'99 Ford Explorer first carputer

**thrice** · 03-21-2005, 02:30 PM

just begun installing my carputer, starting with the screen. i don't have much to show as of right now, as i've only worked on it one day, and i'm an idiot and didn't have my camera with me during that first day. it's a pretty basic install. all i've really needed to get to where i am now is bondo, dremel, and sandpaper. still needs some sanding, and touching up, but i think it's a decent start. let me know what you all think so far. again, sorry for the lack of before/after pics

http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/side.jpg

http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/bottom.jpg
http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/front.jpg

**xdjxklusivex** · 03-21-2005, 09:51 PM

looks gooood!!! keep up the good work :-D i got a 94 explorer check out my page... www.explorer.aajanachle.com -- soon to do a navigator or esclade conversion!!!

**thrice** · 03-22-2005, 11:24 AM

thanks dj. i like your setup, very nice.

here's some more pics of the dash. pretty much done with it now. only thing i have to do now before i can put it in my car is clear out the screw mounts in my car that get in the way of the screen. it's not perfect, but i'm definitely happy with the result

http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/100_4292.jpg
http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/painted.jpg
http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/painted2.jpg
http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/finished.jpg

**neon_eddy** · 03-22-2005, 11:57 AM

nice.. I have a 98 X .. I'm thinkig of doing the same you have.. right now it's just press fitted.. greta for debugging.. but I've got most of the kinks worked out..

however I moved my head unit to that space in the bottom.. and my AC controls to the bottom center console.. ..

**shakes** · 03-22-2005, 01:20 PM

looking pretty good ... I'd suggest sanding it down a bit more and really work the feather sanding around the corners. you can see where the bondo stops and the plastic starts. with enough feather sanding you can get this to be seamless.

also the picture may be misleading but I think you could get a smoother finish on the paint if you did it in multiple light layers sprayed from a distance, and wet sand with some super fine grit paper between coats. (did you use primer at all?)

looking good though!

**Kalavera** · 03-22-2005, 01:46 PM

Nice work with the dash. Should look well when installed. Keep up the good work.

PS. Should this be in worklogs? Just a question, I don't want to ruffle any feathers.

**thrice** · 03-22-2005, 05:32 PM

thanks for the suggestions. i think i may go back and feather sand it.

i've never noticed the worklogs forum. sorry about posting here. would a moderator be so kind as to move this to the worklogs forum?

**thrice** · 03-23-2005, 04:22 PM

i went back and sanded it with 600 grit sandpaper and applied a couple more coats of paint, sanding in between. definitely made a difference. here are a couple pics of it in my car and ghetto rigged to a laptop i had lying around.
http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/indashfar.jpg
http://www.ipwnj00.net/carputer/indashclose.jpg

let me know what you think

**shakes** · 03-23-2005, 05:54 PM

hard to tell exactally but looks like the extra sanding and paint made a big difference. looking good.

**Sporttracguy** · 03-23-2005, 07:23 PM

Looking good,, very similar to the install i did,,i used the xenarc though so it took more cutting to fit the larger xenarc case in there

2 LCDs 2 touchscreens sport trac, check it out

Sporttracguy