2004 VW R32 Install - NOT DIAL-UP FRIENDLY

**R32 JUhl** · 02-05-2005, 03:51 PM

Hah! This forum is supposed to be for "finished" installations, but are they EVER finished?

Here's my install as it sits - it's up and running, but there are plenty of upgrades to perform before it's "finished."

Most of all, I have to thank those on the board who have helped make this happen! JCDillin, Frodo, Frigor, Rando, and Zorro - mad props to you!!! And thanks to everyone whose posts I learned VOLUMES from courtesy of the search tool.

Interior "before" with XM Roady 2

Trunk without CPU

Fuse box before

Console with finished monitor

Trunk with CPU

Fuse box after

Running Frodoplayer with Frigor's skin slightly modified

Custom CPU Housing

The wires behind the housing are ghetto/temporary until the CPU to Monsoon incompatibility issue is resolved.

EDIT: The issue is resolved!!! Read post #81 for details.

And the CPU is ghetto-installed until I get the chance to hone my fiberglassing skills and build a proper enclosure for it. Specs:

Hardware:
P4 1.8GHz
160 Seagate SATA HDD
1024 GB DDR RAM
7" Lilliput Touchscreen Monitor
Panasonic DVD
Mapower DVD enclosure
Custom-made monitor fascia and CPU housing
XMD1000 w/custom-made cable and Serial to USB converter
OPUS 150 fanless PSU
Griffin Powermate
802.11B Linksys WMP11
E-bay WinTV/FM
Delorme GPS
7-port USB hub
Creative USB camera (for parking cam.)
Sony Ericsson T-616 (for remote volume control)
Bluetooth dongle

Software
Win2k
Frodoplayer
Frodo Statellite Radio X
Phone Control
VWESIS - Volkswagen Service Information System

OH! I guess it's only appropriate to post pics of the car.

**Cris** · 02-05-2005, 05:20 PM

Absolutly incredible...superb! And you said it wasn't finished...
I like everything, especially the start button, and, well, the car itself.
What did you use to fabricate the screen enclosure?
Do you have a pic of the USB reverse cam?

**Quattro** · 02-05-2005, 05:24 PM

Excellent install. Looks really good. One question, what screen are you using?
Also can you post a zoomed-out pic of the screen, like the first pic.
Thanks.

**Cris** · 02-05-2005, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by R32 JUhl

Hah! This forum is supposed to be for "finished" installations, but are they EVER finished?

Here's my install as it sits - it's up and running, but there are plenty of upgrades to perform before it's "finished."

Most of all, I have to thank those on the board who have helped make this happen! JCDillin, Frodo, Frigor, Rando, RedGTIVR6, and Zorro - mad props to you!!! And thanks to everyone whose posts I learned VOLUMES from courtesy of the search tool.

Running Frodoplayer with Frigor's skin slightly modified

What's with the circular blue light from the bottom of the pic?

**Osiris** · 02-05-2005, 05:25 PM

Awesome install.

This is too funny

...

The HPA R32 requires a highly specialized diet of: Mustangs for breakfast, Camaros for lunch, Corvettes for dinner & STIs/EVOs as easy-to-digest snacks in-between meals. A carputer just makes it easier to upload the appropriate software before dining.

**Quattro** · 02-05-2005, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by Cris

What's with the circular blue light from the bottom of the pic?

It looks like it might be the powermate.

**Cris** · 02-05-2005, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Quattro-A4

It looks like it might be the powermate.

Oh yeah, thanks Quattro!

R32, you simply HAVE to post more pics!

**jcdillin** · 02-05-2005, 05:42 PM

Wow is pretty much all I can say.

**Bravellir** · 02-05-2005, 05:48 PM

I’m still drooling

**R32 JUhl** · 02-05-2005, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Cris

Absolutly incredible...superb! And you said it wasn't finished...
I like everything, especially the start button, and, well, the car itself.
What did you use to fabricate the screen enclosure?
Do you have a pic of the USB reverse cam?

Thanks Cris. I still want it to be more finished. A custom bezel that closes the gap behind the CPU and the seat the gap between the CPU and side of the trunk would be a step in the right direction. We're planning on showing this car as we get some of the performance and more of the appearance mods completed. So we gotta get that "finished" look.

The screen enclosure came about somewhat by accident (and I realize I need to provide better pics). I used 1/4 inch acrylic!

I cut (routered) an opening big enough for the Lilliput LCD to fit into and cut (dremel and home-made jig) the slot for the DVD Drive. I used a router on the back of the acrylic to slot it so the DVD drive would sit closer to the "front" of the fascia. Anyhow, I cut the "frame" out of the Lilliput housing and used that Epoxy putty stuff I had left over from my Reef Aquarium days. The nice thing about it is that you can shape it into the basic form you want and it holds REAL well. Once it dried, I sanded it to the perfect shape and used the Plasti-dip paint to cover it. It blistered about three times before I finally get it to lay down right!

That start button REQUIRES A RESISTOR! I fried one before I realized that. D'oh! I can't remember the value - I think it was 1.2k Ohm - just enough to drop 5V from the PSU to roughly 2.2 Volts. The buttons are available here in different colors. And I DID get that idea from someone else on the forum.

The parking camera is a work in progress. I'm really not concerned about seeing behind the car - call me crazy! My biggest concern is rolling those 18's up the side of a curb when parking away from everyone else. So I'm mounting the camera in the right outside rear-view mirror. That's going to require a fair amount of work since the camera isn't weather resistant, but we'll knock it out. Anyhow, this is basically what it looks like, but that's not the same model.

Thanks again! And with any luck, I'll post the links to the articles we get published on the car.