Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - FR-S / BRZ / GT 86 - Fiberglass Subwoofer Enclosure Prototyping by Integrity Concepts

Scion FRS / Subaru BRZ / Toyota GT 86 - Fiberglass Subwoofer Enclosure Prototyping
by Integrity Concepts

Hey guys, I wanted to make a quick intro, before getting down to the real reason for this thread. My name is Dan and I am the Owner and Operator of Integrity Concepts. We are a new Official Vendor with FT86Club.com!

Integrity Concepts specializes in the Design, Fabrication, and Installation of unique and innovative aftermarket audio systems, subwoofer enclosures, and fiberglass parts for the automotive market and beyond. After many years of high end custom fabrication work combined with years of planning, we are now moving forward to develop and manufacture our own line of cutting edge vehicle specific fiberglass subwoofer enclosures, called Integrity Enclosures.

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The 2013 Scion FRS, Subaru BRZ, and Toyota 86 appear to be a great vehicle platform, collaborated on and offered by 3 heavy hitters in the auto industry, and has been hugely embraced by the aftermarket parts industry. We have been gauging interest and following threads about adding bass in the 2013 Scion FRS, Subaru BRZ, and Toyota 86 for many months now. It is obvious there is a demand for a lightweight and compact, high quality sub box solution. We have also found that while a few product solutions, fitting the above need, have been introduced by various companies over the last year, they have either not yet truly made it to market or they have one or more of the following:

· Lack the option of a protective grill.
· Restrict the use of a rear upper strut bar.
· Only come preloaded with a speaker or in a large system package.
· Don’t offer a proper mounting solution for the enclosure, the woofer, or both.
· Don’t offer enough depth for mounting larger & deeper magnets found on many high end subwoofers.
· Don’t offer an option for both the Driver’s and Passenger’s sides.

Integrity Concepts would like to solve all of this by designing and manufacturing Integrity Enclosures specifically for this vehicle platform; vehicle specific fiberglass subwoofer enclosures that are truly tailored to the needs of you, the owners and enthusiasts.

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http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...490304.jpg?542

We are excited to announce that we now have a new 2013 Scion FRS in our shop and we are in the prototyping phase. We would like to use this thread to gather design and cosmetic feedback and ideas from you guys, because we feel this is the best way to build the best possible product.

Although we would like to further gauge interest in the enclosures, and welcome any mention of such interest, please remember that this thread is primarily for product development purposes and so please refrain from talking about sales and pricing or inquiring about ordering. When the prototypes are done (very soon), we will move into making the molds, and at that time we will post up a product thread in the appropriate section and offer a pre order sale in which a list price and sales price will be displayed. What we can say at this point is that we plan for the enclosures to be similarly priced with the small handful of other manufacturer’s “enclosure only” options we have found to be of similar quality but only available for other vehicle makes and models ($300-$400 range).

Now on to the Design:

First off, this vehicle has a relatively small cabin and so, although the need for bass is there, it should not take much to get an amount that is adequate for most owners. After a quick look at the limited space in the cargo area and some quick measurements, combined with the small cabin, it is clear that a 12” sub enclosure would not be a practical solution for most owners and for what we are trying to achieve, so we are not going to entertain that idea right now. We have decided however that we will be building an 8” and a 10” for both the Passenger and Driver side.
Here is the plan:

· To build an enclosure of the highest quality with integrity at its core. An enclosure that is solid and strong yet lightweight and compact.
· That offers a fair amount of sealed airspace (about 0.75 cubic ft. for the 10" and about 0.40 cubic ft. for the 8") and depth (with a large dia. magnet about 7” deep for the 10" and about 5.25" deep for the 8") without sacrificing much, if any, truly usable cargo space, and yet still allows for the use of a rear upper strut bar.
· That looks good, is as symmetrical between the Driver and Passenger sides as possible, and integrates with the vehicle like a factory piece.
· That incorporates a ¾” MDF mounting ring that is sandwiched between the layers of fiberglass for a solid yet reusable speaker mounting option.
· That has solid mounting options to the vehicle, yet installs and uninstalls without tools, for quick and easy access to the spare.
· That incorporates an optional pressure fit pressed grill to protect your woofer, with a customizable trim ring.

In addition to the above design aspects, we also plan for every enclosure to come standard with spray on sound deadening, polyfill dampening material, gold plated terminal posts, and heavy gauge twisted speaker wire. Initially, we plan for all the enclosures to be wrapped in a factory matched carpet / trunkliner, but we plan to offer other custom finishing options like vinyl, paint, and carbon fiber after things really get underway. Lastly we plan to offer customizable airspace that can be adjusted upon request to your exact specifications during the manufacturing process, as long as it is below the enclosure's standard manufactured size.

Well I think that’s it for now. We look forward to building an enclosure based on the above plans and the feedback and ideas we get from you guys, so give us your input.

Now for Some Pics:

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...61635_orig.jpg
Our 2013 Scion FRS donor vehicle thanks to our friends at Phantasy Kolors and Era-1

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...83016_orig.jpg
Empty Canvas - Trunk of the 2013 Scion FRS donor vehicle.

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All masked off for the 10" enclosure plugs and marked boarders for approximate shape based on airspace.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...93959_orig.jpg
Laying down some fiberglass for the back portion of the 10" enclosure plugs.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...45372_orig.jpg
10" enclosure plug molds pulled from vehicle.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...26920_orig.jpg
Laying down some fiberglass for the back portion of the 8" enclosure plugs.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...76967_orig.jpg
8" and 10" enclosure plug molds trimmed and subwoofer mounting rings precisely positioned.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...56075_orig.jpg
10" enclosure plug molds in vehicle.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...09591_orig.jpg
8" enclosure plug molds in vehicle.

** Update 4/3/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...33734_orig.jpg
Driver side 10" enclosure plug mold.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...24150_orig.jpg
Driver side 8" enclosure plug mold.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...51072_orig.jpg
8" and 10" enclosure plugs wrapped and taking shape.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...47203_orig.jpg
Resin added. More shaping to come to remove any volcano look

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...51731_orig.jpg
8" and 10" Driver side plugs prepped for next step in shaping.

** Update 4/8/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...45466_orig.jpg
Tape wall for two part foam.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...78863_orig.jpg
Two part foam poured on 10" Passenger side enclosure plug.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...11743_orig.jpg
Two part foam carved to shape.

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Two part foam sanded to shape.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...74899_orig.jpg
All four enclosure plugs with two part foam sanded.

** Update 4/16/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...37913_orig.jpg
More fiberglass over the two part foam.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...11978_orig.jpg
10" Passenger side enclosure plug trimmed and sanded to prepare for filler.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...41989_orig.jpg
All four enclosure plugs ready for filler.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...81053_orig.jpg
After filler and days of sanding and shaping all four enclosure plugs are now ready for primer.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...66267_orig.jpg
Primer on the back and bottom of the enclosure plugs.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...09530_orig.jpg
Primer on the front of the enclosure plugs.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...05004_orig.jpg
Now ready to begin the production molds.

** Update 4/26/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...82066_orig.jpg
10" Passenger side enclosure plug wet sanded then waxed and hand buffed 10 times with mold release wax in preparation for the molding process.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...71417_orig.jpg
Flanges carefully added at the parting line to ensure there is no negative draft. Subwoofer mounting hole plugged, seams filled with plasticine clay and filleted, and locator bumps added.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...93675_orig.jpg
Everything is waxed and buffed two more times, then the edges are taped and several light coats of PVA release agent is applied.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...27169_orig.jpg
Orange tooling gelcoat is sprayed to approx. 18-20 mils, allowed to dry and then sprayed again to total 35-40 mils. When this tacks up we are ready for fiberglass reinforcement.

** Update 5/1/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...99884_orig.jpg
A lock layer consisting of fiberglass veil and .75 oz mat is laid on the gelcoat and allowed a few days to cure. It was then sanded in preparation for subsequent layers.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...98467_orig.jpg
Multiple layers of 1.5 oz mat are torn, laid onto the mold, and wet out, every other layer being left to cure and cool. Then combo mat (seen here), which consists of mat and roving sewn together and needs to be cut to shape, is laid to further strengthen the mold.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...46926_orig.jpg
Once the combo mat was wet out with our ISO tooling resin, the mold edges were trimmed and we measured the mold thickness, which came in at roughly 3/8" thick.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...07575_orig.jpg
The opening was then filled with a foam core and heavy roving was applied in one continuous sheet over the whole surface.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...92392_orig.jpg
Wood bracing is profile cut and spaced slightly off the back of the mold with foam strips (to prevent hot spots). More mat and roving are then applied to permanently secure it. This bracing will provide extra support for when the mold gets hot and possibly pliable during part production, and it acts as a solid level stand.

Now for the second half...

** Update 5/7/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...27557_orig.jpg
The mold is flipped over and the temporary wall and PVA is removed. The flange is trimmed and sanded out to 600 grit and then waxed 10 times to match the plugs surface. Plasticine clay is again used to fill the seams, forming a radius in the corners.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...73946_orig.jpg
PVA mold release is sprayed in several light coats, allowing each coat time to fully cure.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...24261_orig.jpg
Tooling gelcoat is then applied in 2 stages, like we did with the first half of the mold.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...57983_orig.jpg
After the final coat of tooling gelcoat tacked up we laid veil mat, torn to shape.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...34378_orig.jpg
We then applied ISO resin to create a strong lock layer behind the gelcoat. We are now ready to begin our build up of the numerous fiberglass layers, following the same layer schedule from the first half of the mold.

** Update 5/11/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...88648_orig.jpg
After many layers of fiberglass are laid down following the same layer schedule as with the first half of the mold, we finish it off with a heavy roving material.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...44757_orig.jpg
After fully saturating the roving with ISO resin, the mold layup is complete.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...58805_orig.jpg
Bracing that will also act as a level stand is rough cut to the contour of the back and will be attached with strips of fiberglass mat and roving. The mold will now be set aside for a few days for post cure and then we will trim the flange and open it up.

** Update 5/18/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...45434_orig.jpg
After resting for a few days, the mold is flipped over and the excess fiberglass is trimmed.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...14092_orig.jpg
We trimmed the flanges to be even, rounded off corners, and ground down any sharp fiberglass burrs. Now it's time to open it up!

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...42611_orig.jpg
After opening the mold we cleaned up the PVA release agent and wet sanded the tooling surface.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...48100_orig.jpg
We then buffed the tooling surface with compound and glaze to a high gloss "class A" finish. Now we will seal and wax the mold in preparation for the first part to be molded!

** Update 5/25/2013 **

Below are some of the custom pressure fit gills we have been working on. They are made from heavy gauge steel, and come with a trim ring that can be painted or wrapped in any number of different colors and finishes. They are pressed to a shape that increases their strength and to allow high excursion subs plenty of clearance (up to 22 mm one way xmax, that's almost an inch of clearance). These optional grill and trim ring combos can be added to any of our enclosures at anytime, as they simply pressure fit into the grove already formed in the lip of the enclosure opening.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...87069_orig.jpg
Here the grills are pictured with the factory matched carpet to give you an idea of how they will look with our typical enclosure finish. The left grill is clear coated for a glossy black finish with a black suede trim, while the right grill is matte black with a red suede trim to match the interior stitching or FRS seat inserts.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...73063_orig.jpg

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...95566_orig.jpg

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http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...17680_orig.jpg

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...55189_orig.jpg

Color and finish options are virtually endless, so place a combo request, and we will try to put something together for a pic to post up here. Pricing will be posted within our 8" and 10" enclosure sales ads in the audio visual section of the commercial classifieds.

** Update 6/4/2013 **

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...46392_orig.jpg
Enclosure in the process of being laid into the mold.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...09645_orig.jpg
Enclosures pulled from the mold and awaiting trimming.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...66802_orig.jpg
Cascade Audio Engineering VB1X spray on sound deadening applied. Cures to a textured matte Black finish.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...67023_orig.jpg
Finished 10" Passenger side Integrity Enclosure.

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...48428_orig.jpg
Enclosure with matte Black press fit grill and textured Black trim ring combo

http://www.integrityconcepts.net/upl...96389_orig.jpg
Embedded product certificate.

More to come soon!