F-Body Ideas - Camaro and Firebird - Page 6

JasonWW · 04-17-2006, 12:28 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by transam02

Is there any way or has anyone come up with a way of losing the stock a/c controls an possibly having the controlled by the car puter.

One guy did it a few years ago, but he was an electrical engineer. He used solenoids to control the vacuum switches, the electrical switches used relays and the cable was controlled by a servo. I don't think he finished it completely with the auto climate circuit and so forth, but it did work.

You would be looking at major dollars and need a lot of knowhow to do it. I doubt mere mortals could build something like that. I'm not going to try.

Here is the thread. He is selling the parts due to selling his camaro and getting a GTO.
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/general-hardware-discussion/18189-c-control-electrical-vacuum-mechanical.html

I was just thinking about relocating the controls the other day. I've been considering mounting a 10.5" over the center control area. Just recess the A/C controls back a little and have the whole LCD and shroud move up and down to reveal the controls. If the center vents weren't blowing, I could leave it up. Unfortunately, the more I think about it the more I think the flushed look like Bernhard used is the way to go. It just looks so factory. I think the center console is my best bet for the A/C controls because it's not a reach and I can also mount my Alpine H700 controller faceplate next to it as well.

When I get some extra cash I'm going to go to the junkyard and get the vacuum lines from the controls to over by glovebox area. If you remove the plastic undertray you will see that all 6 vacuum lines plug into a connector. I'm going to get that connector and as much of the lines as I can. That way I can make a plugin, removable vacuum line extension cable. I think it will be better than cutting the hard plastic lines and extending them, but it's hard to say which is the better idea.

I think I know how to extend the cables as well using a bicycle brake cable sheath and a new length of cable. I can cut the factry sheath and splice in the new extension piece. Then run a new, longer cable through it. Should be pretty easy.

As far as the electrical goes, I could just extend the wires by cutting them and soldering in new pieces. The other way is to add a molex connector to the factory wires to make it unplugable. Then make an extension set of wires using the same molex pugs. That way I can add or remove the extension wires. It's more work, though. If I just extend the wires by soldering them they might be able to tuck under the dash if I ever move the controls back to stock. Or there might not be enough room. I don't know.

All in all, I don't think the relocation would be that hard. With thecontrols under the console lid it will make the interior real clean looking. The dash area will be a flat blank slab until the stereo is turned on. I think it would be classy.

If you are fine with a smaller 7" screen, you can do like Curious did. That looks real factory. You can leave off the buttons along the left side if you want. I'm not doing it that way because I want the biggest screen I can get. It makes everything easy to see and read while driving.

transam02 · 04-17-2006, 01:54 PM

Yea I leaning more to the 10" screen. Im like you its bigger an makes it easier to read lol. I'm not blind but I would like to see everything a lil better than the 7" I have now lol. What I will prolly do then is mount my a/c controls in the glove box. I dont hardly use it. What sucks is my wife has a 98 maxima an it has enough room on her dash to put that 10" screen an still some room left I believe. Oh well thanks for the info. I will start a post when I start it. Like I said it will be a couple of months. I still have a few more months till my car is paid off

lol. So I will wait till after then that way I wont be short on funds.

JasonWW · 05-05-2006, 10:17 PM

Meissenation re-did his dash to a red and black two-tone. Check it out on page 1 of this thread as well as here:
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=485792

I like it.

NoTicketsPlease · 05-16-2006, 01:14 AM

Here is my install as it is today and below that is a photoshop of what I might do. Should I keep the divider between A/C and screen, make it smaller, or get rid of it? What do you guys think?

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JasonWW · 05-16-2006, 03:44 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by NoTicketsPlease

Here is my install as it is today and below that is a photoshop of what I might do. Should I keep the divider between A/C and screen, make it smaller, or get rid of it? What do you guys think?

Attachment 29367
Attachment 29368

It's up to you. Can you leave it that size or does it block the bottom of the screen?
I'm thinking you should leave it as is or make it a bit smaller depending on the above answer.

Bonding the controls to the big bezel doesn't seem like a good idea to me. It looks OK, but how could you blend in the seam between the two?

NoTicketsPlease · 05-16-2006, 04:18 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by JasonWW

It's up to you. Can you leave it that size or does it block the bottom of the screen?
I'm thinking you should leave it as is or make it a bit smaller depending on the above answer.

yeah, the divider blocks the bottom of the screen. otherwise I would leave it there.

Quote:

Bonding the controls to the big bezel doesn't seem like a good idea to me. It looks OK, but how could you blend in the seam between the two?

I dont have much experience but it seems like it would be easy to stick the two together. Once I get them glued together cant I just bondo the seam then sand and paint the whole thing? Would have to redo the hvac graphics but I dont like them anyways.

Curiosity · 05-16-2006, 05:12 AM

The AC controls have a plastic film overlay which would make it hard. Plus, that would be harder to remove the screen when (not if) you need to. I think you should notch out the divider some so that it's showing more of the screen and out further. That would mean more filling on the sides. Probably as far out as the divider goes, but all the way up to the vents.

Oh this was already done: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show-off-your-project/34110-1997-camaro-totally-indash-lcd-pc.html

jhanson999 · 06-30-2006, 11:20 AM

Quick question for you f-body guys. Just got done putting the capputer in my 02 WS6. I'm now looking for a good spot to put the GPS receiver. Its the magnetic waterproof one, but I don't really want to put it outside the vehicle. My PC is in the back of the car, mounted on my amp rack along the back wall. The subs are taking up the entire "flat spot" behind the rear seats, and I want to leave room for the t-tops. Any suggestions? Where are you guys putting yours?

transam02 · 06-30-2006, 11:52 AM

Im not sure how strong of a signal it would pull but I know some guys put there satellite radio recievers in the hatch. If you take that panel off that covers the hatch then u place it in there. Just not sure how much the hatch metal would interfere with the signal. Or depending on how long the cord is you could possible put in under the trim piece at the front window. The black piece that the windsheild wipers are on. Just make sure its not under that mesh. There is two options that you could try. If you were wantin it out of the way an hidden. Or you could try on the dash if you dont mind it bein out in the open.

JasonWW · 06-30-2006, 12:51 PM

Some of those suggestions seem a bit extreme. The signal can go through plastic and fiberglass without much trouble, just not metal. Try mounting it under the plastic side covers next to the spare tire or anywhere in the rear hatch. The only thing that can create problems is the defroster grid. Another spot would be inside the rear wing. Take out the 3rd brake light and velcro it down in there. If you want to mount it up front, pop off the dash cover and mount it under there. The signal should go through the plastic cover and through the window glass.

kiztope · 06-30-2006, 12:55 PM

I mounted my bu303 beneath my rear bumper, above my license plate...
It works perfectly through the fiberglass bumper.
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I drilled a hole near the bottom of the trunk well, threaded the usb cable through it, then filled the hole with silicone. I've been running it this way for nearly a year now, no problems!

I used to run it on my front dash, but on various days the unit would stop getting a signal... my best guess was overheating, due to direct sunlight (in tx...) In any case, since moving it to under the rear bumper, I haven't had any problems.

JasonWW · 06-30-2006, 12:57 PM

The front and rear bumper covers are ABS plastic. Signal has no problems going through it.

Here is a pic of one mounted under the front bumper cover by the window washer reservoir. You can do the same in the rear.