Project Eclipse: Jan 19 to Jan 26 Update

The last two weeks in Car Club have marked the quest for sound on Project Eclipse!

Let's get to the update...

Working on enhancing the interior trim pieces on the Eclipse, Car Club members continued to remove key panels and covers from the car for a full recondition and paint job.

Shown below, the steering column cover and sill plates have been removed and cleaned so they can be painted fire red to enhance the look of the car.

We also cleaned and painted the stereo trim bezel to add to the colour on the center stack.

Now, in continuing the subwoofer box build, we found it a journey to construct the assembly. Creating something from nothing is far from easy, but with passion comes success, and we committed our time to experimenting with moulding techniques to create a speaker enclosure that would maximize the volume in the trunk, yet be easily removable when needed.

Before constructing the top shell of the enclosure, we carefully positioned the speaker rings in a symmetrical position in the lower half of the structure using wood:

Next, we stretched fleece over the structure to create the top half of the enclosure. 

We decided to mask the speaker basket edges and use them to press the fleece into place, establishing smooth curves for the enclosure.

After resining the fleece, we removed the subs and created speaker rings on the CNC machine.

These rings would mimic the speaker's edge without the risk of getting resin on the speakers.

We continued to resin, sand, and build up the top half of the enclosure with more layers of fleece to make it strong enough to withstand the internal pressures of a sealed enclosure. Some time after the box is finished, we will experiment with tuning and porting the box to minimize load on the amplifier and increase sound output.

As the days pass and the layers dry, Car Club students do a dry run of the Android computer system on the rear monitor in the trunk.

A week later, the enclosure is ready for a trial run. Although it needs plenty of sanding and smoothing before it is painted a textured black, we thought it would be fun to install the subs and feed it a trial signal through an amp on the test bench.

Our test run proved important, as we discovered a few air leaks around the base of one of the subs where it met the fleece layer. We also had to switch an improperly phased subwoofer, as it was diminishing the overall sound output. We will consider taking enclosure volume measurements and experiment with installing a tuned port to lessen the strain on the speakers when they are loaded in an airtight chamber. However, when carefully constructed, a sealed or ported box can yield good results. 

We still have a ways to go with the enclosure construction, but it was great to see the subs alive in their new home!

As semester one winds down and students prepare for their exams, we give the Eclipse a nap and will continue our build at the start of semester two in a couple of weeks. 

Good luck on your exams, students!

See you soon!

Project Eclipse: Jan 5 to Jan 12 Update

Happy New Year from Bishop Reding's Car Club!

Welcome back to room 114, where we are back at work on the Bishop Reding Spirit Car.
Over the last two weeks, we have focussed on the interior of the vehicle, namely the motorized tv system and a couple of other elements.

At the start of Car Club, Mr. Da Silva and the students addressed an issue with the placement of the motorized TV in the rear of the car. It's current location does not allow enough space to fabricate a custom enclosure to house four ten inch subwoofers. We removed the entire assembly from the vehicle and prepared to disassemble it.



By disassembling it, we can relocate it to a more forward position in the car, allowing more space for the subs.



While the assembly was taken apart, a couple of junior Car Club students installed  new hatch struts to ensure the hatch will not fall downward when open. Some of the Eclipse's parts are quite old and worn, and we cannot have things like the hatch fall, hitting the TV monitor when in the upright position.





The automation mechanism has now been relocated about ten inches forward in the rear of the car and we tested the lift  system to ensure a good position for the monitor. Success! We also added a front board to line the lower perimeter of the sub box where the TV rests when upright.





The lift mechanism was temporarily installed, later to be cleaned up and wrapped in carpet or painted before the forward portion of the sound system is installed in place of the rear seat area. The Eclipse will now be a two seater!

Later on in Car Club, students began to tidy the details of some interior components. For example, the center console was removed, cleaned and masked for paint. We want to create a colour theme of red white and black throughout the car, in accordance with BR's school colours. The center console is first painted before a special accessory is installed.










Once painted, students ground out the cigarette lighter socket opening and we've fitted a new Engine Start button. SHSM students in the Mobile Electronics Course next semester will learn about how to convert and install electronic gadgets into vehicles, like a push-button start system!



While the students work away, Mr. Da Silva has some fun in class, trying to convince the odd person that he has the newest smartphone, complete with new bigger display! Unfortunately, no one was convinced...



Carrying on, SHSM students helped remove the inner door panels and front dash board in order to paint key components and give the Spirit Car an even more colourful look...







As the painting and assembling continues, other students begin the very careful and tedious task of creating something from nothing!
The trunk of the vehicle is lined with fibre panels and many layers of fibreglass resin and matting to construct the bottom of the custom sub enclosure. This job takes a great deal of time and is one of the most intricate of the many jobs we've performed so far. After creating the wood frame that lines the trunk, the fibreglass matting will strengthen the bottom of the enclosure.





After contemplating material use, it was decided that cardboard was the easiest way to mark the limits of the inner shell for fibreglassing in such a way as not to adhere to the inner trunk panels. This way, the entire enclosure can be easily and quickly lifted from the trunk for service.





Many layers of fibreglass will have to be used to create a strong shell that can withstand the pressures of the sealed sub box enclosure.

Once the lower shell is dry, we will locate and install the subwoofer rings and begin reinforcing the top of the sub box enclosure. Its a long and tedious job, but with patience, time and effort, we hope to produce an excellent looking and sounding system in the Eclipse.

See you next week!