Project Lowbucks I: Eclipse 2G Sound System

With the recent increase in gasoline prices I decided to start a good, reliable and economical project car. I was trying to decide between getting a domestic (2003 Ford Cougar) or a more common import tuner platform, a second generation Mitsubishi Eclipse (commonly referred to as a 2G). After a bit of research, I decided against the Ford due to scarcity of aftermarket parts and performance accessories for this discontinued model.

After a local search, I noticed that the 2G Eclipse was a lot more expensive on this side of the border. Fortunately, I came across a local used car dealer that imports these cars directly from the U.S. and takes care of all the necessary paperwork, modifications and Canadian certifications. Visiting his lot, I found at least half a dozen 2G and 3G models to pick from. I chose the cheapest one he had, a 1997 RS with a 2.0 liter 420a Chrysler-made engine. Body and paint were in fair shape. Engine was clean and the undercarriage and suspension were in excellent condition. The car was originally registered in California (latest registration date was April 2007)so I knew that it won't be difficult to have it pass local emissions testing (Aircare). I eventually bought the car and bought some missing plastic trim pieces from a local dismantling yard (Ralph's Wrecking). Everything else in the car was in good shape so I was good to go !


(1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse RS 2.0 NA/NT FWD)

Enter project Lowbucks:

Since the Eclipse I got was base model, it originally came from the factory with the most basic sound system. Having a more than adequate sound system on my other vehicle as a point of comparison, I knew I had to upgrade. The car came with the base OEM casette player and partially blown paper cone speakers.



Crutchfield and Futureshop recommended 6.5 inch front and rear speakers. After a lot of measuring, I found that the RS door panels will only take 5.25 inch speakers. A bigger and generally taller 6.5 will not fit under the stock grill. I found a set of 5.25 inch JVC CHSHX-535 on sale at Beam Riders for $50




(The new JVC's behind the OEM door panel)

Shopping around I found 6X9 speakers at Best Buy for under $80. A pair of Pioneer TS-A6962R were on sale and online research had pretty good reviews on these speakers. Even though Crutchfield recommended only 6.5 speakers, I was sure I would be able to fit these speakers without any major issues. After modifying the plastic speaker pods, I was able to install the Pioneers under the OEM panel.




(The Pioneers behind the OEM rear grills)

A 10-inch subwoofer is enough for the hatchback Eclipse so after picking up a Rockford Fosgate Punch P110S4 for $65 at Best Buy and studying the specs, I got a Pioneer GM3300T amplifier from Canadian Tire for $130.





I chose the relatively low powered Pioneer amp since it actually matched the optimal amplification requirements of the P1 sub. The amp was also small enough to fit in various locations and the design is simple and uncluttered.



So now, the only thing missing is a head unit. I wanted a deck that would match the eclipse's color scheme. OEM lighting is reddish-orange and while there are a lot of units where the color display could be changed, I also wanted a simple and easy to use design. I found a couple of cheap Sony units for under $100 but they did not have all the features I wanted. Eventually after more research, the CDX-GT400 seemed to be perfect. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued and replaced by another model (GT420 series). A local Canadian tire still had a demo unit on display and I asked if they would sell it to me. I got the unit for $150 (which is a lot more than what I was expecting to pay), but at least it had all the features I wanted. It had decent amplification at 52 Watts X 4 (17 Watts X 4 CES specifications) which I believed was adequate to drive the front and rear speakers. I was going to try this setup first and then install an additional amplifier if needed.


(The main display can be set to any of 7 colors, the button illumination is always red)



After establishing that I won't be using a second amp for the project, I purchased an 8 gauge Scosche wiring kit from Walmart for about $30. This had all the components needed to connect a single amp (up to 1000W). The existing dashboard layout was also kind enough to accept a new headunit without the need for a stereo installation kit. The existing stereo wiring wasn't up to snuff, and I wasn't planning or reinstalling the old deck so I decided to hardwire the Sony deck. Connections were crimped, soldered and protected with heatshrink tubing.

The final design element for the subwoofer and amplifier assembly was the enclosure. I decided to design my own instead of buying a generic box. I had more than enough 0.75 inch birch plywood so I contructed a sealed 1.2 cubic inch central box flanked by 2 compartments on either side. One side would house the amp while the other side would be a storage compartment for tools and other stuff. The main enclosure had 0.75 inch sidewalls and a 1.5 inch baffle board. Everything was double braced, glued, screwed, caulked(non-silicone)and filled with about a pound of polyester fiberfill.


(Sealed enclosure covered with automotive grade gray carpet)


(Mitsubishi tri-diamond as an added detail)


(Small cutout to show blue LED from amplifier when switched on)



One consideration that had to be made when constructing the box was functionality and access to the spare tire compartment. After carefully measuring and cutting the thin wood floor cover in half and installing hinges, I was able to have full access to the spare even though the subwoofer box assembly was completely bolted into place.



The finished box still permits the rear parcel panel to be lowered in stock position. This allows all the goodies to be hidden when viewed through the hatch glass. Further, there is still ample usable space in the trunk.







Total cost for the project was under $550. These prices are based on Canadian retail prices as of June 2007. My original target was to hit under $500 so I wasn't too far off.



(System Diagram as of July 2007)



Summary:

Considering the cost of parts and compromises made, I was actually surprised at how the system performed. The amplifier delivered a maximum of 300W X 1 @ 4Ω. The sub is rated at 300W peak / 150W nominal. The sound output was more than adequate. Loud enough to rattle body panels at higher volumes yet not overpowering. This is a setup that enhances sound reproduction inside the cabin. This was not designed to be heard a mile down the road. If you were sitting inside the car, the sound is more than satifying throughout the spectrum. The added plus was that the deck is capable of playing mp3 recorded on a cdr/cdrw. It also has a front stereo input jack to connect any external player as well as provisions for a sony-bus cd or md changer such as a 10 disc CDX-757MX.


(Deck in Aux Front-in mode with a generic MP3 player connected)


(Deck in Aux Front-in mode with allowing MP3 playback from a music player phone)


Update: (July 2008)

I obtained a brand new Sony XA-110IP from Ebay for $20 (shipped). This is a bus adapter that connects to the cd changer port and allows the Sony deck to control most ipods with a dock connector. When activated, the head unit is capable of playing and sorting through the ipod contents (playlists, albums, artists). The front mounted input is generally adequate but the XA-110IP allows an ipod to be connected, controlled and best of all, hidden. I have a 4th Gen 30GB connected and serves as a repository for all my mp3s.




(When active, Ipod displays "OK to disconnect")


(Ipod secured in center console)


(Headunit displays "PD1 Portable" in Ipod mode)