Tim Oyler


	Tim Oyler - Louisville, KY
					Make: Dodge Model: Colt Year: 1991 Soundstream Products Subwoofers: XXX-18 Sub Amplifier: XXX-15000D
	I started competing SQ in 1991 then SPL in 2006, but I’ve been experimenting and building audio set-ups since before there were subs (none that I knew of). 6 X 9 Altec Lansing was about the biggest thing there was then. My first car was a 67 VW Beetle that belonged to grandma. I took the 12 inch woofers out of my grandma’s console stereo and siliconed and wire tied them to 5 gallon buckets. I put them in the little space behind the back seat- fit perfect. The sound rolled right up and around the roof of the car and hit you square in the face! I hooked a high output amplified head unit to a Kraco metered EQ/ booster and had a small amp for the woofers. Had about 240 watts of peak power, but had the police called on me for being loud way back then. Not trying to be a public disturbance, but I like music loud and clear. I like to feel it. It relieves the normal stresses of life for me. That was such a long time ago, and although people ask me “how old are you” and “when are you going to grow up”, I just can’t stop building. My kids had amps and subs on their battery cars that competed for SPL. They cruised them around the neighborhood. We even took them to the 2006 dB Drag Finals. That was cool. The kids in the neighborhood call me Sir and Mr. now. Then they ask me to build a box for their trunk. I think that I have grown up.

	Now grandma’s woofers-in-a-bucket have turned into Soundstream XXX 18’s and 240 watts has turned into 2 Soundstream XXX-15K’s. One 12 volt battery has turned into 13 (soon to be 18) Kinetik HC 16 volt cells. I’ve got the right equipment for the job. Now it’s a matter of getting it all in a 1991 Dodge Colt hatchback and getting it tweaked right. Space is limited and that’s a major challenge. I’m learning to be a woodworker, engineer, welder, mechanic, fabricator, mathematician, physicist, etc. all in one shot. The suspension has been one of the hardest issues to tackle as the car only weighs about a ton, and it has to hold more than a ton inside. The rear axle was bending and the front and rear of the car were pretty much bottomed out. I was able to use air bags up front and rig some separate air lines to give me a left/right adjustment. I pulled the rear axle and had it bulked up with a piece of heavy channel welded across the top. Along with that, I made a custom strut bar, and I was able to use 2 heavy air shocks through the floor to the axle. I was able to install 600 lb/inch springs on coil-overs for each side of the rear. This allows me left/right adjustment like the front. This car sits better than stock with well over 1000 lbs. in it already.

	One of my favorite features of this car is my second alternator. I use a stock alternator for the car and its 12 volt needs, but after installing a custom bracket where the AC compressor would go, I was able to install a custom built Leece Neville. Carter Alternator and Starters here in Louisville built it for me. This is a semi alternator, and they were able to hook up a regulator that allows me up to 20 volts. I don’t know exactly what this alternator is capable of, but on 13 batteries, it can blacken a 300 amp fuse pretty quick if pushed. It shut down the motor when bench tested at 250 amps. It’s a monster. It’s drag can stall the car if the idle isn’t set high enough. I’ve still got a ways to go… finishing the enclosure, concreting doors/ dash, getting the rest of the batteries and both amps in there, and finishing the enclosure. I plan on having this car functional in Feb. 2011. It’s been 3 years in the making. It probably won’t be completely done, but it will be the loudest that I’ve ever been! Thanks to these sponsors for all their help: Grizz and Team Soundstream Richard and Team Autosound- Rockford Ln, Louisville The guys at Carter Alternators – Ralph Ave, Louisville, KY Erik Harbour and Kinetik <<Back to Team Soundstream