As the title says, looking for pointers installing in a Grand National for a buddy. He has had the car forever, drives it often and wants some improved audio.

 

The plan is to do no un-reversable mods to the vehicle, will be installing a DIN head unit in place of the stocker (that is going in the closet), change out the door speakers in the Concert Sound II pods for some 5.25" components, throw a sub and amp rack in the trunk.

 

Seeing as sandt38 has a few of these cars, hope he can provide some insight.

As the title says, looking for pointers installing in a Grand National for a buddy. He has had the car forever, drives it often and wants some improved audio.

 

The plan is to do no un-reversable mods to the vehicle, will be installing a DIN head unit in place of the stocker (that is going in the closet), change out the door speakers in the Concert Sound II pods for some 5.25" components, throw a sub and amp rack in the trunk.

 

Seeing as sandt38 has a few of these cars, hope he can provide some insight.

Seth is the National man!! I am sure he can help you 

 

As the title says, looking for pointers installing in a Grand National for a buddy. He has had the car forever, drives it often and wants some improved audio.

 

The plan is to do no un-reversable mods to the vehicle, will be installing a DIN head unit in place of the stocker (that is going in the closet), change out the door speakers in the Concert Sound II pods for some 5.25" components, throw a sub and amp rack in the trunk.

 

Seeing as sandt38 has a few of these cars, hope he can provide some insight.

Seth is the National man!! I am sure he can help you 

 

If I get talked into a nice Camaro build I know who to call .

 

Thanks Mikel

 

 

As the title says, looking for pointers installing in a Grand National for a buddy. He has had the car forever, drives it often and wants some improved audio.

 

The plan is to do no un-reversable mods to the vehicle, will be installing a DIN head unit in place of the stocker (that is going in the closet), change out the door speakers in the Concert Sound II pods for some 5.25" components, throw a sub and amp rack in the trunk.

 

Seeing as sandt38 has a few of these cars, hope he can provide some insight.

Seth is the National man!! I am sure he can help you 

 

If I get talked into a nice Camaro build I know who to call .

 

Thanks Mikel

 

Anytime bro!

I suggest scrapping the 5.25 pods. They are really not worth the effort. I bought some stock grille covers and built my own pods into them on my last install. I think I actually have a stock set of grilles from a T-Type (they will be grey, not black) if you want some to hack up. I did some Anarchys in the car, and because the basket was so big I had to modify the door a little. I like single pointsources, so I did directional tweet pods on the front of the grilles. Sorry, I was out of the CA online scene when I did this, so I didn't host any images up. My computer took a shit and I no longer own a Grand National (believe it or not).

 

One of my other Buicks has similarly modified grilles if you want to see them. They house a set of 6.5" Hertz Miles...

 

I suggest scrapping the 5.25 pods. They are really not worth the effort. I bought some stock grille covers and built my own pods into them on my last install. I think I actually have a stock set of grilles from a T-Type (they will be grey, not black) if you want some to hack up. I did some Anarchys in the car, and because the basket was so big I had to modify the door a little. I like single pointsources, so I did directional tweet pods on the front of the grilles. Sorry, I was out of the CA online scene when I did this, so I didn't host any images up. My computer took a shit and I no longer own a Grand National (believe it or not).

 

One of my other Buicks has similarly modified grilles if you want to see them. They house a set of 6.5" Hertz Miles...

 

My main idea was to scratch up some new wider pods to hold the Zapco components with the same look, flush the tweeters in on an angle in the forward edge of the new pods, cover them in black grille cloth similar to the carpet in the black door pods and swap the "Concert Sound II" tags over on the new pods to keep the OEM look with slightly wider dimensions.

 

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/attachments/cs2upgrade3-jpg.231532/

 

This is what is in there now, and I had thoughts of crafting up a new pod out of laminated MDF, fibreglass or a combination thereof to look like the OEM pod only wider for mid and tweeter, cover with grill cloth or carpet and then seal it to the door card, and door card to the inner door. I know your way would probably sound best, but the GN owner doesn't want to deviate or make permanent mods that look noticeably different and the optional pods are already there from the factory.

 

Was there a particularly best place to run power through the firewall that you remember?

 

 

 

I drilled the firewall, or used the grommet for the speedo.

 

I did remote batteries as well.

Oh yeah, remove the rear seat deadener. It is ridiculously effective. The negative side effect is exhaust noise introduction. You will spend time deadening, I assure you.

 

 

 

 

 

I laid 3 layers of Bquiet Extreme and a layer of peel n seal. In this install I ran the power wire under the vehicle in the frame and up through the trunk floorpan.

I was going to pull the rear speakers to allow bass into the cabin, maybe build a loading panel ahead of the woofer to direct output up through the rear deck. 

 

The friend I am doing the install for is a little on the thrifty side and was OK with not doing any deadening, but we'll start with the equipment and go from there. If it were my vehicle I would probably be doing several things differently.

I was going to pull the rear speakers to allow bass into the cabin, maybe build a loading panel ahead of the woofer to direct output up through the rear deck. 

 

The friend I am doing the install for is a little on the thrifty side and was OK with not doing any deadening, but we'll start with the equipment and go from there. If it were my vehicle I would probably be doing several things differently.

 

 

The trunk is a bass trap. I had to remove the rear seat sound panel. It was the only way.