current project: debuts soon at Import Expo Houston!
 

Been working on this since last weekend, to debut at the Import Expo in Houston. Look for a black Lexus GS300 with a bodykit.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...3/fd424d15.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...4/fd424d17.jpg

This is what I finished as of tuesday night, final pictures will be posted soon.

Also look out for the Mercedes Benz again, the owner is not sure if he wants it in the show yet. A crowd of 50,000+ people, a few of them recognized the car when it was parked out and decided to vandalize it. Its been redesigned again.

whats going in the box? JLs?

Image Dynamics ID-Max subs.

I really didnt want to fire the subs down, but the client insisted that he wanted to see the inside of the box and the magnets of the subs. Tomorrow we will be painting most of the pieces that arent shown in the pics yet.

If I had more time and a little more in the budget, the box interior would have been a little more wild.

With all the JL amps and obvious excess of funds, why didn't he go with W7's????:confused:

how much is something like this running the customer?
im wanting to open up an audio shop in the future. is it worth it financially. i was thinking no matter what kind of car you drive. you'd want audio.
i love systems and i just got started with them.

He was originally intending to go with Zapco amps, but they couldnt get the particular models shipped here in time for the show. Also the JL amps costed him 50% less than the Zapcos and he has alot more power to spare with the JL amps.

As far as speakers we were set on Image Dynamics all along. Of course with the ID-Max subs, he also has a set of horns and mids for front stage, and a set of coaxials for rear stage.

Finished building in the side panels and will start painting the fiberglass parts on friday. Im hoping to have the comlete car finished up by next tuesday.

Is it worth it financially? That depends on your finances. Its a luxury item market, people would love to have a nice car stereo, but they also have more necessary expenses such as food, rent, children, car payments, etc. Location, marketing, sales staff, installation quality, and product lines will all affect your success in this market.

I could write a book about opening a car audio shop, and the financial commitment it would take. It takes money to secure product lines since you have minimum orders and inventory required. Also dont forget the installers salary.

I planned to open my own shop, and thought long and hard about it. I scouted 2 ideal locations, studied market trends here, and talked to manufacturers and reps about acquiring product lines, talked to former shops I worked for in the area, and talked to potential staff recruits. Lets just say I was looking at a $3 million start up cost to acquire the land and build a facility on it, and acquire the product lines, inventory, staff, and proceed with other plans for the business.

I have a complete professional portfolio presentation prepared with plans and a time schedule that I have presented to banks while seeking financing. What do you think most people would say to a 3 million dollar car stereo shop?

My labor rate is $65 per hour. We agreed to a set labor fee of $4,500 seperate from his equipment and parts cost. His total budget is about $12,000 including equipment so far.

Why rear speakers?!?!....Image doesn't recommend rears when using HLCD's!! I would think that unless you cut ALL high frequency information to those things that your image will absolutely collapse. The horns should be able to provide enough ambience as is.

Not trying arguing with you, just wondering what your reasoning is for doing something that I find so counter-intuitive.

What model Horns and mids are you using? Also, who's supplying the EQ?

Here's why I'm asking...my new sytem will be CD1 Pro Mini Horns and CX 6.2's with one IDMAX.

My only reasoning and input on this car is the design and fabrication. The customer insisted on purchasing the brand and models of equipment he specified.

Trust me, I know what youre saying about using the horns and rear fill. Matt at ID was giving me hell, but it is what the customer wants. We are using the CD1PRO MH, CX6.4 mids, CXS5.4 coaxials, and a pair of ID-Maxs.

This is being built purely as a mild show car, not a true SQ car. Thankfully its an import show and not a sponsored autosound event. SQ and audio performance isnt judged in these import show events, and the owner will never enter the car into a true audio competition. He just wants the proper equipment lines and a show installation that looks like it could compete in autosound events.

However his limited labor budget isnt going to build an SQ vehicle. I was expecting him to spend more on his labor once I explained several ideas I had for the design. That budget was cut, along with an audition and SQ work budget. So for now everything just goes in really pretty.

It's a shame.....once again, horns will get a bad wrap!!! Brings tears to my eyes...I'm sure Matt and Eric were less then pleased.

I think that's why I could never work at a shop...I couldn't do systems my way. I couldn't bite my tongue just to keep the customer happy....

Good luck on the install....oh and hey...what's that soundstream reference doing in the trunk?!!....it should have blown up years ago :D!!

Matt was swearing and making me promise not to get this car published in any autosound magazines.

I have my personal cars and company demo cars I get to design and build, so customers' demands dont really bother me that much. Also I dont complain much when Im making $4,000 for 2 weeks of work. As long as the customer pays my labor rates or an agreed fixed price, I can be content with doing what they want.

Im suprised the Soundstream was still kicking myself. It was from a previous installation powering his mids and highs. Done by another shop of course. Anyways I should send the SS Reference back to the company so they can put it on a gold pedistal in thier lobby as one of their only amps that never self destructed, exploded, or burst into flames :p

on that note...I have a Reference 500 that's still kicking....I'm mailing mine in first!!!!

OMG. UR GETTIN 2 IDMAX'S. I GOT 1, dvc 4 ohm. i 'm lookin for one more. how much ur gettin each for?? those jl are nice expensive amps. 500/1?? i luv my dei 1100d but jl are great amps.

what freq ur port gonna be?? 28? damn tell me what u hit with 2. i'm lookin for 1 more soon. but can't seem to find 1 more at 4ohms.

UPDATED!
 

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/fd091730.jpg
redesigned recently

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...6/fd09172c.jpg
Image Dynamics ID-Ones, 3,000 JL Watts, Phoenix Gold PowerCore, Sony PS2, Alpine Digital Processor, Alpine VCR

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...7/fd09172e.jpg
Right side of trunk

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...f/fd09172d.jpg
Left side of trunk

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...2/fd091731.jpg
Interior 7" Alpine motorized screens, rear custom console

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...e/fd091732.jpg
Battery management

BEAUTIFUL. :thumbup:

final product is sweet, good job arch:thumbup:

Oh yeah, I have a Soundstream Reference 414S that's in mint condition and still ticking, it's a newer model than the one that's pictured in his trunk though.

did you use mostly fiberglass for the side panels in the trunk or bendable wood?

either way looks really good, keep it up.

Re: UPDATED!
 

You sure about that....should be IDMAX's...if you had an IDONE, let alone multiples, I'd have to kill you on the jealousy factor alone. :D

Nice work

arch_iceman back from the dead just to show off....:fawk: ;)

nice work y0! did you convince the owner about changing the original plans? The first pic looked like the subs were hitting down which would have been....eh.....ok I guess :p

what kind of car is this in?