Upgrading the sound system in a daily driver is one thing; creating a show-worthy A/V setup that looks as good as it sounds is another thing entirely.
That's why New Hampshire-based customizer Brian Boisvert turned to the pros at Wicked C.A.S. in Kingston, NH, when it came time to design and install the new JL Audio system in his '95 Toyota Supra. "I've owned this vehicle since 1998 and it's been an ongoing project," Boisvert says. "I did the majority of the work myself, but did get some help along the way. This time I got to spend a lot of time with Nazar Demir at Wicked C.A.S. and learned a lot of the how and whys all of the devices work together."
More than just an A/V system on wheels, Boisvert and Co. also overhauled the Supra's exterior and beefed up its engine during the latest round of upgrades, adding a turbocharger, new suspension and a custom front end.
So, how much will an install like this set you back? "I can't disclose that information or I will be killed and buried out back," Boisvert says and laughs. "That's the rule."
Head Unit
Rather than anchoring the Supra's A/V system with a traditional head unit, Boisvert instead mounted a Mac mini computer under the dash to handle all of his audio and digital video needs. "The Mac mini plays to two 10-inch Xenarc touchscreens to control movies, music videos, hard drive audio, pictures and ECU management for the engine," he says. A Kenwood DDX6019 DVD player/monitor in the dash distributes the Mac's signal to the overall A/V system and handles all of the video switching duties.
Monitors
In addition to the 7-inch Kenwood in the dash, Boisvert mounted a pair of Xenarc 10-inch touchscreen monitors-one in the trunk for shows and one in the dash in a custom airbag enclosure-that display video from the Mac and real-time engine information.
Front Speakers
The Supra's front soundstage consists of a set of JL Audio ZR650-CSi 6.5" components mounted in custom door grilles that were cut and molded to fit the contours of the interior panels. Like the rest of the car, the doors were stripped down and covered with Hushmat sound dampening material to cut down on resonance and road noise.
Rear Speakers
In back, a pair of JL Audio XR650-CXi 6.5" fullrange speakers was installed in the factory baffles. "In the Supra, the factory enclosures only fit a slim speaker, so we modified the panel and sound deadened it to the steel to create a sealed enclosure," Boisvert says of the rear installation.
Amplification
Given the Supra's limited trunk space, one of Boisvert's primary goals for the amprack was to keep it "as stealth as possible" so that he could still store the car's Targa roof in the trunk when he needed to. With this in mind, he created a low-profile rack using 0.5" x 0.5" tubular steel and welded it directly to the factory bolt locations. Two JL Audio amplifiers-a multichannel 450/4v2 for the front and rear component speakers and a monoblock 1000/1v2 for the three subwoofers-provide 1,450-watts RMS and handle all of the system's power needs. The amprack also houses one of the Xenarc monitors, mounted front and center.
Subwoofers
To achieve his space-saving goals without sacrificing low-end performance, Boisvert installed three JL Audio 8W7 8" subs in a custom fiberglass enclosure. The rear-firing subwoofers and dished-face enclosure maximize the performance of the minimalist 8W7 setup.
Exterior
In addition to the Alpine-silver paint job, Boisvert upgraded his Supra with 19" CCW 505A wheels, a custom Wings West front end and a Tein Flex suspension system. Underhood, he installed a Sound Performance SP63 turbo with a 4" cold-air chrome intake, a HKS Ti exhaust system and a GReddy three-row intercooler for maximum performance with minimal weight.