Builds Fix'n up the Land Cruiser.....

[TYM4FUN]

First step was installing the stereo, amp and new wiring. I also replaced the center instrument panel, as the PO cut up the old one to fit the Scion.

New harness nice and tidy..

Ground wire for amp, using existing bolt behind stereo. 12g power ran to battery...

Deck in....

 

[TYM4FUN]

Second step was insulating all four doors. Butyl liner inside and out. As well as closed cell foam applied inside the door and lining the door cards.

The truck is WAY quieter now and feels much more solid. Going over rough roads you would hear a lot of vibrations. Now you just seem to float over it all, because you don't hear it. Very happy with this and cannot wait to insulate the rest of the truck. Winter and Summer should be less taxing on the HVAC as well....

Here is the passenger front door through its steps.

 

[TYM4FUN]

The speakers for the back doors just needed trimming of the hole, and 1/4" thick and 1/2" wide, closed cell foam. The foam strips were installed between the door panel and the door itself. This allows clearance from window to back of speaker. (With window down).

 

[TYM4FUN]

Front tweeters I used a hole saw for the door and a dremel for the door card. My first door you can see I cut the vinyl like a pie. Don't do this...it can easily lead to a tear past where you want. I was lucky. Next door I cut a circle instead.

The first door took me 2 days between jobs at work, the second, a few hours. (Including insulation, wiring, ect...)

 

[TYM4FUN]

The main speaker clears no problem front and back. I added 1/2" x 1/2" closed cell foam around speaker hole here as well. This gave a nice seal between the door card and door.

Also, on all doors I foam lined the bottom part of the speaker holes where the wires could rub, and used 3M sticky wire retainers for routing all wires to the harness at the door jam.

I wanted the crossovers in the cab, so I had to run an additional wire to the door, through the harness, for the 6.5. The tweeter I used the factory wire for the original speaker.

I intercepted the speaker signal from the stereo at the door harness. Stereo speaker signal to the crossover IN. The other original half of the same wire, from crossover to tweeter. Then new wire from crossover to 6.5.

Passenger crossover is mounted to ECU with 3M velcro. Factory amp harness wrapped and tied up.

 

[TYM4FUN]

Set tweeters to 0db. ***EDIT - I now have the Polk crossover set to +3db. This has givin me a better volume and front sound stage, even after adjusting levels at the deck. Now the front high's do not compete at all with the rears. Minor reductions on the deck EQ for the top frequencies was needed to trim harshness after this.***

Driver door crossover here, above dead pedal.

JL's in the dash. I ended up adding a little foam between grill screw post and speaker frame to add some retaining pressure. These speakers are heavy for these little guys.

Old vs new...

 

[TYM4FUN]

The final touches...

Mic for hands free.

New center trim...

USB for input added to a blank. Blank and plug trimmed to fit. Just need to epoxy it in place now.

 

[TYM4FUN]

The top of the door panel is not flat. So notice the top of the tweeter on my passenger side. It has a ridge and you could see behind the trim ring looking down.

I was and am, proud of this custom detail I figured out. I cut small moon shaped pieces of foam that came from that area on install. I added the additional foam at top between the vinyl.

The difference is amazing! Truly looks like it is molded in there now...

Before:

Lip injection:

After:

 

[TYM4FUN]

I am VERY happy with how everything sounds now. Even more so when I finally get the sub too!

The stereo has time alignment settings, and a pretty decent EQ.

I checked the deck for distortion and had none at full volume. Then I checked and set gains at the amp as well.

The deck has provisions for front and rear camera inputs, and those will be going in later with additional insulation for the floor and rear quarters.

 

[rolliges]

Must sound great!

How does the Alpine look with the new instrument panel? I tore mine up too for a Scion.

Need to do all of this.

 

[TYM4FUN]

Must sound great!

How does the Alpine look with the new instrument panel? I tore mine up too for a Scion.

Need to do all of this.

It sounds really good. Music is enjoyable again for me now.

Stereo has a great fit. I am glad the part was still available.

 

[TYM4FUN]

Had the front windows tinted to protect the new leather and to help keep the new stereo from standing out.

 

[woodsman 44]

Set tweeters to 0db.

View attachment 2116875

Driver door crossover here, above dead pedal.

View attachment 2116860

JL's in the dash. I ended up adding a little foam between grill and screw mount to add some retaining pressure. These speakers are heavy for these little guys.

Old vs new...

View attachment 2116861

View attachment 2116863

View attachment 2116864

I wish I went with the 4" JL's, looks like they just bolted up with no mods....the 3 1/2" JL's that I bought had to be custom fit to bolt up to original plastic mounts...

 

[TYM4FUN]

If you did Crutchfield would they exchange? Yes, just bolt in...I was worried they wouldn't bump that well because they share the front speaker power. But with the amp, they are great.

 

[woodsman 44]

If you did Crutchfield would they exchange? Yes, just bolt in...I was worried they wouldn't bump that well because they share the front speaker power. But with the amp, they are great.

Totally!...the dash speakers add in a big amount of good sound with an amp....some suggested to leave the dash speakers out which is a big mistake...

 

[baldilocks]

Your rig is still as clean as it was when I met you at Gold Lake 2 or 3 years ago. That was you right??? I’m short on patience for the stereo install so my hat of off to you. I’m digg’n those wheels painted to match the body. When you are ready, I can help you put a dent or two in that thing. Cheers

 

[TYM4FUN]

Your rig is still as clean as it was when I met you at Gold Lake 2 or 3 years ago. That was you right??? I’m short on patience for the stereo install so my hat of off to you. I’m digg’n those wheels painted to match the body. When you are ready, I can help you put a dent or two in that thing. Cheers

Yup, and thanks! Except I think that was like 6 years ago .

Had a few wheeling trips this year. Lots of scratches but no dents.

Wish I could take a road trip like you did this year! One day....you remember my boys?

Here they are from this weekend at a wedding party.

 

[baldilocks]

Yup, and thanks! Except I think that was like 6 years ago .

Had a few wheeling trips this year. Lots of scratches but no dents.

Wish I could take a road trip like you did this year! One day....you remember my boys?

Here they are from this weekend at a wedding party.

View attachment 2118774

Yes of course I remember the boys. I’m pretty sure that trip to gold lake was in 2017 because I got my white 80 in January of 2016 and spent that year working it up.

 

[TYM4FUN]

Ah...2016 then.

 

[jcardona1]

Looks great Paul and the truck still looks way too pretty. Mind sharing the different part numbers for those various speakers? I don't know much about audio equipment but I do know mine sounds like hot garbage. One of the POs butchered the sound system so I just have a crappy aftermarket head unit, no amp, and I'm not even sure all my speakers work.