Building a Beast: Steve Barber's Ford Explorer

Building a Beast: Steve Barber's Ford Explorer
SHTNONM

Nope. Not a typo. Pick a car stereo show – any car stereo show - the Basshead faithful know the name well, as evidenced by that label being affixed to most every car and truck in sight. Steve Barber and the seemingly ubiquitous “Hammy” are there – selling shirts, float towels and hats that sport the bass life and the quickly growing community that surrounds it.

It only seemed natural to join the party with some bump of their own. “I started looking for a car specifically to build in 2014,” said Barber. “I didn’t want to beat up my daily driver, so I started looking. There aren’t a whole lot of two-door Explorer builds that people have built a crazy system in.”

With some help from a handful of his teammates at Team Bass Drop, the Explorer debuted in 2015, initially sporting an Ampere Audio 8k (8,000 watts). Multiple iterations later, Barber settled on using a dozen KICKER KXA2400 amplifiers and Fi Delta subwoofers.

At it’s peak, the Explorer hit over 163 dB. To put it into perspective, that’s roughly seven times louder than a jet engine – measured from 100 feet away*.

01 steve barber SHTNONM kicker car audio pasmag

Five years and over 50 shows later, it was time to go louder. “It came in steps. At first I was considering just “extremeing” the cabin to see the what I could get out of it. I decided to take it apart and use some new gear that’s coming out.”

02 steve barber SHTNONM kicker car audio pasmag

Barber explained the level of work and experimentation needed to make the Explorer even louder and more impressive. A customized steel lattice will support a new enclosure, back wall, and enclosure design. “I know there’s going to be a lot of work in getting this car where I want it to be, so the plan is to gut it; design a new cage and cabin without having to rush it. We will take the six or seven months [needed] to build it the right way.”

The half-year experiment is a work in progress. With the help of Travis Young of JY Power and Hunter Martin of EZ DB’s Designs, the Explorer is slated for a heavy show schedule upon completion. If you want a hair trick of your own, watch out - It’s coming.

decibel level comparison chart

Related Articles

Throttle Thrashers: Chelsie Lesnoski and Cole Marten Throttle Thrashers: Chelsie Lesnoski and Cole Marten
Two Canadian west coast builds that shocked the world on the SEMA stage. Tucked away in an alley of Penticton, BC, you’ll find partners Chelsie...
Is This The World's Largest 4Runner: Ethan Mullani's 1996 Toyota 4Runner Is This The World's Largest 4Runner: Ethan Mullani's 1996 Toyota 4Runner
Ethan Mullani’s journey to build a 4Runner fit for Houston, Texas. Ethan Mullani’s 1996 Toyota 4Runner has an enviable distinction: it’s the biggest...
Still Climbing: Sherwin Pacquette's 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Still Climbing: Sherwin Pacquette's 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Sherwin Pacquette’s Hill Climb Evo X Makes Waves You’re standing at the side of a hillclimb event with the wind in your hair. Suddenly a black,...
Ultimate Street Car 2021: Jake Rozelle 2003 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Ultimate Street Car 2021: Jake Rozelle 2003 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The Champion of the OPTIMA Batteries Ultimate Street Car Invitational Every year, OPTIMA Batteries hosts the OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational...
RB VS Everybody: Ryan Litteral's 1999 Nissan Silvia RB VS Everybody: Ryan Litteral's 1999 Nissan Silvia
The General of the RB Army, Ryan Litteral, on his trials and tribulations on the road to the perfect drift S15 The Formula Drift Pro grid is a...
The Spirit of Going Sideways: Aaron Leavitt 1992 Nissan Silvia The Spirit of Going Sideways: Aaron Leavitt 1992 Nissan Silvia
Seeing a dream come to life is one of the most fulfilling things that can happen to a person. From the moment Aaron Leavitt saw early-2000s footage of...