Blending a Kit With a Factory Bezel

[sqcomp]

Here's the start of the "pictorial" on how to blend a kit with the factory bezel. This will take me several days. Some of you have noticed that I started test fitting over the last several days. One of the things you'll notice that I'm doing, or not doing, is using a cage. There's just no need to in my case.

The first steps are the test fitment and the actual fusing of the kit and the OEM 2 DIN bezel. The next step is a concoction I'm working up that will reduce my need for Rage and glazing putty before we go to paint. Of course the last step before install is paint (like I just mentioned).

Without further adue:

We're starting the assembly of the kit. Notice that I put gasketing foam on the inside of the vertical supports. This actually snugs the kit in with the source without scratching the copper chassis:



Looking at the source and the fit into the kit a little closer:





It was my reasoning that the kit's pocket looks tacky and is very near useless to me...so I've chosen to place some ABS plastic in the opening to seal it off; this is a test fit in this picture:



Before I get to sealing the pocket off, I need to bond the kit with the OEM dash piece. I tacked the two pieces together with hot glue first. I then used a butane hot knife to accomplish the melting of the plastics together.









And on with the hot knife, yes I did the with all four corners:



Now I essentially have a one piece kit now. Onto the blending of the front side:

Sanding all around the area to be filled of course:



I also filled the pocket with home audio pyramidal foam to take up space and reduce resonance:



Filling the gaps:









This is what I've used to fill the small gaps. It's basically thick superglue, it sands fairly easily:



Here's the ABS piece I'm plugging the storage hole with:





...And bonded in. I used some glue accelerant to speed up the drying time (this is why it looks white around the glue area):



^I also should mention that the kit has a bend to it. The ABS piece was, of course, straight. All one needs is a heat gun and you can bend the plastic to whatever angle you need.

Now, with these next pictures, notice the holes on each side of that ABS piece? I've plugged them using small slivers of the ABS. I used the hot knife to coax them in the spot as well as to blend them in as well as I could:









The piece is sanded with 180 and 220 grit paper. Here's another test fit of the source:



Notice on the side of the kit? I've marked the proper position for the screws to be mounted for the faceplate to lower properly. I did power it up (ground, power, and remote) just to confirm faceplate movement:





^This is as close into the kit as I can go without stopping the faceplate's movement.

On Monday I will return to the shop to experament with a little theory. I'm going to try to use as little Rage and glazing putty as possible. Instead I want to use the plastic from the kit as much as possible. You know how the mounting kits come with extra plastic parts most of the time? Well, my theory is that I can "melt" plastic shavings in with a little MEK and make a "plastic slurry" to use to blend the pocket area in a bit more as well as the small lines left over from the glue that I didn't catch. It is my belief that I would much rather use the same plastic to bond with rather than body filler. So, stick around for that. I will also do the final glazing on Monday. It should be out for paint on Monday night...

[derickveliz2]

Awesome... I may not get to this point but I'm looking forward to see how you finish it up.

.

[YarisSedan]

I was thinking of doing the same thing so it has that one piece fiberglass look too it. My question is though how do you screw it back in if its permanently attached to the faceplate.

[sqcomp]

The source isn't permanently attached. The kit and bezel are one now. Obviously the kit has the stock mounting points. The source will be attached with at least 4 screws on the side, if not 6 when I'm done. The really nice thing is that we have TONS of room behind the source so running cable is going to be a cinch AND I'm not scratching up the copper chassis of the deck.

I think I forgot to mention that after this returns from paint I'm going to place a couple 1/2" felt discs on the top of the pocket that will act as another damper for the source to cradle on to reduce vibration.

...overkill! Woot!

[Alien Mantis]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

The really nice thing is that we have TONS of room behind the source so running cable is going to be a cinch AND I'm not scratching up the copper chassis of the deck.
...overkill! Woot!

As if anyone can SEE that copper chassis back there once it is all buttoned up.


Overkill..... you said it.

( nice job. I enjoy watching your progress. nice photos. keep `em comin! )

[sqcomp]

I'm trying to keep the source as pristine as possible if I ever wanted to move it to another vehicle...or in the very unlikely event that I'd ever sell it. I have a fellow team member's ride to "top"...and with the little things and the attention to detail I'm accomplishing, I think I can actually have a good shot at the IASCA Rookie title this year.

Heck, all my wires are going to be techflexed and heatshrunk. My signal cables are going to have cable pants on them for crying out loud. I'm about to order red, black Super hero, Ogre, and Red/White/Blue, and Carbon Techflex tomorrow most likely. Those last four are for the midrange, mid bass, tweeter, and subwoofers respectively. It's going to be a colorful cable run up to the front! At least the cables will be EASILY identifiable!

[derickveliz2]

Originally Posted by sqcomp

I'm trying to keep the source as pristine as possible if I ever wanted to move it to another vehicle...or in the very unlikely event that I'd ever sell it.

red, black Super hero, Ogre, and Red/White/Blue, and Carbon Techflex tomorrow most likely. Those last four are for the midrange, mid bass, tweeter, and subwoofers respectively. It's going to be a colorful cable run up to the front! At least the cables will be EASILY identifiable!

Good Thinking!