(2x) Tall AutoTuba Build

[chjade84]

I got the drivers the other day and picked up the last of the supplies today. Hopefully with the lessons learned from my first THT build a couple months ago and the best piece of borrowed equipment ever - radial arm saw circa the 1970's - this build will go more swimmingly than the last - plus this time I'll be outside and not in the basement.

Unfortunately, once decided to start building and bought all the materials the weather took a turn to the cold/rainy/windy. The next 10 days (and previous 5) are supposed to be one or two of those scenarios so the progress will likely be slow. I've spent the last weekend building their new home in the back of the Xterra. Two 16.5" TAT's should slide in with almost no room to spare side-to-side! (Test fits confirm they SHOULD just fit, Sketchup agrees)




Of course, plans change when you realize what you drew up from memory one day doesn't quite match what the interior is really like...




Replaced the carpet with a solid MDF floor and added storage for the first aid kit and trailer hitch/tow straps as well as a shelf for the amp and crossover. The TAT's will be held in place by the sides as well as brackets in back and a decorative lip bolted to the floor that rests over the front lip of the mouth.

I've cut both sets of side panels and sketched out the lines on all 4 - plus cut out the access cover holes in two of them. (Pics shortly)

Next up, the driver baffles! (Provided when I get home it's not raining...)

[Drey Chennells]

Fun. Prepare for hi fidelity bass. What's the supporting system? Anything rattling now get dampened.

[chjade84]

Fun. Prepare for hi fidelity bass. What's the supporting system? Anything rattling now get dampened.

I've gotten most of it. Removed the spare tire tools and holder, took off the back plastic panel on the hatch (just couldn't get the damn clips to stop rattling), and stuffed it with foam around the wiring harnesses and electronic lock connecting rods and used expanding foam in the back pillars to hold the wires in there tight.

Although now I'm finding other small rattles up front....



Here's what I got done today.




I stopped short of the first joints out of frustration with the wind, numb fingers and face and running nose. Wind chill of 37 degrees...


Tomorrow maybe.

[Drey Chennells]

and stuffed it with foam around the wiring harnesses and electronic lock connecting rods and used expanding foam in the back pillars to hold the wires in there tight.

Sounds good, love the foam. Our shop built several TAT19"/ Dayton 10. Much preferred a/b to a variety of proper dual 12" systems while only pulling a few volts. These make even tapping into factory sub amps work very well.
What amp and such? Factory system?

[SeisTres]

I stopped short of the first joints out of frustration with the wind, numb fingers and face and running nose. Wind chill of 37 degrees...

Funny you mention that since I almost put on a light jacket since it was dropping into the low 70's. Good thing the sky finally cleared up and it got back the high 70's

[chjade84]

What amp and such? Factory system?

It's the amp I got free from a buddy whose girlfriend didn't want it in her car anymore. He went off to the Marines so he gave it to me. It's a... umm... Dual XIA3145. About $50 but 100W x2 @ 4 ohms. So it should work for now.

The whole system is far from factory now. It's actually another Dual headunit (I don't like Dual I promise!) I bought to dock my old iPhone as a temporary media device. Now the Dual just distributes power through the speakers and controls volume. The brains of the whole operation is a Archos 70 Internet Tablet running the Winamp app. Tethered to my phone it gets internet and streams radio. It's also getting a bluetooth antenna and a Garmin-type maps app in the near future.


All of this because I can't stand the radio and don't think the commercial head unit offerings are worth their cost. This whole setup cost maybe $275 (not counting the $100 headunit I already had, but any headunit with an AUX IN will work).

Funny you mention that since I almost put on a light jacket since it was dropping into the low 70's. Good thing the sky finally cleared up and it got back the high 70's

[Drey Chennells]

It's actually another Dual headunit (I don't like Dual I promise!) I bought to dock my old iPhone as a temporary media device. Now the Dual just distributes power through the speakers and controls volume. The brains of the whole operation is a Archos 70 Internet Tablet running the Winamp app. Tethered to my phone it gets internet and streams radio. It's also getting a bluetooth antenna and a Garmin-type maps app in the near future.

very cool. what are you packing for midbass?

[chjade84]

very cool. what are you packing for midbass?

For now, just some mid-grade Alpines I bought when I got the truck to replace the blown factory speakers. Every one of them... blown. IDK how...

6.5" up front and 6x9" in the back. They sound alright, but I don't know what I'd replace them with that's any better.

[BoostFab]

All of this because I can't stand the radio and don't think the commercial head unit offerings are worth their cost. This whole setup cost maybe $275 (not counting the $100 headunit I already had, but any headunit with an AUX IN will work).

carputer ftw..... i built one in my car as well.... which skin are you using?

[chjade84]

carputer ftw..... i built one in my car as well.... which skin are you using?

That's actually an Android tablet and that's just the way they look stock.

I did a few minor tweaks like removing the status bar at the top, but for the most part that's just the way it is. That's the reason I picked it. It's meant to be touch operated unlike Windows or Linux.

[chjade84]

Got some more done tonight. Progressing nicely although even with the radial arm saw it's a challenge to get straight cuts. I mean cuts off by less than 1/16th inch. Maybe I'm just being too picky.

[chjade84]

Another day of progress.

[chjade84]

Got all done with the assembly today. Just need finishing touches. I totally screwed up and forgot to make one of the two a mirror image of the other since they will sit side-by-side.

The only way they will fit in the truck now is if one is on its back - or I do some major surgery on one of them. I picked the easy way out.

At least they fit inside perfectly.







Any real issues with having those set up that way? I would think being so close together it would be alright.


... I can't believe I did that ...

[Bruce Weldy]

That's gonna' be the loudest taxi in town.

[LEVLHED]

I don't understand why they can't be side by side even if they aren't "mirror image".
Can't you still face them both to the back still? The horn mouths won't be lined up, but I would suspect that would matter even less than they way you have them pictured above.