DIY front seat/stereo (85sn2001)

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

Even though the carpet was only a year old, after building the back seat/sundeck, I realized it wasn't marine carpet and would not wrap around the seat bases I made. So I decided to replace the whole carpet with grey marine from Lowe's. I was so happy to see my floor totally solid after pulling up the old stuff.

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

Once the carpet was in, I removed the batttery from the stock location to up under the bow. Added the sub, sub amp, tower amp, and 2 golf cart batteries, and battery switch under the bow. Made the stock battery box a glove box, sealing off all the holes with silicone, and made the front seat base.

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

Now all I have left is upholstery, add a cigarette lighter for filling my fat sacs, install the driver's seat, and it should be done. Everything fit like a glove, I was surprised - especially the 12" sub.

vette74 · Posted: Jun 21, 2005 12:32 pm Post subject:

You have done a good job on the carpet and the custom work. Also, that is one of the cleanest looking engines I have seen in a boat, nice work.

Kewlboarder27r · Soul Rider Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 497 City: Mound

awesome looking apolstrey(sp) job better than the eon we hired a guy to do for 5 g

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

Vette74 Thanks. I feel very fortunate that I found the exact boat I wanted and it was super clean. The guy I bought it from put on a 4bl HOlley, new distributor, and MSD spark box. It runs great and starts every time.

bradb · Outlaw Joined: 09 Jan 2004 Posts: 204 City: Parksville

Wow! Beautiful work!
How long did it take you to do the carpet?
B

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

Replacing the original carpet was easier. Ripped out the existing in a Saturday afternoon, traced the old peices onto the new, starting installing early Sunday morning and had it all glued in by 6pm. Carpeting the custom seat bases was a whole nother story.

Seeing it now it is was worth it. 2 weeks worth of work at night and on the weekends carpeting the bases for the front and back seat/sundeck and installing all the audio stuff got pretty old though.

JHerb42 · Outlaw Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 180 City: Columbus

Looks great. Gives me lots of ideas for my '85.

kmagnuss · Posted: Jun 23, 2005 8:29 pm Post subject:

You have skills. Nice work man. And I have to admit that's the cleanest engine I've ever seen in a non-new boat. Great work. You get a star.

Tique2001 · Newbie Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 1 City: Plano

I'm getting started on a sundeck/storage locker project and would love to review the pics of these projects....but the images are missing or I'm clueless on where to find them. I've looked in "photos"...not there also looked up each profile...not there. Did the moderator remove them? Please direct me.

410fortune · Soul Rider Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 314 City: Morrison

they should show up here in this thread if you are patient.

Do you have seat cushions for that bad boy?
How does it sound?

also you cannot access that front locker anymore?

I did something similar to my old boat.the carpet is the easy part, the upholstrey ont he other hand....wel lets just say I am getting better.

No0ne · Criminal Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 65

Tique2001,
Log In and you will be able to see the pics.

Vampyre · Addict Joined: 12 Oct 2004 Posts: 622 City: Ooltewah, TN

Wow, very nice work!
Also, sweeet engine!
I enjoy these type of projects, and admire the DIY, like myself. Many times, it is very expensive to get things done, and I have found that most of the time, I can do it the way I want, totally custom fit, for much cheaper. You appreciate things better that way!

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

410fortune - I will be doing/trying upholstery this winter. Front locker? If you mean the old battery box I notched out the amp board so the lid can slide underneath it. I use it as a glove box for cell phone, keys, etc. I have to be really careful not to get water in there though.

The system rocks my ears off. JL1000 powers the Pioneer 12", Kicker KX 800.4 bridged to 2 channels with 1 400 watt channel running 2 Evids in mono. I built the back seat bases around the evids cause I didn't care for them on the tower (pics in "DIY backseat/sundeck" post). The other 400 watt channel will be run in mono to a DIY pro audio tower speaker setup I am in the process of building now. 2 Pioneer 2 way marines in the dash powered by the Kenwood deck.

DIY is the best way to go. Cheapest way to go and you control the quality of work, plus anything breaks you know how to fix it yourself!

tonydjd · Newbie Joined: 10 Jan 2006 Posts: 10

I sent you a private message

85sn2001 · Outlaw Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 114 City: Nor*Cal

reused the old front seat by cutting the aluminum base and bending it to the angle i needed and reusing the old cushions. Mounted it to a stainless steel hinge.

Nooga678 · Posted: Sep 07, 2006 9:58 am Post subject:

Really nice work! I am electronically ignorant, what is the benefit of using golf cart batteries?

Also, you seem to definately have the know how to run your own internal ballast system. What is your reason for not hard wiring it in? Just curious.

I don't own a boat (yet), but if I every get one (and it will have to be an older boat), I figured I would hard wire the ballast system in. Even if there is no room to conceal all the bags, it would still be cool to have the pump mounted and ready to go. Maybe even run hose lines descretely to your ususal bag placements. Then just hook the bag up and flip the switch!!! I guess you might run into the problem of someone flipping the switch without the bag hooked up and pumping water into the boat. Laughing

Anyway, Nice Job!!!

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas