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!
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