Just finished my Suitcase Stereo - PICS

[Wayne S. Johnson]

A fan with an exhaust vent would finish off the project.
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[madster]

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1966 BEETLE @ 1973 THING

[Sullypops]

would be awesome if anyone who has successfully designed one of these could post some (even rudimentary) design drawings for newbs to follow, including perhaps wiring ideas, speaker size/type suggestions, box dimensions, etc.
really great idea. hope mine turns out half as good!

[squizy]

Nice work in both of these. When mounting the amp, did you mount it on board or straight into the bottom of the case. Also for my naivety, are you able to explain the boxing of the speaker section? Is this to provide a nice solid base for sound resonation?

[83_WabbitGTI]

I really love the look and the craftsmanship on both of these examples. That's really thinking outside of the box... If you'll pardon the pun.

If you want to get sound up front, get a bamboo or metal tray for under the dash, you can stealth in a couple speakers on top of it.
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83 Rabbit GTI - 83 Rabbit LS Custom - 63 Westy - 65 Bug - 64 Baja (Herbie's Studly Cousin) - 91 Audi 90 Quattro 20v - 85 Vw Cabby - 84 VW Scirocco - 69 Beetle (Phantasm Bug) - 78 Cabriolet

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[andk5591]

If you want to get decent sounds in a "stealth manner" I run 2 5 1/4s in the rear kick panels and 2 on a panel on the front firewall above the pedals. If I want more serious, I have installed a JBL 8" sub under the rear seat. I have the full set up with a decent amp in my 65, but just did a "retro-sound" head unit with the 4 5 1/4s in my wifes 61 and its not bad. No interior space is used and you don't really notice any of it inless you look for it.
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D-Dubya Manx clone 1914. Ex wifes car.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Ex-wifes car.
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[hitest]

[TENNESSEE]

wow, that case is really well done, I'm definitely thinkin of doing something like this. This definitely looks better than having a speaker box on either side of the luggage area in a bug.

one question, what would be the best speaker placement in a bug?
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(0\!/0) 1966 Beetle - daily driver.

[83_WabbitGTI]

[Bret Young]

Thanks for the kind words. They are fun to make and sell.

[MAYHEM]

As A-Wall said. That fixed it. Very well done case.

[A-Wall]

[VolksFire]

Hmm. i dont seem to have any problems posting pics, using your same URL....

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76 Kombi
81 Dasher Wagon
82 Quantum Coupe
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98 Golf GL

[Bret Young]

Oh nuts. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong? I read the thread on how to post pictures and I am still having the damnest time figuring this out......

[Bret Young]

Well mines outside and didnt feel like going out there so I will take pictures of that one when I get back in a few days. Here is one that I finished yesterday for a 356 friend of mine. Samsonite Leather suitcase with the whole internal box setup. Im not finished, still have to go back over the holes with a icepick and press the leather back into the holes and polish up the case.

Lets see if these pictures work.....here we go.

The case with the drilled holes:

[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/686922.jpg[/img]

A shot of what you see when you unbuckle the latches and open the top:

[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/686924.jpg[/img]

The flush mount input for an iPod cable or any other sort of media device:

[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/686923.jpg[/img]

And then lastly a shot where you can see the amp is inside of the box (not sealed yet cause this was during a stage of final test fitting):

[img]https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/686926.jpg[/img]

Pretty fun. And when you go somewhere, you just unplug the cables and most people, unless they really look would never be able to tell. Mine is personally covered with stickers and I didnt use circle designs, I just drilled them in a uniform distance so the entire top just looks like texture. [/img]

[A-Wall]

yes pics please! i like the drilled holes idea.

[Bret Young]

The case will sound better sitting facing up in the back seat. The curved roof of the bug makes the sound echo.

I built mine the same way as you did but instead of putting the fugly grills on the outside, I made an internal box on the inside (tight fit so it wont rattle at all) and used a protractor to mark circles of equal amounts on the outside of the case directly over the speakers and drilled numerous holes in the top with a very small drill bit. So the case looks like nothing was ever done to it, has way for the sound to escape, and since the case didnt have the large holes drilled into it it makes for more of a enclosure making the suitcase louder.

Im running a 150w (1 channel, will be rebuilding it soon with a multi-channel) amp to 2 4-way 6x9's controlled by my ipod. Mines so loud that I cant listen to it in the car over half way on the iPod. I have longboard ride nights around town here in the summer, and we just put the case outside the bug and crank it. can be heard a 1/4 mile away on a still night.

The suitcases are a lot of fun. With mine being completely hidden underneath the case, I have had numerous people fall in love with them. I have mine, and have built 4-5 for numerous porsche 356 owners around.

I will try and get a picture for you of the two I have at my house at the moment (mine and one in process of being built)

[andk5591]

Let me clarify - the partition is a good idea - Also load it up (not pack it in hard or anything) with fiberglass insulation. Do NOT wire them out of phase as was suggested even if sharing the same enclosure.

There's a lot to speaker enclosures - and what you are doing looks cool and will sound OK - but not great since its probably not tuned for the speakers - but so what? It looks bitchin, is very unique and was very nicely executed. Enjoy what you did....
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D-Dubya Manx clone 1914. Ex wifes car.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Ex-wifes car.
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

[EODinert]

Very cool. I will be doing the same soon.
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'61 rag top beetle, '73 type 181, '66 13 window deluxe

[ballsie]

Im just going to throw a partition in there. Thanks for the tip. I thought it should sound better than it does.
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