I am starting a restoration/customizing job on my 88 Std, and I could use some advice. What type of vinyl would anybody reccomend I use for the upper door panels? Has anybody ever attempted to create a custom speaker/sub/amp enclosure where the backseat would normally go, and if so do you have any reference photos I could look at? Any positive advice is greatly appreciated!

 

go to http://www.selectproducts.com they have all the vynle that you will need .. great quality .. I use it all the time in installs that I do for my customers! The HF ( heat formable) is awesome !!

 

Thanks man, do you have any expertise making one-off enclosures out of wood only? I am not great with Fiberglass yet...

 

well, if you wanted to just follow the contour of the seat, thats flat, so it wouldn't be too hard to follow that contour with flat wood...

 

Actually, what I did was when I removed the seat bottom, I split the seat with about a 1/8" particle board for a base, keeping the lower portion of the seat bottom to retain a level surface to mount everything to. I now have to create a table (mounted on the remaining level surface) with a 1 1/2" lip in the front to lay all the components on. Hopefully it will look like the GT-500 fastback interior rear seat area, with only a fold out box area. Under that folding box area will be the hidden dual 8" subs in a sealed enclosure. The only thing exposed will be the relocated 5x7 speakers on the sides of the folding box. Hopefully it looks clean and somewhat factory!!!

 

Hmm..here is an idea..why not use the spare tire well as an enclosure and
build up from there. This of course would eliminate the spare..but i think you
should have more than enough space for subs and electronics as well as very
stock looking rear. Just my 0.02.

 

I thought of that, but I want to retain the functionality of the rear hatch/cargo area. Also, by building up the backseat area and leaving the cargo area alone, I can then place a new "floor" over the rear and create space for a hidden jack and full size spare tire. I have already incorporated these elements into my design.

As a second note on this, the reason I removed the backseat was to eliminate the "taxi" factor. I hate giving other people rides in the backseat. If I remove it, and put something there that can not be moved, I won't even be considered for taxi service.

It would also make placing a rollcage in the vehicle less of an issue as I don't have a backseat to worry about.