Surrey Off-Road Specialists Limited

Before we started on the installation, we had already modified the suspension and tyres previously. We have probably increased the overall weight of the vehicle by approx 200 Kg’s. So the supension was uprated to suit. The vehicle is fitted with a 3”lift Teraflex suspension kit, 265 x75x16 BF Goodrich tyres and Ranch 9000 adjustable shocks. We didn’t want to stick a couple of gauges in the dash for the shocks, They would have looked very out of place. So we got Tim Lunn, our IT man who is trained in most things electronic to work out a way to fit digital displays for the shocks. The shocks are adjusted by increasing or decreasing the air pressure on the valve. By using a couple of pressure detectors and a black box that Tim came up with, the signal is turned into a digital display reading, very trick! At the touch of a button you can firm up or soften the ride and the displays let you know what setting you are on.

Before we handed it over to Nick we had to do some extensive testing (as you can imagine) just to satisfy ourselves that it was ok. We also had it professionally photographed by Peter Robain (his are the posy pictures of the finished vehicle accompanying this report). The handover was a tense moment, he had been out of the country for most of the build just popping in occasionally to have a look. We kept him up to speed with e-mails and photographs as the project progressed. He didn’t say much at first, which was rather worrying, but it turned out he was just totally blown away by it thankfully and is still enjoying it now. It is nigh on impossible to describe just how good this system sounds, the clarity and richness of sound is something else! It has to be heard to be believed!

I do have one concern though. I have always enjoyed loud modes of transport, be it motorbikes with open pipes. Throbbing V8’s or howling V12’s etc as well as the normal car stereo at full blast. However, I found that driving this vehicle with it cranked up really disorientated me and on occasions made me feel physically ill! It is extremely deceptive and potentially dangerous and definitely needs treating with respect.

Before you rush out to start on an installation of your own, the final labour total came out at around 2000 man hours, this doesn’t include the time spent researching, shopping and just thinking about how to physically make it all fit! You will of course also need a very sympathetic bank manager/mortgage broker to purchase all the hardware and a very understanding insurance company to insure it all.

You can find info on the Alpine equipment at their website here: http://www.alpinef1status.com

If you would like to know more about Alan Arnolds wonderful guitars, visit his site : http://www.alanarnoldguitars.co.uk

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