In the trunk the first thing most people notice is the pair of 12" Alpines that hang from the rear deck. This was my first attempt at infinite baffle in my Neon and I had to do a little research to find out what subs would work properly with this type of install. The Alpines work very well and I'm quite happy with the performance. The next part of the trunk your eyes are drawn to is usually the spare rim. Yes, it is a real rim, or should I say, was a real rim. When I first bought my rims I took a trip on the local highway where I hit a rather large pothole. This put a dent in the rim that could not be fixed. So instead of sending it to the dumpster, I had it cut in half and now use it as part of my install.
Just ahead of the rim is the system's amplification. A pair of Memphis Belle's do the job for me-one for the left side, one for the right. I've made a few cosmetic changes to the amps. I machined out the middle of each amp and inserted a piece of 0.25" Wenge veneer. The amps have been painted to match the Alpine subs. Like all the components in the trunk, the amps are mounted on 0.25" aluminum plate. The corners of the trunk have what looks like two more amps, but in fact they are just faux covers designed to add symmetry to the trunk. The first covers hide the Alpine PXA-H701 (again mounted on aluminum plate) and the second covers the amplifier's automated cooling system. I built and designed this system myself. Under the amplifier are six individually controlled fans. Each fan has a separate temperature sensor and each fan's speed is controlled according to the temperature of the area it's designed to cool. Cool air is brought into the amp from under the car and expelled into the trunk. As a secondary means of cooling, I added a compressed air tank that helps bring the amps back to normal running temperatures fast. The tank is also controlled by the automated cooling system.
What's next: Continue tuning and make small install changes, as I need them. The only equipment upgrade I would like to make right now would be to update my head unit. Other then that I'm happy with the way the car turned out and since I do all my installs by myself, I think I'm ready for a little rest. I'm sure my wife would agree with this decision.
Competitor: Andy Jones
Ride: '07 Nissan Altima 2.5SL
Installer: Audio Designs of Atlanta: Jeff Smith, James Stanton and Dave Dopson
Source: Alpine IVA-W200
Processor: Alpine PXA-H701
Amps: Genesis Series 3, Dual Mono Extreme (4)
Speakers: Hybrid Audio Technologies-Legatia L641-3
Subwoofer(s): 10" Image Dynamics IDQV3 (3)
Wiring: Hooker Audio
Battery: Powermaster
Sound Deadening: B-Quiet
Insider info: Kick panels that caused no loss of interior space; Alpine Processor hidden inside Genesis amplifier heatsink; hinged amprack used to maintain spare tire; subwoofer enclosure mounted in the rear deck to save trunk space; blacked-out interior of the vehicle from factory off-white.
What's next: Minor changes and more tuning.