kick panels

SouthPole1989 · 12-19-2006, 02:55 PM

hi, i was wondering if anyone has kick panels for there saturn. the only pre made kind i saw (Q forms) they don't make for saturns.

and if you don't where did you mount your tweeter.

SonnyD · 12-19-2006, 08:57 PM

I havn't mounted my tweeters yet. If it wasn't for the mirror lever on the driverside pod, I would have mounted them there. I may still mount them there. I hardly ever use that toggle anyway, and if I need to adjust my mirror, I can do it by just pushing on the mirror glass. Those pods are about the perfect location, and if you get the flush mounts, that have a swivel for the tweeter, you can get them aimed really well. If I don't mount them there, they'll just have to go in the doors.
I doubt you'll find any kick panel mounts for our cars, unless you have someone make them special. A lot of intallers like that kind of stuff though, but unless you have one for a friend, it will probably be expensive. But I wouldn't mount a tweeter there anyway, it's not a good spot for a Tweet, and having speakers that low will really wreak havoc on a good sound stage.......you don't want the band playing to your feet.
Regards Sonny

SouthPole1989 · 12-20-2006, 04:44 AM

umm i really didn't even think about mounting them there. they only other place i thought of was to modify the plasticracing gauge holders for the a/c to make the tweeters fit.

SonnyD · 12-20-2006, 01:57 PM

Whereever you mount them, just try to get keep them on the same axis. I see different ideas about this now, but it's usually thought of not to put your tweeters further then about 24" from your other drivers. I've found that for me, I mount the drivers where I intend them to be, and then hook everything up, tweeters and all. I'll put some double sided tape on the backs of the tweeters. I'll put a CD in, and sit in the drivers seat, and then move the tweeters around to where they sound good to me. The double sided tape works good because you can sit back in your seat, in your driving position. I find where the tweets sound good to me, and then find a mounting place that's as close to that as possible. Sometimes it's a real challenge, and you have to make, or have someone make a mod for you. Sometimes it's a real pain, it just depends on how much time or money you want to spend.
Also if you don't already know, there are speaker manufacturers out there that make component speakers, that are assembled like Coaxials. But unlike regular coax's the components have an aimable tweet on a bracket with the woofer, and also have a seperate Crossover, just like regular components. They generally sound, IMO, quite a bit better then regular coax's, but not as good as regular components.

Regards Sonny

99sc2ner · 12-20-2006, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonnyD

Also if you don't already know, there are speaker manufacturers out there that make component speakers, that are assembled like Coaxials. But unlike regular coax's the components have an aimable tweet on a bracket with the woofer, and also have a seperate Crossover, just like regular components. They generally sound, IMO, quite a bit better then regular coax's, but not as good as regular components.

Regards Sonny

I was getting ready to say that.

SonnyD · 12-20-2006, 11:21 PM

I was kind of studying the situation today on the way home, and I'm thinking with about 1 to 1-1/2" tweeter, they might fit in the windshield pillar covers? I've never had those off, so I don't know how much room is behind those covers. They would be at about the same level as the pods at the corner of the doors where the driverside manual mirror adjuster is.
Does anyone know if there is much room behind those covers? A tweets not going to take much mounting depth, mine require 20mm. With the swivel mounting, you could crossfire those tweets pretty good. It would also be easy to color match them to the pillar covers so they'd blend right in.
Regards Sonny

SirSteele · 12-20-2006, 11:33 PM

I believe turtle has it done on that red sc2 , and ive thought about it. its not bad and it sounds pretty good you just have to remove that whole piece with the box any time you need to do something with tthat trim piece. and the sail panels make great tweeter locations other then it places them a bit far from the component set and kinda messes up the sound balance.

Insane01VWPassat · 12-30-2006, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthPole1989

hi, i was wondering if anyone has kick panels for there saturn. the only pre made kind i saw (Q forms) they don't make for saturns.

and if you don't where did you mount your tweeter.

I am getting ready here soon to do kicks in my 06 ion.... For the tweeter you have 2 options... either mount them into the kick panel with the tweeter being located under the mid closer to the listening position with the physical aim being across the car at eye height and 3 inchs infront of your nose (easy if you have a laser pointer) ....... or......

What I would recommend is do the mid in the kick and then place your tweeters in the A - Pillars (The Saturn has perfect A-Pillars and pillar angles for this) and when you wire them up to your external passive crosover that come with them please make sure you wire the tweeters out of phase at the crossover to align hte phasing between the tweeters and the mids. I did it in mine and my staging is almost dead on center!!! And thats with the mids in the stock door locations!!

SonnyD · 12-30-2006, 08:04 PM

I've finally decided to install my tweeters in the A pillar. I have yet to see an s series Saturn with them mounted there though. I'm also not sure how much open space is behind them. Obviously you don't need a lot of depth for them. About 15 years ago I made tweeter pods for my IASCA truck in the triangle area, same spot where the covers are that house the joystick for the drivers mirror on S series Saturn's, and they sounded very good in that location. Another plus for mounting them there, is it's a lot cheaper to replace the A pillar covers if you want to pull the system out, then it is to buy 2 matching door panels, so you don't have holes in the panels.
Regards Sonny

SouthPole1989 · 12-30-2006, 10:02 PM

the two spots that i might do are: the empty space above the radio where you can put cd's or on the mirror covers. and for the back IF i get componts (sp) i was thinking getting doubled tape and put them on the third brake light cover