How to make podiums on a Lada Priora for front doors with 8 and 16 valves

How to make podiums on Priora

In order to make podiums for the front doors of the Priora with our own hands, we will need:

sheet of plywood (can be MDF);
a mixture of epoxy and fiberglass;
polyurethane foam;
fiberglass putty;
finishing putty;
sandpaper (coarse and fine).

Attention, very important point! Before you start making podiums, you need to carefully measure and calculate everything. The new decor should not interfere with the opening and closing of doors, lowering and raising windows, and, of course, the passenger himself. You should start by making a drawing of the part, which will serve as a template for cutting out of plywood.

Plywood thickness – no more than 8 mm. You should cut out two parts at once with a jigsaw. Spacer rings can be made from the same plywood. Don't forget to measure the diameter of the speakers themselves and the mesh. Cut out the mounting hole to size. Coat the cut template with glue and install it on the base.

To securely fasten the ring, carefully nail it with furniture nails after drying. In order to give rounded shapes, use polyurethane foam. Pre-cover the hole with polyethylene. To distribute the foam evenly and economically, apply it in a circular motion. After complete hardening, you can begin cutting out rounded shapes and cutting off excess foam. Then you will need sandpaper to sand the workpiece. After sanding, apply a thin layer of fiberglass putty to level the surface.

After drying, apply a second layer, wait again. And then the third. After drying, sand it with sandpaper. To protect the surface from damage, it must be treated with a mixture of epoxy and fiberglass. Gently apply a thin layer using a spatula. At the final stage - reupholstery with eco-leather.

Making acoustic podiums on Priora with your own hands

Organizing sound in a car is a set of measures, for example, sound insulation, installation of 16cm. speakers and subwoofer, as well as the production of podiums, because The standard dimensions of Priora speakers are only 13cm. Do you know how to make door podiums yourself?

You will need : plywood, polyurethane foam, epoxy with fiberglass, putty with fiberglass, finishing putty, sandpaper (fine and coarse grit).
How to make podiums on Priora? The process begins with the manufacture of spacer rings for pre-purchased speakers; we use plywood as the material. Then we screw the resulting rings to the door trims (see removing door trims). At this stage, it should be taken into account that the podiums on the Priora should not be installed too close to the passenger’s feet, otherwise it will not be possible to open the glove compartment when the door is closed.

The further process of making podiums on Priora :

After the putty has dried, we sand the podiums for the speakers with fine sandpaper (this process is long and dusty). It is impossible for the parts to have irregularities, because as a result they will be very noticeable. If unevenness remains, then the puttying process must be repeated until the podiums are perfectly smooth.

To give the door trims their final look, they should be painted (see painting plastic) or reupholstered with elastic leather (see reupholstering door trims).

It is worth noting that the quality of music depends not only on the speakers, but also on the soundproofing of the doors. By the way, do you know how to install podiums on a Priora without affecting the door trim?

Source

Modern podiums

Acoustic podiums yourself

Sound organization is a set of measures that includes not only sound insulation or installation of a subwoofer, but also installation in the front doors of the podiums. You don’t have to buy them, although you can find almost any option in stores today. You can make podiums with your own hands if you know the basic nuances of the operation presented in our instructions below. Modern acoustic podiums are not too different from those that came before. Although, this is at first glance, but if you take a closer look, you will see the following:

Modern podiums are made of high-quality material, which significantly increases their service life. If earlier they were made of plastic, which soon became covered with cracks and delaminated, today podiums are made of more durable material;

Modern acoustic podium

Acoustically, modern podiums have an excellent and comfortable matte surface that does not leave dirty marks. High-quality plastic or plywood, from which modern podiums are made, is quite difficult to accidentally damage;
The current podiums are made in such a way that they provide the opportunity to conveniently lay hidden electrical wiring to the speakers;
Modern podiums are distinguished by a slightly modified configuration, which allows the installation of not one, but several speakers that reproduce different frequencies.

Acoustic podiums for yourself

Making your own podiums

Buying acoustic podiums, as mentioned above, is not necessary. You can make them yourself using our instructions.

Preparation

Plywood or MDF;
Polyurethane foam;
Epoxy mixed with fiberglass;
Fiberglass based putty;
Finishing putty;
Fine-grained and coarse-grained skins.

Making acoustic podiums yourself

Operation algorithm

Note. An important point: in designing a homemade podium, preparation of the base plays an indispensable role. It needs to be done wisely, trying to calculate everything very carefully and competently. The point is that innovations should not spoil the appearance of the interior, nor should they interfere with the convenient operation of door handles and window regulators. Also, nothing should interfere with closing the door.

We draw on paper or, better yet, on thick cardboard the shape of the podium, calculated according to all the rules, and then cut it out with scissors;

We draw the part according to the cut-out template on plywood, the thickness of which should not be more than 8 mm. We work with a jigsaw and cut out two parts at once;
We make spacer rings for pre-purchased speakers. We use plywood as the material for this. We measure the dimensions of the speaker and its protective grid. We make a mounting hole in the plywood, the internal diameter of which should correspond to the diameter of the speaker ring.

Note. As for the outer size of the circle, it should be the same as the diameter of the protective mesh. At the end, it is advisable to add 5-6 extra millimeters for a decorative ring.

Cut out a template for a decorative ring from plywood. We coat it with glue and place it on the base of our structure.

Making acoustic podiums yourself

Note. To achieve greater reliability, after it has dried, it is advisable to nail the ring to the base with small nails.

The rings are attached to the base with special slats made of wood or iron. They should be cut in advance to sizes depending on the degree of inclination of the ring relative to the base, individual preferences of the owner, etc. As a rule, four rails should be attached to one speaker to the base. The slats are attached to the ring with self-tapping screws to ensure reliable fixation;
Give the shape of the base a curve. This is why you need polyurethane foam. After applying it, you need to wait until it hardens, and then cut out rounded shapes, always without sharp corners.

Polyurethane foam is an important component of the podium manufacturing procedure

Note. To avoid large foam consumption, it is recommended to close the hole for the speaker on the podium with a plastic pipe, and cover it with cellophane on top. Once the foam has hardened, the pipe can be easily removed.

It is necessary to apply the foam in an even layer, starting from the ring in a circular motion and ending with the edges of the podium.

Note. Until the first layer of foam has completely dried, it is recommended to apply a second layer around the decorative ring. This is done to save time. It is better and more convenient to cut off the excess after the first hardening of the foam than to wait for the first layer to dry, apply the second and wait for it to harden again.

After the foam has completely dried, you need to start forming the blank for future speaker mounting (see How to choose speakers for a car radio on your own). Excess foam is cut off with a sharp knife, and then the product is given the desired shape;
The sandpaper is taken and the sanding process begins;

After this, you need to level the surface by applying a thin layer of fiberglass putty. We wait until it dries, then we apply the second layer, then the third;
After the last layer of putty has dried, we finally process the surface to the desired state, again using sandpaper.

Note. To protect the podium from mechanical stress, it must be covered with epoxy mixed with fiberglass. This composition must be applied according to the instructions, first in an even layer on the surface of the podium, and only then fiberglass putty is applied. At the end, you need to smooth everything out carefully. A rubber spatula is perfect for this job. Thus, the formation of folds is prevented and the fabric completely follows the contours of the podium.

At the final stage, the podium must be covered with artificial leather. A technical hair dryer will help soften the material so that it lays down in an even layer. You need to fix the leather on the podium using a stapler, and cut off the excess material with a knife;

Faux leather in different colors

Next, you need to secure the podium to the Priora doors using self-tapping screws. They must be screwed in from the back side of the casing, and not from the outside. Everything, including the trim itself, door handles and decorative elements, is put in place.

Note. In order to more securely fix the homemade podium to the door, the use of special protrusions on the door is provided.

As a result, quickly, and without spending extra money on buying a podium, you can assemble it yourself and install it on the Priora. The cost of the operation is minimal, the costs are only for consumables, including plywood, glue, putty, and so on. Watching thematic videos and photo materials will only be beneficial; the instructions should be studied thoroughly.

High-quality sound in a car is ensured by installing and connecting several speakers to the media system. The larger the tweeter, the louder the sound will be.

And the more speakers, the more voluminous the sound from the radio in the cabin. This is why many owners decide to install podiums on the front doors of the Priora to increase the playback volume. The speakers can be placed either at the top or at the bottom of the door.

Features of choosing and installing podiums for speakers on Priora

High-quality sound in a car is ensured by installing and connecting several speakers to the media system. The larger the tweeter, the louder the sound will be.

New podiums on the Priora in the front doors: differences and features of the products

Before choosing a podium for Priora tweeters, the buyer needs to determine their appropriate size. This applies not only to the purchased speakers, but also to the free space left for a comfortable stay in the cabin. It is unacceptable to install an element that is too bulky, since it will not allow either the driver or the passenger to sit properly in the cabin.

In addition, the podiums should be conveniently attached to the side pads. The newly acquired elements must lie exactly on the surface of the door, without blocking the pocket. And special podiums for Priora, installed in the upper part of the sidewall near the pillar, will allow you to add new notes to the sound. And also achieve surround sound transmission.

New podiums on the Priora in the front doors: differences and features of the products

The external design of the podiums also plays an important role. For example, in a car with a classic black and gray finish, you can buy podiums on a Priora in regular black or dark gray. But silver linings will look no less attractive, giving the interior a more modern look.

A car with a brown or beige finish should be complemented with podiums in a coffee or pleasant brown shade.

Small additions should not only be of high quality and convenient. The elements must look stylish in the car where they are installed. That is why only stylish podiums on Priora with tweeters can complement the interior and create really good sound from the media system. And during operation they will not cause any discomfort or noise.

Do-it-yourself acoustic podiums at Priora

Acoustic podiums at Priora

Acoustic podiums on a Priora are very necessary when the owner is thinking about improving the acoustic characteristics of the car. The fact is that for normal sound reproduction in the cabin, the front speakers play an important role. It would be wrong to install ordinary small speakers in the door panels and trust them to reproduce powerful sound, since they will not cope with their task. And large speakers will not be able to be installed until acoustic podiums are installed on the Priora.

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