Fun Project: Installing a nice 100watt PA system on my A32 Maxima

[codyace]

Ages ago, I had a simple PA on my truck...the traditional CB and external bullhorn speaker plugged in the PA jack (just a 25watt setup). It was quite fun, and a blast, but quiet.


So I got to thinking, how can I make a fun, cheap (around 100 bucks) noisemaker, but also make it loud.

The answer was simple: Power horns and amps

(Excuse the extra shitty pictures, point and shoot and not caring)

The parts:
http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1120044.sized.jpg

2 - 50 watt RMS, 100 Watt Peak Power horns, from Radio shack (I had a discount card, got them for 12 a piece but normally 24 a piece)

1 - Midland 1001z CB. I would have used a big '29' sized one from a truck, but it didn't fit. Enter this little guy. Since our local T/A is closed, I went to Exit 4 in jersey (7 miles from the shop) 30 bucks + 75 toll

1 - Used Cheap Brand Amp (Crossfire??). Anyone and everyone knows someone with a used car amp, and or can just go to Wal-Mart, and get a Lighting Yellow or whatever brand amp (Freebie, but a cheap amp is like 30 bucks)

1 - Speaker to RCA converter wire. 3 Dollars. I could have used just a speaker plug to twin wire thing, but RCA is cheap and easy, and doesn’t loose power.

1 - 20 ft RCA cable. 7 bucks From the CB output to the amp

1 - 50 ft spool of speaker wire - Freebie, but normally 6 dollars. For the speakers

1 - bout 10 or 15 ft of regular 18gauge wire for a remote wire. Freebie

1 - Bout 15-20 ft of 8 gauge power wire. Freebie

1 - Inline 40 amp fuse for the power. Freebie

5 - Regular blue butt connectors (both speakers, and remote wire tap) Freebie

2- 8 gauge eyelets (power from battery, and for ground) Freebie

5 - Regular blue 'fork' connector for amps. Freebie

2 - 8 gauge Fork connector for amps. Freebie

10-15 Random Zip Ties. Freebie

1 Spool of Black Tape (and red if you're tricky likee me). Freebie


So I guess in the end, if I would have used the big old CB, It would have only cost me under 50, but if you had to get the stuff new....you're looking at like
100-150 bucks probably. I saw a nice AMP kit at Wal-Mart today that would have worked too for the RCA, power wire, fuse, speaker wire, ground (16 bucks), but oh well.



1. http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1120052.sized.jpg

I had to find a place to mount these speakers. They aren't huge big, but nice sized. I wanted to do behind the upper grill, but forget about that. Lower grill worked, and only required some quick cutting of the lower fascia


2. http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1120053.sized.jpg

The Speakers came with these really nice mounting base things. 2 self tappers into the rad support worked nice, but what an asshole job removing the bumper to get into here. YUCK. Don't mind my sloppy cut, I cleaned it up. You know how i roll.


3.http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130063.sized.jpg

http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130066.sized.jpg

http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130067.sized.jpg


Here's how the speakers look in their little holder. Nice and tidy, works for me. I will eventually paint these flat black, and get some window mesh to cover the opening. You can't mount these head on, or they would be ruined. To the side works nice.

4. http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130061.sized.jpg

Mounted and done. The right one is a little more 'in' as there is a weird hump in the rad support. Oh well. This isn't a show car.



5.http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130056.sized.jpg

http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130072.sized.jpg

You have to run the wire someplace. Connected the bottom two, hid the wire, and then took out the driver splash crap, and ran it along the main body harness. To easy! I made all the wires enter my cab through the hood latch grommet (used the factory hole)...to easy again. Tip: Spray with WD40 to help the wires slide in and out nicer. Lubrication is key grasshoppers.

I took the power right from battery. Nice and slick. I wish it was black wire!!! (ZOMG JWT POPCHARGER)


6. http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130058.sized.jpg

http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130070.sized.jpg

This brings the wires in the driver foot well, up above dead pedal, near some big fancy ass metal box thing. Nice and out of the way.

[codyace]

7. http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130069.sized.jpg

I then ran the two speaker wires, the power wire (and eventually RCA) to the back. I popped the door sills up, and actually pushed the wires down into and under the carpet for super clean and sneaky wires.


8.http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130078.sized.jpg

Ah, the CB mounts. To easy, center console…. It fits perfectly on the side and perfect front to back. The Nissan lid has a nice little hole cut in the front for a peripheral product with wires, so it worked super nice. Lid down, all that sticks out is the spiral cable and mic.

I ran the power and ground wire up through center console stuff into dash, and found a random ACC power wire. I also used this wire to splice in my remote wire trigger. I ran the remote wire up and through the wire jungle around the steering wheel, and then followed the stereo/power cables along the side.

The RCA cables I ran through the box, under the drivers seat carpet, and mated up with the other wires around the center pillar between front and rear door. All came into the back at the same spot.


9. http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1130076.sized.jpg

Amp mount is temporary for now. Need to make a nice little stand, or something to mount on back of seats.

Ground is from amp to strut tower, like 1 foot to the left of it.



10.http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1140080.sized.jpg

http://www.e-rak.com/cody/albums/album288/P1140082.sized.jpg

Put everything back to normal and test. Nice and loud, big boy style.

END RESULT
Well, it’s quite loud, and quite fun. Def easily heard for my intent (to yell at slow people, and those who don’t use turn signals

EXTRA: Being that you're only using one side of the amp, you could potentially cross bridge from both sides, but that may blow the speakers out. I am thinking off adding 2 additional speakers in the back, so I can shout behind me as well. Haah.


Update: I was being a jerk with it already, and yelled at a gas station near us. Lucky me, an undercover cop was there. They followed me like, all the way to the shop, and pulled me over at the shop. I was nervous, but didn't lie. 1 charger, one Durango, and the U/C car, all in a mile distance from yelling at the pumps to the shop… I didn't know the first two cops, and was thinking 'oh man, I’m fucked, 100 dollar jackass ticket'...then the U/C cop came up, and essentially said 'oh I know this kid...' (he's a friend of mine through being a local cunnerman) then said 'quit being a jackass with the mic, or I’ll make you take it out'. The other cops wet back to their cars, mocked me on their own PA, and then came back. No ticket, no warning, just told to 'calm it down' and to 'not be a jackass on slow rainy Monday night'. Whew.




Not sure if the right section, but I figure it's just a fun little off topic thing I've done haha.

[WilloW]

Nice! I've always wonder what it would be like to have a train horn on my S14.

[Xandy Boosts]

haha nice. My cousin wired up a spare alarm horn in his 240, with short quick bursts, it sounds like its whistling. Nice for the babes here around!

[blaze]

good interesting install. finally a way to get all the anger out for all the retarded people that cant drive. how about painting the outsides of the horns black to match the car or possibly hide them.

[codyace]

These are definetly going to be painted black, with some window mesh over the openings

[powersteeringless180sx]

haha that's awesome.... you're definitely gonna have to post some vids of it in action. lol

[Xandy Boosts]

If that cop didn't know you, what would have happened.

[Farzam]

I'm making one of these also...
A lot of my "country boy" friends have em in their pickups/SUVs

[codyace]

If that cop didn't know you, what would have happened.

Probably a warning, or some lame ass 100-150 ticket for whatever they make up.


I'm making one of these also...
A lot of my "country boy" friends have em in their pickups/SUVs

That's where I got my idea from when I did it on my old d/d truck in the day...but was never happy with the volume. The amp helps out BIG time haha.