I suspect if you make that part and wind up coating it in some rubberized/flat coating such as plastidip so that it matches the surrounding OEM trim pieces it would look relatively factory. (beside the fact that OEM's wouldn't leave that much blank space untouched.
I did find this photo looking for 2003 honda accord dash on google and it appears to look relatively like what you're trying to create anyways.
Dude yu got me smoked.....a grab bar and repositioned the TP roll in an AC controlled bathroom ....SWMBO is HAPPY!!!
In reply to klodkrawler05 :
That's the stock setup covered in super bling wood. I do like the wood. That upper piece is the radio/hvac and the lower is the storage door.
More playing. The passenger door panel weighs a bit under 8.5lbs. That's something for the future.
Door speaker weights 7.3 ounces. That's for today. The new goal is a whole stereo for the weight of one door speaker.
Cut out some underlayment foam and vinyl to cover the speaker hole. NVH is important.
These speakers are 1.5 inches each. Not sure how to calculate the ideal volume of a speaker box for these so I just taped one up out of cereal boxes. The speakers are 0.8 oz each, the whole thing, just the test box, is 3.3 oz.
Bass response is lacking, but so far they seem to be loud enough to listen to podcasts and sort of music.
the nose and mouth are what make the piece
afaik, each speaker needs an isolated air space; so hopefully you have a divider between them?
also, it's my understanding that denser enclosure materials are desired to keep them from responding to the speakers... doing their thing? so, you might consider that. I reckon three layers of cereal box with 3M 77 and/or wood glue might show an improvement?
otoh, because it's cereal box... porting it/them to test out if that helps should be easy/cheap/negligible
finally, if you made it "quick disconnect and removal" then I think you could allow yourself to increase the weight of the system 10oz over the 7oz original target, since it'd be easy to take it out for "competition"
edit:
another possibility/recommendation: Kevlar
Nothing says all-out weight reduction like CF tweeter enclosures..
On a more serious note, whatever the speaker box wants to be, it could use magnets to locate/mount to make popping out for competition time easy.
In reply to bluej :
The closer I get to "roll up and drive" the happier I am. No changing wheels. No unloading the car or even worse, a trailer. I want to park, check pressures, and drive for the day. Lots of options for something that weighs only ounces though.
In reply to sleepyhead :
Pre-preg carbon kevlar was my first choice after cereal boxes.
In reply to AngryCorvair :
Just went to lunch with Deucekid#1. She heartily approves of the artwork.
If anyone is sitting around thinking "man, I want to run 2.5" springs with the stock top hats on my 7th gen Accord" then you need a set of these.
Fits like a glove that fits good.
And back together waiting to go back on for autocross practice on Sunday. I'm waiting to see how the height shakes out before chopping the pigtail a bit. If I can figure out what coilover sleeves are the right ones then I think 8 inch springs would be perfect. Now I just need to figure out shocks.
I'd still opt for the weight of better radio. nothing worse then bad radio on longs drives.
You are always such a damn inspiration. I am looking at my wifes '15 feista (base model, roll up windows, 5 speed), thinking hmm... future AX car? take out seats, grab and ST suspension from the junk yard... wait wait.. it's on a loan... okay, back to your regularly scheduled awesomeness.
I get the arrive and drive mindset you're going for, but at the same time, bluej has me on magnets now.
I think what you need is a nesting speaker box with magnetic speaker power connections. simply stick it in the hole it fits in and go, no futzing about with connectors etc.
Added bonus, the eyes/nose on the box could help designate which way is up. Or take it a step further have ground in the center and a + in each corner splitting to the speakers, that way no matter which way you stick the box in the hole the speakers work.
I've decided my favorite part about this car is the amount of side projects that can be spun off of the seemingly simple task of reducing weight.
oh, and inspiration:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Magnetic-Laptop-power-connector/
mazdeuce - Seth said:In reply to bluej :
The closer I get to "roll up and drive" the happier I am. No changing wheels. No unloading the car or even worse, a trailer. I want to park, check pressures, and drive for the day. Lots of options for something that weighs only ounces though.
In reply to sleepyhead :
Pre-preg carbon kevlar was my first choice after cereal boxes.
you're going to need at least an oven for that... and I understand that deucewife probably won't want to do any baking in that oven afterwards.
klodkrawler05 said:
I get the arrive and drive mindset you're going for, but at the same time, bluej has me on magnets now.
I was actually talking to Seth's co-driver last year about replacement sound-deadening panels (for example over removed rear seats, or rear shelf) held in with magnets. Might be something for y'all to consider for the M3's.
About 640 miles today in the Accord. We'll call it a long transit. Feeling pretty good about the car as a backup for One Lap.
Hmmm me thinks you took #1 to campus today???
In reply to sleepyhead:
I've been thinking how we could most effectively kill the massive resonance chamber that is a gutted M3. there are a few panels that folks make after they delete the seats but that much plywood is probably a bit heavy, I was thinking of some sort of rigid insulation foam wrapped in leather/suede would look nice and not be heavy enough for us to worry about removing in between tracks.
Although easily removable panels via magnets....that could work.
We tossed around the idea of doing a poured seat type thing for the back seat area. Cover everything with plastic pour the foam, place squares of cardboard into the still soft foam to make indentations the same size as the jack and boxes to help tie them down without them moving. Then cut it in half or quarters or whatever to remove it. Trim it until it's about right and use spray adhesive and some snazzy fabric from the fabric to cover it. Hasn't gotten beyond the planning stages.
The factory Honda guys had a super cool heavy rubber backed carpet from the front of some official Honda factory building that they would spread out in the back of the van/MDX and then put their gear on. They said that the weight of the rug made a huge difference in noise and they were super pimp having a carpet to stand on for changing into driving shoes. We actually tried to get them to send it to us so we could be the super unofficial Honda entry but they got denied by corporate.
klodkrawler05 said:In reply to sleepyhead:
I've been thinking how we could most effectively kill the massive resonance chamber that is a gutted M3. there are a few panels that folks make after they delete the seats but that much plywood is probably a bit heavy, I was thinking of some sort of rigid insulation foam wrapped in leather/suede would look nice and not be heavy enough for us to worry about removing in between tracks.
Although easily removable panels via magnets....that could work.
Foam is pretty brittle by itself, but some plywood faces on it, and it should be able to take some good weight. Just avoid those 3/4" thickness, and it shouldn't be too heavy. The upper seat back shouldn't be larger than 6x3.5 ft? At 1/8" thick, you should be able to build a sandwich panel with some rigid foam for under 20#'s, I'd guess. Should be pretty cheap too. Make sure to add some kind of coating to seal the ply and foam from moisture... and now you've got a platform to lift your gear off the ground and away pooling water/rain... with the magnets serving double duty to attach a rain fly over the gear.
If you want to go even lighter, you could try "doorskin" plywood... which ranges from 1-3mm. Although, you'd probably want to add some uni-directional Carbon for added stiffness (along the perimeter, and an "X'... similar to hood stiffener patterns). And you'd probably need to be more careful about point-loads if you have stuff on top of it. But, probably do-able.... I mean, people build small-ish boats out of the stuff.
Spacecadet is on his way over in a couple hours and we're going rallycrossing tomorrow. Super stoked. I had a bit over 7k on this oil change so I decided today was a good day for a change. While I was under there I pulled the last two suspended dampers that I know about for another 6lb loss and the hood liner for 2lbs. None of the changes so far have mucked with NVH that I can tell so I'll keep chipping away.
Yesterday a box came in the mail from Patrick. Chinesium coilover sleeves and probalby useless springs. Even if one set ends up being the right weight, they're still a bit short in the front and way too short in the rear. No matter. What they do let me do is start to play around with shopping for other cheap springs, getting them the right length and weight.
Time to go pack up the tool bin for rallycross. It's been a long time.
mazdeuce - Seth said:Spacecadet is on his way over in a couple hours and we're going rallycrossing tomorrow. Super stoked. I had a bit over 7k on this oil change so I decided today was a good day for a change. While I was under there I pulled the last two suspended dampers that I know about for another 6lb loss and the hood liner for 2lbs. None of the changes so far have mucked with NVH that I can tell so I'll keep chipping away.
Yesterday a box came in the mail from Patrick. Chinesium coilover sleeves and probalby useless springs. Even if one set ends up being the right weight, they're still a bit short in the front and way too short in the rear. No matter. What they do let me do is start to play around with shopping for other cheap springs, getting them the right length and weight.
Time to go pack up the tool bin for rallycross. It's been a long time.
It's going to be a great weekend.
Nice progress. Where y’all going racing yet?
In reply to Papabishop :
Event at Brianne's tomorrow (Sat the 25th) I know it's a drive for you to get up there, but you should come.
Not too far usually 1 1/2-2 hrs depending on traffic . Would love to but past few days at work in this heat has kicked my butt. I’m soaking AC as much as I can tomorrow! Ive been needing to get back up there though been awhile, say hi to Brianne and Kevin for me
I am now officially in the same insane mindset as Mazdadeuce where i think this project is a good idea.
RallyX on saturday was a BLAST. I had been thinking that it would be fun to try in the Focus....and then I was shown how much RallyX somewhat requires a lack of mechanical empathy. So that idea is out the window, but the Traccord took an absolute beating and kept on going. it's a REALLY fun car to drive.
We had fun, turns out a NEBO SlydeKing Flashlight has a strong magnet...but an accord trunk is not enough steel to keep it stuck on more than 3 cones into a slalom... This was a Question we at NEBO engineering were curious about...how long could it stick?
Back to the Traccord.... now that Mazdadeuce has got the front lowered it no longer looks Goofy to me.
This is a photo I took back in March for Comparison with where we started.
It actually looks really good.
I also drove the car at our HouSCCA Autox Practice on Sunday and it did phenomenal. I am absolutely amazed at how well the stupid cheap suspension works. Now it's far from perfect, it needs more damping, but it was very predictable and I found it possible to drive around the underdamping pretty easily.
Edit: Just noticed this is my 101st Post, no longer a New Reader!!
How serious do they get about tech for autocross? Could I do it with just lap belts?
becky, look at that trunk, it's sooo big...
Norma66 said:How serious do they get about tech for autocross? Could I do it with just lap belts?
They're pretty serious, but the good news is that a good condition lap belt will meet tech in autocross. Check the rules of course, but for SCCA it always has and a number of guys run just the belt part of a harness.
In reply to FunkyCricket :
It's funny you say that. I was looking at the Accord and the Focus together all weekend and depending on how they're sitting the Accord is somewhere between bigger and a LOT bigger visually. However, they're amazingly close.
Accord
Wheelbase: 105.1
Front track: 61.1
Rear track: 61.2
Curb weight: 2994
Focus ST
Wheelbase: 104.3
Front track: 61.2
Rear track: 60.4
Curb weight: 3223
The Focus is way up on power, a bit taller, and certainly shorter overall due to the short overhangs. It's also runs a 245 width tire compared to the 225 I have on the Accord. We were close enough in times that I'm going to try and set up the Accord to out autocross spacecadet's focus without more power or tire. I think it can be done.
that overhang just makes it look HUGE. That ST is a bit of a pig, I didn't know it was that heavy. Modern safety equipment is heavy! My 84 T-bird was about that weight and the doors on that were left over from the titanic ship yards.
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