Subwoofer Installs

[greenmac80]

hey i'm new to this forum so flame me.
but i really like your install my gf has an NA mx5 softop and we are stumped for ideas.
i like your and would like to do it but i'm unsure how to find the right spots to cut? i thought the fuel tank sits right there?

[Okibi]

hey i'm new to this forum so flame me...

Nahh this isn't a honda forum we want to encourage new members not burn them, ask away.

Once you remove the carpet behind the seats (in front of the rear window) you will see a removable metal plate and the fuel tank, trick is finding what speakers will squeeze in where you want them.

[Sean]

Obiki is right,

If you look just below the level of the parcel shelf (on the wall behind your seats) you'll see some clips holding the parcel shelf carpet down. Remove these clips and you should be able to fold the carpet back toward the window of the softop, there may be some old adhesive, but it wont take much effort to lift the carpet up once the clips are off. You can also remove the carpet completely if you like by undoing the clips that run pretty much under the window around the top edge of the carpet.

With the carpet lifted back (or totally removed) you'll see the aluminium covers Obiki is talking about, the metal under there is generally the same colour as the car, but the covers are silver aluminium and are easily removed with a few screws.

Here is a bit of a pic of what you'll see.

Note the install in the pic is not worth the problems, cut the hole, re-inforced it underneath, sits uber close to fuel tank and removed the tank to do the install (massive job but the tank was already out).

[CheyneX5]

Holy Bass! That must have been a nightmare to fit.

What size is it?

[greenmac80]

Thanks guys thats great info!!
man you were keen doing that install!!

newest sorta car i've worked on and yeah bit edgy about pulling it apart!!

but def will be going with the 2 8inch drivers!!

[Sean]

Holy Bass! That must have been a nightmare to fit.

What size is it?

I cannot recall if it was a 10 or 12 inch. (oh and despite how it looks that isn't rust behind it!)

It ended up being too much and we scaled it back to be dríven by a small amp and running higher than usual frequencies through it too, not a typically "good" idea but for the small cabin and high amount of roadnoise it was an acceptable solution for me, kinda tried it cause no-one else had and the tank was out anyway.

newest sorta car i've worked on and yeah bit edgy about pulling it apart!!

but def will be going with the 2 8inch drivers!!

If you get stuck let us know, pretty sure I would have more detailed pics somewhere.

I still think the two 8 inch set-up is the way to go, having said that Benny's SP sounded superb when I heard it a few years back and it has a neat boot install. FWIW I rack up ten hours in a laaaarge car once or twice a month at the moment, no modifications to the factory fitted premium sound package and it is exceptionally good, sub bass is via just two 8 inch woofers fitted to the parcel shelf, so again, I reackon that's the trick in an MX5, even keep the carpet uncut to hit the install.

[der baron]

that install is nuts! angle grinder?

[Jeo]

Can't say specifically about that install, but mine in the same place didn't need any cutting. Just the unbolting of a metal cover.

[Sean]

Can't say specifically about that install, but mine in the same place didn't need any cutting. Just the unbolting of a metal cover.

Definately not in the same place then.
I watched as the nibblers cut away at the metal and the new support was welded in!

[greenmac80]

well so far i've installed a nice clarion HU and some Clarion Pro 6.5" splits and also central locking.
the splits are great whne your not mving but once driving the exhaust ( a full jasma zorst) kinda overrides all the bass and your left only with treble..
also did the clutch last wkend... i can't belive how hard that was compared to a 1970's corolla.

so as for 8" drivers wat are there i've done a search and pioneer keeps coming up but i'm not a fan!! also i think $200 for an 8" is way to exxy!

[Jeo]

so as for 8" drivers wat are there i've done a search and pioneer keeps coming up but i'm not a fan!! also i think $200 for an 8" is way to exxy!

Each or as a pair? Either way you don't want to know what my ID8 was worth...

As for research, go to a car audio store and have a listen to a couple of different sets. Trust your ears, not interweb fourms.

Definately not in the same place then.
I watched as the nibblers cut away at the metal and the new support was welded in!

Hmmm, maybe thats why I was encouraged to go with the 8"

[Sean]

It's likely.

The 8s will easily fit in the removable alum covers, and they probably provide a more balanced sound too.

Clearly the picture shows I was young and only interested in doof at the time.

[muzzy66]

Just curious, when you guys do the bigger scale boot installs, what do you do with the spare tyre in the NA MX5's?

I'm doing a high end competition install in the next couple of months, and I've found a way to get around the spare tyre (by simply installing around it) but at first I was trying to relocate it somewhere and couldn't find anywhere to move it to.

In some of these pics it seems like the tyre isn't there at all, so just wondering if people have just removed it completely (is that legal?) or somehow relocated it?

No matter how you tune the sub in the cabin, if you wanna play your music loud like most people do you wont be able to stand it. The sub has to stand out a little bit, and that constant bass from the cone would drive you insanse.

Not true at all.

If you design the system for sound quality and tune the sub accordingly (so it's at the same volume as your speakers) then the sub won't drive you insane at all. Human hearing is more sentitive in midrange and high frequencies, we 100dB @ 2khz is actually much, much harsher to our ears then 100dB @ 1000hz.

[Sean]

I got rid of my spare all together and just kept one of those "tyre in a can" things in the glove box.

There have been people who managed to mount a full sized spare wheel under the boot, I'm pretty sure there were details on miata.net

[muzzy66]

I got rid of my spare all together and just kept one of those "tyre in a can" things in the glove box.

That's the type of thing I had in mind - is it legal though?

I heard / read somewhere that those kits are only legal for cars that came from the factory without a spare, but I haven't been able to confirm the precise laws on it.

I'd like to get rid of the spare (it'll be useless when I change my rims anyway) but that law continues to bug me. Last thing I want is to get pulled over and defected!