2003 Nissan Altima 8" Touch Screen Install

MikesSWelch · 03-11-2007, 11:07 PM

2003 Nissan Altima Install

I have wanted to put a computer in my car for many years. I built a plexi glass computer and put it in my Mustang in 1999, but I had no idea how to put in a display so I didn't. It just booted into a dos mp3 player and started playing on random. I had no way to control it.

I have since gotten rid of the Mustang and now I drive a 2003 Altima. In September of '06 I decided I was going to give another go at putting a computer in my car, but this time I was going to do it right.

I had a number of requirements that I was going to follow or I wasn't going to do it at all.
The most important requirement was that it had to look stock. I didn't want anyone to be able to tell that it wasn't a stock gps system, that way no one would ever try to steal it.

I started out by getting a spare dash bezel from a junk yard. I was actually there for a school project and managed to get everything including the bezel for free.

I followed Altimat's Guide: How-To: Recessed Screen and DVD Drive
It was very helpful. Thanks Altimat.

Note: All the pictures are clickable to the full size image on Google's Picasa Web.

I bought an 8 inch Lilliput 889GL-80NP touch screen and took it apart.

I took off the front trim and used that to judge the size of the opening. (Very scientific, I know.)

I used Do It Best Metal Filled Industrial Epoxy to epoxy wood to the dash bezel as a frame.

I added lots of extra epoxy with the intent to sand it down and make it flush.

I would add epoxy and then sand it down. Each time I would test the screen to see how it fit and then I would add epoxy and sand as necessary.

I epoxyed the front trim of the LCD to the back of the dash bezel. The actual LCD is held in place with 5 screws. It can be removed as necessary.

MikesSWelch · 03-12-2007, 07:52 AM

It took me about three weeks of epoxying and sanding to get to this point. Three weeks is an awful long time, but this is the first time I've done anything like this. With experience it could be done in a few days. Finally it was time to primer it.

After a few coats of primer I sprayed it with an Orange Peel Spray.

Then I laid on a few more coats of primer.

On to painting. Finding the right color paint would be tricky. Remember, I wanted this to look stock so I would have to very closely match the color of the dash. I took the stock bezel out of my car and into Home Depot. I asked one of the guys in the paint department for help. I told him I needed to match the color of the bezel. He said he could color match it, but then it wouldn't be a spray paint. There is no way I could paint it with a brush and make it look nice and I didn't have access to a professional spray booth, so I needed a spray paint. The guy was actually very helpful. He grabbed a piece of cardboard and tested every can of spray paint that looked like it could have been a match. Finally we found one. It was a $2 can of America's Finest, Smoke Gray. You can't tell it's not OEM without knowing. The pictures do not do it justice.

On the left is the stock bezel that came with my car and on the right is the one from the junk yard.

Here it is with the screen mounted.

A rear view.

Running FrontRow on my Mac Mini.

I had to cut the bottom of the LCD housing to get it to fit.

Finally mounted in the car.

HEY YAAAAAA!

MikesSWelch · 03-12-2007, 07:53 AM

I decided that the HVAC bezel looked out of place and needed a paint job of its own.

Voila!

AudioSlave's Like A Stone.

Kalt · 03-12-2007, 11:21 AM

Nice work, especially since that epoxy can be a real pain to work with.

Prpapi4ver · 03-12-2007, 11:36 AM

looks good..

hey kalt your going to do a new install on ur alti

Siezmik · 03-13-2007, 08:07 AM

Although I'm not sure I like the "heaviness" of the textured spray, you did a really nice job and I commend your perseverance for sanding all that epoxy.