03 infiniti fx35 w/all the toys, add a carpc too? oh yeah... :)

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 12:05 AM

ok, the past few cars I bought & planned a carpc just never clicked with me, last one I was going to do a 10.4" in a caddy dts, that car is nice, but ehh, just didn't really do it for me enough to say that's it, I'm keeping it & going off on it.

then, an awsome car just happens to cross my path, I liked the infiniti fx's since I first saw them, awsome vehicle especially when loaded. it's built on a 350Z platform but with an intelligent advanced all wheel drive system.many think the fx is a fancy murano, but it actually shares almost nothing with the murano, which is based on the altima platform.

the fx started as a concept vehicle & when eventually went into production had an optional "tech package" which includes navigation, sattellite radio, a 6 disc mp3 capable changer, a really cool adaptive cruise control that uses a radar transmitter and reciever in the front bumper & a bunch of other built in vehicle menus & controls through the factory 6.8" screen. this truck has this optional tech package, as well as the sport package which also includes 20" wheels

really in a lot of ways the factory system is at least as good as what most carpc's aspire to be to begin with, add the ipod dock & aux input adapter & you've just about got it all. most people who would buy a vehicle like this would leave it as-is, I mean it's got just about everything you'd want from a car pc, well, almost, but then again not really

I like pc's, I gotta have a pc close by at all times, if I'm in a vehicle without a pc I have a laptop with me incase I need it, & I drive often with the laptop propped up in the passengers seat, I use remote view cameras in my business & I often have to acess the internet & my network from remote locations. most guys use a carpc for navigation & mp3's & dvd's, that's all secondary to me really, this car has all that stock & my last install had a full alpine multimedia system too, so I don't rely on the pc soley for entertainment, although of course I do use it for entertainment too

I bought this truck from a customer, his daughter crashed it & he said he wished it was totalled, & it was close to totaled, but not quite, as me & the insurance adjuster finally agreed

didn't take long for me to figure out I should by it from him as-is & fix it for myself, so that's just what I did.

this is a crappy shot of the truck right after I got it, I already replaced the radiator support, radiator, condensor, & fans in this shot, I also have straightened the fenders & hood in this shot, but these would eventually be replaced. in this shot I have test fitted the new 07-08 design front bumper & grille, I am updating the whole exterior to the newest style body trim.

2k1Toaster · 08-26-2007, 12:20 AM

whoa. Nice.

Where will the Fusion be going?

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 12:48 AM

this is what the stock dash looks like, this picture is with the orange "non tech" screen,the tech is similar but of course color screen.

running a carpc off the stock screen is not an option as the resolution is way to low for pc use, first thoughts were to swap out the screen for a 7" lilli transflective, either figure out a way to feed that the factory display as well as the pc display, & toggle between the 2.

I like big screens, my last install was a 12.1" in portrait mode, before that I had a 10.4" panasonic toughbook display, I had an 8.4" lilli that got moved thru a few cars too, & even that seems too tiny to me.

looking at this dash I came up with an idea of how to put a 10.4" screen in, I took it all apart & the more I measured & test fitted, the more I could see this will work nice.

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 12:52 AM

ah, you know the fusion brain is becoming part of this install

, I got 3/4 way through this install already, I'm just starting to post

2k1Toaster · 08-26-2007, 12:54 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by turbocad6

ah, you know the fusion brain is becoming part of this install

, I got 3/4 way through this install already, I'm just starting to post

nice!

Well I think I can see the 10.2" in there. Move the vents and take up the entire area right? Should look pretty nice. And with your quality of fabrication, it should be top notch!

2k1Toaster · 08-26-2007, 12:55 AM

Or perhaps keep the vents and the knobs on the sides and mount the screen in portrait down the middle? That may look even cooler!

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:11 AM

I went with a 10.4", this is what I envisioned, minus the woodgrain

2k1Toaster · 08-26-2007, 01:14 AM

Ok I guess that dash must be a lot bigger than I am envisioning it in my head. If that above fits, then do it!

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:24 AM

that dash has a huge cassette door below the controls, the new ones are different, like the last picture. I need a dash in this car anyway, so I just bought an 08 dash, luckily I actually got it to fit

here, I chopped everything up to see how it fits

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:33 AM

in those shots you can see the cassette door hanging down below the controls, theres a circiut board behind the panel that extendes behind the whole lower cassette part, I needed to chop part of the board off, luckily it's only a simple 2 layer board

I need to relocate the radio itself, I turned it sideways & moved it down, it fit & allows room for the screen, but the cd changer portion would be unloadable in that configuration, I work around this later.

I thought of putting the factory screen overhead, it's necissay for a vehicular functions & climate control, etc. eventually the fusion brain will allow me to display some of this info on the pc too of course

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:37 AM

initial test fitting shows it fits, I cut the dash, but the newstyle dash opening is larger & doesn't need to be cut

the second shot shows the difference old to new.

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:43 AM

so I ordered a new dash, also ordered a new style bezel, looks so much nicer in the truck already

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:50 AM

everything fits togeather real nice, I was even able to make the radio sit upright facing forward,& completely beind the clock, I likew the little infiniti clock & wanted to keep it, so now I can have a slot load right above the clock for the factory changer, the stock upper cd slot will now be a pc drive dvdr

last shot is blurry, but shows how it loads

turbocad6 · 08-26-2007, 01:59 AM

I was able to extend the factory screen harness & run it overhead no problem

BiGGy · 08-26-2007, 01:59 AM

Overhead climate controls, I love it! Why didnt I think of that. Looking forward to see the fabrication on this one! Subscribed.