A client from Schuylkill County contacted Mobile Edge for some help with his classic Dodge Charger audio system. He bought the car just over a year ago with most of the interior work already done. Whoever installed the radio wired it after the kill switch, so it would never remember the tuner presets and clock settings. The client coincidentally was at our shop for a remote starter on his son’s truck. He asked if we could have a look at the Charger and fix the radio wiring.
Muscle Car Sound System
The Charger arrived in a trailer. We rolled it into the shop and had a look at it with the client. It already had a custom center console and speakers in the kick panels, but the system didn’t look the way he wanted. It also wasn’t much of a surprise that the stereo was hard to hear over the massive supercharged engine.
We suggested replacing the bolt-on speaker pods in the front of the car with a set of custom speaker panels. A four-channel amp and a pair of subs would round out the upgrades to make sure the system would sound great.
Hot Rod Speaker Upgrade
Mike built up a set of speaker-mounting baffles for the kick panels. He then wrapped them in fabric and fiberglass. He sanded the fiberglass resin impregnated cloth smooth, then set to work building a removable trim panel for the speakers. Metal mesh protects the Hertz DSK165 components, and carbon fiber grain vinyl gives the grille a modern look.
Custom Amp Rack and Subwoofer Upgrade
We installed a pair of Hertz D300 12-inch subwoofers in a shallow truck box that fits perfectly under the rear parcel shelf of the Charger. Mike welded up a mounting bracket for the Hertz HCP 5D five-channel amplifier that powers the system. We added a vinyl trim panel around the amplifier and installed red LED lights on either side. We fabricated a frosted Plexiglas trim panel with the Charger logo. The panel covers the amp and is surrounded by red vinyl.
Fuel Cell Trim Panel
The client had mentioned that he didn’t like the look of the raw fuel cell in the trunk of the car and asked if we could make a cover for it. Mike fabbed up a trim panel and added a vinyl-wrapped R/T logo to the center for a little extra style. The owner can remove the cover at car shows so people can see the racing fuel cell.
Center Console Upgrades
The interior of the Charger looked much better with the new kick panel speaker enclosures in place, but their refined styling made the center console look out of place. Whoever originally built the console wrapped it with a carbon-fiber vinyl sticker. The client asked if we could re-finish the console and improve the way it blended into the dash.
We removed the radio, gauges, switches and the trim around the TCI Outlaw pistol-grip shifter, then removed the console from the car. We peeled off the sticker vinyl and prepared the painted fiberglass console for the same vinyl we used on the kick panels. Once wrapped, Mike created a set of leather-grain vinyl-wrapped accent panels for either side of the console. This provides a balanced look to the vehicle interior. We reinstalled the console and mounted all the equipment back in place, including the rewired radio so it works properly.
Classic Dodge Charger Audio System Upgrade
With the fabrication and installation complete, Mike dialed in the sound system using our RTA to ensure it would sound great and play loud without distorting. Once it sounded perfect, it was time to turn this amazing hot rod back over to its owner. The client was thrilled with the sound of the stereo and loved the way the interior looked.
This classic Dodge Charger audio system looks and sounds great! Whether you are from the small town of Shenandoah like this client, or a big city like Philadelphia or New York, Mobile Edge in Lehighton would be happy to help with the upgrades to your muscle car. For more information or to schedule a consultation, give us a call at 610-377-2730 or send us an e-mail using the big red button below.
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