Thread: Nyeark's 1988 300ZX GLL of DOOM

My car: a 1988 Nissan 300ZX GLL, N/A (non-turbo), 5-speed.
It's my project, hobby, transportation, adrenaline rush and obsession, all in one.





Carputer:
VIA MII10000
Custom (read: ****ty) case salvaged from an old amp
M1-ATX
256MB PC2100
6GB Laptop boot drive
40GB Laptop storage drive in USB enclosure
No front end





Speakers:
Stock

Amplifiers:
Stock 4-channel
MTX 342, 300WRMS, bridged





Subwoofer:
Infinity Reference 1230W
Sealed Q-Logic box




Power comes in off the battery via a 4-gauge cable (streetwires, bought off the FS/FT here, actually) through an existing hole in the firewall on the passenger's side, under the dash.


It runs underneath the carpeting and trim to this distro block, located just behind the center console. 8-gauge rockford fosgate wiring, in-line fuses on both, go to the sub amp and carputer.



Right now the carputer inputs to the speakers and sub (which is taking input from the same amp as the speakers via speaker-level) through the stock tape deck, via a tape adapter. This will change after I get a head unit, but first I want to get a front-end working for the carputer, and a better case.


My first use of the carputer in my old car ('91 Infiniti M30) had no case. I then put it in a lock-box with a rectangle cut out for the motherboard inputs, but the case was too large and bulky to be practical.
Currently it's inside the case for my old 4-channel Pioneer amp (which I accidentally blew up, then gutted), but it's pretty ghetto-rigged and I'd like something better.

Also I need to switch to solid-state for booting - hard jolts and knocks upset the carputer and cause it to lock up or reboot, and my driving tends to include lots of these jolts

Current plans for a front-end are an HD44780 LCD and tactile switches, since I'm too poor to afford a touchscreen (plus there's nowhere to mount it, or hide it, since I'm afraid of thievery when I have enough expensive stuff in the car as it is).