9's siting in sealed boxes in the back i just picked up a slim wedge 8" duel sub box for free ill be hooking up a 200 watt amp to 2 kenwood 8"s