i'm trying to modify my rear deck, and was wondering if anyone knew how important (structurally) this area is...and what, if anything, can be cut from it.





im trying to remove as much of the sheet metal as possible.....im going to fabricate a custom speaker deck that faces more forward than the factory deck.

any opinions?

 

fabricate a rear strut tower bar, and then id say cut most of it out, = good weight reduction.
if your wanting to cut a hole for a sub, go for it, just buy alot of peel n seal from lowes. its the alternative for dynomat, and works just as god, but is only 10$ for a roll.
2 rolls should be plenty.

 

I don't know what could be cut and what couldn't but just throwing a RSTB back there isn't going to make up for all the box strength you are going to lose by cutting alot of that out, especially when you are making a turn. How much of it do you think you will need to cut out for your project?

 

no one makes a RSTB for the 3rd gen? and if i put one in....that would make it to where i can remove most of the sheet metal right? considering that the strut towers are where the majority of the pitch and roll occur?

 

oops, beat me to it......i wannt cut as much out as i can...for weight reduction and space to work with. havent really decided on all the dimensions yet, but yo ugotta start somewhere, right?

 

I think Matt makes a RSTB.

 

oh, true true.

 

Well i would say measure out everything and try to cut only what you need to, who knows you may endup having to cut less than you thought.

 

i THOUGHT about making it kind of a "hatchback".......you know, keeping the window and truck in the same position, but making them open together, kinda like a 240sx hatchback....only it wouldnt look like a slantback, like the 240sx...

call it an ugly idea, but it wouldnt change the look of the car from the outside, would just change the function....and would be original

 

cut all of it out, and put a twin size matress back there or a small blow up one, and call it the shaggon waggon! woot
hmm. best weight reduction i know of is ditching the stock hood and makign a fiberglass one, or a plexiglass or carbon fiber
or holling he stock hook out
and getting carbon fiber and filling the whole huge center part with carbon fiber.

 

I'ved hacked my rear deck for a sub and what not... If anyone is confused and thinks they can save weight... It's tin, the main part of the deck weighed only a couple pounds.

To reinforce it I built a rear brace for temp.. I want to create some sort of h-brace later on.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=454781&page=2

 

lol beds would be cool....or remove the rear seat and install some of those....sparco beanbag chairs...

 

yeah, figured it wouldnt amount to much weight lost....but still want to remove it for a custom speaker deck.....full range: subs, mids, and tweets.

 

i cut mine out so my 6x9's would fit straight down in it without the bose mounts

 

sounds really cool what u wanna do, i cant wait till u get going on your idea and get some pics up of it

 

even though it may be thin sheet metal, you'd be amazed what kind of structure is there with the ridges and creases pressed into the steel.
I would highly recommend a H-frame brace of some sort to go around and through the area that you cut out.

 

Matt, where are we talking aout mounting the H-brace? i get your meaning but not sure where it would mount...and what it would support? (other than the strut towers