by CAE , Jul 01, 2008
As if the "in-your-face" speakers on the dash weren't enough, two more Kicker eights occupy a customized center console enclosure above the shifter, firing more midbass frequencies to both passenger and driver. On top of that, a second set of component speakers resides in custom kick panels to complete the front stage.
These features are perhaps what led 25-year-old Phillip Carey to purchase his '00 V-Dub Beetle. "All I ever owned were Volkswagens," Carey exclaimed. Only several weeks after the purchase of the brand-new vehicle, Carey was bit by his "bug." He felt the infamous "itch that needed to be scratched," which all tuners seem to go through, taking a perfectly good car and turning it into something more unique. "I had primer on the doors and a flip-down monitor while still riding on its 30-day tag," he added. The metamorphosis started with slight body modifications that quickly led to the complete removal of the interior.
Subs
Hitting the low notes isn't a problem for this system. Three Kicker CompVR 12-inch subwoofers in a sealed custom enclosure provide chest-pounding bass for everyone within a one-block radius. However, in order to accommodate the box to house the subs, the rear seats were ditched. In their place reside a custom enclosure made of 3/4-inch MDF and fiberglass. Carey's fabrication experience makes all the difference in how this enclosure looks, appearing as if this were an option right off the showroom floor. He carefully positioned the subs in a triangular arrangement for optimal cosmetic appeal then followed it up with matching candy orange paint.
Dash Head Unit
The audio transformation of this Beetle started within its dash area. Carey wanted a source unit that would entertain as well as help him find the hottest spots in his town of Dallas, N.C., so he chose Pioneer's AVIC-N2 to get the job done. The stock head unit was quickly pulled out of the cavity, and the slick all-in-one N2 slipped right in its place. With a push of a button on the Pioneer head unit, Carey gets access to all his sources and the database that contains millions of points of interest through the built-in motorized 7-inch touchscreen display.
Amps
With an array of speakers in the car, Carey needed some serious horsepower to control them. Kicker's powerful amplifiers had the "oomph" and the cosmetic appeal that he was looking for. The Kicker ZX500.1 mono amplifier handled the job for the subs, while the Kicker ZX350.4 4-channel amplifier powered the rest of the speakers. Once more, he needed to find room for the amps and chose to sacrifice the trunk space for "show." After careful consideration, the amprack was built directly behind the sub box, which flowed nicely into the trunk. With more fiberglass work and matching suede, the amplifiers were comfortable in their place.
Dash Speakers
For speakers, the Beetle's unique ultra-deep dash provi...