Thread: Speedy (Mazdaspeed6 Carputer Project)

I created a balsa wood frame for my Lilliput EBY701 that I covered with speaker grill cloth. Next step is to use fiberglass resin on the grill cloth to create the base for fiberglass/bondo application. Lots of sanding and painting will follow.

The screen mount will be attached to the dash map pocket and (semi)-permanently mounted on the dash. This is the same location that Mazda uses for the Nav screen, although it is motorized. I wanted something not hinged or motorized for longevity and reliability.

I laid fiberglass matte over the grille cloth and started to sand on the screen mount. Still lots of work to make it look good.

I covered the tray with cardboard and a plastic sack to keep the Bondo from running down into the tray. I slathered on the Bondo to fill the gaps between my frame and the tray to begin improving the mating between the screen mount and the tray. Still more resin and Bondo to go, but things are improving.

I ordered a Hang With Mi from Macessity to use to mount my Mac Mini under the dash. I used steel strapping to create brackets that fit quite nicely over a steel tube that happens to be in a convenient place to mount the computer. I cycled the A/C to make sure none of the mounting hardware would interfere with the vent actuator, and it appears that there will be plenty of clearance. Of course the back of the glove box will no longer fit where I mounted the computer bracket, so I cut the box part away from the front, leaving the door intact, so I can lock access to the computer, while still having access to the DVD drive

This is the mount and the brackets for it.

The steel tube to which the mount will be attached, test fit of the brackets and installing the Hang With Mi mount.

I used a Dremel to remove the back of the glove box, which is a single molded plastic piece. The Mini fits nicely. I will need to clean up the back of the glove box lid to make it look a little better after a rough Dremel job.

Added another couple of coats of resin to the screen mount. The surface is starting to get smoother. Still plenty of sanding to do, though.

Over the weekend, I completed the in-car wiring. I soldered the P1900 input harness to power, ground, and ignition and test-installed the computer and screen. Everything worked the first time, surprisingly. However, the startup/sleep/shutdown sequence was not working properly, so I need to troubleshoot that. No pictures since it's all just a rat's nest of wiring and not much to look at.

To smooth the transition between the screen case and the mount, I covered the screen with a plastic sack and pushed it into the mount. Then I spread Bondo around the seams and sanded it down. The edges and seams now have a nice, smooth joint that should look nice when painted.