Even at first glance, a casual admirer can't help but notice the striking graphics and the larger-than-life rolling stock tucked neatly beneath Justin Efkowitz's 2002 Chrysler 300M. Twenty-two-inch Davin rims and airbrushed graphics will upgrade any vehicle, but closer inspection of this 300M reveals that these mods are only the finishing touches to this full-tilt show car. Built with the intention to fulfill driver/owner Justin Efkowitz's lifelong dream of having a one-of-a-kind show car, it has created quite a buzz since its debut at CES. Most recently it took first place at Car Audio mag's Trifecta event, picking up $500 and an invite to the finals at SEMA. Deservedly so. This 300M features some of the most unique adaptations of custom motorization exhibited in a show car to date. The only exterior cue to the unique method of entry into the vehicle is the absent seam between the front and rear doors. Also absent are the B-pillars, which have been removed to permit the custom fused doors to motorize straight out, then swing up to allow entry into the vehicle. This complex door setup was but one of the numerous obstacles faced by Tweeter's Mobile Fabrication Team (Matt Turner, Billy Brown, Randy Lively, Chris McEntyre) during the build, but has certainly proven to be one of the most notable design elements of the vehicle.
The installation team was faced with an extremely tight schedule to transform Efkowitz's box stock 300M into a jaw-dropping showpiece in less than 20 weeks. Teardown for the audio system began in October 2005, and so began the monumental task of building a first-class show car destined for the Focal/Audison booth in early January at the 2006 CES Show in Las Vegas. With the interior completely gutted, the installation team seized the opportunity to apply a modest layer of Dynamat Extreme to every exposed inch of the 300M's sheet metal. This would all but eliminate any chance of unwanted resonance in the passenger compartment. A single Optima deep-cycle battery resides in the factory location under the hood, and two Cascade 75-amp power supplies were installed to relieve the battery while the vehicle is on display. All power cable, speaker cable and interconnects are from JL Audio. For serviceability, the fuses for all components of the multimedia system and motorization are centrally located behind the rear seats.
Smoothness Below
An attempt to list and describe every customized element of Efkowitz's 300M would be futile, due primarily to the fact that the entire interior was hand built by the installation team over the course of seven weeks out of the 19-week total build time. The finished product is a perfect blend of form and function. Its sculpted dash with centered gauges flows into the fluid-like center console that continues rearward between each pair of Corbeau racing seats and blends into the rear deck. Appropriately located within the center console are the components that serve as the foundation of the multimedia system, which includes: a 10-inch Xenarc touchscreen monitor, an Alpine CDA-9855 source unit, an Apple MacMini computer and an iPod dock for an additional audio and sole video source. Tucked between the rear seats under a sheet of acrylic is the hideaway module for the Alpine PXA-H701 processor, with the display flush-mounted in the headliner just above the rear view monitor. Two of the five Audison amplifiers are flush-mounted below the rear seats.
Elaborate Trusses Above
In stark contrast to the very smooth lines of the dash and center console, the overhead truss system that forms the backbone of the one-of-a-kind door motorization is a CNC-machined aluminum masterpiece that exudes strength, not to mention a cool modern aesthetic. Incorporated into this hand-assembled structure are linear actuators and electric motor/gear assemblies that operate the doors; a pair of 7-inch Xenarc monitors for rear seat entertainment; and an additional Alpine monitor in place of a rear view mirror that is tied to a backup camera. The rigid truss system provides the required strength to support the added weight of the 300M's custom doors that have been fused on both sides, effectively transforming Efkowitz's ride into a two-door. Both the front and rear stage drivers are housed in custom pods that span the length of each door. A pair of Focal 6 1/2" midbass drivers and a single Beryllium tweeter in each corner creates four separate Diappolito arrays for an extremely powerful soundstage-regardless of the seating position. To enter the vehicle, a simple touch of a button on the Viper remote sets the doors in motion. The doors motorize straight out before rotating 180 degrees up from the pivot point in the center of the roof to swing up and out of the way above the roofline.
Quick, Tight And Low
To complement the powerful front and rear stage, two separate sub enclosures were built into the 300M for the much-needed low-frequency response. The first of the two enclosures is concealed behind the dash and features a Focal 21 WX Be 8" woofer for quick, tight bass response to blend with the midbass drivers in the doors. The second sub enclosure is a massive vented enclosure that consumes the majority of the trunk, housing two Focal 33 KX 13" subs for the deeper bass response to blend with the dash mounted sub. The trunk is also home to the other three Audison amplifiers that power the system. Powering the front stage is an HV Venti Thesis 2-channel reference amplifier mounted on illuminated acrylic just behind the sub enclosure in the center of the trunk. Delivering the beats to the rear subs are two VRx 1.500 amplifiers that are molded into either side panel of the trunk. The sub enclosure and all trim panels for the amplifiers in the trunk were smoothed and finished in silver with airbrushed graphics to match the rest of the installation. Rounding out the additions to the 300M's trunk is the 10-inch Xenarc touchscreen monitor - used for demonstration purposes - mounted to the underside of the trunk lid on a custom machined aluminum truss. This monitor, its counterpart in the dash and the overhead monitors can display the A/V system's controls, making it much easier for Efkowitz to demonstrate the elaborate multimedia system.
Finishing touches include numerous neon lights strategically placed throughout the vehicle to illuminate the key elements of the installation. Also added were custom Corbeau racing seats and a custom steering wheel that were finished in hues that echo the rest of the vehicle. Hats off to Tweeter's Mobile Fabrication team and all others who contributed to the creation of a truly unique show vehicle in such a short period of time. Efkowitz's immediate plan for the 300M is to hit as many shows as possible this year before making some minor tweaks and possible equipment changes for next year.