Dodgetimes2's 99 Durango e-PC Carputer

dodgetimes2 · 06-11-2005, 11:11 AM

After over a year of getting into this hobby I finally started my install. Here's a few pics of the beginning. Sorry about the crappy lighting, it was 90 degrees and sunny here when I was taking these. I'll post more later.

Here's the specs:

PC: HP e-PC 42 1.6GHz, 768MB RAM, 120GB Western Digital HD, Onboard video and sound, slim DVD-ROM

Displays: Main display is an older 7" Lilliput with the 9-pin DIN connector, exteded using a 12 ft. cable from stockcable.com. Secondary display is a Samsung 15" Flat Panel monitor. Signal is split through a Startech powered VGA splitter.

Power supply: e-PC external power supply powered by a Vector 400 Watt inverter, wired up with 8GA. wire and also survives crank

GPS: DConnex branded BU-303, (the famous USB GPS mouse found on eBay)

Software: Windows XP Pro. for now, probably switch to MCE2005, iGuidance 2.1, for frontend I'm still going back and forth between MediaEngine and Centrafuse

Wireless Networking: Lucent/Orinico USB 802.11B Client, also USB data cable for hooking up to my Samsung N400 for a wireless modem

dodgetimes2 · 06-11-2005, 11:18 AM

By the way the screen is in the back there in the last pic just for testing purposes, it's going up front somewhere. Still figuring out if I want to go with a gooseneck mount or a Proclip one.

ddn · 06-13-2005, 10:29 AM

Check it:

These are super old pictures from the day I installed it, I have some more on my camera but I'll download them tonight. Thing is, I still haven't filled in the surround because I really don't know how to start. Its a pretty big gap, and I don't have any bezel for the screen (LQ9D161) to start with.

dodgetimes2 · 06-13-2005, 03:14 PM

Nice start, I was going to do the same with the Lilliput but loosing the stock radio and AC vents would be too much for me. I would recommend you take the whole bezel back off and epoxy and/or screw some strips of wood around the gap to fill most of it then use fiberglass and/or Bondo to do the rest. Good luck man. I'll be posting some more pics soon, I think I'm finally just gonna settly on a 24" gooseneck mount for the Lilliput.

ddn · 06-14-2005, 11:55 AM

Combining wood and bondo with plastic is a great way for a disaster. The AC vents in the middle are almost completely useless. They are totally useless in the winter, and as of last weekends road trip, I found they are useless when the AC is on too. As far as losing your stock radio, just do what the SportTrac guy did, and relocate the faceplate.

Anything less would be uncivilized.

dodgetimes2 · 06-14-2005, 03:37 PM

Others have used such materials to do their indash screen installs. I suppose you could also try ABS plastic as well. As far as the AC vents they seem to provide most of the cooling in my Durango, and my wife would flip if her and my daughter couldn't stay cool. As far as the faceplate relocation, I just don't have the time and/or patience to do that, he did do a great job though. Thanks for the input. Do you have any pics of the rest of your setup?

Snootch · 06-14-2005, 03:40 PM

I would make a bezel out of 1/8" thick ABS strips about an inch wide, then sand, texture coat, then paint it. Attach it to the dash along the sides of the monitor using some Velcro.

ddn · 06-15-2005, 12:10 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Snootch

I would make a bezel out of 1/8" thick ABS strips about an inch wide, then sand, texture coat, then paint it. Attach it to the dash along the sides of the monitor using some Velcro.

Thats actually what I'm probably going to do, but a little more permanently mounted. I haven't found a good source for sheet or strip ABS though. The other problem is finding a way to make nice, perfect bezel for the panel as I don't have a bezel at all. Fabrication likke this just isn't my forte.

dodge: I do have some other pictures that I need to download, but the thing is, theres nothing to see. Everything for the PC is hidden in the center console, and runs up under the carpet to the screen. My APRS transmitter is in the left B pillar plastic, the OnCore GPS is in a custom box in the center console, and the GPS antenna is on the roof with a hole drilled in the roof. I will get some pictures regardless.