Author Topic: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install  (Read 24053 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline judb

  • Administrator
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 1329
  • ph4t l3wtz
Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« on: August 17, 2005, 10:24:29 pm »
Okay, for you non factory CD changer location folks, show us where you have your phatbox installed at..

Hopefully we have some creative folks out there or people that went to good installers.

Offline FiftyPence

  • A few posts under my belt.
  • *
  • Posts: 39
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2005, 06:51:01 am »
here is a pic of the Keg under the trunk carpet in my 2003 VW Golf R32:


Offline Terry_Kennedy

  • Senior Member
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 253
  • There and back again
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2005, 12:42:44 am »
Quote
Okay, for you non factory CD changer location folks, show us where you have your phatbox installed at..

Hopefully we have some creative folks out there or people that went to good installers.



More here.

Offline A543

  • Senior Member
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 214
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2005, 03:43:22 pm »
The screw angles are just a tad off there TK.  ;)

Offline A543

  • Senior Member
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 214
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2005, 09:39:10 pm »
I just browsed your site TK and I must say, you have an awesome setup. Seriously impressive!  I'm thoroughly jealous.

Offline GrnWEnvy

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2005, 05:20:07 am »
Very Nice setup with the BMW, I really miss our BMW, my wife wanted to get an SUV since she gave birth to my son.  At the time BMW Sport-Wags where not as common and the options on the SUV beat out what was second hand on the BMW.  

How did you find the information for all your over sea addons for you vehicle?  

Great job, great car!

GrnWEnvy


Offline Terry_Kennedy

  • Senior Member
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 253
  • There and back again
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2005, 07:39:57 am »
Quote
Very Nice setup with the BMW, I really miss our BMW, my wife wanted to get an SUV since she gave birth to my son.  At the time BMW Sport-Wags where not as common and the options on the SUV beat out what was second hand on the BMW.

BMW doesn't really advertise the wagons in the US. I saw an ad for the 5-series wagon once. Hopefully once the new 3-series wagons hit the dealer lots, they'll advertise 'em. You'd be amazed at the number of people who pull up to me and go "They make that in a wagon?".
Quote
How did you find the information for all your over sea addons for you vehicle?

Mostly by looking in the EBA (the option installation instruction CD that dealers used to sell) and the ETK (the CD parts catalog). I'd order stuff and see what I could do with it. Oddly, everything worked out...
Quote
Great job, great car!

Thanks!

Offline silentbandito

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 1
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2005, 12:38:09 am »







I'm pretty proud of my setup.

I'm a computer nut, but I'm also a car nut too, so I went into this car stereo project like I would when I build custom computers. So this whole setup was designed and put together by me. I knew jack about car stereos before this, so I learned.

1995 Mustang GT Convertible with Steeda package.

Out went the Mach 460 and in went.....

The Keg is an Excelon 910 with a 60gig DMS (800 playlists!), but soon to be 100 or even more once I get around to it.

Those are two Kicker 10" L7 subs, a 600watt class D Kicker amp for the low range. It's all held together by an aluminum diamond plate tray (custom designed by me, built by a local metal fab shop) that holds the subs and amp in place. It's comprised of two pieces.  The bottom piece holds the amp and speakers together, the top piece holds the Keg. As you can see the Keg hovers 3 or 4 inches above the amp on the second piece of the tray, so theres plenty of ventilation. That gunmetal grey part that runs across the top is my anti-theft system :) Nothing can be removed from the trunk (except the DMS) when it's in place, not even with excessive force, it's that tight in there.. It's a 1/4" thick steel plate with bolts that are tapped in SIX places (one on the top of each box, and two on each side) on the speaker boxes with T-nuts that are mounted inside the speaker boxes. It weighs about 10 pounds. Painted by my best buddy Jimmy who works at the local Ford body shop, it has three coats of clear!

It takes only about 15 minutes to disassemble it if I ever need my spare tire, but you NEED to have the proper tools. I keep them hidden in the car. It's like a puzzle to try to remove it all, and only I know how to do it.

If your wondering how this doesn't slide around when I'm driving, I had a custom cut particle board floor made for the trunk that is covered in carpet that matches. Four drywall screws will do the trick.

The inside speakers and stereo wiring have been fully replaced and rewired by me also. I've got 8 speakers inside the cabin (+2 in the trunk) all in factory locations, none are exposed, so it looks completely stock. I can assure you, it doesn't sound stock. Also there's power distribution blocks, fuses, and another Kicker amp hiding behind the Keg and subs, it powers the rear interior speakers. They fit neatly on both sides of the convertible top motor, in factory locations where the Mach 460 amps used to go.

The CD player is a KDC MP-925, The last model of Kenwood deck <$500 worth owning in my opinion. I had an MP-922, but it broke under warranty. So I got this to replace it. I looked at the 2005 models, and I thought they looked cheap. What happened to the 3D-Mask+ line???

So that's my stuff, I enjoy it every day, but I'm a little nervous showing it off to strangers. Only my close friends know it's in there and now you guys do too.

Offline iancull

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 2
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #8 on: October 09, 2005, 11:48:13 pm »
Two MINIs (one at a time) and two setups of Kenwood head unit & keg ...
A friend at work fashioned a thin cover for the Keg so it would fit behind the panels of the MINI, in the trunk area - there are little access panels there, and just enough room to get the cartridge in & out!

Here you can just see the black Keg in the access panel to the right of the trunk:


Here is a closer pic:


And here is with the cars interior panels removed:



More pics here, including pics of the head unit: http://www.gbmini.net/gallery/GBMINI3stereo

And here is the similar install in my previous MINI: http://www.gbmini.net/gallery/StereoPics

(I wish it was easier to make links & stuff in this forum)

Offline dc4bs

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 9
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2005, 01:24:49 am »
2005 Blazer S-10 ZR2

I removed the plastic shell from a Kenwood 710  PB unit and made a custom bracket from an old cookie sheet to pigyback the PB onto the navigation units mounting brackets.

The resulting stack was installed in the driver side storage compartment next to the rear seat (in front of the rear wheel well).

http://hometown.aol.com/dc4bs/images/nekkid_keg.jpg

So far, it's worked flawlessly and keeps everything but the head units faceplate hidden.  ;)  The ddx-8017 head unit looks prety much like a blank plate covering a hole where a radio should be when it's turned off.

Result?  Stealth Sterio!

All I gotta figure out now is a way to incorporate a bass unit hidden somewhere.  It sounds great mid to high but the stock speakers just won't go very far into the bass range.  2nd choice is maybe find 6x6 & 6x9 cones that can produce deeper sound than the stock speakers.

dc4bs
« Last Edit: November 04, 2005, 01:26:36 am by dc4bs »

Offline amster

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
  • PhatHacker
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2006, 01:06:39 am »

 :)
« Last Edit: March 30, 2006, 01:15:34 am by amster »

Offline LloydDobler

  • Getting the hang of things.
  • **
  • Posts: 57
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2006, 04:22:06 am »
I sawed the sides off mine just being careful with a vertical bandsaw and it fits perfectly in the glovebox of my Volvo.

Here it is all taken apart.





For those of you wondering how to take the cover plate off, there's only 4 tabs holding it on.  The two tabs you can feel inside the doors (one is broken on mine), and then two hooks on the bottom plate.  So if you can reach inside the door and push down to release the upper ones, the bottom lip can just be pried away from the bottom face and off.



Reassembled:



I cut a hole in the top of the glovebox because a) it's hidden even if I remove the Phatbox and b) the thing wasn't going to snake in there through the front.  This means it can't be removed without removing or busting up my glove box.  It also means it won't move around.  Notice a clip in the center, it's hooked inside the sheetmetal cover of the phatbox and over the back wall of the glove box.  Also note the access hole for the cable.  It works out perfectly, as the dash is hollow on that end of the glove box, so the cable snakes right in there.



Here it is with the glovebox stuffed back in the dash.  



Notice the fit on the lower edge?  The bottom of the glovebox angles up just right. It really couldn't have fit in there any better, and I still have tons of useable glove box left.



And here's how it looks from the driver's seat.  



The only thing that sucks about it, is that I can't see the status LED's without a mirror.  Small price to pay for a slick install.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2006, 04:24:35 am by LloydDobler »

Offline gumbyandpokie999

  • A few posts under my belt.
  • *
  • Posts: 15
  • PhatHacker
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2008, 04:17:47 am »
Mines just thrown under my seat ,how sad!

Offline VorTechS

  • Administrator
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 1678
  • PhatHack Media Manager & DMS Tools Wizard Author
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2008, 07:30:18 am »
Hey join the club ;)

Alas my motor failed it's M.O.T. miserably this weekend and so now I need to find a new home for my Kenwood Keg and 1.5k rig :(
Kenwood KDC-W7031 | Kenwood KHD-CX910 | 250GB DMS | PhatHack Media Manager v1.1.4 (Alpha) | VIOT

Catch me weekdays 8am-4pm GMT on IRC @ irc.freenode.net on channel #phathack (aka the chat link!!)

Offline S80_UK

  • Global Moderator
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 392
  • Volvo S80 D5 with VW Phatbox
    • Volvo Phatbox Installation
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2008, 08:22:43 am »
Alas my motor failed it's M.O.T. miserably this weekend and so now I need to find a new home for my Kenwood Keg and 1.5k rig :(

That sucks.  At least with all the expertise here you have quite a few options.

Offline VorTechS

  • Administrator
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 1678
  • PhatHack Media Manager & DMS Tools Wizard Author
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #15 on: January 10, 2008, 09:23:47 am »
My options are pretty much infinite.  I have a full Kenwood setup, with an additional Vibe II amp + Sony XPlod speakers - so transferring it across shouldn't be a big deal.
Kenwood KDC-W7031 | Kenwood KHD-CX910 | 250GB DMS | PhatHack Media Manager v1.1.4 (Alpha) | VIOT

Catch me weekdays 8am-4pm GMT on IRC @ irc.freenode.net on channel #phathack (aka the chat link!!)

Offline jmj

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #16 on: April 18, 2008, 02:24:12 pm »
I currently have mine nestled under the rear deck of my GTI, but I'd like to move it into the glove box, ximilar to the Volvo above.


Offline S80_UK

  • Global Moderator
  • Veteran.
  • *****
  • Posts: 392
  • Volvo S80 D5 with VW Phatbox
    • Volvo Phatbox Installation
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2008, 03:14:26 pm »
Neat.  May I make a suggestion?  Consider adding a drain hole, or raising the unit slightly.  I am sure the area is very dry at the moment, but that's a great way to drown the circuit board if any bottles of drink that you have in the trunk happen to leak.

For the record, here's my VW box in a Volvo installation.  The box above mounted sideways is the standard fit navigation unit.  All this is to the left of the trunk hidden behind a fold-down panel.


Offline jmj

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 3
Re: Show us your Keg / Phatbox Install
« Reply #18 on: April 25, 2008, 03:18:45 am »
Neat.  May I make a suggestion?  Consider adding a drain hole, or raising the unit slightly.  I am sure the area is very dry at the moment, but that's a great way to drown the circuit board if any bottles of drink that you have in the trunk happen to leak.

Good point.  All the more reason to put that puppy in the glove box if I can!