As part of our 20th anniversary, we're showcasing our favorite cars of the past few decades. Here's a legend from the world of SPL competitions.
Alma Gates stood out in the car audio world. Of course, she won competitions and set records, which will quickly get you in the spotlight. But you also don't see that many women, especially older women, in SPL competitions. This "grandmother of car audio" and Team Gates built two Ford Broncos during their run of competition and each iteration slammed with unearthly SPLs.
The first 1986 Ford Bronco, pictured here with Gates, was dubbed "The Beast." The former schoolteacher got hooked on car audio by her teenage son and quickly got serious, outfitting the Bronco to the hilt. Apparently, the Gates' whole-hearted efforts paid off. In its first year of competing, The Beast set an SPL world record.
Like many SPL competitors, Gates continued to tinker with the Bronco in order to stay atop of the competition and keep pushing the decibel threshold. She used different brands (e.g., PPI and Kicker). After the original Beast retired, Gates picked up a second Ford Bronco and joined Team JBL. There she took a jab at Sound Quality competitions before retiring at the age of 71 in 2006.
Check out some of the other rides we've featured and stay tuned for your chance to vote on your favorite!
Kevin Silva's C5 Corvette
Mark Eldridge's 1987 Toyota 4-Runner