Subwoofer Placement and Pointing

Thanks much.  I'm glad to hear that your system turned out well. 

My box building information quest is because I have a similar situation to yours.  I want to minimize the impact on the ability to carry cargo.   That's why this box will be glassed around the passenger strut tower, taking up as little usable space as possible while optimizing the placement. 

It looks like I'll install the speaker facing straight back, with 3" or so clearance to the back of the vehicle.Enough so that nothing will hit it, but it'll be tucked away.

If  anyone has any insight on angling the speaker up towards the back glass, I'd love to hear what you have to say.   I should still have clearance to point the speaker in that direction while leaving the cargo cover installed.

An additional question:  Can part of the enclosure reside in front of the sub?  can that space be counted towards the total volume of the enclosure?  Any drawbacks?

-Greg 

This is more work and a bit more expense, but your best bet is to build a mock-up MDF box of the same cu ft as your intended permanent enclosure.  You might build it along the lines of this example so that you can experiment with aiming and tilt.  Find what sounds best to you, and works with the rest of your system...which may or may not be the loudest it can be!

You can then sell the box to a friend.

Very very true.  I'm pretty sure I will go this route.  I'm in no hurry to complete this project, and a couple of Pieces of MDF would give me some practice as well. 

Nope, it's a growler from Stoddard's Brewhouse in Cambell / Sunnyvale.  They're no longer in business.  I keep 1 growler (or 3, there's 2 wrapped in the towel) in the car for when I pass one of my favorite watering holes :)

Moylan's in Novato

Good eye though!

I just did a quick sketch of the test box I'll be building.  sorry for the crap quality I took a picture with a cameraphone.

this will give me 0, 45 & 22.5 degree angles to test with.