1986 Jaguar XJS - COMPLETED 21 June 2008

**ThunderStick** · 04-07-2007, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by spoonmastertb33

sucks about the screen

Friggin lilliput, should have expected this. Anyway, project on hold till I get a new screen and complete plans for the alternative installation. Plan B since Plan A failed. Hope I dont need a Plan C.
I will be going to a hobby store to pick up my needed supply hopefully tommorrow morning. Probably a lot of balsa wood, laminate and glue. With hopes to make it blend in with the real wood dash. Hopefully I can find matching laminate and help in this area would be great.
Thanks

**ThunderStick** · 04-10-2007, 04:18 PM

Ok I got a good plan now and I am just waiting for the screen. The screen will mount to the upper dash but will hang down over the center vent. There are three vents here a left, center and right. It will onlly cover the center one and I can do with out it. This will l also keep it from blocking any view of the road I have. If mounted to the top of the dash I would loose approximately 20% of the "road viewability". NOT GOOD
It will mount to the dash using a custom housing I will have to make. Shouldnt be too hard. One single cable will run along the bottom of the windshield and hidden under a rubber strip. Keeping the cable un noticable. I decided this to prevent drilling a hole in the dash. Parts for this car are damn near impossible to replace and if I decide to remove this computer setup I want as little repair as possible to do.
The housing I will build will atach to the dash with only two screws ideally and will be able to be removed very easily. When completed, I hope to have one bad *** looking setup. Looks good in my head now anyway.

**spoonmastertb33** · 04-10-2007, 05:07 PM

dont forget to take pics of the install

**WarX** · 04-10-2007, 11:51 PM

the car looks in great condition! G'luck with the install!

**ThunderStick** · 04-11-2007, 01:29 AM

PIcs will be available as progress or mistakes are made. Even disasters, I will take some pics of the dead lilliput to post. As it is part of the log.
Anyway thanks for your interest in my project..

**ThunderStick** · 04-26-2007, 09:13 PM

GOt everything installed that other day and it worked great. I thought. After a few minutes of running the computer shuts down for no reason. I am looking at the power button now and my solder points. I may also have a problem in the bios, didnt have too much time to check it out yet.
Anyway, it looks very promising and was a lot of work. I have a secondary battery hooked up and isolated using a stinger 200 amp relay. This will ensure the 2nd battery is only connected to the cars power when the ignition is on. The computer is connected to this battery so if for some reason the computer hangs or the boot up sequence gets screwed up, it will not drain my main battery.
The 2nd battery idea also works good if the main battery is drain (say if you leave you head lights on) and it doesnt have enough to start the car. The second battery kicks in automatically and lets the car start from it. I found this out this weekend when I left my lights on. Kick *** jump start system if you ask me.
Anyway I am pretty amped about this setup. This will be the 10th carputer I setup now in my cars and should be my best install yet.

**ThunderStick** · 04-26-2007, 09:13 PM

Pictures to come soon

**ThunderStick** · 05-10-2007, 09:22 PM

DVD, dash head unit came in today and will go in tonite or tommorrow morning. Cant wait for this thing.

**ThunderStick** · 05-24-2007, 06:15 PM

Project completed and fully operational. Of course upgrades will be added and things may change from time to time, but for now this is the finished product.