Starting out with 03 Laguna II

optip · 05-09-2005, 10:34 AM

Hi,

I've been lurking for some time now and spending an unhealthy amount of time reading the messages on this board and i've finally decided to build a car pc for my laguna!

The laguna has a cool flap that coveres over a double din slot where i hope to put my screen. The car should look perfectly normal when the flap is down and uninteresting to prying eyes!

I listen to quite a bit of radio so from my reading, i'll keep a car stereo for now but with a good radio solution, i'd like to get rid of it! I'll put the stereo in the glove box to make space for the screen.

I bought a spare flap unit from a salvage company...

My original thought was that i would take out the existing one from the car and fab my screen into the new flap unit but it looks really difficult to remove the flap unit from the car (screws need to be taken out from behind meaning i'd have to take a lot of the dash apart) so i don't know if i'll do that or not now.

I'd like to build a removable double-din unit for the screen and an optical drive if i can make them fit. I've already bought a lilliput 7" touchscreen. If i remove the housing from the lilliput, do the auto-on mod and accept loosing the volume and other front buttons, i think that it might work. I can always put the optical drive in the glove box with the stereo if it doesn't fit or is too much trouble.

I still have decisions to make about the motherboard and computer components. I think i'd like to use a mini-itx motherboard based computer, powered by an opus psu and fit it in the glove box also. I also bought a spare glove box from the salvage company... should be handy for fitting :-) I'd like to plan from the start to run the screen at 800x480.

Regarding functionality, phase 1, i'd like the CarPC to Play MP3s and Run mapping software. Later, i'd like to connect it to my mobile for hands free and the OBD-II connector in the car and get stats, etc from it

I haven't settled on any software yet, i'm still mostly thinking about placement of components.

I'm looking forward to getting stuck in! I plan on keeping an install log with pics on this board.

I'm still in the very early stages of decision making, but if anybody has any laguna specific or other general advice, i'd appreciate hearing it! :-)

/Optip.

Mad Ad · 05-09-2005, 10:50 AM

chk pm

optip · 05-09-2005, 10:51 AM

Another place i was thinking of putting the stereo is where the ashtray currently is. (I don't smoke

)

The space is a bit too small but a small amount of cutting would make it fit.

I'm not sure what's behind the ashtray in the dash however or if there's enough space to let a stereo fit in all the way back.

There is some plastic with other stuff behind it. From working with a laguna, does anybody know if whatever's behind the ashtray can be moved out of the way?

There doesn't seem to be a haynes manual for the Laguna II. Does anybody know if there are tech manuals which don't cost an arm and a leg which would have information about disassembling the dash?

/Optip

evilweasel · 05-09-2005, 11:43 AM

I have some laguna stuff I've collected from varous sources... I'll post it on the web somwhere later and let you know.
Good luck!

LagunaICE · 05-10-2005, 04:20 AM

I am interested as well, man.

evilweasel · 05-10-2005, 06:40 AM

Here's my stuff... I've been looking at upgrading the stock nav, so I also have been doing some research. The connector with the yellow bit in the photos is the prewired phone loom. The other photo of the glovebox area is the GSM antenna connection - prewired as well.
Optip - keep us posted as to how your'e getting on.
http://www.jdwinter.btinternet.co.uk/laguna/

LagunaICE · 05-10-2005, 06:59 AM

It looks like you have an access to english Dialogys? (software PDF docs are comming from) If its true, could you share its CD images with me, please?

Vee24 · 05-10-2005, 07:54 AM

I don't know what that long vertical button is on the left of your flap box, but a slot loading drive would be really nice right there if you can move that button.

LagunaICE · 05-10-2005, 08:13 AM

Its actually foldable cup holder. anyway even if taken out, or entirelly cut out, that "button" is not big enough to provide space for slot load drive.

optip · 05-10-2005, 12:41 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by evilweasel

http://www.jdwinter.btinternet.co.uk/laguna/

Thanks a lot for this information... i've been thrawling the internet and come across nothing as comprehensive as that!

I'm in work now so i can't really examine it properly... will be back later tho!

Thanks again!

/Optip

optip · 05-11-2005, 03:00 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by evilweasel

http://www.jdwinter.btinternet.co.uk/laguna/

Wow... had a look through this info - is really interesting!

It's great news for me that i can now take my dash apart without it being too much guesswork!! phew :-)

I'll keep pics of what i do on here but i have two options for mounting the screen as i see it.

1) Create a removable double-din screen unit which can be put into and removed from the existing double-din space in the car

2) Glue/build the screen into my spare flap unit and fit that into the car

I'm leaning towards 2 because my engineering skills (or lack of) probably would stop me from doing a good/sturdy job on 1 and i already have a spare flap unit. Either way i don't think i'll put the carpc behind the screen so i could have space to motorize the flap or something :-)... the spring on the new flap unit isn't at it's best and needs some help to open the flap fully

thanks again evilweasel!

LagunaICE · 05-11-2005, 03:22 AM

Have you thought of creating LCD holder which would be in place of your radio display? Something similar to carminat screen holder.

optip · 05-11-2005, 03:38 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by LagunaICE

Have you thought of creating LCD holder which would be in place of your radio display? Something similar to carminat screen holder.

Yeah, i did think about it but i like the idea of a touchscreen to control the car pc and that space seems a bit far away to reach. I also like the idea of having the screen behind the flap when the car is locked up, making it look completely normal - no fancy computers, stereo or screen, etc as far as a thief can tell.

That said, i would like to try to put the stereo where the ashtray currently is... it's a wasted space at the moment! I'll probably do some surgery in the dash this weekend and see if that will be possible.

Did you put a screen in place of your radio display?

/Optip

evilweasel · 05-11-2005, 01:44 PM

Thinking about it, if you were really on the ball, you'd be able to implement a dual display. Get a Carminat binnacle, and use that for looking at nav (the higher, the safer), etc, and the lower one behind the cover for audio/control etc....

Just remembered. You can get a glovebox specifically designed for a din unit(the nav computer). It also has a bracket behind.

optip · 05-11-2005, 04:00 PM

Thanks to the docs i got, i did some surgeory today...

It could be possible to locate a stereo where the ashtray currently is:

In this picture, behind the two holes with the metal surrounds are air ducts. They could potentially be re-routed around a stereo The center console with the armrest, etc are secured to it... you can see the center console disconnected just below the two holes with the metal surrounds.
I'd also have to cut the plastic where screws secure the centre console to the dash. The back screws would still be there and the console would not be able to move because it would be wedged into place at the front.
The second picture shows the ducts closer up.

I don't think i'll put the stereo where the ashtray is any more... it's a bit too invasive for me what with moving at the moment! It would also draw attention to itself, which would go against the nice thing about having the screen behind the flap - that it's nicely hidden!

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