Suburban - Custom console carputer - W/Pics

My goal is to build a carputer in my 99 Chevy Suburban 2500 that is totally self contained. I need to be able to take the entire unit out of the Suburban and put it into both my 06 Chevy 1500 and also when I am camping to bring it inside the trailer and use it as my PC.

After a little thinking I decided I needed to build a center console to hold everything and give me the ability to move the unit from vehicle to vehicle.

Hardware:

MB - ECS 761GX-M754 w/Semperon M3000+ 754
RAM - 2X512 DDR400= 1G total
PS - INWIN|IW-P240F1-0 240W
Inverter - 750W
DVD - DVD_BURN LITE-ON|LH-18A1P-185 BK
GPS - M.S. S&T 2007 w/supplied GPS
LCD - Lilliput 7" Touch screen LCD VGA
HD - 250Gig Seagate IDE
Sound - Onboard
TV - WinTV PCI Tuner Card
RCam - Not sure of brand yet
Key/Mouse - Mini USB KB and MS Wireless mouse
Internet - VX6700 USB (EVDO) or Cingualr 3G PCMCIA (I have both not sure what I am going to use yet)

Software:

Windows XP Pro SP2
MS S&T 2007
RR Front end (Not 100% SURE ON FRT END YET)


Center console build:

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

The vehicle for the proposed install a 1999 Chevy Suburban 2500 - Primary use is as a Tow vehicle for a 34 foor travel trailer. Not a daily driver.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

The old solution was my Laptop on the mount that I bought from Ebay, not a terrible solution just not what I was looking for.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

This is the area that I will be installing my custom console.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

I am using 5/8 MDF for my console construction along with 5/8 Pine for the lid because I was not sure how the MDF would hold up when I routed the edges and screwed in the hinges.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

The basic box is being built. I mocked up the dimensions with cardboard

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

I added 3 metal brackets at the bottom of the console to hold a 1/4 piece of plywood that will act as a mother board tray. It will be secured with Velcro strips. I will be able to take the entire board out of the console without removing the actual console. For maint reasons mostly. I also figured that it would be best to get the computer components sitting up higher than the carpet under the console.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Here it is with the tray installed in the bottom along with the lid hinges installed.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Here is a view of the front of the console. The smaller area in the front sildes under some HVAC work under the dash. The small piece of wood laying on top of that area will be secured with velcro and will be the area that all connections will enter the console. I will be able to lift the small piece of wood off and make all connections and then just lay it back down to hide all the wires.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

One of my biggest complaints of the truck is the terrible cup holder placement. The cupholder is built just under dash vent and pulls out towards you and does a very poor job of holding cups. I decided that while I was doing this I wanted to make myself some cup holders that work for "ME". I picked up a few different cheapo cup holders at Pep Boys and Walmart. Finally I decided on the $6.00 Walmart "wedge" style cup holders. After a little bit of dremmel work and some cutting I had some cup holders. :)

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Cup holders and lid installed

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Lid opens and allows access to the system if needed

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Test fit and deciding on carpet color.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Partially covered in carpet

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

100% covered. The area you see in this picture between the carpeted area and non carpeted area is where all my wiring will come into the console. The small top piece of wood there is attached with velcro and pops right off if I need to get to the connections.

More Pics in next thread - RC

Continuation - of previous post.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Test fit console in truck

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Testing console functionality

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

This is where I am at now.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Quick before look again

That is it for now, I am currently waiting for all of my parts to come in. I am working on the wiring of the system now.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/Carputer.jpg

Mt proposed wiring setup. The only change I will make to this diagram is to ground the switch to the cig lighter circuit not the distr block. I will also add fuses after the distr block but before each connecting component.

I will start to make note of my wiring and actual computer build up as the parts come in and time allows.

I am very new to this and barely touched the surface of this site so if you see something that is not "right" please let me know. Otherwise stay tuned for updated Pics and progress reports.

Cheers
Rc

nice job... only problem I see are those cupholders tho. What if you were to spill something.... Wouldnt it leak through right on top of the computer?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CJ8501

nice job... only problem I see are those cupholders tho. What if you were to spill something.... Wouldnt it leak through right on top of the computer?

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Thanks!

I thought the same thing so before I installed the cup holder I filled them both with water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. No leaks. It is a molded abs type plastic that unless it gets cracked should stay dry....I hope. :)

Cheers
Rc

Hi Rcracerx, nice console. Very creative to use it in more than one vehicle. I am working on my fourth install(wish I wouldl have thought of that)..lol... and two of the installs has cupholders like yours in it. No problems at all. One install has been in there for over 2 yrs. Looking good on the console.

Nice idea. Giving me some ideas to an alternative to my current location under the rear seat.

What about heat in that enclosed, carpet insulated box?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by klundy

Nice idea. Giving me some ideas to an alternative to my current location under the rear seat.

What about heat in that enclosed, carpet insulated box?

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Well as the electronic components arrive I will mount them and I will definitley be cutting some fans into the side to exhaust any hot air. Most likely I will do one vent on each side just to move some air around.

Thanks for the compliments guys, I am only a beginner at this stuff.

Rc

You need to add a picture with your wife tapping her toe as she angily watches from the driveway :) j/k Looking good so far!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jeffreyd_tx

You need to add a picture with your wife tapping her toe as she angily watches from the driveway :) j/k Looking good so far!

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Hahahaha, we wont go there....just yet. :)

Thanks for the compliment.

Rc

I have some updates to post:

Finally some parts have come in, I have almost everything I need now except the Lilliput that is on a UPS truck somewhere in California right now. :)

I realised a small error in my measurements after I mounted the motherboard in the console, I did not all ow myself enough room for the PCI TV card I wanted to use. For a smaller low profile card it would be okay but this card is huge. I am going to ditch the PCI card idea and go with a USB tuner as well as a USB Wifi adapter. I have decided it is not worth changing the placement of everything else just to use the PCI slots especially since there are USB alternatives for the cards I desire available.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...s/100_2131.JPG

The goods have arrived :) Obviously I took this picture before I realised the WIN TV card and 54G Wifi card would not fit. :(

Okay I decided it was time to start cutting holes into my Console. In hindsight it would have been much easier to make all of the cuts before I carpeted it but at the time I had no idea where I would be mounting most of the stuff.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

DVD Player

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...s/100_2127.JPG

The DVD Player is mounted onto a pice of plywood and provides a very strong base for the player to rest on. The same pice of wood will be used to hold the hard drive on the underside.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Not a bad fit, very tight.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

I am going to install 2 80MM fans. The one you see here will be exhausting air and I am going to cut one into the opposite side of the case for intake.

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...s/100_2148.JPG

I mounted a grill over the fan and it gave it a finished look IMHO. - Done

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

That is as far as I have gotten on the wiring so far but I am woking on it. I mounted the stand offs for the motherboard into the tray and test fitted everything. I was pretty happy with the results but man it is amazing how fast you can fill up space. I probably should have dome more measuring and planning then cutting and grinding. :D

http://mysite.verizon.net/cenley/car...20(Medium).JPG

Man making a carputer is a messy job - or maybe that is just the way I work. :) Good thing this is my dungeon in the basement otherwise the wife would be screaming bloddy murder by now. :)

More to come - stay tuned.