2000 Ford Excursion - Installation
by CAE, Jan 01, 2001
Another set of Crossfire 6-inch speakers is located in the rear doors, and a fourth pair is found in the rear side panels. "I went with Crossfire because they have good quality and pricing, and it's sometimes hard to get both," says Collins. "I knew they are durable speakers that can handle a lot of power without blowing out."
The subwoofer enclosure is actually two ported Plexiglas compartments separated by a divider. Each compartment houses two Crossfire 15-inch, class D subs. The box is lined with mirrors on the top, bottom, and sides. Cobalt blue neon was added for extra flair. "We took a lot of care constructing the sub box," explains Collins. "All of the Plexiglas is joined with screws. There are about 500 screws total, and each hole is drilled and threaded."
Marc Collins never planned on making car audio a career; it just fell into place.
Seven amplifiers are used to power the Excursion's system. Three Crossfire amplifiers are mounted side-by-side on a custom rack behind the subwoofer enclosure. The rack is made from wood and painted white to match the rest of the truck. A Crossfire TEK150.2 runs the front stage, and two Crossfire TEK100.2 amps run the rear speakers. "When the rear doors are opened, you can see the amps through the clear Plexiglas sub box," says Collins.
The remaining four Crossfire 1000D amps run the four subwoofers, and there are two mounted inside each swinging rear door. A hole large enough to house the amps was cut in each door. A custom wood piece was then inserted, and it was sanded and painted white. The amps were then screwed into place. Blue LED lights are located inside the door compartment to highlight the amp's installation. Finally, clear Plexiglas was placed over the amps.
The walls and floor of the truck are treated with Dynamat sound damping material. "The truck sounds incredible now," says Collins. "With 14 speakers evenly spread throughout the vehicle, there is a really nice balance between the mids, subs, and highs."
A standard Clifford Intelliguard 7000 security system keeps the thieves at bay. It features control of the windows and remote starting. Two additional batteries were necessary to provide the power for such a wide array of equipment. Collins chose to hide the two SVR high performance 12-volt batteries in the back of the truck. They are concealed next to the sub enclosure.
After purchasing the truck in October of 1999, it was time to upgrade the audio system and add multiple video functions. Collins began by selecting an Alpine 7863 head unit for its unique design. "I really like Alpine and their look," explains Collins. "Cosmetically, it matched up well with the Alpine DVD unit and 6-disc changer." The changer is mounted between the two front seats.
The Excursion is used primarily as a demo vehicle at Collins' shop, and that's where it can be found every day. It is rarely taken to car shows (only two so far), and it has never seen any form of competition. "I may compete with it later down the road," says Collins. "I've had quite a few people trying to convince me to put it to the test. For now, I'm content just using it as my weekend vehicle."
Name: Marc Collins Vehicle: 2000 Ford Excursion Shop: Xtreme Audio and Security Anaheim, CA
A second Flex Vision 12.1-inch monitor, used for viewing by passengers in the rear section of the truck, is mounted overhead just behind the front seats. With a Sega Dreamcast game console located under the rear seats, there are plenty of entertainment options for everyone.
Collins and the team at Xtreme Audio then took the video features to an even higher level. Three cameras were installed on the outside of the truck. One is located on the left side of the fender, one on the right, and the last is mounted behind the rear license plate. When the driver hits the left turn signal, the camera engages and a picture pops onto the two video monitors. The same happens when the right turn signal is activated. When the truck is put into reverse, the camera behind the license plate turns on. "We built all of the switching for the video system," explains Collins. "The exterior cameras will override any of the other video functions including the DVD and Dreamcast."
Two pairs of Crossfire 6-inch speakers are utilized for the front stage. New doors panels were constructed from wood and fiberglass. New grills were also made from wood and mesh to match the rest of the interior.
