"My original rules were that I could do whatever I wanted
to it, so long as I could put it back to stock at some point,"
the girl known as "Strange" said of her original plans.
"It started with stereo, then rims, then body kit, which
was a little less reversible. After that, I thought I might
as well go the distance."
Going the distance has meant going the distance in style
for Bow, as shown by her attention to detail when planning
each step on the car. While featuring shaved door handles,
emblems and hatch, an Evo body-kit, and carbon-fibre side
mirrors, perhaps the most stunning feature is the black-on-black
Tuxedo Black custom paint job with the Giovanna G-racing Nagano
rims But going black-on-black has had its detractors, Bow
said.
"People were telling me I should have gotten chrome,"
Bow explained regarding the rims, "But you don't see
the black-on-black anywhere."
Striving for her own sense of originality has dictated much
of the flow of the car, especially when it comes to the interior.
With the help of audio/video expert Chris Labonte, she was
able to create a custom stereo enclosure for her over-the-top
audio/visual set-up.
"With a hatchback, you have so much room and so many
possibilities," she explained of the custom fiberglass
set-up under the hatch. Originally slated in her mind to be
of a common symmetrical set up, Labonte instead took the reins
on the project and created an original enclosure for the two
Alpine subs and two Rockford Fosgate amplifiers. "Originally
I wasn't feeling the asymmetry in there, but he was like,
'you should do assymetrical, it'll be totally different and
make it that much more interesting.'"
But even if one were to lose interest under the hatch, there's
much more to the extensive entertainment package. With two
5.8" headrest screens in the back, Alpine theatre amplifier,
and Alpine mobile multimedia station, there is hardly anywhere
in the Protégé one can turn their head without
experiencing an A/V overload. However, having such an eye-catcher
has proven to be costly for Bow at times.
"I've had several break-ins, none of which ended well,"
she explained. "I try not to leave it anywhere I can't
keep an eye on it."
Still, Bow maintained her enthusiasm about the community
in which she is one of the pioneering female members. And
as one of the first of an ever-growing community of women
custom car owners, she had one overwhelming piece of advice
for those following her: "Don't make your car pink,"
she advised. "Everyone will make fun of you."
|
