Hidden audio system installed!

Took the morning while my wife watched the kids.
Climbed in the trunk and installed the 6x9's.  Cleaned up the radio wiring harness and put everything back together.  It is awesome.

The Custom Autosound kick panels fit perfectly. 

Its awesome to drive around with music finally!

Still need to keep my eye out for an amp at a good price, then I plan a custom box and 10" subs in the trunk.  Mounted tight to the back seat so I can retain trunk space for all the stuff I carry.

All in all, a successful project!

Its Mounted!

My home made mount turned out great!
Mounted in the factory location too.

Now I can focus on the kick panels. I got after market replacements that have an opening for 6.5 speakers.
There will be 6x9's out back.  Plus a couple 10" subs in the back.

The subs will come later, I don't have an amp yet.  I plan to make a custom box so it fits up behind the rear of the seat, and I still have a full trunk to carry a spare, tools, cleaning supplies, folding chairs etc.

Now some of you don't know what this actually is. I will recap.

I bought this 8 Track player as a non working unit.  It was cheap and perfect for what I wanted.  First thing... remove the guts! 

I made a flat piece of aluminum for the front.

Sand blasted the unit

Then a coat of semi gloss black for the front...

 And the body.

Cut a hole.  Inserted and secured the mount that came with the new head unit.

Added hinges.

Here is is assembled.

And here it is revealing its surprise!  Its a Pioneer head unit.  CD/MP3/USB/iPOD

8 Track player bracket

Took a few minutes this morning and finished welding the front on to the bracket  Some grinding and sanding and black paint and voila!

Just need to measure the holes now, and its ready to bolt in!

Started to make an 8 track bracket.

Been looking for an 8 track bracket for some time now with no results. 

Picked up a piece if 1 1/4" wide steel at loses today for $6.  

After some measuring I started cutting and with an idea of what a factory bracket looked like I welded the pieces together.  Drilled four screw holes and it fits real nice. I'll weld the front on tomorrow. 

With smoothing and a coat of semi gloss black I think it will look great. I held it in place and it looks good with room for wires behind it. It's also low enough to clear the heater ducts. 

One step closer!

So I pulled the axles for new bearings.  I was able to reproduce the noise for a garage, they pulled a wheel and said it was the bearings.  $400 for the job.  I declined, tipped the guy $20 when he said there was no charge and left. 

I ordered the bearings and seals on Amazon.
The seal that worked was Timken 712146 Seal
And the bearing was A9

I sand blasted the axles and sent them off to a shop to have the bearings cut off and new ones pressed on.











While the axles were out I cleaned and painted the backing plates. Installed new brake shoes, spring kit and wheel cylinder.  Some springs did not fit and I realized I the kit was incorrect. I got the right kit but didn't take a picture of it completed.

After

Before

The seal in my hand is what the correct seal should look like.  The other seal causes the axle to be loose and have too much in/out play.

The bearings and seals were about $45 shipped. Pressing was about $30/ side.  Total investment was about$125 including spring kit and shoes.  (I had wheel cylinders sitting on my shelf)

Back on the ground....And I still have the noise I was trying to fix!!!  So aggravating.

I even switched the brake drums from side to side, filed the sharp edges of the brake shoes and rotated the tires front to back... the noise is still there.

Glad I didn't pay $400 for bearings!