Thread: 1999 Ford Escort ZX2

UPDATE:
Well, was in an accident a couple weeks ago (end of Feb '07) and the car is now totaled. At least it wasn't my fault but it was a sad end, she was a good car.





Been done for a month or so now, just been too busy to post pics and a little write-up.

Equipment:
-VIA Epia PD 1GHZ Mobo
-OPUS 150 PSU
-7" LinITX touchscreen
-512MB Ram
-60Gig 3.5" HD
-Dlink USB bluetooth (EDGE internet through Cingular, V551 phone)
-Belkin 802.11g USB wireless
-DVD-ROM (hooked up IDE)
-Logitech wireless keyboard (RF, standard size)
-Garmin GPS-II serial gps w/ external antenna (OLD unit, already had it wired
in car)
-HOLUX GPSslim236 bluetooth gps (backup and for use with pocket pc)

Software:
-Windows XP Pro SP2
-Road Runner w/ Simplistique Skin (different from pictures below)
-iGuidance


Here's the screen mounted right above the Alpine HU. This car has that oval piece with the factory radio molded into it so I already had to replace it when I put in the Alpine and I didn't want to get rid of or relocate the HU to flush mount the screen, plus I don't think it would have fit anyway. So for right now I screwed the bracket the screen came with to that black oval piece to hold the screen right above the HU. There's probably enough room between the HU and that air vent right above the screen where I could fabricate a housing around the screen so it looks like it's flush mounted but I've never done any fab work and am in the middle of a crazy semester and an upcoming wedding so I just wanted to get it all working. The only thing I will probably do is hide the cables coming from the screen. On this screen the cables exit out the bottom so I'd have to put a hole in the back cover and reroute the cables through there, and then make a hole in that black oval dash piece and run the cables in and down. Shouldn't be too hard, will probably be my next weekend project when I have the time. But right that 6" of tubing is the only cable visible and I can easily totally remove the screen in 30seconds.



Close ups of the screen w/ Road Runner running. Not using this skin anymore though, have switched to one called Simplistique.


Here is the computer under the passenger's seat (with seat all the way forward). Picture is a little old, I have cleaned up the wiring (w/ more black tubing) since then. Can also see the IDE cable going to the DVD-ROM that's just out of the picture. It's attached to the top of the case and faces forward so that it is about even with the front of the passenger's seat (within my reach). I have a IDE-USB adapter that I used at first but when I had it hooked up I would get errors (BSODs) everytime I came out of hibernate, as soon as I went back to IDE it worked perfectly, so for now the drive will stay under the seat. Eventually would like to get a slim slot load unit and install in glove box or in dash somewhere.


And with the seat moved back it's hidden.


Antennas on the trunk. On left is the active GPS antenna for the Garmin unit. That gps is really old (8 channel, NON-parallel receiver) so it really needs an external antenna). In the middle is an amateur radio antenna (2m/440 dual band). I have a 2m radio, 2m amp, and a packet TNC under the driver's seat for voice, APRS tracking capability, and public service/emergency communication work. On the right is just the standard radio antenna.

That's it for now....