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Thread: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

  1. Back To Top    #11

    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Wow .. so very nice!

  2. Back To Top    #12
    Senior Member Haakono's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Thank you!

    Have to say this is my most ambitious enclosure build yet, taking advantage of available machinery at the shop. It's also a good learning experience in operating the machinery, so win-win in that matter.

    So the plan for the enclosure was this: 40 liter sealed (1,4 cu ft), made from 22mm MDF with bracing and rear wall insert made from acrylic. Printed design on visible inside panels (baffle and sides), acrylic mirror on bottom, and white interior lighting. Didn't plan for any special exterior finish since all but the rear "window" will be hidden behind trim panels. But more on that later

    This is the enclosure mostly put together, after printing the baffle I masked it off and spraypainted the walls of the speaker cutouts with black paint, in case part of this would show after the woofers were installed. Routered some pieces of mirror acrylic on the cnc, to be placed in between the bracing. Fastened these with bonding adhesive (Tec7) to the mdf. Also the lighting is installed here. I used a led-strip from SloanLED, a supplier of lighting solutios for signage, with a 50k hour rating. This is pro stuff with a price to match, but it's not easy to just replace them after the box is put together and installed. So no random ebay LED in here


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    Subwoofers installed, these are 2ohm DVC subs, so they will be wired in both series and parallell for a final single load of 2ohm. Found it to be cleanest just to wire each voice coil individually and run 4 runs of cable (each with positive and negative) and do the connecting outside of the enclosure. Instead of wiring each driver in series inside of the box.

    Also, the rear wall you see here in 22mm mdf with recessed cutout of 11mm, where the 20mm acrylic will be placed and bonded. Then a mirrored piece will be placed on top, so the acrylic will be sandwiched between two pieces of 22mm mdf. 11mm recess to make place for 1mm of bonding adhesive on each side.

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    Wiring came out pretty clean when viewed from the back:

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    And to personalize some part of the install to the owner, I took the motto from her licence plate frames and made a decorative ring that is placed on the back plates of the subwoofers:

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    Turned off the lights in the shop and adjusted the camera settings so the picture looks close to what it looks like IRL:

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    Pretty happy with this, you never know if it will turn out how you imagined in your head before starting to build, but this was surpassed the imagination.

  3. Back To Top    #13
    Senior Member chithead's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Wholly moly! That has got to be about the cleanest and most awesome enclosure, ever.
    Are you not entertained?!?!


  4. Back To Top    #14
    Senior Member Haakono's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Thank you for the kind words Cleanest coming out from my workbench, that's for sure!

    Even though it will be hidden behind trim panels (and a non-folding rear seat), I really felt like it should have a nice finish on the outside as well. Especially since the upcoming owner maybe wants to enter some car audio events down the ilne. And when the trim panels are pulled down to inspect how the box is secured, it wouldn't look good with bare mdf, especially since it has some paint overspray from painting the inside of the speaker holes etc.

    Also, I had to remove the plastic trim rings around the woofers, as they are placed so close that it would have interfered slightly.

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    So I designed a trim ring that slotted neatly on top. Made from 19mm closed-cell PVC foamboard. This material is close to MDF to work with. Less density, but waterproof. And has a nice finish.

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    Front of enclosure could be visible (depending if I make a see-through or not passthrough in the armrest trim piece), so decided to make a face plate from 3mm dibond (composite sheets made with a plastic core and alloy skin on each side. This particular has a matte silver metallic finish on one side, and brushed aluminium on the opposing=. Chose the latter as the visible side.

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    Was going to just use this on the front and back (with cutout for window), and cover the top, sides and bottom with carpet. But really liked the finish, sooo....

    This happened:
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  5. Back To Top    #15
    Senior Member Haakono's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Last addition to the enclosure before going in the trunk.

    To raise the enclosure off the trunk floor (I want it a bit higher up, close to the underside of the rear shelf), I made some PVC spacers. With these installed, it also allows the new false floor board to slot underneath the enclosure, and provide enough clearance to lift it out to access what is underneath.

    So I made these spacers about 2" tall:
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    A quick test fit in the car:

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    False floor slotted in place, but a very tight fit, so I might have to trim them down just a little bit. In the end these will not rely on a press fitment to stay in place, but I will make a frame around the perimeter of the floor board in the wheel well that will support the false floor. Keeping it in place either with magnets or with 3M Dual lock industrial "velcro".

    Same with the shop lights off, but still the OEM trunk light on. This will be disconnected, and rather be used as a signal to turn the enclosure and "mood" lighting on and off.
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    Just a mockup here, but will get a bit sturdier brackets that will be bolted to the enclosure, and this brace bar underneath the rear shelf. Will install rivnuts in the brace, so the enclosure can be installed and removed how many times one would like.

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    That concludes today's broadcast

  6. Back To Top    #16
    Senior Member Haakono's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)



    Maybe this should be the finishing touch, but still a lot to do
    Last edited by Haakono; 05-23-2021 at 05:26 PM.

  7. Back To Top    #17

    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Beautiful work, mate! The owner should be super excited and pleased with the result!
    Last edited by bbfoto; 05-25-2021 at 12:37 AM. Reason: Corrections

  8. Back To Top    #18
    Senior Member Haakono's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Hopefully she will be And thank you!

    Made the trim panel for the enclosure yesterday, after a bit of trial and error getting the side contours right.

    Still have to upholster it with carpet, but this is the bare form:

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    From the back it looks like this. Was out of 19mm pvc, so made a sandwich with 10mm scraps, had to use different colours. Oreo edition. (or Stormtrooper, sounds more impressive?

    Made grooves around the perimeter that the carpet can tuck into, channels for the LED-strip including wiring, and recesses for neo magnets that will be used to keep it in place, while being easily removable for service etc.

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  9. Back To Top    #19
    Senior Member Haakono's Avatar
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    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

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    Ok, so I'm a non-professional consumer, living in Norway.

    Do I turn myself in to the Norwegian police? US Embassy? Prisons in Norway are pretty nice, I'll take my chances here. I could even put in a good word for the retailer in the US so they could do their time over here

  10. Back To Top    #20

    Re: BMW E60 sq build (Helix/Ground Zero)

    Impressive! Youre putting in such nice work

    Do you have any pics of what you did with the pass through?

    And what is the design philosophy regarding the sealed box. If youre cutting the seats for a pass through, did you determine sealed is better than infinite baffle?

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