Shaft's Extreme Truck Makeover

[Fast4socal]

hey that looks good! maby i shuld come down and u can help me drill holes in my roof...for my 10k btw what is AudioControl EQL used for?

[Shaft]

Looks like I have a fan now. I had to look that quote up to see why I wrote that. That was over 2 years ago.

The EQL is a 13 band equalizer for the audio system. AudioControl makes some of the best audio processors out there.

[Shaft]

I went up to the CB shop today and they checked my SWR. 1.1 on 19. I'm happy with that.

[Texas Mobil 219]

22" Predator 10k baby!

Wow, this antenna has tuned good. I got it down flat on 1 and 1.2 on 40. Shortened it a little more and got about 1.05:1 on 1 and 1.1:1 on 40. When I checked it with the meter on my Cobra 29 with the RXF75 (dead key about 15 watts) I was still getting a low 1 on 1, 2 on 19, and almost 3 on 40. I'll try to work on it more later, but now I LOVE IT!

Now all I need is my subwoofer box and to get my General Lee fixed.

Now thats what im talking about. Looking Good Shaft.

[Shaft]

I started working on my subwoofer enclosure yesterday. Here are a few pics.


My version of a stealth box.


This down firing enclosure will house a JL Audio 10W0-4.


The box will be mounted to the center console/seat frame and will hold the center console storage box. Almost ready for fiberglassing.

[drdx]

What kind of fiberglass are you using? I saw a new product on that "2 guys garage" on speed that is some kind of fiberglass deal that is supposedly a lot neater and easier to use. I've never done any fiberglass work but hope to some day, maybe on my next mobile project.

-drdx

[Shaft]

I just used a can of Bondo all purpose fiberglass resin. The mat I used was a fleece throw blanket I bought at walmart for $4. When it's for cosmetic purposes, cotton fleece is a whole lot cheaper than glass mat. Plus, glass mat won't stretch to give you the curves you want. Cotton fleece, grille clothe, even panty hose are all good to use to get those curves. If you need strength, then reinforce that with glass mat.

I just finished putting on the resin. Now to wait a few hours for it to dry. When I go to finish it out I'll be using Bondo body filler that has fiberglass pieces in it.

[WESTGATE]

hey Shaft....where u at here in TX?im over here around Brownsville

[Shaft]

I live in the Houston area.

[Bulldog777]

Shaft I enjoyed reading your journal and neat saw blade idea!

[Shaft]

I put on another layer of resin and fiberglass mat today. Tomorrow I'll work on sanding and body filler, and then hopefully prime it for painting.

[Shaft]

Here are the pics of the complete box. I had a great drive going to Ft. Worth from Houston today. Got to do a little bit of cruising without my wife and really turned it up.


Storage box was set inside the speaker enclosure and covered in fleece.


Another picture of the fleece before applying the fiberglass resin.


After the first coat of resin. Later, fiberglass mat, Bondo, more resin were applied. After that lots of sanding to give it a smooth surface.


The center seat frame was cut and modified to allow mounting of the box. The subwoofer is a JL Audio 10W0-4.


The factory cup holders were removed from the seat frame and screwed into the box. A special tray was made to hold a 52 oz. Bubba Keg.


I didn't like how the paint turned out. I was a lot lighter than the color on the cap. I will probably go back and cover it either with carpet or seat material.

['Doc]

What are you doing next Tuesday? I got this 'seat-desk' box thingy that could be nicer and was just wondering...
- 'Doc

[Shaft]

What are you doing next Tuesday? I got this 'seat-desk' box thingy that could be nicer and was just wondering...
- 'Doc

Next Tuesday, I'll be in Guymon, OK, pheasant hunting.

[Sporty Mike]

Dang Shaft, I hope you don't drink coffee 52oz's ata time!!!!

Gotta Pee,
Mike

[Shaft]

Dang Shaft, I hope you don't drink coffee 52oz's ata time!!!!

Gotta Pee,
Mike

No, just water. I hate coffee and just about all hot drinks.

[Sporty Mike]

Well, that's good to know, at least we know your kidneys are safe!!


Bein funny,
Mike

[Shaft]

I didn't want to start a new journal thread, so I figured I'd just continue this one. Plus I think "Shaft's Extreme Truck Makeover" has a good ring to it.

Some things have changed with my truck, and some haven't. I upgraded the woofer to a JL 10W3 after destroying that 10 year old 10W0. The Cobra 29 with the RFX-75 is still the radio I'm running. The General Lee is still sitting at the house not working. I really need to send it to RA. I also bought a new audio head unit for the truck. It's a Kenwood KIV-BT900. There is no CD or cassette player in this unit. The only source for audio is the AM/FM tuner or iPod. Can't wait to get it installed.

In other news, after 10 years of faithful service, Mrs. Shaft lost her job on Tuesday. And since she's always been the primary bread winner, that definitely puts me in a bind. But she did get a nice severance package and I have a few leads on some preaching jobs. So if all goes well I will be able to transition jobs by the end of the year, and she can stay home with the baby now.

[PRO151]

Bummer Shaft. hope everything works out for you and your Wife.
Years of faithful and loyal service will get you no where in this day and age.

It kills me when I hear our upper level management complaining about the lack of employee loyalty in out meetings.
The last meeting I was in that this subject was brought up, I couldn't hold my tongue any longer and pointed out that when I entered the work force in 1975, loyalty started at the top and was demonstrated to the employees, who for the most part would return that loyalty.
I actually do still work there, believe it or not.
The HR director did tell me in his usual round about, semi-diplomatic way to sit down and shut the h3ll up.

I am an old fool who was brought up to be loyal to the hand that feeds you, so I am loyal to the company.
(Do I trust them? No farther than I could throw the entire plant building)

Oh yeah, like the truck!

[DixieEcho82]

That cat Shaft's install is a bad @#%^&&& SHUT YOUR MOUTH. Im just talkin' bout' the install. LOL

Very nice and can't wait to see all of it.

[murdoc]

Shaft, W7's are on sale now at all authorized dealers!!! I have 2 12 W7's and 2 slash V2 1000/1 amps to go into a van I just aquired... I'll do a pair of C5-653 3 ways in the front doors/pillars and possibly a pair of ZR-800CW mid-bass drivers down wayyy low in the door panels, run them through a HD-600/4 I have here and maybe add a pair of C5 650 components in the back for rear fill... Alpine 9887 is the deck with all the attachments, HD,Sirius,Bluetooth,Changer.... Finish it off with a few rounds of monitoring via my KTX-100EQ Imprint module and I'm on my way to S.Q. heaven... I forgot about the 100% gutting of the entire interior down to bare shell and complete lining with dynamat extreme/dynaliner... I should post pics of my 2009 Peterbilt daycab tractor, that got the same treatment, 100% dynamat extreme/dynaliner and an all JL/Alpine setup including a single 8W7 in a custom sealed enclosure I had built to my spec by Fatbox USA, 1" MDF all around with a super heavy 1" interior brace and interior box volume at .875C.F. as per JL... I do all my own install work as well and in my opinion it is the MOST important part of the entire system and often times, at least in my installs, the materials alone cost nearly as much as the components to be installed... Good example, just to power the 2 slash V2 1000/1's they draw approx 100 amps each at full tilt and I'm running two of them as well as at least 1 HD-600/4 among other things, so now were looking at dual alts, 2 XS Power group 31's miles of 1/0 gauge cable, right there alone, $2000 buck and not a single component has even entered the equation yet!!! I am often told that I should do extreme custom install/fabrication work doing high end audio, my reply- I'd never have any business, they can't afford me!!!

Best of luck...

Murdoc

[Shaft]

Shaft, W7's are on sale now at all authorized dealers!!!

JL is always on sale for me; I used to be a dealer.
W7 won't work good in this truck unless I was to totally redesign the enclosure. Plus, I would most likely use a W6 over a W7. Today I replaced the 10W3-D4v2 with a 10W3-4v3 (which I bought at cost). Thought the voice coil was damaged on the old one, but turns out the surround came unglued to the cone. I'm going to repair it and then either use it in another project or sell it.

[liquidh8]

Nice build. Loving the progress!

[Shaft]

Just completed the upgrade on the electrical system in my truck.

Amptech 200 amp alternator.


Amptech heavy duty external regulator.


The complete system.


Power Pulse battery manager.

[420Snowman]

Nice!!


Snowman