Custom Autosound's Secretaudio System - Install A Hidden Stereo

Let’s face it—there typically isn’t much extra room in our kit cars. In addition, most of them are open cars—convertibles, roadsters, and cabriolets—ripe pickings for stereo thieves. Those two reasons alone are worth looking at Custom Autosound’s Secretaudio SS system ($239.99), which consists of a small stereo power unit, a tiny digital controller, and an even smaller RF remote control. It’s possible to mount the system completely out of sight for stealth operation or even hide the controller in plain sight, say on a sun visor or other unexpected location. Even with the components totally hidden, the remote provides complete radio frequency operation of the system from 40 feet away.

One might think by the diminutive size of this system that it is fairly basic. Quite the opposite is true. The power unit, measuring only 6-½x5-½x1-¾ inches, contains an AM/FM tuner with 12 AM presets, 18 FM presets, an amplifier, a CD changer chip, RCA line-out jacks, and all the usual features such as seek, scan, complete CD changer control, and separate bass and treble. The controller unit, measuring 4-¼x1-½ by less than 1 inch thick, has an LCD display screen and all the same push-button controls as the remote-control unit.

Because of the small size and remote-operation capability, there are lots of places on small, open cars to install such a system completely out of sight. When we first learned about the Secretaudio system, we began looking at our own kit cars for novel installations. On one snake replica, we found we had plenty of room under the dash to hang the power unit and route the controller to a bracket on the front edge of the dash. When not needed the controller could quickly be detached and tucked up out of sight. It also lent itself to a trunk install with the controller routed to a spot between the driver seat and the trans tunnel. The possibilities seemed endless.

For this story we decided to install a hidden system in our Youngster ’32 Hiboy project. As with most kit cars, the cockpit is small and we didn’t want to destroy the simplicity and grace of that distinctive dash with a modern head unit or hang something below the dash. The underdash area is also limited, particularly since we’re still considering adding a heater/defroster at some point. That left the trunk or underseat area as logical mounting spots—both of which would provide secure locations and reasonable access. Since we already had considerable wiring under the flip-up seat base—the location of the engine-management system and associated wiring harness—we opted to mount the power unit there. In addition, we figured we could then route the controller (it’s connected to the power unit with an extra-long cable) between the seat back and base where it could be seen while driving, or hidden away to be operated by the remote as the spirit moves.

We had already planned for speaker placement during the upholstery phase by calling for a pair of 5-½-inch cutouts high on the kick panels. We chose a pair of Rockford Fosgate full-range, 2-1/8-inch–thick speakers to be mounted behind the perforated kick panels. The speaker placement is really the only visual tip-off that this car is fitted with a stereo system.

Installation of the Secretaudio is simple, particularly because there is no need to cut any holes in the dash. The power unit is designed to be attached to a bracket, and the controller can either be mounted to a bracket or be flush mounted with the supplied sleeve and surround bezel. In some instances you could even slap on some Velcro strips for quick-change utility.

Basically, the system installation consists of locating and mounting the power unit, plugging in the controller, plugging in the antenna, wiring the speakers, wiring the power leads, then firing the thing up and programming in your favorite channels. In keeping with the stealth nature of our installation, we also chose an Antennaworks ProLine amplified electronic antenna ($49.95), which neatly hides away behind a panel in the trunk. We’re still considering a six-disc CD changer—a plug-in feature of the Secretaudio—which can be hung from a steel body support in the trunk with a flush-mount face on the front trunk panel.

We have to admit, as good as this car sounds without a radio, having some oldies blasting as we tool down the block just serves to enhance the Youngster experience. Once we programmed our favorite stations, we tucked the controller under the seat and used the remote exclusively, even when playing tunes at a show comfortably seated under the ol’ EZ-Up behind the roadster.