Mark,

Had any time to ponder the advice above? I think kpaske, vehigaz and pb have great ideas and input! In other words, I believe there's quite a few approaches to what you seek... Now you just have to decide your path, let us know what you choose and then we can help you through the finer details...

I will go on the record in response to you wanting/inquiring re: amps behind the panels. I'd avoid this if you can. Simply put - amps, all amps, need to breathe - even if they have built in cooling (fans, water cooling, etc.)

Some brands/models you might want to consider (quality budget components):

Head Unit:
Jack, I couldn't agree more! If you can swing it, Alpine & Eclipse all the way. Kenwood, however, will be a suitable proxy...

Front High End ($165.00 - $199.00 : eBay)
MB Quart PCE 216
Infinity Perfect 6.1
JL Audio XR650-CSi
Diamond Audio D661S

Subwoofer & Amp:
Let me know what size you want to go with (8" or 10") and I'll drum up some brands/models to consider.

-biju.