Even if you inherit a heap or can't save up enough for a newer car, you can still sport a slick ride. Older vehicles provide a blank canvas for your A/V schemes, as oftentimes there's nothing worth saving inside the cabin. But even if you don't have a lot of cash to overhaul a car, with a little elbow grease and a few smart choices, you can accomplish a lot.
In this case, we transformed this 10-year-old Saturn SC2 coupe into a bass machine for a hip-hop lover while keeping it completely usable as a daily driver. On top of that, we decided that the system should be simple enough for a dedicated DIYer to build. The owner already had a single-DIN head unit, woofer in a vinyl-wrapped box and aftermarket replacement speakers. We tore everything out and started from scratch.
Budget Dash
Handling audio and video source, a Pioneer AVIC-D3 replaces the previous head unit and provides navigation from the center stack (www.pioneerelectronics.com). This relatively inexpensive piece is a significant upgrade from the portable nav that was suction cupped to the windshield. To integrate it into the dash, we had Lorenzo DiMichieli of Quality Mobile Video in Glendale, CA, create a custom bezel out of ABS, body filler and some paint. If you've followed our Tricks of the Trade column, you'll know that this is a relatively easy thing to do for a great custom result. To the left of the steering column, a controller for the Horntones car horn was installed. With nine presets, this customizable horn lets you upload your own MP3s and sound clips.
Bring In The Bass
The trunk of this coupe wasn't large to start with, but there was enough room to create an effective sub setup without losing much storage space. DiMichieli got to work on a sealed box for a pair of Crossfire subs (www.crossfirecaraudio.com). Constructed predominantly out of MDF and acrylic, the finished box holds the two P1228 subwoofers. A lot of Hushmat damping material (www.hushmat.com) was used, so despite the noise that these subs bring, you won't hear any rattle.
To make room for the two Crossfire amps, a XP600D and an XP6004, DiMichieli removed the spare tire and built an amprack in its place. Black acrylic sets the dark amplifiers off. An MDF grille cut in a freestyle pattern protects the amps, while a false floor smoothes out the trunk area. Matching vinyl covers both the subwoofer enclosure and the trunk walls for a cohesive look.