The Origin Of The Specialist

A potted history

The Origin of the Specialist

In this article, we explain where exactly today’s In-Car Specialist came from. As the Darwinian title suggests, Events and developments outside of their control has lead to rapid evolution in skills but the roots are still there for all to see.

In the late 60’s early 70’s, car electrics were very basic. Adding a 12 Volt device was relatively easy provided the dynamo or alternator on board could provide enough current to drive it and also someone took care to protect it and all other on-board electrical devices from harm through correct power wiring and fusing. At the time, cars were sold with; no in-car entertainment, no speakers, no aerial, nothing. This led to a proliferation of auto electricians who focussed on distributing and installing such items. Known as the “Fitter Distributer” these tradesmen became so busy, they set-up whole companies responsible for speaking with car dealerships and offering their services and a slice of the extremely lucrative action to local car dealerships.

In due course, the equipment manufacturers were doing deals directly with car manufacturers and quickly began to deliver in-car entertainment for fitment on the production line so that they too got in on the action. This was a major blow for the Fitter Distributer. However, not all car manufacturers got on board with this programme and in particular, many imported cars, and commercial vehicles still came without anything fitted. This was of course set to change but by then, consumers were demanding current technology like FM Radio, Cassette and 8-track cartridge. The problem with the line fit option was that car manufacturers were and still are obsessed with protecting their customers from harm particularly when it came to fitting third party equipment (sometimes called OEM) – This ensured that the Fitter Distributer still had lots of business to go for. By now, they had evolved into “specialists” as distribution became the job of equipment manufacturers local offices and fitting became more of a challenge due to the growing sophistication of on-board electrics.

Further evolution came from technological development – CD, Cellular phones, car security etc. all of which were pioneered by the specialist with car manufacturers taking 3-4 years on average to get on board and offer line fit versions.

The ongoing requirement for newer, better technology in the car meant that specialists were required to develop more skills and not just electrical and electronic but also in terms of physically modifying a vehicle and re trimming panels to make them look like part of the original vehicle finish. There was always a market for whacky installations. The car was after all, as much a status symbol as a necessity in the 70’s and drivers wanted to be noticed. This led eventually to fads and fashions in sometimes silly, add-ons – remember air horns and furry dice or skull shaped gear knobs? There were also those who wanted to make a noise and asked for external amplifiers and subwoofers and in fact the trend toward extra power and in particular, bass grew and grew and the specialist was called upon to carry out more outlandish work and in parallel more technically competent and better quality installations.

Today’s cars offer the specialist more of a challenge than ever. We now see very sophisticated electronics on board as standard. These are not restricted to developments in entertainment, navigation and security but even the fundamental electrics like; lighting, engine management systems, braking systems have radically evolved and have to be able to communicate with each other by way of a computer-style data bus. This means there are now serious implications to adding new products and some on-board systems cannot be removed as doing so will cause a breach in the communications bus and can stop the car from functioning.

When one car manufacturer first introduced a tyre pressure warning to one of its vehicles, a trip to a high street tyre fitter ended in a vehicle that would not start for one hapless owner with the manufacturer having to send a technician out to put it right!

But for the erstwhile Specialist, these are no longer business breaking developments but opportunities for them to offer extra services. The entrepreneurial nature and never say die spirit exhibited by these 12 Volt heroes has led them to find innovative ways to keep their businesses going – Security codes for radios, recoding alarm activators etc. but through all of this time, a select group has also been dedicated to providing drivers with a better, more enjoyable driving experience through audio upgrades.

With audio in particular, there is a schism between what many drivers want and what many car manufacturers are able to provide. For good audio in a small metal box with lots of shiny surfaces there are specific challenges and although none of these is insurmountable, the solutions cost time and money.

FOUR MASTERS is a network of specialist audio installers bound by some simple principles delivered with a quality pejorative. The overriding motivation is to allow music to be enjoyed in a car as much as it would be at home or at a concert or sound with no compromise.