Car Audio Systems

Adding a car audio system to your ride? Here are some things you should know.
For some, the prospect of changing out speakers is a daunting one, since you have to remove the door panels to access the speakers tucked away within its walls. They are not a tricky as they seem, if you know the right techniques.
The first thing to do is to locate any screws holding the panel in place. These are generally found in or under the armrest piece, in the door opener latch, or near the bottom of the door panel. Remove as many as you can find to start.
With the screws removed, you will need to carefully pry the door panel off the door. Start in the bottom corner nearest the speaker. Gently pull the panel until it pops loose. There are usually several clips holding it in place. Work around the bottom of the door panel popping the clips out. Be careful to not break them, because you will need them to reinstall it. Continue around the outside of the panel until you have removed as many of the clips as you can. If you have power windows, doors, etc, remove the control panel from the door panel. It is usually clipped in place, and can be carefully pried out. Look for small notches that may give away the position of the clips. If you have mechanical windows, you will need to push the door panel into the door at the window crank, and look for the snap ring clip holding it in place. With a thin flathead screwdriver, pop the clip loose, taking special note of where it goes, as you will need it to secure the piece back in place. Once this is removed, you should have enough clearance to reach the speaker. If not, you can attempt to completely remove the door panel by sliding it upwards and out of the window compartment. You may be caught up by the door opener latch. These can be a little tricky, as some will slide in place horizontally, screw in, or pop out. Look for screws, and if you don't find any, try sliding it horizontally towards the inside. If that doesn't work, see if it pops straight out. It will be connected to the bars that pull the door latch, so they will have to be positioned correctly for the door panel to be removed. If there is a triangular piece of trim in the top corner of the door panel, you will need to remove it also. It also clips in place and can be removed. This should allow the door panel to slide out, assuming you have disconnected the control panels electrical wires.
You should now be in full view of the door speaker. it can be removed by removing the four screws holding it in place. You may also find that the connectors on these speakers won't work for your aftermarket ones, so you will have to clip the wires and attach the end connectors provided with your speakers. Pay attention to positive and negative here. If you are unsure of what is what, there are a few ways to check. Look at the terminals on the factory speaker. It may have a "+" and "-" sign designating positive and negative. If it doesn't tell you, you can log on to installdr.com and look up the color codes for the speaker, or try the battery test. Take a good charged battery and place one of the factory speaker wires (attached to the speaker) on the positive, and one on the negative of the battery. If the speaker pushes out, the polarity is correct as you have it, and attach the wires accordingly. If it pushes in, the polarity is reversed, so reverse the battery and try again. If it pushes out, wire the speakers following that polarity.
Install the speaker in the door by replacing the 4 screws and securing it in place, and reinstalling the door panel. be sure to slide it back down in place, and line up the clips exactly before applying pressure to reattach them. You don't want to break any of those. Finish screwing the door in place, then attach the window control panel/window crank, and congratulations, your done!

Putting the SHOW in Show Cars

Contrary to popular opinion, there is really only one thing that separates a show car from just another modified daily driver. That difference is DETAILS. A show car has to be flawless in craftmanship and in functionality to score major points. There are a few areas that can make our break your project. We will discuss the exterior first.

Starting with the exterior, you need a smooth, seamless body. This comes from long hard hours of preparation. Most show cars will have some sort of aftermarket body kit or exterior modifications done to them, and time put in the installation and prep work will shine through on the finished product. In our article, "Show Quality Body Kits" we discuss in detail how to get the flawless finish with an aftermarket body kit. We do this by bedding the kit to the adjacent exterior components. Once the fit is perfect, its time to get the finish perfect. Start with a good quality primer and evenly apply the primer to the areas to be painted. Carefully tape off and cover lights and areas that will be vulnerable to paint or overspray. It is typically a good idea with a show car to prep and paint the entire vehicle. Once the primer is applied, start sanding the car with 150 or higher grit sandpaper. Increase the grit up to 300-400 grit as you go to get a smooth-as-glass finish. Be aware of any swirl marks now, as they will show up once the paint and clear coat is applied. I would even wet sand the primer with the highest grit paper to get the smoothest finish.

Once you are satisfied with the surface, thoroughly clean and inspect the entire car before proceeding. With the car cleaned and dust free, and in a dust free, controlled environment, spray your base coat of paint using smooth even lines at about 12 - 16 inches from the vehicle. Be sure to cover the vehicle completely without overapplying in any areas. Some meticulous individuals will even wet sand again after the first base coat. Apply a full second coat of base paint, and touch it up with a light third coat.

Now using a high quality clear coat, spray the vehicle as you did with the first base coat, making sure to get good uniform coverage over the entire vehicle. Let it dry, and apply the second coat, being careful again not to overapply anywhere. After the second coat, you should have a mirror like shine to the finish, with no visible swirls or lines. Remove any tape or coverings, and clean any areas that may have come in contact with overspray. Let cure for 12 hours or so to be sure paint sets fully before exposing it to the elements.

Import Show Cars - Starting Your Project

Building a show car is an expensive, but personally rewarding endeavor. You can build your car for show, for speed, or both depending on your budget and personal taste. Here is a quick guide to creating your show car.

The first thing to do is to pick your tuner car. The imports make great tuners because of the endless aftermarket accessories available for them. Depending on how in depth you want your tuner project to be, select a car that is going to be the easiest to modify for the least amount of money. If you plan on custom paint, you can usually find a car that is in need of some paint work. if you are building an engine, it might not be a bad idea to get a car with a high milage engine to reduce the initial cost. Installting body kits? You may be able to afford some minor body damage to the bumpers or fenders.

Once you get your tuner car selected, it's time to start designing it. Look through google images, magazines, or catalogues for designs you like. Don't be afraid to mix and match kits either. Your show car will say a lot about your personality, so don't be afraid to put youself into it.

Eddie Paul, designer and builder of the cars from the Fast and the Furious (part one and two) suggest having a professional design your show car. It is easier to communicate what you want if you have a tangible image of the finished product. He suggest finding someone who specializes in auto artwork because the design will usually be more accurate, and in a lot of cases may cost less because most good auto artist can have a good rendering of your ideas in a matter of an hour or less. The old cliche' is true: a picture is worth a thousand words.

Now take some time and consider what you have created. Is this exactly what you want to create? If not, now is the time to discover that. Get opinions and input from people in the import show car industry. Changes on paper cost much much less than replacing body kits or repainting the project.

The next thing to do is to organize your plan and your budget. Start with what is most important to you. Keep in mind that if this tuner car is a daily driver you might need to plan ahead and get alternate transportation through friends or family. It usually takes a little longer than expected to finish different parts of the project. Map out which parts you want, how long it will take to pull them together, and how long it will take to install them. You are undertaking a huge project in your show car. See it through to the end. There are a lot of incomplete tuner show cars or restorations that you can find on eBay and other marketplaces from people giving up on them. The end result will be worth the wait.


Stay "tuned" for more info on Import Show Cars. Get a head start and find the auto accessories you want at Majestic Modifications Online.