Glovebox Sub

[Jonnysnapzzz]

My daily driver is a Qashqai which i spent around £1000 on upgrading the audio. The best money i ever spent was on the Focal sub i have in my boot. Its discreet, removable and sounds amazing.
Now i have a Z3 i am missing the depth the sub provides and can't stand it any longer. I listen to my music all the time and i need to add a similar unit if i am ever to be happy.
My first job on the zed was a new headunit and speakers and the sound is pretty good, its just missing the bass now.

I have explored options but as the seats have all the electrics an under seat unit isn't really feasible and i am not sure if the boot is the best place either due to the nature of the car. So i am now thinking about the glove box.
I never use the glove box and wonder if i could remove it and build a custom enclosure for a sub in its place. Something that blends in perfectly with the rest of the interior, where the glove box door is then my thinking is a black metal grill to that sits flush.

Does anyone know if this has been done before? Are there suitable mounting points behind the glovebox? I am assuming i would need to to build an MDF enclosure to the same dimensions as the glove box and im away.
Alternatively i could remove the glovebox and install a slimline under seat unit inside the dash. I could then cut off the back of the glove box and fit the front piece back in place making it look stock.

I am considering buying a second hand glove box to play with .....

Anyone got any thoughts ? Ideas ? Advice ?

 

[Dino D]

My concern would be rattling from the Dashboard plastics which could be hard to isolate?

Mine is between the roll hoops and I’ve got some plastic rattle from the trim which i really need to get around to doing something about, I bought some felt anti rattle tape a while back just need to use!

 

[Jonnysnapzzz]

My concern would be rattling from the Dashboard plastics which could be hard to isolate?

Mine is between the roll hoops and I’ve got some plastic rattle from the trim which i really need to get around to doing something about, I bought some felt anti rattle tape a while back just need to use!

Glovebox.....Rattle.....Surely not! ;-)

 

[Sean d]

You can get great sound by fitting a mid range speaker between the seats, @Antm72 did this and the sound was brilliant

 

[Jjim]

There isn’t much depth behind the glovebox and not much (that’s seure) to mount it to. Would have vibration and mounting issues.

Got rid of my rear compartment, then built and fitted this:

 

[Jonnysnapzzz]

Thanks Jim, mine Z3 never had a sub so i will be starting from scratch. Everything online shows those replacing the HK sub for a replacement like yours however mine was never there.
I have a cubby hole about twice as wide as yours and has another little one where the sub grill is on your car.

I will have to think some more.

 

[Sean d]

Thanks Jim, mine Z3 never had a sub so i will be starting from scratch. Everything online shows those replacing the HK sub for a replacement like yours however mine was never there.
I have a cubby hole about twice as wide as yours and has another little one where the sub grill is on your car.

I will have to think some more.

Mine is the same as yours at the minute buts thats where I will be fitting the mid range speaker, probably a 6" Lanzar, you can source the mesh grill that replaces the front cubby

 

[Jonnysnapzzz]

What I need is someone with the skills to knock up one of these :

 

[Sean d]

View attachment 89933 View attachment 89934 What I need is someone with the skills to knock up one of these :

All I will be doing is making the box that fits inside the main cubby and fitting the grill over the speaker, like the one in the bottom pics but without the top speaker as I will be facing it forward

 

[Jonnysnapzzz]

All I will be doing is making the box that fits inside the main cubby and fitting the grill over the speaker, like the one in the bottom pics but without the top speaker as I will be facing it forward

Will you be retaining the lid ? I imagine it will need to fit behind the cross beam that runs the width? If it does then I guess that bar in the way could reduce performance

 

[Sean d]

Will you be retaining the lid ? I imagine it will need to fit behind the cross beam that runs the width? If it does then I guess that bar in the way could reduce performance

Not quite sure yet as I need to have a good look at it, the sub has to be slimline and the Lanzar is apparently a very tight fit

 

[t-tony]

View attachment 89933 View attachment 89934 What I need is someone with the skills to knock up one of these :

@Rha

Tony.

 

[Jjim]

Mine isn't as wide, as I have the roll hoops installed.

I didn't have a HK system. Originally mine had the upper and lower compartments.I removed all of the compartments, and installed a MDF box that I custom made (actually got another of these - and might make some more) in the top section. I made a port for the box in the front (aimed at where the lower compartments were). I then removed the lower compartments and fitted an OEM sub grill that I ordered new from BMW.

 

[Jonnysnapzzz]

Mine isn't as wide, as I have the roll hoops installed.

I didn't have a HK system. Originally mine had the upper and lower compartments.I removed all of the compartments, and installed a MDF box that I custom made (actually got another of these - and might make some more) in the top section. I made a port for the box in the front (aimed at where the lower compartments were). I then removed the lower compartments and fitted an OEM sub grill that I ordered new from BMW.

How does the top fix down? Just weight holding it in place?

 

[Jjim]

The sub box is rather heavy itself and is a snug fit. It's basically wedged in with some foam underneath to reduce any vibration. It works great for me and had it in for about a year.

 

[Sean d]

Had a good look today and stripped it all out, there just ins't enough room for a forward facing one and I have after market hoops which make it a no for a top one,I have decided to fit 2x 5.5" speakers in place of the tiny ones and power them with an amp, that way I can use them purely for bass, I will also replace the fronts and they can be used for mid and top, not sure what the outcome will be though, I don't want ear splitting sound, just loud and clear

 

[Jonnysnapzzz]

Had a good look today and stripped it all out, there just ins't enough room for a forward facing one and I have after market hoops which make it a no for a top one,I have decided to fit 2x 5.5" speakers in place of the tiny ones and power them with an amp, that way I can use them purely for bass, I will also replace the fronts and they can be used for mid and top, not sure what the outcome will be though, I don't want ear splitting sound, just loud and clear

Hmmmmm i'm not sure that will deliver enough bass to make that much difference. I upgraded the foot wells and also the tweeters in the door which sound fine but its just missing the low end. Switching out the rear will just give me more of whats up front.

 

[Sean d]

Hmmmmm i'm not sure that will deliver enough bass to make that much difference. I upgraded the foot wells and also the tweeters in the door which sound fine but its just missing the low end. Switching out the rear will just give me more of whats up front.

I see what you mean but my thinking is that rear speakers will only be used for bass and the bass will be turned off on the front speakers giving more clarity, I am going to an audio fitters tomorrow to see what they can come up with

 

[Antm72]

Its difficult to get a deep bass as space is at a premium.
As @Sean d says i built a box and have it forward facing as wanted to keep it looking stock.
I run a dual voice coil Kicker sub ,which delivers alot of mid range punchy bass it drops quite well for its size but will never compete with a larger sub.
My car has the H.K system ,i run an Alpine head unit in to it the rears i upgraded to 4" Rockfords the sub fills the missing sound on the cab perfectly and rounds the sound off.
Worth doing in my view if you have no roll hoops then you could make a bigger box and get a better airmass to allow abit more reflex.
I went the sub in the boot route on my first zed it took up the boot to be fair but as the rear is a sealed metal box its not like a hatchback and again it will shake the car but not provide the same level of sound.