Hi All,
Drifting Along
Alpine teams up with A'PEXi to pull together a lightweight yet sound-heavy drifter
Although the motorsport of drifting has thrilled the Japanese for a decade now, until recently it has mainly existed underground in the U.S. In this highly skilled activity, drivers control a rear-wheel-drive car while it slides sideways at high speeds around a course. The rear tires screech and lose contact with the pavement in the controlled skids around a turn. This tears up a lot of rubber, fills the air with pungent smoke and wows fans ready for the latest trend. It's even more exciting when two cars drift on the same course at the same time, such as in the D1 Grand Prix USA, in which drivers compete over who can execute drifts with the most skill and style, not over who can complete the course in the fastest time.
Helping spread the popularity of drifting in the U.S., Apex-i, a maker of aftermarket performance parts, modifies vehicles especially for this sport. They took this Mazda RX-7 to the edge, with a list of modifications that won't all fit in the Tech box. Despite the already extensive changes, A'PEXi turned to Alpine to create a sound system that wows when this RX-7 isn't thrilling spectators at the track. With all the trouble that went into making this car a lightweight drifter, adding all the weight of an A/V system isn't the brightest thing to do. But Steve Brown and Mike Vu at Alpine have plenty of brain cells to go around and devised a way to make the weightier parts of the sound system removable. When the car is ready for the track, quick-release Dzus fasteners and molex connectors enable the easy removal of the door speakers and sub enclosure.
Gauge Friendly
Starting up front, the installers decided to incorporate the six A'PEXi gauges into the dash with the use of two panels, one holding two gauges above the center of the dash and the other holding four above the glove compartment area. First, the team created a fiberglass mold of the two sections of the dash and then glued on MDF rings for each gauge. Next, they wrapped the panels with cloth, fiberglassed them and smoothed them off with body filler. White paint with red airbrushed details finished both panels, making the stock gauge cluster look a little off. To counterbalance this, the installers went ahead and painted the factory piece as well, creating a cohesive look up front.
Of course, gauges don't have much to do with the audio system. That area takes hold of the center of the dash. Utilizing ABS plastic and super glue, the installers converted the stock double-DIN opening to a single-DIN. This made a snug fit for the Alpine DVA-7996 DVD receiver. Above and below it, two A'PEXi gauge controllers are molded into the dash. The red airbrush work flashes among the white body paint and complements the red Momo steering wheel and Bride racing seats.
Pop Outs
The doors feature removable enclosures that pop out with ease thanks to the quick-release Dzus fasteners. Completely stripped of panels and other weighty indulgences, the white, skeletal doors get their only color from the red-rimmed enclosures. Each enclosure features a 6 1/2" 2-way component set. Fabrication began with an ABS enclosure set within the door, topped off by a fiberglass and MDF molded front panel.
Bringing in the Heavywieght
With a 12" subwoofer, 5-channel amp and two 6 1/2-inch monitors, the subwoofer enclosure just has to come out in order for the RX-7 to glide lightly across the pavement. The team at Alpine fabricated an assembly of tubular steel and fiberglass to hold all the components in the trunk area. The entire assembly can easily be plucked out due to two molex connectors and four Dzus fasteners. Fiberglass forms the basic shape of the ported sub enclosure, and a trellis frame shaped from the tubular steel juts atop the box. It holds the amp with the two monitors before it. Vu finished the assembly with the same red and white color scheme that governs the rest of the vehicle, with phantom Alpine and A'PEXi logos atop the elegant airbrushing echoing the trellis of white tubular steel.
This smooth-sounding drifter makes the rounds at shows as well as drifting events. For those who haven't experienced the rubber-shredding sensation called drifting, head out to the track. You might sneak a peek of this RX-7 and get some inspiration on how to lighten your audio system.
Tech
A'PEX modifications everywhere (for a complete list, visit www.caraudiomag.com)
Tires:
· Bridgestone RE01 235/40R18 (front) · Bridgestone RE01 265/35R18 (rear)
Wheels:
· Rays Gram Lights 57 PRO 9JJ-18 off +38 (front) · Rays Gram Lights 57 PRO 10JJ-18 off +22 (rear)
Drifting Along
Alpine teams up with A'PEXi to pull together a lightweight yet sound-heavy drifter
Although the motorsport of drifting has thrilled the Japanese for a decade now, until recently it has mainly existed underground in the U.S. In this highly skilled activity, drivers control a rear-wheel-drive car while it slides sideways at high speeds around a course. The rear tires screech and lose contact with the pavement in the controlled skids around a turn. This tears up a lot of rubber, fills the air with pungent smoke and wows fans ready for the latest trend. It's even more exciting when two cars drift on the same course at the same time, such as in the D1 Grand Prix USA, in which drivers compete over who can execute drifts with the most skill and style, not over who can complete the course in the fastest time.
Helping spread the popularity of drifting in the U.S., Apex-i, a maker of aftermarket performance parts, modifies vehicles especially for this sport. They took this Mazda RX-7 to the edge, with a list of modifications that won't all fit in the Tech box. Despite the already extensive changes, A'PEXi turned to Alpine to create a sound system that wows when this RX-7 isn't thrilling spectators at the track. With all the trouble that went into making this car a lightweight drifter, adding all the weight of an A/V system isn't the brightest thing to do. But Steve Brown and Mike Vu at Alpine have plenty of brain cells to go around and devised a way to make the weightier parts of the sound system removable. When the car is ready for the track, quick-release Dzus fasteners and molex connectors enable the easy removal of the door speakers and sub enclosure.
Gauge Friendly
Starting up front, the installers decided to incorporate the six A'PEXi gauges into the dash with the use of two panels, one holding two gauges above the center of the dash and the other holding four above the glove compartment area. First, the team created a fiberglass mold of the two sections of the dash and then glued on MDF rings for each gauge. Next, they wrapped the panels with cloth, fiberglassed them and smoothed them off with body filler. White paint with red airbrushed details finished both panels, making the stock gauge cluster look a little off. To counterbalance this, the installers went ahead and painted the factory piece as well, creating a cohesive look up front.
Of course, gauges don't have much to do with the audio system. That area takes hold of the center of the dash. Utilizing ABS plastic and super glue, the installers converted the stock double-DIN opening to a single-DIN. This made a snug fit for the Alpine DVA-7996 DVD receiver. Above and below it, two A'PEXi gauge controllers are molded into the dash. The red airbrush work flashes among the white body paint and complements the red Momo steering wheel and Bride racing seats.
Pop Outs
The doors feature removable enclosures that pop out with ease thanks to the quick-release Dzus fasteners. Completely stripped of panels and other weighty indulgences, the white, skeletal doors get their only color from the red-rimmed enclosures. Each enclosure features a 6 1/2" 2-way component set. Fabrication began with an ABS enclosure set within the door, topped off by a fiberglass and MDF molded front panel.
Bringing in the Heavywieght
With a 12" subwoofer, 5-channel amp and two 6 1/2-inch monitors, the subwoofer enclosure just has to come out in order for the RX-7 to glide lightly across the pavement. The team at Alpine fabricated an assembly of tubular steel and fiberglass to hold all the components in the trunk area. The entire assembly can easily be plucked out due to two molex connectors and four Dzus fasteners. Fiberglass forms the basic shape of the ported sub enclosure, and a trellis frame shaped from the tubular steel juts atop the box. It holds the amp with the two monitors before it. Vu finished the assembly with the same red and white color scheme that governs the rest of the vehicle, with phantom Alpine and A'PEXi logos atop the elegant airbrushing echoing the trellis of white tubular steel.
This smooth-sounding drifter makes the rounds at shows as well as drifting events. For those who haven't experienced the rubber-shredding sensation called drifting, head out to the track. You might sneak a peek of this RX-7 and get some inspiration on how to lighten your audio system.
Tech
A'PEX modifications everywhere (for a complete list, visit www.caraudiomag.com)
Tires:
· Bridgestone RE01 235/40R18 (front) · Bridgestone RE01 265/35R18 (rear)
Wheels:
· Rays Gram Lights 57 PRO 9JJ-18 off +38 (front) · Rays Gram Lights 57 PRO 10JJ-18 off +22 (rear)
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