E30 318iS

**Jackles** · 02-13-2008, 07:37 AM

Hi guys,

This worklog might progress rather slowly, but this is just a place for me to get all of my ideas in one place and get some feedback on them.

Currently the car has an old alpine deck in it that doesn't play CD-R's, so this has to be rectified pretty soon.

This is a budget build, so doing things on the cheap, and in phases.

Phase 1
Sony PCG-FXA10 for the computer component
150W (450W Surge) 12VDC to 230VAC Electrically Isolated Inverter to power the laptop.
Response Car Amp 4X50WRMS
Bluetooth dongle for phone integration
7" touchscreen I plan to pick up on eBay, may or may not be any good....

I'll use the speakers that I have in the car at the moment, just to get some tunes in the car.

I'll probably have to get the screen mount fabricated by someone, as I really have no experience in this area, does anyone have any idea how much I should be looking at for this?

The rest of the phases aren't as set in concrete, but i have a vague idea of what I want.

Phase 2
New speakers.
Sub and Amp.

Phase 3
GPS

A little question about the startup/shutdown for the laptop.
For shutdown, I just plan to set windows to power down after x amount of minutes on battery power. Startup I'm not to sure on, what would be the best way for this? Extended switch?

Cheers for any help guys.

**Jackles** · 04-05-2008, 08:10 PM

Alright, update.

I went a bit overboard and started buying things that didn't really agree with my phases. So I kicked the budget and decided to do pretty much everything straight away.
I've almost finished my planning so I'm almost ready to start ripping into my baby.

Items already had
- Sony PCG-FXA10 laptop.
- WiFi Card.
- Bluetooth dongle.
- 500gb External HDD

Items bought
- 200watt inverter to power laptop.
- 4ch Jaycar Response amp, 4x50wrms @ 4ohm, for powering speakers.
- JBL GTO506C 5.25" 2-Way Component System
- Various cabling, power, speaker, remote, RCA’s, etc.
- Alpine Swr1042d Type-R 10" 500Wrms, dual voice coil
- Kenwood KAC-8103D amp, 500wrms @ 2ohm, for powering sub.
- Eonon 7" widescreen TFT VGA Touchscreen

Left to buy (aka Need moar moneyz/too lazy to find)
- 5.25" Rear midbass drivers, might be able to fit 6". (looking at how much I’ve spent though, I probably won’t run rears....who wants to sit in the back of a coupe, anyway?)
- Fabrication cost for screen mounting.
- Something to fill the single DIN slot. Probably just a tray.
- USB GPS receiver.
- Mapping software and maps.
- Slot load DVD combo drive. Maybe slim tray load if I can’t find a slot. (Not essential anyway.)

Left to plan/build
-Laptop Auto Power-On circuit.
- Sub box.
- False boot wall to hide everything.

Can anyone see anything major I'm missing?

**Enforcer** · 04-05-2008, 08:58 PM

pictures of the car it's going in.

**Jackles** · 04-06-2008, 06:36 AM

Sorry about the low light pics, I was a bit rushed for time.

She's a bit rough around the edges but she's mechanically good with a good interior, full service history and new timing chain.

Plans are:

- Carputer stereo install.

- Either refurb the wheels or get a new set of basketweaves.

- iS front lip.

- Respray in the same colour, Lazurblau. There's a couple of rough spots and it's swirl heaven so.....

- Also got some new personal plates coming, thinner with white text on a black BG, should clean up the look a little bit.

**Enforcer** · 04-06-2008, 10:51 AM

You may want to blank out the plate number in the pics.

Also some interior pics, ie especially the dash where the screen will go, so you have some before pics.

**Jackles** · 04-06-2008, 11:09 PM

I'm not too fussed about blacking out the plates because as I say, I've got a new, different set in the mail as I type.

I've only got this photo from the PO of the interior, I'll try and get some better ones tomorrow.

I'm going to be mounting it in the cubby infront of the shifter.
Using a surround like this:

But probably finished in the same vinyl as the dash.

**Jackles** · 04-08-2008, 07:45 AM

The eBay seller I bought my screen off just told me that they don't have my screen in stock. So I just ordered a Lilliput 619GL, at a better price too.

**gjuu** · 04-11-2008, 07:59 AM

nice looking "is"....
I am still not convinced that the cubby is a good place to mount the screen as it is too far out of line of sight. But I do like the simplicity of putting it there - it is a big empty space that needs something.

**Jackles** · 04-11-2008, 08:11 AM

It's nor really all *that* far out of LOS, the seats are quite low slung. And the way I have my playlists set up, i'll rarely be making adjustments.

Because I'm not going to be doing the screen fabrication myself, cost is also an issue (struggling uni student). Moving all the crap in the main dash would become too costly. Plus, once I sell it, it's easier to get a console than the center dash.

It's a compromise I realise, but I think I can live with it....