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Crazyf there was any job I would want to try, it would definitely be teaching. Though it remains one of the most underappreciated occupations, few jobs can match the influence of the teacher / student relationship. Throw in the great hours, strong union and massive

amount of time off, and you’ve got the formula for a dream job. The only thing that stopped me from following that path was the fact that apart from Physical Education, few subjects in school were interest-ing enough for me to learn well enough to teach. However, the folks at Installer Institute in Holly Hill, FL (Daytona Beach area) have got it made: not only do they get to pass on knowledge to students that actu-ally want to learn, but they get to teach what they’re truly passionate about – mobile electronics.

Like the gym teacher that yearned for moments when he could show his students who’s boss, both Jason Anderson (Director) and Jack Randall (Lead Instructor) were dying for the opportunity to showcase their skills to the Installer Institute students. Fortunately, the school’s close ties with the nearby Daytona Mitsubishi dealership led to the prospect of building up this 2003 Mitsubishi Evolution VIII.

“I have to give props to Richard Nisbett at Daytona Mitsubishi,” Anderson said. “He had an Evo that he was modifying to show the kinds of upgrades a dealership can do while maintaining the factory warranty. Richard already had the performance upgrades installed, but needed an audio system that would make the right statement. So he contacted Metra, and Metra contacted Installer Institute to see if we wanted to be part of it. Of course, we took the opportunity to show what the Installer Institute instructors can do.”

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Text by Michael Semira // Photos by John Jackson

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Introducing The Signature SeriesWith all the pretenders to the throneof sonic excellence, the new SRSignature Reference Series 6 1/2" & 5 1/4" Component Systems are a breath of tight, clean response,detail and accuracy. Nothing less than award-winning Polk Audio technology places the SRs at the apex of high-performance car audio.

Hot Cars Need Cool DriversAerated polypropylene cones for maximum stiffness and minimum cone resonance produce a tight, articulate response. Butyl rubber surrounds, laser-optimized, vented 2-layer voice coil and former, and cast aluminum baskets all contributeto the SR’s exceptional sound quality and outstanding reliability.

A Sweeter TweeterPolk’s Ring Radiator Tweeters use a unique resonance-suppressingdiaphragm driven by a powerfulNeodymium magnet for stunninglyprecise detail and accuracy with fre-quency response to 40kHz. Multiplemounting options give you completeflexibility. There is no better soundingmobile audio tweeter out there.

Ring Radiator tweeter technology delivers highly detailed and accurate response to 40kHz.

A Little Coaxing, It Goes CoaxialThe drivers’ phase plug cones helpeliminate peaks and dips in frequencyresponse. Remove the cone, screw in the supplied and easily installedtweeter posts, and the SRs rock in coaxial mode.

Ultra-Performance Subs 10" & 12" Single & DVC 4 OhmComponent Subs complete the SR line. With 1400 W Peak PowerHandling, SR Subs pound out relent-less competition-grade bass perform-ance. Four layers of heavy gauge high temperature aluminum wire, wound around a 2 1/2" glass/epoxy voice coilformer, provide the highest power handling and reliability. Dual spiders

tightly control the cone’s long ex-cursion for the ultimate in “tight,”detailed, musical bass. Hex-key terminals that can accommodate up to 8 gauge speaker wire createclean, professional hookups.

For more on SR Signature ReferenceSeries Components & Systems visit: polkaudio.com/caraudio/products/sr

“NEW TECHNOLOGY, INCREDIBLE

AUDIO REPRODUCTION EQUALS

PURE EXCELLENCE.”

Bob Morrow, Car Audio & Electronics, December 2005

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Daytona Mitsubishi’s team admirably upheld Daytona Beach’s high-performance auto legacy with the upgrades it bestowed upon the Evo.

First thing under the knife was the 4G63 pow-erplant. Producing 271hp and 273 ft/lb of torque from the factory, everyone knows that the Evo is a blast to drive home straight from the dealership. With big boost in the build plans, strengthening the motor with the right parts was the team’s first step. The 2.0L received Crower valve springs, retainers and locks, while HKS 272-degree cam-shafts provide a more rev-friendly powerband. An HKS head gasket and ARP bolts ensure a tight seal between the block and head.

Pressurization comes via a massive HKS 3037 turbo upgrade, while a Tial wastegate and Turbo XS blow-off valve are called upon to act the part of Warren G and Nate Dogg to Regulate. The ARC intercooler that occupies the opening of the front bumper is plumbed in using custom intercooler piping and adds a frigid touch to the intake charge.

An HKS exhaust manifold guides the com-busted mixture through a custom made down-pipe that leads to the HKS carbon / titanium exhaust. GReddy 720cc injectors and NGK plugs work together to provide life to the big fire, with

an AEM EMS providing the custom mapping for optimum performance. With a Nitrous Express system installed for good measure, six-speed Evo MR transmission and RS differential helping to harness all the power, Anderson and Randall estimate the Evo is putting down a tremendous 495hp and 400lb/ft of torque.

The crew got their hands on some Tein good-ies to keep this AWD beast under control, as a set of FLEX coil-overs was slipped deep into the wheel wells. The system is hooked up to Tein’s EDFC unit which allows for dampening force to be adjusted from within the cabin. The half-DIN-sized unit was moulded into the centre console,

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Introducing The Signature SeriesWith all the pretenders to the throneof sonic excellence, the new SRSignature Reference Series 6 1/2" & 5 1/4" Component Systems are a breath of tight, clean response,detail and accuracy. Nothing less than award-winning Polk Audio technology places the SRs at the apex of high-performance car audio.

Hot Cars Need Cool DriversAerated polypropylene cones for maximum stiffness and minimum cone resonance produce a tight, articulate response. Butyl rubber surrounds, laser-optimized, vented 2-layer voice coil and former, and cast aluminum baskets all contributeto the SR’s exceptional sound quality and outstanding reliability.

A Sweeter TweeterPolk’s Ring Radiator Tweeters use a unique resonance-suppressingdiaphragm driven by a powerfulNeodymium magnet for stunninglyprecise detail and accuracy with fre-quency response to 40kHz. Multiplemounting options give you completeflexibility. There is no better soundingmobile audio tweeter out there.

Ring Radiator tweeter technology delivers highly detailed and accurate response to 40kHz.

A Little Coaxing, It Goes CoaxialThe drivers’ phase plug cones helpeliminate peaks and dips in frequencyresponse. Remove the cone, screw in the supplied and easily installedtweeter posts, and the SRs rock in coaxial mode.

Ultra-Performance Subs 10" & 12" Single & DVC 4 OhmComponent Subs complete the SR line. With 1400 W Peak PowerHandling, SR Subs pound out relent-less competition-grade bass perform-ance. Four layers of heavy gauge high temperature aluminum wire, wound around a 2 1/2" glass/epoxy voice coilformer, provide the highest power handling and reliability. Dual spiders

tightly control the cone’s long ex-cursion for the ultimate in “tight,”detailed, musical bass. Hex-key terminals that can accommodate up to 8 gauge speaker wire createclean, professional hookups.

For more on SR Signature ReferenceSeries Components & Systems visit: polkaudio.com/caraudio/products/sr

“NEW TECHNOLOGY, INCREDIBLE

AUDIO REPRODUCTION EQUALS

PURE EXCELLENCE.”

Bob Morrow, Car Audio & Electronics, December 2005

SR6500Ad_PerformAuto&Sound.qxd 4/17/06 4:28 PM Page 1

alongside a GReddy boost controller.Grip comes courtesy of sticky Dunlop Direzza

rubber sized 245/35-19 all the way around. The tires are wrapped around a set of 19- x 8-inch lightweight wheels from Volk Racing. The CE28 multi-spoke bronze wheels feature one-piece forged construction and are as close to a pure race wheel as you can get. The factory-issued Brembo calipers clamp onto a set of upgraded drilled and slotted rotors that measure 320mm up front and 300mm in the rear.

The Installer Institute duo decided to keep the exterior styling subtle, with the carbon fibre hood, trunklid and roof drawing most of the crowd’s

attention. Only hardcore Evo enthusiasts would be able to spot the JDM Evo MR headlight and taillight assemblies which surely cost them an arm and a leg.

Shifting their collective attention to the inte-rior, Anderson and Randall wanted to add a touch of customization without going overboard.

The primary challenge, said Anderson, was to strike the right balance between performance flex and sonic impact. “Because it’s a performance vehicle, we couldn’t weigh the Evo down with a lot of audio / video equipment. Our big test was in getting everything to fit into the car while main-taining proper weight distribution. Our goal for the

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interior was to make it look like it came from the factory that way.”

Combined with the factory seats that Daytona Mitsubishi rewrapped in leather, the Evo’s interior packs plenty of visual punch. The A/C controls were re-located to an existing pocket just below the Kenwood double-DIN head unit. A Ralliart shift knob and boot replace the factory pieces, with a trio of AutoMeter NEXUS gauges housed in the A-pillar to help keep tabs on the Evo’s vitals.

A Kenwood DDX7015 head unit not only controls the entire system, but also features a 6.5-inch touchscreen LCD monitor and DVD player. Acoustics come courtesy of a JL Audio sound sys-tem, with JL Audio XR653-CS 6.5-inch three-way components creating the front stage and XR650-CSI two-way components for the rear. Power for the mids and highs is handled by a JL Audio 300/4 amplifier found tucked behind the Cusco carbon fibre strut bar in the trunk. The JL Audio 500/1 amplifier used to push the pair of JL Audio 12W6 12-inch subwoofers can also be found in the same tight place, as much of the trunk space was needed to accommodate the carbon fibre-wrapped bottle for the nitrous system.

Tsunami products handle power distribution duties, starting with the two V10450 batteries supplying the juice. An Elite Series front fuse holder, Light Wave Series distribution blocks,

X15HCAP-40 capacitor and the associated Tsunami wiring provide the system with a constant power flow. Metra’s in-house R & D staff helped with the Evo’s wiring. The division of instructor labour broke down to Anderson cover-ing the dash and trunk, Randall working on the doors and Installer Institute Administrative Assis-tant Nick Lambrecht and Anderson double-team-ing on installing the suede headliner.

The Mitsubishi Evo was actually built after school hours so their Installer Institute students wouldn’t be distracted by the crazy project. With much of their time spent teaching, it’s definitely refreshing to get hands-on again to show off their skills. Many thanks go out to all of those involved with the project, including Metra Elec-tronics, Tsunami, Kenwood, JL Audio, Compustar Alarm, Daytona Mitsubishi and Collision Station. Of course, a big shout out goes to the crew at Installer Institute as well. “The Evo represents the best of both tuner and mobile electronics worlds,” Anderson said. “It’s been getting very enthusiastic reactions at shows. In addition to being an excellent demo car for Installer Insti-tute and Daytona Mitsubishi, I think the Evo will inspire people and give them good ideas for what’s possible with their own vehicle.”

// For more visit www.pasmag.com

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