Introduction
Roughly 18 months ago, we had the opportunity to work some LIS Audio magic on this sick one-off 1962 Ford F100. The first time we laid eyes on this beast was at the 2018 World of Wheels Car Show in Kansas City, Missouri. The F100 was kind of tucked off in the secondary isle of the show layout. From the moment we saw it we were determined to find the F100’s owner so we could find out some more information on it.
We began to meticulously examine the vehicle like we do with any vehicle that gets our attention. As we checked out the exterior we could not help but appreciate the time and focus that was given to this machine, every dot and tee had been checked on this restomod. However, when we moved from outside of the vehicle to the inside we noticed somethings that could use some rearranging.
Electrical Upgrade
At first glance the engine bay absolutely blew us away. The Ray Barton’s Big Block that is tucked into the bay is a sight to seen. The huge valve covers and air cleaner complimented the exterior color scheme spot on. The polished aluminum block and headers gave the engine bay that high finish shine appeal as well. One thing that caught our eye was the wiring used for the alternator. The wire used simply was not sufficient enough to carry power to the battery or the starter.
We added Stinger 4000 Series 4 gauge oxygen free copper wiring on top of the existing wiring to improve current transfer for the vehicle electronics and the audio system. Prior to our installation our client claimed that his stereo system would shut down after extended playing periods while driving. The addition of the new wiring solved that issue.
Speaker Relocation
On the interior the first thing we noticed was the speakers and the placement of those speakers. The audio system utilized a pair of Morel Hybrid Integras which are point source style speaker. The speaker is a more of a component set rather than a coaxial set meaning they require a crossover to operate on the same full range signal path. These speakers were located in the center console firing outward towards the vehicle doors. Also installed behind the seat was a pair of Morel Tempo Tweeters firing toward the outside ear of both driver and passenger.
Starting with the tweeter speaker set we decided to remove them from the arrangement. Reason being we already had a set present in the vehicle due to the point source speakers. After we removed the tweeter set, we moved on to the point source arrangement. Since the F100 is a single cab we decided the pair of Hybrid Integras would be sufficient for the audio system. It was prevalent that the Hybrid Integras needed to be repositioned to optimize their effectiveness. After some thought between the doors and to kick panel area, the decision was made to move them to the kick panel area and fabricate a new speaker location. Making this move allowed us to position the speakers at an angle that would allow them to fill the entire cab with sound.
Center Console Dress
After moving the point source speakers to the kick panel area, there were 2 larger holes left vacant in the center console that needed to be addressed. Once the speakers were out of the original location, we noticed that the MSD Ignition module had been tucked away in the console. So that became a feature to highlight. We wired up white L.E.D’s on the inside of the console to give the MSD location some illuminance. After the L.E.D’s went in fabrication began on a pair of custom trim pieces to cover up the bare cut metal. We were able to match the interior leather and utilized some grille mesh and cloth mesh to give it a hidden away look when to L.E.D’s were inactive.
Subwoofer Reinstallation
When checking out the subwoofer situation one thing that caught our eyes was that the woofer had been installed free air. The subwoofer itself was a Rockford Fosgate P3 slim which is not a free air subwoofer. We address this by fabricating a ported enclosure that we squeezed in behind the passenger seat. We were able to meet the air space requirement for optimizing the shallow woofers performance. We finished the newly fabricated enclosure off with interior complimenting upolstery.
Here is a showing of the finished product. Check it out!
Thank you for viewing our LIS Audio Blog. Stay Tuned for next month to see which build makes the next feature. Who knows… it could be yours!!
Contact LIS Audio if you have any questions…
Phone: 913-912-6990
Email: info@lisaudio.com
Address: 631 S. A-Line Dr, Spring Hill, KS, 66083
It was also very cool watching the F100 roll across the block at the 2022 Kissimmee Mecum auto auction. Congratulations to the builders and everyone else involved in the project!
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