Where would you put an LCD in this dash?

**redbeamer** · 06-27-2004, 08:59 PM

Hello, I'm new to this board but I have been researching the possibility of putting a computer in my car for some time. I've been brainstorming for a while as to where I could fit a monitor in my dash. I have a couple ideas as to what I could do but I thought I would see if the experts could offer me any further advice. I know I could go with a dash top mount, or a motorized LCD, but I am really looking for a factory look with this install. Check out the pics and let me know what you think. Any ideas are appreciated!

**AJ Quick** · 06-27-2004, 09:21 PM

Right there in front of the shifter.. but viewing it with the shifter there would be hard.. are there any mods you can do to shorten or lower the shift ball? Cut it maybe?

I saw this in a 1999 BMW.. and lots of others are on the boards.. most mount right there.

**redbeamer** · 06-27-2004, 10:03 PM

i thought about putting it there but it is so far out of the line of sight and plus the shifter being in the way could be a problem. what if i were to ditch the hu and move the ac controls down. how hard would it be to move the ac controls? also, what i were to move the vents, or ditch them all together and mount it where they used to be?

**Yuriy** · 06-27-2004, 10:16 PM

I just hang mine on the front vents, like this:

You could do the same. Those vents don't do much good anyway.
At least your LCD will be within your line of sight.
And don't even think about moving ac controls, unless they are electronic.

**Yuriy** · 06-27-2004, 10:22 PM

Also, consider the following:

**redbeamer** · 06-27-2004, 11:27 PM

your screen looks pretty good mounted on the vents like that, but i am really hoping to find a way to integrate it into my dash. if worse came to worse, i would rather ditch the ac/heat all together and replace it with the screen. i know, i know, its pretty sad when you would rather have a monitor than heat or ac. lol... really though, the car is going to be strictly a project car that i will be driving on weekends and to shows, not a daily driver. any one tried to relocate climate controls before? is it as much of a pita as i think it would be?

**Yuriy** · 06-27-2004, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by redbeamer

your screen looks pretty good mounted on the vents like that, but i am really hoping to find a way to integrate it into my dash. if worse came to worse, i would rather ditch the ac/heat all together and replace it with the screen. i know, i know, its pretty sad when you would rather have a monitor than heat or ac. lol... really though, the car is going to be strictly a project car that i will be driving on weekends and to shows, not a daily driver. any one tried to relocate climate controls before? is it as much of a pita as i think it would be?

I've heard that is is impossible to relocate the mechanical climate controls. It's similar to trying to relocate your engine.

**PiotrW** · 06-29-2004, 09:34 PM

What about the space beneath the heatercontrols and infront of the ashtray?
I actually remanufactured the lower part of the centre-console to fit a 10.4 tft. It look pretty much like the original, but the part in front of the lever is just a bit wider, and I removed the ashtray altogether.
I can't show You any pictures of it, as the car has been sold and no pics taken.

I have however made a mock-up in Ms-Paint (heh, fear my elite paint-skills

)

Originally Posted by Yuriy

I've heard that is is impossible to relocate the mechanical climate controls. It's similar to trying to relocate your engine.

Sorry Yuriy, but You're wrong. Relocating an engine is not that hard to do, You just have to know what You're doing.

The same goes for relocating the controls...

**redbeamer** · 06-29-2004, 10:03 PM

thanks for the advice. i had actually decided on putting it below the climate controls. i had to drive down to columbia yesterday and i kept looking down to see if i would be able to view it with the car in different gears, etc. it is in the line of view a little in 1st and 3rd, but i think i can live with it. thanks for all the help guys!

**BimmiN** · 07-29-2004, 04:27 PM

I have a very similar dash in my E34 M5. I thought of putting the LCD at the bottom as that would be easiest, but it wouldnt be very viewable to the other passengers if you ever wanted to watch DVD's. That is why I was hoping to mount it higher.
Here is what I was thinking of doing... the red arrows show where I would move the components to, and the blue square is where the LCD would go.