check this out!!! need ideas for inside the trunk compartment

ej25subie05

New member
today is the Help ej25subie05 with all his ideas day lol. I've had this idea in the back of my head for a while now, just really wanna see what kind of ideas i can get or maybe someone has done something sweet already.

My trunk is completely stripped except for my battery box and spec c tank now. i want to make it completely flat. have been thinking of buying a sheet of aluminum and cutting it out to shape of my trunk (inside not the trunk lid :) haha). then cut out a square and put it on hinges and a latch, so i can get to my spare tire compartment and use that as a storage spot for tools and such, waxes, cloths etc. i do not have the oem cover nor do i want one. nor do i want floor boards etc. this is a daily but i am not looking to add 20lbs to it for no reason (tools are only for long trips)

so post up those pictures of your trunks i want to see what y'all have done.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
A word of caution...

I don't know what you've got going on with your battery box, but I sure hope it's sturdy metal and bolted up firmly. I'm pretty sure we've discussed this somewhere on this forum, but people have had terrifying occurrences during accidents with trunk mounted battery relocation kits. I remember a couple of different articles stating that during a frontal accident, the battery broke the plastic box and proceeded through the rear seats into the passenger compartment where they exploded against the dash and windshield. One article mentioned a battery doing the same thing, except this time, tearing through the drivers seat
and hitting the driver in the head, killing him. So I guess the moral of the story is to have a damn sturdy, metal, battery box bolted down in the trunk if you do relocate. No cheap plastic trays.

On another note, if you haven't considered a V or X brace with a rear strut bar, maybe you should. It's been known for some time that the GD chassis benefits greatly from this mod. The only thing is, a rear strut bar will do very little for performance without the added V or X brace. These braces either bolted or welded down to the trunk pan and prevent sloppy, side-to-side movement of the shocks/struts during cornering.

I don't know what you have in your trunk right now, but if you are missing the carpet and board that covers the spare tire well, you might consider removing the rest of the carpet on the trunk pan (not of the sides) and spraying on a liner such as rhino-lining. That would be easy to clean in the future.

Here's a similar discussion...
http://forums.nicoclub.com/trunk-battery-warning-t207593.html
 
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ej25subie05

New member
check out my journal. i posted a pic of what i have going on in my trunk, no room currently for a direct bolt in x or v brace, but i plan on in the future having a custom brace made to go over my spec c tank. also my box is a taylor box. its darn sturdy. but i plan on reinforcing it some more by getting some steel and somehow fasting it to the frame in the back so it won't go anywhere for sure.

i appreciate the caution advice and am taking it into consideration. had no idea something like that could fly through all that stuff to the dash... will check out the link later tonight as well.
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
DIY chassis bridge. I think i have one in my journal. It was like $20 from Home Depot Racing. Basically a few bolts, some steel cable and two turnbuckles.
 

ej25subie05

New member
couldn't find it [MENTION=652]Grinder34[/MENTION] happen to have a pic on hand? did you notice any noticeable difference? i plan on buying a tig welder so hopefully ill start fabbing up some parts i want. rear diff cover, front skid plate, a few odds and ends. and maybe that v-brace.
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
This isnt mine, and I did mine a bit differently.

First, I attached to the outside holes on top (about 18" further out than their current mounting points)
Second, I didnt attach the turnbuckle directly to the bolt, but had it in the middle of the line.

Yes, it made a difference. I used to hear all sorts of squeaks when backing into my very angled driveway. After installing, the car was super quiet.

8c98533c.jpg


look at the amount of deflection (x-brace witht the bottom bolts undone):

 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
I have the same exact x brace from that first pic. Mineconnect closer to the edges like ryan was asking.
 

ej25subie05

New member
Dang that thing plays alot.

If I'm gonna make one it's gonna be a solid one from aluminum. And then I'll get it to mount to the side of my whiteline strut bar. The mounts for the whiteline kit are supppper sturdy.
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
For the chassis bridge, you cant really get it to the top of the strut, so i mounted it as far outside as i could.
 

ej25subie05

New member
what i meant is. the whiteline and almost any rear strut bar. they come in three pieces. the two pieces to bolt to top hats. then they have the extensions that come out into the trunk space so you can bolt the bar to it. my idea is to make something to mount on the outside of both those bolts (from both sides) and make my own v brace. as my spec c tank is probably in the way for any v brace that ill buy. just an idea that i think would work pretty darn good and still allow me to keep my whiteline strut car.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
I almost got myself a Spec C tank to use with my methanol system. I ended up getting a killer deal on a different one which I went with, but either way, it seems like I could fit a Spec C tank between the rear seat separator and the V brace. It's too bad you're not close by, we could have done some measuring.
 

ej25subie05

New member
post a picture of your v-brace and where you mounted it and such? this way ill get a rough idea if it'll fit around my spec c tank.

funny how i started this thread for a flat finish idea for my sti trunk and we started talking about v-braces :) i like the v-brace idea better or the cable idea. [MENTION=662]Batmobile_Engage[/MENTION]
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
I am currently away from my subie. I will have a pic for you later. I also may have an older pic on my computer. Hold up.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
Cusco triangle chassis (trunk) brace.jpg

For reference, there is now a methanol pump between the brace and the seat divider that is roughly the size of a large stew can. It has an inch or more of space on either side.
 
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