Thought I'd do this as a progression. Just started today by fitting the power cable through the car. Unfortunately didn't get any pics of the the seats out, but we know what that looks like anyway. Hardest bit was getting the little rubber gromits back in place, particularly the very small one that goes into the car itself, but with help from my g/f we got it done. Fingers crossed its all water tight, but I'll bung some silicon round it just in case. Just need an inline fuse holder now, as my digital one is too big to fit anywhere under the bonnet, so that will get relegated to the boot for show. I haven't put any other cabling in, as I want to see how the boot turns out before I decided where's best to run RCA's and speaker cable etc. Hopefully it should all get done this week, but mainly from Wednesday onwards as thats pay day:thumbup:

Here are some pics of the cabling and whats going to run off it...

This is from the old install, the MDF will be scrapped.

Should hopefully sound good when done.

Also, I had an exploratory look under the door cards. Once I've drilled the rivets out of the speakers, do I just screw the speaker/baffles in, or do I need to rivet them again? Can I run new cable into the doors by reaching through the speaker hole to get to the rubber hose thing, or do I need to take the entire inner skin off?

Looking good.

Remember to fit a big fuse at the battery end though

I've been doing a lot of ICEing today too Will stick a thread up at some point

The cabling for the speaker is terminated in a plug into the car so there is no room to run cabling. A very simple solution to this though.

How did you run the wiring from the battery to the boot? I had this problem and gave up. Going to get my mate to help me but it will help him if he knows where the gromits etc are. I found the gromit that you have used but not sure where the cabling goes from there?

It goes in through the bulkhead and drops down just next to the glovebox in the car.

How did you run the wiring from the battery to the boot? I had this problem and gave up. Going to get my mate to help me but it will help him if he knows where the gromits etc are. I found the gromit that you have used but not sure where the cabling goes from there?

It passes through the two gromits, and then as Lummox says drops down behind the glovebox. Theres quite a bit of sound-deadening in the way, but its not too bad, you can reach it without having to cut any of it. Its a very very tight fit with 0 gauge. Just managed to get the original gromit in place at the entry to the car, although I'm going to whack some silicon round it too to make sure its properly watertight. It then feeds behind the bit of trim by the passengers left foot, then under the doorsill to the boot.

The cabling for the speaker is terminated in a plug into the car so there is no room to run cabling. A very simple solution to this though.

I remember hearing that you have a solution for this... any hints? I thought I'd had a quick investigation into this before and thought it was just a bit of rubber trunking between the car and the door, so I was just intending on feeding the cable through there. Will this not work?

i found the best way to get throught the bulk head is to remove the glove box (just a few screws and disconect light wire and a/c pipe) then you can see what you are doing there is a small cable coming through the bulk head i drilled my hole (20mm) just under that and then fitted a grommet for m power cable.

Do remember to check in the engin bay before drilling if you do this.

myfatcow - i saw that gromit but it's too small for 2x 4 guage cables.

schern and lummox - thanks for that, will give it a go next week.

I remember hearing that you have a solution for this... any hints? I thought I'd had a quick investigation into this before and thought it was just a bit of rubber trunking between the car and the door, so I was just intending on feeding the cable through there. Will this not work?

The issue is there is no direct route through the tubing as it terminates into four plugs that are clipped into the car body. So yes you can feed it though the rubber tube but you cant get it into the car. The easy solution to this is disconnect the easiest plug (the bottom one will do). Working from the inside of the car and looking at the back of the connectors unclip the bottom female connector from the plastic housing and pull into the car. (there is a release tag at the top and the bottom). Then feed the wiring plug through the hole and reconnect in the car. This will leave the hole the plug was originally in open and you can feed the wiring through there.

The issue is there is no direct route through the tubing as it terminates into four plugs that are clipped into the car body. So yes you can feed it though the rubber tube but you cant get it into the car. The easy solution to this is disconnect the easiest plug (the bottom one will do). Working from the inside of the car and looking at the back of the connectors unclip the bottom female connector from the plastic housing and pull into the car. (there is a release tag at the top and the bottom). Then feed the wiring plug through the hole and reconnect in the car. This will leave the hole the plug was originally in open and you can feed the wiring through there.

Excellent, I'll have a nosey and see how it turns out.

Just out of interest, where have people earthed there installs? Have you drilled a hole in the floor somewhere, or used an existing mount?

I used the seat belt stalk mounting point under the rear seat back.

I found an earthing point just infront of the rear passenger side wheel arch.

Rich

I found an earthing point just infront of the rear passenger side wheel arch.

Rich

A proper factory one? I think I've seen it when I was running the cable through, but wasn't sure if there was enough space for me to run the cable to. I'll have a further investigate.

I believe so. I didnt really want to attach anything to the seat belt bolts. So far no problems / buzzing etc.

Rich

I'm very tempted just to find a flat surface somewhere and drill a hole. This is the earth terminal I want to use, and its a bit awkward to in existing places.

Heres progress so far, not very much, but I've got a week off, so I'm not in any desperate hurry. I want the spare to still be relatively accessible, so that SWMBO can get the wheel out if she needs to by herself. Both the amps are going to be hidden under a false floor, with the sub box sat on top of that, to maximise useable space. I also want to still be able to put the seats down whilst leaving the install in. My main concern will be cooling the amps. I think probably 2 or 4 8cm fans will be called into play to provide airflow. I'll probably have to come up with some kind of simple ducting to make sure the air goes to where it needs to.

Should be a nice install there. I'm going to stick my amps onto the back seats as there's a metal plate behind the cloth.

False floor is all cut to size now. Just needs carpeting. And just done a few rough pics with scraps of carpet I've got knocking about just to give a very rough impression of what it'll look like when its all done. Pleased that its met my requirement of still being able to put the seats down when required for big loads.

Coming along nicely.

The best earthing point is definitely the rear seat belt mount, but you will struggle to find a ring terminal big enough for the bolt!!

I think drilling a new earth is a good idea, just dont drill through your diesel tank!!!

That was going to be one of my next questions... where abouts in the boot should I drill to put my earthing point?

And also, returning to one of my earlier questions, how do people fix speakers into the doors? I know MDF spaces will have to be made, but do people just screw through the rivet holes with a suitabley sized screw?

And also, returning to one of my earlier questions, how do people fix speakers into the doors? I know MDF spaces will have to be made, but do people just screw through the rivet holes with a suitabley sized screw?

have you seen this thread

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/ice-security-insurance/fabia-vrs-front-door-speaker-change-how-pics/9647/?highlight=guide+speakers+fabia

And also, returning to one of my earlier questions, how do people fix speakers into the doors? I know MDF spaces will have to be made, but do people just screw through the rivet holes with a suitabley sized screw?

have you seen this thread

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/ice-security-insurance/fabia-vrs-front-door-speaker-change-how-pics/9647/?highlight=guide+speakers+fabia

I've just updated the guide adding another photo.

The first time, I just had one set of four long bolts that held both spacers to the inner door sheet, using the oem holes left by the drilled out rivets.

This time round, I bolted just the first spacer. Then I screwed the second spacer into the first, then the speaker into the second. The downside doing it this way though is that you can have one set of screws inline with the previous set stopping you from screwing them in.

But to come back to your original question, just use the holes left by the rivets

I've just updated the guide adding another photo.

The first time, I just had one set of four long bolts that held both spacers to the inner door sheet, using the oem holes left by the drilled out rivets.

This time round, I bolted just the first spacer. Then I screwed the second spacer into the first, then the speaker into the second. The downside doing it this way though is that you can have one set of screws inline with the previous set stopping you from screwing them in.

But to come back to your original question, just use the holes left by the rivets

The 2nd way, did you just twist the 2nd spacer round and screw through that way? Or did you do something more cunning?

I'm watching this thread with interest... My Fabia currently has the stock head unit and speakers; I left my Rockford Fosgate install in my Polo (my wife inherited that when I bought the Fabia). Just spent a few days as a passenger in the Polo, and I remembered how good it sounded! Might just have to spend some money on a new install!

I'm most intrigued how you're going to cool the amps under your false floor. That's going to be such a neat install!

Stu

I posted a how to ages ago on this (clicky). Unfortunately, the pics went AWOL when the gallery died :(

I posted a how to ages ago on this (clicky). Unfortunately, the pics went AWOL when the gallery died :(

Great how-to, Xav. Do you still have the photos on your computer anywhere? Or have they gone completely? Might be useful to see those if you'd be able to re-post them. (I realise that may not be possible.)

Stu