I'm glad I happened across Pete's House Stereo Install website early in my build because I probably wouldn't have had the foresight to pre-wire for this. I was also pretty intimidated at the thought of installing a stereo system and would've been unlikely to attempt it on my own, but his instructions were detailed enough to give me confidence.
In fact, I followed Pete's tutorial so closely that I'm not going to get too in detail with a step-by-step here. You can visit his website if you want to see the the process, but here are some of the components I used in my buidl:
Parts & tools:
Rockford Fosgate 6.5" speakers - set of four - $88
Rockford Fosgate 4" speakers - set of two - $36
Rockford Fosgate amplifier - $369
Installation - $300
Wiring
Cost = $1,069 and counting
I ended up sticking with Rockford Fosgate for all my speakers and the subwoofer and amp, for no particular reason other than consistency.
After much experimentation the amplifier and subwoofer ended up behind the refrigerator, where there was a few inches of space between the back of the refrigerator and the wall. My handman Jeff cut out a nice thin plywood box for the subwoofer and Miguel, my 12v electrical guy who specializes in audio, hooked up the amp. The amp is a also on a switch in the control panel so that it can be turned off when it's not in use and eliminate any power draw.
Even more important than great tunes in the van is keeping things at a tolerable temperature. So let's talk HVAC!