Current setup 1999 Camaro SS
Pioneer HU (2004)
Lower-end Focal speakers in doors and sail panels (2004)
Wiring replaced for speakers, RCAs from front to rear (2004)
Subthump amp rack (2004)
Subthump stealth sub enclosure (drivers side) (2004)
Hifonics Zeus 5 channel single amp driving the 4 speakers & sub (2004)
No speakers in the rear hatch panels
XM receiver sitting under the passenger seat, unsecured, wiring under the carpet. (2003)

New setup is a 2000 T/A with nothing but stock stereo stuff in it.

With the T/A I'm giving serious consideration to pulling the whole carpet interior (not taking apart the entire dash, though) and installing sound-deadening material in the car along with the doors. I've searched around here a bit and it has at least given me some ideas, but I'm always open to suggestions on what's relatively easy for a noob to install and reasonably effective (I'm not going the Home Depot sound deadener route). Having the interior out means that I can run all the wiring I need to run at that point as well.

I'm also trying to figure out what sort of speaker setup to install. I'd like to put some standalone tweeters in the doors since the T/A has spaces for them already built in. I'd put speakers in the sail panel spaces and I already have a sub/enclosure. I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth my time to run wiring and buy speakers for the hatch panels and I'm also contemplating whether or not my current amp would be suitable for this or if I need to be looking at more/better amps.

I can tell you that the Focals are likely not going to be transplanted. At least one of them has gotten staticy on me and I don't really want to go to the hassle of pulling them from the old vehicle. I'd rather install some new, mid-quality speakers.

The HU isn't getting transplanted either. HUs in 2004 rarely had aux inputs or MP3 capability. I would like to have both on a newer HU. Lastly, I plan to use this HU with the steering wheel controls. I understand I need to buy an adapter to do that.

I am not looking for anything high end, really, I just want the car to have less road noise and exhaust noise in the interior and have a clean-sounding stereo system. I've gone so far as to consider A-pillar tweeters as well, but of course that means more wires and cutting into my A-pillars (or at least the one with gauges, since I've never seen an A-pillar with 3 gauge pods and a tweeter location for sale anywhere).

Thoughts? I'm not in a hurry for any of this, but have been batting the idea around for awhile. I know this is several days worth of work.

 

I would use the new speakers in the stock locations, skip the hatch speakers altogether, and use that Hifonics amp. It should do the job just fine. The upgraded HU would have better signal processing and should have a 6-channel preamp out to run to your amp. This would give optimal sound.
I would definitely use a component up front. The rear seat area I usually use a midbass driver for added depth and some midrange. It also makes a nice transition from the low end bass out of the stealth box in the rear. Let the high frequency come from up front to keep the front stage active. You could use a coaxial in the rear sail area instead of the midbass if you wanted some highs there as well, that is a personal preference situation.
The deadener will also help with sound quality so your mid level speakers sound will be enhanced.
Shoot me an email and I can put something together for you!

 

for your tweeters 6le makes tweeter pods that replace the flate plastic peice where the side mirror is but on the inside. (hopefully that made some sense)

 

I will give that a serious look, thank you!

 

I shot you an e-mail on the 9th, Mr. Kee.

 

Looking at it now brother! Putting together some ideas.