Newest carputer install for a friend (progress, pics)

FyreDaug · 04-25-2005, 06:43 PM

NEW PICS UPDATED APRIL 28

This guy I'm building this for wanted the cheapest alternative to a full pc, but still having pc functionality. (hmm. Yeah, thats what I thought too) So I asked him if performance was a big deal, if he'd be playing games or anything. I got a no. Just DVD's and music.

Another thing he wanted was a super clean installation, no wires, no offset lines, no crappy looking box, everything must be neat.

Now working on a smaller budget here it wasnt as easy to do. But this is the specs that it will have

Epox 8kta+ mobo (OB sound)
512 sdram
800mhz duron and 4 or 8 meg pci video card.
generic 350w psu + cheap 400w inverter
80gig seagate

I got the board/chip/ram used from someone I knew for 50 bucks
PSU+inverter was 50 bucks
HDD was <100

So far, Ive spent 200 bucks for a full system
Then I sent a money order to mp3car.com for a 7" lilliput touchscreen (which Im hoping will arrive shortly, we paid for express USPS shipping) Which came to about 400 canadian.

Total 600 bucks so far. He will be having a ps2 in his car, which will be mounted to the side of the box.

Now my favorite part is the box, I used my old sub box and fit the mobo in, hoping it would fit. Not a mm of clearance extra, it was such a perfect fit. Proud moment there. He wanted to be able to show it off if he wanted to, so having the clear window on top helps for that, I wanted to utilize as much space as I could, and still keeping the airflow decent and a good view from the top.

I made a custom mount for the HDD's, took only 45-50mins to figure out, set up and put together and Im proud of that. It helps shock protection all around, 360 degrees, and keeps it fairly out of the way of the window not to block the view, but still able to see it.

I'll let the pics speak for themselves.

Carputer pics

Now what about the 12" hole opening? There will be a dvd rom that you have to be able to get access to, and ideally it will sit "ontop" of the video card vertically and against the psu. Everything was measured and it lines up perfect. It wont actually sit on the video card, it will be held to the psu. What should we put over that 12" hole (if anything)? Thats where I'm stumped, the budget has run real thin so theres not a whole lot I can do and yet still make it look good and have access to cdrom. Any ideas welcomed!

Individual pics, all labelled
//042505/DCP_0969 The original box showing the sub and wiring that was in it
//042505/DCP_0970 The box, showing the mobo/cpu/ram/video that will be going in it
//042505/DCP_0971 It fits!
//042505/DCP_0972 Secured in place
//042505/DCP_0973 Top view, showing the PSU mounted aswell
//042505/DCP_0974 Front view, showing PSU mount and opening of box
//042505/DCP_0975 Seagate 80gb HDD
//042505/DCP_0976 Building a shock "absorber" for the HDD pic1
//042505/DCP_0977 ^ pic2
//042505/DCP_0978 ^ pic3
//042505/DCP_0979 ^ pic4
//042505/DCP_0980 ^ pic5
//042505/DCP_0981 ^ HDD Mounted in place
//042505/DCP_0982 Showing HDD mount, PSU and mobo all mounted
-------------------
//042805/DCP_0984 Showing the holes drilled through the back of the box to make it easy to remove the box from the car. The wires shown will go to the 400w inverter
//042805/DCP_0985 ^ Showing the outside of the box
//042805/DCP_0986 This pic shows the inverter and everything laid out inside the box
//042805/DCP_0987 Top view. Inverter mounted
//042805/DCP_0988 ^ Better pic
//042805/DCP_0989 Front view, inverter mount
//042805/DCP_0990 7" Lilliput touchscreen
//042805/DCP_0992 Front view showing fan mount ***
//042805/DCP_0993 Rear view fan mount
//042805/DCP_0994 Front view, showing everything including PS2 mounted
//042805/DCP_0995 The PS2 mounting brackets
//042805/DCP_0996 Front view showing everything
//042805/DCP_0997 Top view.
//042805/DCP_0998 Back view.
//042805/DCP_0999 Blurry picture of the 60x2 $100 amp I picked up. Atleast its black and looks cool
//042805/DCP_1000 Cheap buck or two speaker wire + headphone-rca splitter
//042805/DCP_1001 First pic of the DVDrom and its brackets
//042805/DCP_1002 Brackets mounted (Actually had to take them out and attach the dvdrom to it before I mounted them in the box, the window is glued in apparently, too hard to get at)
//042805/DCP_1003 Amp mounted
//042805/DCP_1004 4 Screws for the power surge bar
//042805/DCP_1005 Surge bar mounted
//042805/DCP_1006 Added another mount to hold the inverter upright
//042805/DCP_1007 Front view "completed"
//042805/DCP_1008 Top/Front view "completed"
//042805/DCP_1009 Side/Top view "completed"
//042805/DCP_1010 ^ Otherside "completed" (blurry)
//042805/DCP_1011 Back view "completed"
//042805/DCP_1012 Top View "completed" ****

***- Fan was removed, due to practibility of running wires through that hole instead. Plus that fan would be pretty much useless
****- Yes the dvdrom was intentionally angled like that. It looks sloppy I know, but it had to be done for his set up. I'll fix the looks of it later.

Bailey · 04-25-2005, 07:48 PM

Wait, so are you keeping the speaker in there too??

CHUPACABRA · 04-25-2005, 08:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Bailey

Wait, so are you keeping the speaker in there too??

Plz awnser NO!!!

If I were u Id make a fiberglass fascia with some usb ports too.

FyreDaug · 04-26-2005, 02:04 PM

No, speaker cant fit in there... I was just using the box thats why I was asking what to put in the 12" hole lol.

kevinlekiller · 04-26-2005, 02:47 PM

A huge L.E.D. Fan would be cool but I dont think they exist. (Also it would keep the motherboard cool).

Edit: Or you could resize the hole and put the ps2 in there and make it so the dvd tray opens from the top of the box (where the plexiglass is).

FyreDaug · 04-26-2005, 06:54 PM

Im wondering if the ps2 would fit in there. Im at work now (damnit) and I dont have time to finish it up till tomorrow. I'll do some more measurements when I get home. Ive got a few more things done today, like mounting the inverter inside the box, angled and looks nice. I'm considering using the ps2 as the dvd drive and just let him use my old 32X cdrom for cds. My lilliput came in today, but I missed the fedex guy. Stupid monitor was shipped with UPS (I paid extra for USPS off this site, why was it UPS??) and they dinged me with 24.10 charge.

Stonewall78 · 04-26-2005, 10:13 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by FyreDaug

Stupid monitor was shipped with UPS (I paid extra for USPS off this site, why was it UPS??) and they dinged me with 24.10 charge.

Americans love to ship UPS as it is cheap and easy for them, little do they know that when it comes across the boarder they rape us like no tomorrow and they don't even give us a free bottle of vasaline! UPS is the devil

CapitaineFritz · 04-26-2005, 10:21 PM

yeah
My brother ordered a sway bar for his integra: 40$
UPS custom fees: 35$
What a save !

Excellent install BTW
Isn't this case a bit big for the install ?

FyreDaug · 04-26-2005, 10:52 PM

He wanted it to look flashy and hes not concerned about space. It was perfect for me too, because I couldnt just sell the box for 30 bucks by itself. He thought it was a good deal, and hey it does look nice.

FyreDaug · 04-26-2005, 10:54 PM

BTW: I'll have another 10-15 pics tomorrow. And I'll change the directory to have folders for each day I add pics. (So the pics in there will be labelled 042505 and the nexty ones 042705 etc)

FyreDaug · 04-28-2005, 06:22 PM

UPDATED TODAY

Status: Almost complete
Needing: 10awg cable clamps, electrical tape, his PS2, 10 awg power cable from battery

NEW PICS

EDIT: BTW incase you havent figured out its streaming off my computer for these pics. Speeds arent super good, but for now they will have to do. I had 23 users online at 1 time. Wow.