Thread: Mk1 Vauxhall Astra

I would be very tempted to take out the small clock, move the needed switches i.e. hazard warning lights and rear screen heater to the space where the clock was. And then rip out the head unit and switches above to create a space for a 7" touch screen like the Lilliput or Xenarc. The screen would display a clock (to replace the one you took out) and controls for the MP3's etc. You would be mounting the screen into the dash.

But then that's what I would do.........

Magpie..

Fair point, but that's a lot of effort!
To be honest, I've got a fairly low budget, and I don't want anything permament. Also, nothing apetizing to the theives!

My sexy wheels!

Hmmmm, Nice shade of brown you have there.......

Now if I'm not mistaken, that's not the car shown in the first pictures is it!

OK, here's what you should do. And I know this is going to sound like a I'm trying to get out of answering your question but you need to start somewhere. Check out the Newbie secion of these forums as a lot of your questions are going to be answered there. One word of advice is: however easy and straight forward you may think it is then there is always something that makes it that more difficult just waiting around the corner. So, when you say cheap, I have probably spent around £500 on a basic system which includes motherboard, touch screen, power supply, memory etc. etc.

The alternative is for an iPaq or similar and plug it into your head unit!

Hehe, yes, loverly Turd Shade of brown!
No, not the same cars, but was the only decent Interior pic I could find.

I totally agree with you man, guess I'm dreaming still!
Will probally just go with the iPod...well, at least until I stop the leak causing many a damp patch in my car!
Or perhaps a Phillips, I hear they're pretty good.


I guess, I was just wondering if anyone else has an mk1 Astra, with a computer install.

Hehe, I guess what you were REALLY asking is: Does anyone else have a Mk1 Astra?
That's probably a 1983 model you have there I would guess. At least putting in an iPod will double it's value for you

Still, have a look through the forum, I'm sure you will catch the bug after a short while. It's the little things like downloading new MP3's to you car from the house that get to you in the end. It's a geeks world! My dream also started with small requirements and have grown into an uncontrolable beast as the little kid inside me begins to have some fun for a while..........

Hope it goes well.

Yep!
I love these cars dude, s'why I've got one. It's not in bad condition to be honest! Minimal rust.

One thing I'm going to do before a carputer, would be to secure the car better! Alarm/etc.
And, when I do install a screen/etc, I think I'm going to drive upto a big ole hill on me own like, anyone could be watching if I was to do it on my driveway!

I've been reading on this forum for a few months now, slowly building up a plan.
Cheers mate.

I would get an old laptop off of ebay for a couple hundred bucks. flip the screen around so it shows out when closed (like a tablet pc), rip out your head unit and buy a cheap new one that just has aux input. Cut a hole in your dash where your head unit use to be and shove the laptop up in there, cover up the sides of the laptop with fiberglass, or vinyl if you want cheap and easy.

This is what I did for my 88 firebird (http://www.digitalwheelz.com) it was real cheap since I already had the laptop, it cost me like $150 for the head unit. I also added an external HD that stored all the music.

That's a very good idea, thanks man.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...EBWA%3AIT&rd=1

That's what I really want!

Any other ideas with my car guys?

I've changed my ideas a bit, not going to go for a tft, to expensive.
I've gone in the direction of a character lcd now, something like 40x4 or there abouts.
I have parts I could build up, very low spec though.
P2 450mhz/128mg ram/harddisk/fdisk.
Of which, I could mount in the glove box to the left of the dash.

I don't want to do any editing work to the dash itself, so perhaps the LCD could be attached some how, just below that stereo.