SRQ Custom Blog

Campagna Motors manufacturers one of the most unique vehicles on Earth, the T-Rex. Powered by a 197 HP Kawasaki motor, the T-Rex combines a car, motorcycle and possibly a roller coaster into one intense ride. The thing that Campagna left out was an entertainment package. At SRQ Custom Autosound, we transformed this beast into the complete package.

This T-Rex came to us with this custom marble finish, not available from the factory. Adding another layer of challenge to our build, everything we created for the bike also had to have this same marble finish. Space is at a premium on this bike, so the first step is deciding what we could lose in order to make room for our entertainment system. The original saddlebags were the first things to go. They hang like giant eggs on either side of the rear wheel, and do not match the shape of the bike in the least. Secondly we measured an area at the far nose of the bike for electronics.

Using a waterproofed wood, we began the new saddlebags by constructing a frame that attaches to the bike in the same fashion as the original, so that no permanent modifications are needed on the frame. Once complete, each saddlebag will house a 15″ LCD monitor that gets a signal from the JVC touchscreen that will reside in the dash. After completing this wooden frame, the sides were made by gluing large chunks of mold foam in place, shaping and then the entire piece was wrapped in polyester fabric.

Painted Saddlebags

Once the saddlebags have been fiberglassed and smoothed out, they were painted to match. Luckily we were able to determine the paint job on the rest of the bike was done with House of Kolor Silver Marblizer, and we matched it perfectly. After drying, the saddlebags are attached to the frame, connections are sealed, and the monitor is inserted. Two layers of 1/8″ plexiglass are sealed over the monitor to protect it from scratches and the elements.

The dash received similar treatment, with a JVC touchscreen radio molded into the passenger side of the dash. The recessed side mirrors were removed from the bike and replaced by speaker pods that hold one of the two pairs of Arc Audio components that blast the sound from the bike. The other set is mounted in the original aluminum kick panels.

SRQ T-Rex at SBN 2012

The T-Rex made its debut at the Spring Break Nationals in Daytona, 2012. Stealing the show in the Arc Audio booth, it had crowds of onlookers taking pictures all weekend. Because this vehicle will spend a lot of time at shows, we built in the ability to simply plug the bike into the wall and have all of the electronics power up.

In this final pic you can see the saddlebags, speaker pods and the JVC indash unit under the original carbon fiber visor. We also added 36 strips of white LEDs that illuminate nearly every point of the bike and are controlled by remote.

Click the image above to see a video clip of the bike at SBN 2012.

For this build we took the modern VW Beetle and updated with all the exciting new options available in car audio that we never offered from the factory.

Our client for this build approached many other audio specialists, but was unable to find anyone else to give them what they wanted. The standard radio opening only allows for what is known as a Single-DIN radio. These are the more common aftermarket sized radios, known for their 2″ by 7″ face plate. In recent years, the Double-DIN radio has become very popular by the OEM and aftermarket segments, with a 4×7″ face that allows for an LCD screen for navigation and advanced audio controls.

Above you can see the stock dash bezel of the Beetle. The dashes of these car were originally covered in a soft paint material that scratches very easily, and eventually becomes a tar-like layer that everything sticks to. You can see that the normal radio size is very similar to the 2×7″ opening, with extended rounded corners.

First the radio and dash bezel need to be removed from the car, and stripped. Here the soft paint coating has been removed with lacquer thinner and a lot of sanding. The plastic has been thoroughly scuffed and cleaned of any oils, silicone or cleaners.

The dash bezel was cut evenly along the bottom of the factory radio opening. The aftermarket radio is wrapped in tape to prevent damage during the molding process. The A/C controls mount to a plastic housing that is permanently attached to the dash frame. This housing was removed from the dash frame with a Dremel tool and reattached 2″ lower to allow the needed room for the radio. The radio is attached to the dash bezel by drilling holes in the support bracket of the bezel. At this point, all of the components are secured in their final location, and it is time to fill in the gap.

The gaps between the two halves are filled with pieces of ABS plastic that have been scuffed and chemically treated to bond to the existing plastic and the body filler that will finish the job. This is the final test fit after the plastic has been smoothed, and further smoothed out using premium body filler. The next step is to paint or cover the dash and reinstall all the components.

Here is the finished product. Instead of recovering the dash in the soft paint material that will surely become disgusting again, we covered the dash in black suede. The suede will hold up to dirt and heat well, and is easy to clean. Because the suede is much less labor intensive than paint, we were also able to make this a one day installation, and get the car back to the owner quickly.