Please help on stereo wiring

[masonsied]

Hello all. So, I have installed new speakers in the stock locations in my 2007 Elise and have gotten a Stealthbox (not connected yet) and a Alpine pdx-5 amp. I took my car to a pretty popular car install shop in my area to wire everything up and to install the amp behind the drivers seat. However, after many hours they said that they just couldn't figure out how to run the rcas (3 sets) and all of the speaker wires for a nice clean installation.

Can someone please provide me some detailed instructions, or even pictures on where you have ran your wires, how you did it, and how to get the power wire from the battery to inside the car.....I guess I am going to have to tackle this project myself. Thanks in advance for all of the help. Mason

Oh yeah, I have the Alpine deck that came with the car that I am keeping...any ideas on how to pull it out to connect all the wiring so that I dont have to take the whole dash out?

[apk919]

Originally Posted by masonsied

Hello all. So, I have installed new speakers in the stock locations in my 2007 Elise and have gotten a Stealthbox (not connected yet) and a Alpine pdx-5 amp. I took my car to a pretty popular car install shop in my area to wire everything up and to install the amp behind the drivers seat. However, after many hours they said that they just couldn't figure out how to run the rcas (3 sets) and all of the speaker wires for a nice clean installation.

Can someone please provide me some detailed instructions, or even pictures on where you have ran your wires, how you did it, and how to get the power wire from the battery to inside the car.....I guess I am going to have to tackle this project myself. Thanks in advance for all of the help. Mason

Oh yeah, I have the Alpine deck that came with the car that I am keeping...any ideas on how to pull it out to connect all the wiring so that I dont have to take the whole dash out?

Hope this helps: 600W Audio Power Coming To An Exige S Near You

[masonsied]

Thanks for the quick reply. That is going to be helpful. Do the seats come out pretty easily and did you have to take the "tunnel" around the shifter out or fish the wires through it? The area behind your rear speakers seems to be more open than mine....I have some kind of vinyl covered foam across the back?? Did you have to remove that? Thanks again. mason

[apk919]

Originally Posted by masonsied

Thanks for the quick reply. That is going to be helpful. Do the seats come out pretty easily and did you have to take the "tunnel" around the shifter out or fish the wires through it? The area behind your rear speakers seems to be more open than mine....I have some kind of vinyl covered foam across the back?? Did you have to remove that? Thanks again. mason

The seats are easy to remove... if you've got the stock hardware I think you need a 6mm hex bit for the rear bolts, a 10-12" socket extension, and a universal or "wobble" adapter. I removed the screws on the center console, but just lifted it up enough to run the wires; I didn't remove it. It's a bit of a tight fit, but you can snake all your wires through the aluminum footwell separator without removing it as well. The rear speakers have some rectangular sound dampening insulation behind them... I cut a hole in the center of them to allow deeper speakers to fit.

[masonsied]

Thanks again for all of the info...on final question I forgot - do I need any kind of special tool to get the Alpine deck out of the dash? Thanks. Mason

[apk919]

Originally Posted by masonsied

Thanks again for all of the info...on final question I forgot - do I need any kind of special tool to get the Alpine deck out of the dash? Thanks. Mason

No, not really. Once you remove the faceplate, you'll see two small screw-like pins on either side of the head unit. Use a punch or a small screwdriver to slide both of them upwards at the same time. That will release the head unit.

[dbisbee]

Originally Posted by masonsied

Hello all. So, I have installed new speakers in the stock locations in my 2007 Elise and have gotten a Stealthbox (not connected yet) and a Alpine pdx-5 amp. I took my car to a pretty popular car install shop in my area to wire everything up and to install the amp behind the drivers seat. However, after many hours they said that they just couldn't figure out how to run the rcas (3 sets) and all of the speaker wires for a nice clean installation.

Can someone please provide me some detailed instructions, or even pictures on where you have ran your wires, how you did it, and how to get the power wire from the battery to inside the car.....I guess I am going to have to tackle this project myself. Thanks in advance for all of the help. Mason

Oh yeah, I have the Alpine deck that came with the car that I am keeping...any ideas on how to pull it out to connect all the wiring so that I dont have to take the whole dash out?

Do it yourself! I ran the rca's down the center gear shift parking brake channel. I put my PDX-5 in the trunk next to the battery.

For the RCA's I used StreetWires ZeroNoise® 7 Series 6-Channel Patch Cables for a clean install under steering wheel under dash to the center. It was a challenge but patience and persistence paid off. For the speaker I also ran Street wires 14 gauge.

Drive on down to Tampa I will help!

[ewalberg]

I'm in the process of doing some modifications to my stereo as well... here's some threads to look at that i've saved.

These are things to do if you have your dash out:

Alarm wire mode for range - Increase the range of your remote

Jim's Speaker mod - FS: Adaptor rings for 5-1/4" front speaker install

CDL relocate and vibration points- Things to do with the dash removed....?

Wiper relay - JnC's Programmable Intermittent Wiper Relay Hack (I've actually got the relays in my mercedes now... love it, straight swap in part).

If you hate the daytime running lights there's a thread for disabling that too when your dash is out. Check out the "UBER-POST" for a link to it. It doesn't bother me.


Here's some other general links.

Wire routing: Wiring Routing Pictures - Cockpit to Trunk

Wire routing: Installing an amp... No head unit can compete!

Removal of dash - My Dash Removal Instructions

[MattG]

I ran the RCAs behind the carpet (the strip that covers the chassis side) on the left of the passenger seat, and all other wires through the center console (amp is behind the passenger seat). Power came from the battery, via the grommet behind the driver's seat.

[gpheck]

Put everything under the dash..

I put my alpine pdx.5 and my kenwood dvd headunit brain (along with bluetooth/nav/hdradio/ipod cables etc) under the dash

headunit brain and other units I put behind the guage cluster, and the amp etc I put behind the passenger dash (I removed airbag and hardware since I have 6pt harnesses)

pm me if you want pics or for questions..

[masonsied]

Thanks for all of the tips and information guys. That is going to help out a lot as I start to tackle this project. Just can't wait to hear what it sounds like. Mason