My new partner (well it’s the same van!)

[dumdum]

So I work for the police doing all manner of auto electrical stuff, so when I stripped a radio installation from a silver 13 plate 1.6hdi 90 partner, then saw it had done 31k miles and enquired about a price I snapped there hand off... oh did I mention it’s had 10 services and main dealer everything on it through it’s life  

So I have now since lowered it on FK springs and added some 307 17” challenger wheels

I have also decided that it will have some car audio in it, 1kw on a 10” B2 Audio subwoofer, 2x200wrms into a set of B2 audio 6.5” components and a nice pioneer DAB headunit ?

   

That’s as it sits right now, I’ve ordered a load of cleaning bits, clay bar, Meguiars ultimate compound and I will remove all the little annoying marks that it’s covered in, so far I’ve done some scratches, most came out but a few were too deep

I will also be fitting a sterling category 1 alarm which is identical to a Toad AI606 minus some features and 30odd quid cheaper as my old van got broke into and I would like to leave my fishing gear safe the odd time, and it will have cruise fitted as I fish an hr away via motorways, so it makes sense

[Trevor]

Looks nice, does a clay bar work on metallic paint?

[dumdum]

Looks nice, does a clay bar work on metallic paint?

A claybar is used with a lubricant (alledgedly the bar I have from bilt hamber can be used with water alone) to remove the particles of metal, tar, anything that embeds itself in the paint, it whips them out and you continually fold the clay over and over to seal the little bits inside the claybar

So it works on any paint or lacquer/clearcoat, it doesn’t remove scratches etc, but if you’ve ever washed and dried a vehicle and felt tiny bits in the paint it effectively collects them and gets them out, then I will clean the paint and polish out any scratches and swirl marks that remain (there’s a few that are too bad without a machine polish on the new van)

[Trevor]

Thank you for the explanation, I was not sure how abrasive they were

[dumdum]

So I’ve spent a few quid... no short measures here

10” B2 audio riot subwoofer
6.5” B2 audio is components
I have a couple of audison amps, a mono which is 1kwrms for subwoofer duty’s, and a 2x200wrms for running the front end, maybe the mids alone and for another small amp for the tweeters alone

I’ve also ordered a cat 1 alarm, 10sqm of 3mm closed cell foam and a bulk pack of silent coat butyl/aluminium deadener plus some butyl rope for basically sticking in any gaps that might rattle

Plus a pioneer dab radio (no cd slot, but I might fit this one in my Clio and pinch the CD player version for the partner, and I have a steering wheel remote interface coming also

A cheapo dab aerial is on its way, for 20 quid if it’s crap I will treat it to a better one - to be fitted in the centre rear roof panel approx 18” from the rear, I’ll make a stubby for the front aerial so it doesn’t look daft and still fills the hole

Having all manner of silly ideas about putting grey or red alcantara in the door and making an actual ported enclosure proper as let’s face it the door pockets are hardly massively functional... and the cup holder you can’t fit a cup it?? What’s that all about? so they may end up going... we shall see!

[dumdum]

Right I’ve switched up my game a little...

Mosconi 6to8 dsp is on my shopping list and paid for...

B2 audio components have been returned in part ex as the distributor is the same for the mosconi dsp... I’ve also ordered an 8”, 3.5” and large format tweeter for the front of the van, I will make a pillar pods for the tweeter and 3.5” midrange, and am midway through sorting sealed enclosures for the 8” ?

I’ve also tried something which may interest the rest of you for dab, it’s basically a little box that uses the normal aerial and gives you dab and fm/am from the same mast, I was very sceptical and had bought a bee-sting for the middle of the rear of the van... but to my shock I fitted the little box and it fired up and found a load of stations ?

The stereo in question is a pioneer sph-da230dab which has Apple CarPlay and android auto, needs a little trim making to space it out a little and also a filler piece making for above the heater control panel

   

[dumdum]

I should add to my newest purchase... the dab di-plexer works a treat and the signal doesntvdrop out even when I drove up routes where both my jvc and Amazon bee sting do drop out, I was very impressed, I fact I’ve not had it drop out as yet... ever! ?

So I have lots of pics to post...

So my plans for the doors were an 8” mid bass driver in a sealed enclosure...

The front window runner was in the way, so I had to move it a little

   

Then I started nibbling... until I got to here...

   

[dumdum]

So then I started taking my bench circular to a sheet of 12mm birch ply

Various bits were cut and screwed together, basically I wanted to make use of the cavernous door deep door cards, the door pockets are a stupid shape anyway! And a pic of the home audio 4ohm drivers that will do the job of moving into there new home

   

   

   

[dumdum]

The result is a 0.5cu ft enclosure in each door, and the door cards fitted back on once I’d cut out all the pocket and various plastic parts... my makeshift workbench also

   

   

   

And the little cute 2.5” midrange that will be fitted on each end of the dash with the large format tweeter (it’s only 19mm but the mounting flange is actually bigger than the mid ?

[dumdum]

Oh and I’ve hammerited all the cut edges, sound deadened the door, and fixed the enclosure in a bit firmer I now have Bentley doors which give a satisfying clunk when they shut, Ive also fitted a sterling cat 1 alarm as well (pain in the ass! But it needed an alarm fitting and I am not a fan of factory remote controlled ones!