Today I started my stereo install. First let me lay out the equipment:

Head Unit - Kenwood BT-901 (3 1/2" video screen) + XM Radio Kit. + Bluetooth handsfree phone kit
Front Speakers - Focal IC 165 (6 1/2" kickpanel)
Rear Speakers - Focal 690 CA1 (6x9 Rear)
Subwoofer - JL Audio - 10WXv2 200 watt , 10"
Amp - Alpine PDX-5 (5 channel)
Mid America MW - 72 Corvette Bezell for single DIN Head Unit
EBAY - Rear 6x9 with 10" sub pre-fab speaker box
Misc - Wire, amp install kit, 3 pair of RCA cables, misc

Day 1 was getting the car prepped, figuring out install plan for the amp, and then getting the rear box mounted with speakers. Total time today was about 4 hours. The rear box was a bi#@h to install. It's a really good quality box. I could have done it my self, but I chose not too.

Here's a pic of all the equipment.





Here's a shot of the rear before install


Here's a pic with the box installed. Note that there is a mounting board on top that runs to the front of the window in the rear. My plan is to mount the amp on that board.




Tomorrow I will finish the amp install, along with the head unit and front speakers. More to come!!!!!

 

Looks like you are off to a great start. I have the same head unit and while I have not powered it up yet, I really like the kenwood interface. I have a Alpine in my truck that I bought years ago when it was one of the first to integrate with an iPod. The problem is that the interface is so goofy that it is not worth farking with. I set up a Kenwood in a 'vette one time and decided I would go that direction next.
It looks like you have the low end covered :-) Should sound sweet when it is done. keep us posted...

 

I really wanted to do the guage replacement at the same time, but I couldn't justify the cost right now (wife watching). I like your set up. Where can i get the download for the C6 flags?

On the gauges, I'm thinking about the Dakota Digital VRX (? think that's what they're called). Real cool with blue or red lighting with carbon background. Also looking at autometer's custom guages......maybe I should just order tonight and install it this week while they are out of town for the week???

I'm also looking for ideas on a custom install for my iphone. I want to do it at the ashtray, but not a permanent mount like brent's.

Any options out there to consider???

 

watching w great interest. cant wait to see how the kicks fit. any chance u could measure the outside diameter of the 6.5s ?

thx!

 

The Focal CI 165's measure 6 1/2" OD by 2' deep from the mounting surface. The ID is 5 1/2" wide.

Besides being not too deep, they are great speakers!!!

I'm following the install directions from this past post:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ck-panels.html

 

You've choosen some good quality components, the system should rock! Love the head unit. The only thing I would have done different is lose the 6x9's in the rear and add a second sub. The interiors of these cars are so small that rear fill speakers simply aren't needed, especially with large front speakers. The box looks wel made, can you still operate your rear window shelf with it in there?

 

No, I took it out. Needed the space for the rear box and amp install.

 

My rear window is always out, so I needed the shelf to still operate in case I needed to put the window in for any reason. Here is the sub box I built for a couple of Rockford Fosgate 10" Punch subs, the kind made for small enclosures. I can still use the rear window shelf, and the t-tops fit, barely,but they fit.



My amp is mounted on the back wall.



My Kenwood head unit, and you can also see where I mounted the bass eq control for the amp. The switches and indicator leds are for my electric fan and driving lights.



Where I mounted the cd changer.



The MTX 5.25" mids are in the doors, and the tweeters are in the stock dash locations.



The front crossovers are behind the kick panels.

 

Damn I'm sore.

Here's what I got done today:
1) Rebuilt clock with Quartz kit....I hope it works. It didn't seem right.
2) Replaced gauge bezel
3) Installed head unit including all wiring
4) Installed amp including all wiring connections except battery & ground

What's remaining:
1) Kickpanel speaker installation
2) Run wires from amp to front speakers
3) Test system
4) Put the car back together (trim and seat)

Here's more pics:


I broke the second hand

 

That looks pretty sweet so far. I am looking forward to finding out how it works out for you. I have still not decided on my speaker setup. That looks like it should work pretty well.
As far as mounting an iPhone, I thought about that a lot. I have seen people use docks in the ash trays so they stick up but that is not what I was going for. Instead of making a dock for my iPhone, I bought a 32G iPod really cheap on craig's list and mounted it in the tray. People are selling them cheap since everyone is getting an iPhone or Droid these days. In all honesty, I just did that for looks. The Kenwood interfaces very well with the iPod and you could easily just hide it somewhere.
I just found the flags on the internet and cropped them a bit. I can send it to you if you don't find one you like.
I really like what you have so far and hope it sounds as good as it looks.
Brent

 

Brent,

Send me any links you have to ash tray docking methods. That's my preference. One that sits inside the ashtray, consealed when the tray is shut but can be used if you open it and plug in. I've got my iphone cord in the ashtray for now. I'd like a more pernanent setup though...not just a cable.

Thanks,

Chris

 

Great choice in equipment, those Focal's should sound amazing and the JL sub will have good quality sound to it.

With that Alpine amp and they way you have it mounted, you might want to keep a very close watch on how hot it gets. Being a high wattage output for such a small footprint, they put out a lot of heat in a small frame. Coupled with mounting it upside down, and thus diminishing the full effect of the heatsink, you might find it gets very hot to the touch or even goes into thermal protect.
When you've had it playing for a half hour or so, touch it to see how warm it is. If it is uncomfortably warm, I would suggest buying a 4" computer fan and mounting it into the amp rack to draw the heat away. Even if the amp doesn't go into thermal protect but gets very warm, it will be unduly deteriorating the electronic components inside and they will fail prematurely. Probably right after the warranty runs out.

 

Sorry I don't have any links to an install but I can look around a bit. It would not be too hard to fab something up to work. I would use fiberglass because it is easy to make stuff with it and well.... it's a 'vette. :-)
Do you want to access phone and other functions besides having musc in it? The reason I ask is that you can pick up a non-touch screen iPod really cheap now (30 bucks or less on CL), put thousands of songs on it and just use a standard cord. I always use playlists anyway and they are very easy to access with the kenwood interface. If you only want tunes out of it, then you could make a mount in a storage bin and put a classic iPod in there. I have an old 4th gen that I am not using and am considering doing that if I wind up modding my shift plate. It is a 60 or 80 gig so I have my entire music collection on it and still have room for videos, although I am not sure why I would do that.. but you never know.
Just a thought. If you want to access the phone then ignore all of the above :-)
If I can come up with a link to an install with a dock I will post it. Perhaps somebody else will chime in with an example.
Good luck
Brent

 

Looks good. Fun, huh? I remember.

Mark