Xenarc Swivel Screen Mounted to Dash

**pastypyro** · 04-21-2005, 07:16 PM

I'm going to start fabricating my next dash piece soon after I discovered, after some trial and error, that my Xenarc housing will not fit into my dash because of the AC controls located underneath where I was going to mount it. Here is a picture I found on google of what I will be working with:

I had previously cut out a dash piece nearly down the knob holes, but the screen had to be angled into the piece in a manner that would have not fit with the controls in that place. I want to keep my HVAC controls in the stock position so I would like to mount my Xenarc on a swivel stand that can be angled at the driver for visibility and to angle it away from the sun in some cases. I'm going to fill the radio pocket with bondo-glass and then leave a grommet for the wire to the screen. How do you guys reccomend molding a clean looking hole to route the screen wiring to?

**Dem0s** · 04-21-2005, 08:12 PM

Most of the guys here use wood, balsa or thin sheets, and then bond over it when filling larger holes. You could use fiberglass or bondo hair or resin to strngthen it.

**RS3RS** · 04-22-2005, 05:09 AM

The picture you have posted is of an SVT Focus. Is yours an SVT? Not that it matters, it'd just be cool to see another SVTF carputer project underway.

Take a look at this thread that another Focus owner made, which shows EXACTLY what I'm in the process of doing right now.

Finished molding Lilli bezel into Focus dash

I sent him an email not long ago, and he addressed the HVAC control issues. Here's a copy of the reply he sent me:

Hi,

I just eyed up where I wanted the Lilli's faceplate
and cut out a window I knew for a fact was smaller
than it had to be using the Dremel's cutting wheel.
Then I used a sanding drum on the Dremel to slowly
knock away more material until it just barely squeezed
in there.

The most important part of this process is making sure
to leave enough room at the bottom edge for the knobs
to still fit. It's a tight squeeze to say the least.
You will have to move it as far down as possible
because later on down the line when you attach the
guts to the back of the Lilli's faceplate you will
just barely fit it past the top left corner. It wants
to hit the dash in an area that you can't trim. You
will also wind up having to trim the plastic of the
HVAC knobs pretty extensively. You'll be able to see
the guts of the knobs when you're done through the top
side of the knob housing backing. There's also stuff
to trim around the stock radio opening, when you get
ready to put the screen in finally you'll see what I
mean, just have the Dremel handy. : )

Keep is updated on how its going! I'm on my (hopefully) final coat of bondo right now, hoping to finish it up in the new few days.

**pastypyro** · 04-23-2005, 06:24 PM

My focus is not an SVT. I had grinded down the AC controls and such with the Xenarc, but I believe the screen casing on the Xenarc is a little taller, which would be why it wouldn't fit flush in with the controls still there. I like the angled stand idea, and I just wanted to find a way to manage the wires neatly while it was on a stand. I found some small plastic pipe with rolled and beveled ends that I will cut the ends off of and mold into the dash to route wires through neatly for the Xenarc and Powermate. Thanks for the response though.