Not intending to bore anyone here…just to share my first time experience with DIY… to upgrade my 2010 Ford Fiesta Mk 7.
First about the car… The Fiesta Mk 7 has component speakers in front comprising 165mm (61/2”) woofer and 25mm (1”) tweeters, and 165mm (61/2”) coaxial in the rear, all placed in the door panels.
The built-in HU has USB support and basic adjustments with extras like DSP occupancy and adaptive volume, the former optimizes for occupants (If you drive alone most of the time, sound is centred at the driver) whilst the latter adjusts volume according to sound levels in the car (Volume increases as you speed up).
For me, pretty decent for a built-in HU.
Checking around the many forums, the following upgrade paths were recommended:
1. Upgrade the front component speakers
2. Install Sub + amp
3. Install DSP or amp
The first option seemed the best way to start for my needs which was to generally get a better sound (SQ ???)... so started looking for options..
Walk into any Audio shop in Malaysia and this is what they would recommend… but I wasn’t sure most had enough experience with this car to recommend a proper upgrade. Based on advice from some sifus at the forum here, I would have to spend at least 1-1.5k for some decent speakers, with names like German Maestro and Ground Zero. Guys in the forums overseas were replacing with Focals and DLS which would cost even more here!!! Wow…what to do now?
Then I chanced upon this site :
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/build-...e-fiesta-1.html
The guy installed DLS 3-way speakers with the tweeter and mid in the A-pillars / sail window….
So I got to thinking, what if I use the existing tweeters and woofer, adding a mid…positioning the tweeters and new mid as him.
Pic of the existing tweeter with built-in cross-over



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Again, with some arm-chair research, decided on Vifa TG9FD for mid as the most bang for buck…but now…where to get them … the guy who used to sell them at Lowyat forums didn’t bring them in anymore…nobody else seemed to be selling them here in Malaysia….but then…Thank God for ebay…
Got a pair shipped from US for RM 270…(160 + 110 postage)
Wired them up (used the tweeters built-in cross-over) and placed them with blue Tack around the a-pillars with the tweeters and the sound was definitely an improvement …and since I would be running them passive, aimed them at the opposite occupants ear (Left speakers at driver and right speakers at front passenger)…



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Ok…Now the difficult part…fibreglass a-pillar…
Bought a 1” X 8” hardwood plank for RM 24 and got to work on the rings….
First mistake….…if you don’t have a router……forget about making round rings (or maybe I should have used softer kayu…) you can’t get the sides smooth enough and worse still …impossible to rout out the proper depth to set the speakers…
This was my first attempt…



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And then a second try…..


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Decided to go with this but changed tweeter placement using 11/4” PVC fitting






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After much sanding and painting….they looked like this ..


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Looked ok……until I tried to fix them up…..
The top and bottom speaker don’t line up….and the bottom was getting in the way of dashboard.
As a note, the car dashboard has 2 levels, so have to be careful preparing the enclosure. Also, have to be careful on the driver side so as not to block view. I suppose that the 31/2” Vifa is a bit too big and a smaller 3” would be more suitable…..
Anyway, made some changes to the design with the following result :



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Need some suggestions for the following :
• Speaker grill / covers – any ideas for DIY ?
• I painted the plastic with Samurai paints – doesn’t give the correct texture…tried covering with some cheap Carbon fibre stickers but difficult due to the many contours. Guess would be the same if use vinyl wrap…..any suggestions on how the professionals get it done? Saw some texture paint…I think Gox 7 costing around RM 50…any ideas if this will work? Or will plastic dip work ?
The orientation / direction need some adjustments as the right is facing slightly downwards so as not to block view……
Cost as follows :
• Vifa TG9FD 270
• Fibreglass Kit 150
• Speaker cables 20
• Putty 40
• Paints 60
• Kayu 24
• Sandpaper etc 20
Total = RM 584
(of course some of the expenditure on putty and paints were tuition fees due to the learning process)
Also bought a Dremel multi-pro with accessories costing around RM 230 but this is really useful around the house for any DIY fan.

Some things I discovered during this adventure :
1. When removing the plastic trim on the A-pillars, some care is required especially the topmost clip. Best to use a long screw driver to push it out of the socket.
2. Connecting the speakers from the door to the A-pillars will require 1m cable on each side.
3. The car accepts WAV files which are lossless…so quality seems better than mp3 although files are bigger. I have a 16GB with some 400 songs working without any issues.
4. Converting FLAC / CDs to WAV was done by Free Audio Convertor which you can get here……..http://www.freac.org/
5. You will need Torx drivers especially T20 and T25 and Moulding / trim removal tools.
6. For spray paints, I used Samurai which has a flat grey….they also have a putty filler which was used as base….maybe those with more experience would be able to get the correct texture.

Most of the tools I got off lelong or this DIY shop in Malim Jaya Melaka next to Pizza hut delivery, which is reasonably priced.
As for hardware, if you are in Puchong Utama, The Living Depot near Aeon Big has most items reasonably priced…and they open on Sundays.
Well…..still plenty of work to do…after which maybe a DSP Processor ?
Credits : MyWifeCar and craziechild who gave me some advice before I started on this…
PS…..This is just a simple setup for others who may not want to spend too much money and interested in DIY and have time (lots of time) …definitely cannot compete with any of the setups you guys have here….Don’t know anything about soundstage or any other foreign words you guys use…I just feel the sounds improved and good enough for me…
Anyone with the same car and needs any advice on removing the door panels and A-pillar trim can pm me…

Thanks for reading...

wow so awesome! but why not just upgrade the speakers instead of all the A pillar nastiness?

Wait a minute... so you lose your quarter window la? Then from outside, can see the speaker & fibreglass innards thru the quarter window?

Got Tint shop to fix a dark tint for RM15 before i re-installed the a-pillars (will take some pics and send later)...I think the sail window in just to brighten up the interior and not actually for any viewing...most important to ensure windscreen not obstructed

Yes...that would definitely be easier...not too sure if any speakers below 1k would be upgrade...but also more as something new for me to try to do...