Car Trends Magazine

It's a good thing that Brian Harder is not one to leave well enough alone. Proof of this is his 2001 Mustang GT convertible featured on these pages. Right off the showroom floor, the Mustang is already a slick ride, especially the GT models with the added thrill of a V8. Roughly three years ago, however, Harder turned to Project Two Customs of Waukesha, WI, to step it up a bit with a few upgrades to the box stock pony car. As you can see, one thing led to another; and after several different stages, Harder's Mustang has evolved into a one-of-a-kind show car. Practically every element of the vehicle has been customized, enhanced or replaced with an aftermarket upgrade. The extensive list of additional mods is proof of that. While an attempt to describe every custom element of the Mustang would be futile at best, a complete description of the multimedia installation and interior transformation is well deserved.

A custom set of door panels...

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A custom set of door panels houses the MB Quart PCE 216 component set for the front stage. The panels were wrapped in factory Ford vinyl and feature matching aluminum grilles to protect the mid and tweeter. An illuminated Mustang emblem made of clear acrylic is recessed in a painted fiberglass insert near the center of each door.

Multiple Drivers
In comparison to the elaborate front doors, the installation of the rear drivers is quite simple. Rear fill is provided by an MB Quart PCE 213 component set in the factory speaker locations on either side of the rear seating area. Both the 5 1/4" mid and 1" tweeter are concealed by the factory speaker grilles, but have been carefully positioned for optimal imaging.

An additional PCE 213 component set was chosen for the center channel that has been incorporated into the custom-built dashboard. Both 5 1/4" midrange drivers were used, but only a single 1" tweeter was installed due to the reflective properties of the Mustang's windshield. The center channel drivers are protected by a custom grille that is also home to the array of vehicle status indicators that have been extracted from the gauge cluster.

Rehash The Dash
The elaborate center channel sits atop a completely redesigned dash and center console that features a hand-built gauge cluster that situates the assortment of Auto Meter gauges in the center of the vehicle. Like the door panels, the dash and center console were wrapped in Ford vinyl with painted fiberglass inserts. Nestled below the gauge cluster is the Eclipse AVX2404 double-DIN source unit with built-in DVD/CD/MP3 player and DTS surround processor. For CD audio while the source unit's DVD player is in use, an Eclipse 8-disc changer was flushed into the area of the floor beneath the sub enclosure. A Sony Playstation 2 was also incorporated into the passenger side of the dash for additional mobile entertainment and uses wireless controllers for a cleaner look. Both video sources supply all six screens in the vehicle, while switching duties are handled by a Pioneer three-way switcher in the center console.

Screening Room
In addition to the 5.8-inch monitor built into the Eclipse source unit, an additional five monitors were installed in the Mustang. A Directed 5.8-inch screen was molded into each custom-made sun visor, while a 7-inch Directed screen is tucked into each headrest. The fifth and final monitor is an Eigervision 10.4-inch mounted on the custom chrome strut bar that spans the width of the trunk for demo purposes.