Eric C's 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT
Sound and sizzle

Eric added a 2-tone paint job, window tinting, and some eye-catching wheel polish to his 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT.
Items installed:
- Pioneer Premier DEH-P980BT CD receiver
- Boston Acoustics S35 3-1/2" 2-way speakers in the dash
- Eclipse SC8355 3-way 6.5" speakers in the front doors and rear panels
- Eclipse SC8264 2-way 6.5" speakers in the rear doors
- Pioneer GM-D8604 4-channel car amplifier for the doors
- MTX Thunder Elite 801D mono subwoofer amplifier for the subs
- 2 MTX TR7512-22 12" DVC subwoofers
- Customized ported subwoofer enclosure
- 2 Eclipse EQ1000 6-band equalizer/crossovers
- Rosen T8 8.4" overhead video monitor
- Various capacitors, distribution blocks, and additional wiring and LED lighting
Fix up, look sharp
Eric tells us the stock CD player "was messing up," so he got started on this audio overhaul with the Pioneer Premier head unit. After that, he took on the speakers. He made custom front door panels for the Eclipse 3-way speakers, as well as custom back door panels for the 2-ways. He also cut out the door panel pockets and used 3/4" medium-density fiberboard (MDF) to fabricate door pods for the drivers. Here are the front doors, mid-installation:

And one of the rear doors getting fitted:

The Boston Acoustics 3-1/2" speakers went into the car's dash after he removed some plastic from the stock tweeter locations without too much fuss. Eric also tells us that he stowed the Eclipse EQs (one for the front and one for the back) in the PT Cruiser's glove box. He also got creative and started adding plexiglass and LEDs to the mix to backlight various parts of his system, including the EQs and distribution blocks.
Rack 'em up
To get some big boom in the Chrysler's cargo space, Eric did some customization work on an off-the-shelf dual 12" ported subwoofer enclosure to add some lighting. He also built an amp rack that sits on top of the enclosure. Finally, he made a "cover" which encloses the sub box and amp rack, and carpeted the whole thing so that it all looks almost like one piece. He made his own Chrysler logo by hand and added the badge to the cover, to give the cargo area a feel that was close to factory.

One cool feature of this setup is that Eric rigged it up so that he could easily detach the cables and slide out the amp rack and sub box in case he needed the cargo area for something other than low end.

The blue backlighting Eric added makes the MTX subwoofers look as great as they sound.
It's obvious Eric put a lot of work into sprucing up his PT Cruiser inside and out. He enjoys showing off the rear subwoofer cover and amp rack, which was also the hardest part of this installation, but when asked about future plans for this system, he let us know that "I traded in my PT at the dealership I bought it from 9 years ago for my next project." We look forward to seeing what you come up with next, Eric!

Eric C and friend appreciating his system at a local car show.
Vehicles in the Custom Car Showroom are submitted by customers and fans, and edited by Crutchfield writing staff. You can find more of these articles on the Showroom main page.
Meet Dominic DeVito
Concert junkie seeking fulfillment through high-quality audio/video in the car and at home
I started writing for Crutchfield in 2006. I've written about nearly everything we carry for vehicles, but my main specialties have been car audio, GPS navigation, and radar detectors. I've also helped with advertising and in-store signage for our retail locations in central Virginia, which has introduced me to more ways that Crutchfield connects with our customers and communities. My involvement with Crutchfield's social media team helps me learn what drives our online fans to keep coming back, year after year.
I'm a huge fan of live music, and have been since my high school days. As a relatively new dad, it's a lot harder to get out to concerts these days, so now I spend more time listening to music at home on headphones – but I'm always looking for that "rush" of a good show. I also listen to a LOT of podcasts.
I keep a close eye on trends in the music, concert, and film/TV businesses, and look for interesting ways those intersect with what we offer at Crutchfield. I love that my coworkers are also fans of a wide range of audio and video entertainment. They're better than nearly any algorithm when it comes to finding something new to listen to or watch.
I've worked at several record stores and served as a DJ for a community radio station for over 20 years, allowing me to form bonds with other music lovers and fans of great sound. I used to write record and concert reviews for a handful of blogs and local publications, and you can find more of my writing in the book "Schools That Rock: The Rolling Stone College Guide."
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