Project 500

Long awaited final finish update for the rather special project 500.

Smallest car we’ve ever worked on, with possibly the largest bespoke install we’ve done to date.

Jay (owner) gave us a call some time ago about finishing his long term mk2 project (TBC) and as we got talking we found ourselves moving onto his new Fiat 500 Arbarth and what possibilities there were for an all out audio system in such a small new car…

Jay already had plans for product, we just needed to bang together some ideas about a finished product and how we could build a demonstration level car that could be used daily aswell as being show ready.. The rest is pretty much history.

With some of the best products the industry has to offer and some very enthusiastic installation we set about building what has to be one of our best cars to date

And the finished product?

Audison Bit One processor mounted in a bespoke rear door card –

Distribution mounted in the opposing door card –

Bespoke front door cards

And the money shot -

An install which was described by the customer as “Far beyond what he ever imagined”…

Job well done.

Shakey – SIC

WE HAVE MOVED!

Lo everyone, we’ve moved to our new website now with everything included… come check it out and shift it over in your bookmarks!

Plenty more up to date updates on the new one,

http://www.studioincar.com/

Many thanks, sorry for any inconvenience caused!

SIC.

New Hoyles products just landed..

So we threw a set of strut top covers on nicks mk2 project…

They look right at home in nicks bay, a must for any properly executed engine bay…

Keep em peeled while we put some more parts to the test…

Hoyles Bespoke Designs

Now Distributors of Hoyles Bespoke Designs machined products.

An exciting opportunity for us at SIC, we can now offer Billet products from custom top mounts to bespoke sump’s through centre lock adapters. Basically as far as imagination goes.

Various different finish’s, metal grades etc available, all machined in the Uk to the highest possible standards.

Take a look at a few of the pictures on my flickr account, after a tester today I am sure you’ll be as impressed as we are.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38817614@N03/

a few more shots..

centre lockers.. why not?

Development will be directly related to interest to ensure the guys at HBD can deliver a product thats right for all of us! This of course means that feedback is a must, enquiries Can come through studioincar@gmail.com

Keep em peeled..

Sound Posture….

So then, we took Max’s 8p a3 in a week or so before early edition, with no deadline.

Plans were for a nice subtle well sounding installation. This changed somewhat and ended up with various other task being taken on.

Since the car was purchased it has always sat a bit pony, we spec’d a couple of things to sort out bringing the front down and back into line with the rear, as well as customising some ARB droplinks to make everything still work as it should (well in jim)..

A full wheel rebuild was also on the cards while we had the car changing them from the tan colour they were (to presumably match the trim) to an all black wheel for a much harder look..

A couple of other things around the car where changed to create a much classier feel as a whole package like, 2011 rears lights, satin black highlights around the car..

All in all producing the complete look of the car you see now.

Looks incredible sat static, even harder on the move.

Then we carried out the original job, The audio…

The car had suffered from a butchering session when it came to this having obviously had an install in the first place. The only speakers left were the factory woofer and the centre channel speaker on the dash!

System spec -

JL Audio XD400-4 4 channel amplifier
JL Audio 12″w3v2-2 subwoofer
JL Audio c3 650 csi component set in factory locations with reinforced baffles.
DYNAMAT.

A bespoke enclosure was made in the wheels well, the amp was hidden and a custom floor/top plate was made to finish it off in a minimalistic classy way in fitting with the new look of the car. Unfortunately we couldn’t get a matching leather in time so i trimmed it with some mercedes avant garde that i had on the roll and alcantara.

Ultimately Max is stunned with the turn around, the sound of the system and the reaction at the recent Early edition show, which makes it all worth while.

With a list of other things and a possibility of full paint this signature build could be about to get a whole lot fresher!

Cheers for reading,

Shakey.

Darrens mk4, the finale….

Darrens (G-werks) mk4 has been with us this week for some audio, the brief was an understated build which incorporated and under floor enclosure for a subwoofer/hidden amp and front door speakers.

Not as straight forward as it sounds considering there was a fantastic install already in the car built by the guys at plush automotive respectively, ive got to give it to these lads there work was fantastic. Unfortunately it had no audio in it so we decided to shift everything round to get some sound in here!

What we wanted to deliver was a very well sounding car from a system with a very low price point basically to A, prove it can be done. B, allow a solution to a whole market at a cost effective level and C Keep Darren happy with the same excellent level of build quality.

We achieved all of the above.

Heres a few pictures of the finished product,

There you have it, i’m happy, Darrens happy, job jobbed.

I’d just like to say its been an absolute pleasure to work on this car

Theres already plans together to take it a little further, i’ll keep you posted as and when.

Cheers for looking,

Shakey.

Coming soon…

This has just been delivered, the infamous G werks mk4…

Keep an eye out…

Shakey.

Black, white…..

And soon to be ‘read’ all over….

So about a month ago this turned up –

tosh’s mk2, originally a valver to have an Abf installed in the most subtlest of ways and have some fitment, new lines and all the jazz… some powder coating had been done subframes/wisbones arb etc before it got here –

so i stripped it down and got on with refurbishing the servo/master cylinder and running tucked lines etc

then got the donor engine apart and got the powder coating sorted,

at this point VW where called and all new bolts were ordered, on with building the new engine..

Then it was on with the in!

then it was to ancillaries etc….

then test driven!

Every thing went very well, had to re align the gear linkages etc and then it was faultless!

=============================

During the build Tosh’s wheel turned up, the pair of us took them down to vern to have the tyre put on and then we came back to get them on the car…

fitment maths was perfect…

And the finished article ready for UD….

Larvly…..” alt=”null” />

The Perfect Finish?

Well another batch of coating has come back from the wheel specialist, and i must say these guys just keep excelling themselves.

this particular batch is my own, for my car. The colour is “Advan grey metallic” and i think its close enough to be oe, but far away enough to look custom, a mix i’ve been trying to pull in with the whole car.

check a couple of pictures out of what iive collected this week, hopefully the pics will portray just how good this stuff is.

a close up of my brake calliper –

another of my callipers, obviously taken just after de-masking –

My VWR inlet manifold and my rocker -

As usual, any interest in coating to this level in pretty much any finish then just give us a shout.

cheers,

shakey.

Just a chilled out saturday…

Thought i’d get a quick shot of the workshop this afternoon.. Saturdays always feel a little more laid back.. Wait untill you see it next saturday.

/excited..

The tune of today was – Digable Planets – Cool like dat

Take a listen and let it play while you have a read through the blog..

Cheers for sticking around,

Shakey.