When you approach a vehicle at a show, what's the first thing you notice? The flash, like motorization and paint? The craftsmanship, as evident in the fiberglass/dash work? The sound tickling your eardrums? It all depends on what the owner and installer want you to see and hear. For Scott Webb, marketing manager for the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show, top of his laundry list for a show car was high-end mobile electronics gear, and the kind of slick integration that would ensure that his vehicle stood out in a show jam-packed with amazing installations.
Before Webb's 2003 Mazda 6 could become the Official LA Auto Show Aftermarket Project Car, it would have to undergo some radical work. Alpine, the longtime choice for Webb, was dialed in, as was Automotive Entertainment in Santa Monica, CA. With an ETA of six weeks, the AE crew immediately got to work. As the vehicle was a pre-production prototype (one of the perks of Webb's job, eh?), most of the interior paneling was unfinished. This ended up creating more work for Automotive Entertainment but was ultimately beneficial, allowing the crew to take a fresh approach to the install.
First up for dash integration was Alpine's DVA-7996 AM/FM CD/DVD head unit, followed by a TME-M760 widescreen monitor. With all of this hot AV equipment in the dash, the A/C controls would have to be moved. And moved they were, up to the upper dash pocket. Of course, this was easier said than done, but after some clever rewiring and finishing, the results were outstanding.
The front speakers -- a set of Alpine SPX-177A's -- were mounted with the woofer in the door and the tweeter in the wing. A ring of MDF was used in the front to allow magnet clearance and for acoustics, since the insides of the doors were made of plastic. The tweeters were molded for a subtle trick look and to properly image into the driver's ears. In the rear, an identical set of Alpines was installed, and an MDF adapter made because the factory size was an unfriendly 5x7. Active crossovers were mounted and displayed in the trunk, powered by an Alpine MRV-F340 one-channel in each corner.
It was decided in advance that bass should be full and warm without the gear occupying too much space. Three Alpine SWS-1241D Type-S dual 4-ohm voice-coil subwoofers were mounted free-air to a 3/4-inch MDF baffle fastened to the rear deck. The subs were wired series-parallel for a 2.67-ohm load. Power comes courtesy an Alpine MRD-M500, which gives the subs plenty of power to pump.
The Mazda wouldn't be an example of aftermarket AV excellence without visual entertainment in the back seat, now would it? Two motorized Alpine TMX-R705's were installed in the headliner, the shrouds wrapped in matching cloth. Positioning was something of a bear for the AE crew, given the Mazda 6's low roofline. An Alpine TME-M760 was installed in the front passenger's visor -- I guess you're out of luck if you want to check your appearance in the mirror. An Alpine TCS-V430A diversity tuner was installed to allow each passenger the selection of a different visual source: PlayStation 2, TV or DVD. Inputs are selectable by a remote control. Wiring, interconnect, distribution and capacitors were supplied by Scosche/EFX.
Last but not least, the door panels were wrapped in Alante black vinyl. Above the door trays, the doors were covered in Alpine blue suede. All the black plastic parts were painted with light texture landau black. In the trunk, MDF panels were cut to snugly fit all the components and wrapped in star burst trunk liner. The top cover, which is actually two pieces, was also cut from MDF and routered around the edges to highlight each component.
"This was a moderately simple install," states Automotive Excellence, "with the exception of the relocation of the A/C controls. The system is so simple, even a grandma can operate it." Now there's something for the LA Auto Show attendees to see: Grandma rocking out in the Official LA Auto Show Aftermarket Project Car.
Driver Profile
When Scott Webb, marketing manager for LA Auto Show's Tuner arena, set about building a car for the 2003 LA Auto Show, he knew he wanted the car to embody the spirit of a superior high-end mobile electronics aftermarket vehicle and yet function as a task-oriented daily driver, instead of the likes of an oh-so-pampered trailer queen that never saw the dust of the streets.
Being a leader in many ways, including on the race track as a Pro Spec Miata driver, Webb settled on making the 2003 Mazda 6 the Official LA Auto Show Aftermarket Project Car, due to its fresh design and sports car soul. Being a Mazda racer, Webb wanted, "to be one of the first to take one apart, make it better and also make it a rolling testament to aftermarket tuning."
As is usually done with LA Auto Show project cars, Webb called on various exhibitors who show at LA Auto Show for product and services. Since Webb chose to start with the Mazda Sport Package and Sport Grille already in place, he could go right out of the box with building the team to make the 6 a winner. Since Scott Webb's first experience in custom audio was way back in 1988, where he himself installed a mostly Alpine system into his Shelby Charger right there in the courtyard of his Philadelphia college dorm, he has kept true to Alpine, which graciously provided all the audio for the install.
Scott wanted the car to showcase the latest mobile electronic trends without sacrificing utility and he feels that Automotive Entertainment has exceeded his expectations. After all, here's a finished car with a massive install that still has a usable trunk and a spare tire. How's that for functionality? --Asia Song
CABLING: Wiring, interconnect, distribution and capacitors were supplied by Scosche/EFX. |  | 
VISUALS: An Alpine TME-M760 was installed in the front passenger's visor, while an Alpine TCS-V430A diversity tuner was installed to allow each passenger the selection of a different visual source: PlayStation 2, TV or DVD. |
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