500 HP E36 M3 gets Hybrid Audio makeover

**12v Electronics** · 01-03-2009, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Hova

E36`s dont really like being taken apart...

You're right. This one fell apart on it's own. All of the panel clips have deteriorated over the years. It is a common problem with these cars. They will all be fixed.

**M///BMW** · 01-04-2009, 12:52 AM

Originally Posted by Hova

i walked out of my dealership with a few bags of just random clips, screws, and plugs, the guy behind the desk gave me a funny look when he handed me 60-70 pieces of random plastic lol.

.

<3 the build, MORE PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL...Yeah the plastic clips always break...such a PITA but what can you do...

**M///BMW** · 01-04-2009, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by Hova

honestly, would probably hold together better than the plastic clips do....

Stop stealing the civic forums secret DIY...

**12v Electronics** · 01-04-2009, 02:41 AM

Guys, the clips aren't what breaks, it is the panels that hold the clips in place delaminating from the panels. I think we are done here. Please keep on topic.

**raoke** · 01-04-2009, 03:58 AM

I think you should bring it back on topic with a couple more pictures for everyone

**Ianbiz** · 01-04-2009, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Hova

ive had my E36 apart like that before......

to install speakers/run wires/and clean........ oh the joys of OCD

OCD? You were like "oh that's fine" when we did your car.

Originally Posted by raoke

I think you should bring it back on topic with a couple more pictures for everyone

Agreed.

I can't wait to see this thing done.

**12v Electronics** · 01-05-2009, 05:49 PM

Boy you guys are pushy.

Here are a few more pics. I hope they tie you over for a while.

The Greyish goo is body seam sealer. This part of the car normally gets wet from the tire splash and runoff from the windshield. The fiberglass has been formed and adhered directly to the sheet metal in this area. A rain channel was formed at the top so that if any water should make it through it will be redirected around the encolsure and out of the lower fender. The fiberglass and metal are bonded, but if it should ever de-laminate, the body seam sealer will channel the water around the speaker opening and down to the bottom of the enclosure (which has a drain hole). The Damplifier Pro was also wrapped around the opening as a secondary seal.

It is a bit of overkill, but I would not do it any other way. There will be a fiberglass cover made that will seal this area and make it an actual enclosure.

Some more deadening:

**12v Electronics** · 01-06-2009, 11:52 PM

Here is the front face of the enclosure (1 layer):

The sub enclosure and sub:

This is all I will be able to get done until next week as I am leaving for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas tomorrow.

I will have internet access and will be answering emails as I can.

**attack eagle** · 01-07-2009, 12:39 AM

Have a safe trip tom... take lots of pictures.

Suggest you post all the ones of the hotties up for us and then delete them immediately off the camera before going home.

**12v Electronics** · 01-07-2009, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by attack eagle

Have a safe trip tom... take lots of pictures.

Suggest you post all the ones of the hotties up for us and then delete them immediately off the camera before going home.

Will do. (also definitely on the deleting part

) What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas right?

**Ianbiz** · 01-07-2009, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by 12v Electronics

Will do. (also definitely on the deleting part

) What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas right?

No, what happens in Vegas goes on BF.c

**Ianbiz** · 01-12-2009, 03:58 PM

update.

**12v Electronics** · 01-14-2009, 10:18 PM

I fired up the front speakers to test the enclosure and tweeter placement. I was a little unsure if the L8/L1 pro combo would have enough midrange. Well all I can say is that I am very pleased. In fact I am so pleased with the sound and staging that I have decided that I want it for myself. (Sorry Rich, find yourself another car. This one is mine

).

The tweeters will be going in the kick panels along with the L8's. The Stage and Image is incredible in this car. There is so much low end on the windshield that I will have to turn it down with EQ/Crossover. You can see it in the RTA pic below. It has excellent width and depth. There is a bump around 160 hz that I believe is due to the enclosures. I will be deadening them, so hopefully that will take care of it.

We will be using a Behringer DCX2496 processor that has crossovers, EQ and Time correction. I can tell you right now that very little time correction (if any) is needed. It is THAT GOOD!

The pic below is with no EQ or phase correction. It is just the L8/L1 pro playing with no sub.

**bboyvek** · 01-15-2009, 12:07 AM

Im not that impressed with those results, after seeing how much work you put into the installation... That itself would make any speaker sound good...anyway i have a question after plasma cutting the fender/kick panel like that how much more room do you get, specially depth wise? and what size wire did you run to them?

**L8s ftw

**12v Electronics** · 01-15-2009, 12:58 AM

What results? You have not heard it. What is amazing is that the L8 plays pretty darn flat from 30 hz to 4.3k. Not many 8 or 10 inch woofers can do this.

There is 12 awg wire running to the L8's. As far as the depth...? Enough to fit a L8.

**bboyvek** · 01-15-2009, 01:27 AM

what i meant to say its that i knew all along u would get great result out of this project thus i am not surprised. all that sludge and dynamat sure help alot towards improving acoustics.

**Benny Z** · 01-15-2009, 08:42 AM

forget the car - how was vegas and the show???

**Halston Pitman** · 01-15-2009, 01:00 PM

Poor Fender Area

Looks like some decent work is going down!

**pastE36prsntE46** · 01-15-2009, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Z

forget the car - how was vegas and the show???

Benny is JEALOUS

**12v Electronics** · 01-15-2009, 07:48 PM

Now-now guys. Don't make me have to separate the two of you .

The show was good, but not much to talk about because I didn't see anything really groundbreaking in the car audio department. I did get to demo a few manufacturer's vehicles like the ID, Audisson, Hertz and of course Hybrid Audio.

I have to say that I am not a fan of HLCD's. They are definitely not for me. The Audisson Ford GT40 was pretty impressive, but the HAT truck took the cake. Not only did it sound incredible, but also has the ability to do 149 db.

Enough talk. Back to work for me. The owner is a slave driver.

**inf0strada** · 01-15-2009, 09:25 PM

You told me you would fully document the install

Ha ha great job so far.

More pics of the kick panel and the sound deadening please

**12vhifi** · 01-16-2009, 06:10 PM

Really nICE Hybrid install!
Rob.

**phillipk** · 01-16-2009, 06:58 PM

Wow.

**12v Electronics** · 01-17-2009, 12:24 AM

More progress pics:

The fender enclosures completed. They have 4 layers of cloth, 2 layers of continuous strand matt and onle layer of chopped strand mat. They are rock solid.

Also put a layer of Second Skin Damplifier Pro on the outside.

The subwoofer that will be installed.

And finally it is starting to look like a car again.

**Danxtm** · 01-17-2009, 01:21 AM

500 HP for e36 is harsh .... thats a rape

Thread: 500 HP E36 M3 gets Hybrid Audio makeover

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