Thread: Accord '96 Ex Mac Mini Install

So I've finally gotten underway with installing the carputer into my accord. I work took out the dash today of the accord stripped all the nasty paint my brother had on the car (I got this from him 6 months ago since he bought a new car, to use as a project ish car).

That's how it looked when I got the car. I decided that the monitor is going to go right at the top of the central dash piece above where the headunit was. Cutting all the surrounding frame and I got a 7" Lilliput Touchscreen for the job since it fit perfectly.


After cutting the piece out I sanded the stubs that were left and made sure the screen fit perfectly in which it did. I separated the screen frame and the button frame on the monitor because I didn't like the angle that they had it. I either planned on moving it or just making a more elavated angle.

I thinned all the paint to the original blackk it was. This was my first time working with any filler, using Bondo Fiberglass Resin "Jelly" and obviously I used way too much but it just made for more sanding.


There were some major holes in it so I did another layer and sanded it down.

On the backside of the frame I made sure I cut all the bondo away from the original screws so I could easily removed the screen again if I needed to.
I put the monitor in to make sure it looked okay and enjoyed a nice movie of Star Wars.

I put it in the car to make sure I liked how it looked and i thought it was perfect.

Today I put the buttons on a more angled look. I cut out the cigar lighter and the cigarette thing since I don't ever use either. I'm going to indent a housing that will have carbon fiber which I ordered two days ago with all the switches needed for the carputer. And also I relocated all my window remote window switches to my center dash already and going to get rocker switches to put around my stick shift with the emergency light button towards the rear of the dash behind the leather boot.
I will have more pictures later. By the way I like the flip switches and will be mostly using those to mount to the carbon fiber. If you have any creative ideas you should recommend them and I might like them.

Anyway about the computer I'm getting a Intel Mac Mini 1.5 gHz and mounting the wires in my glove compartment in a plexiglass mount. Power up and down will be mounted anywhere on the dash. I'm getting front row for the multimedia program. I'm not sure what GPS to use or program. I'm getting a rear view cam and a in dash cam that views out the front window. Also later hooking up the GPS directly to the computer so if the car gets stolen I can search the internet to find where it is. The computer will be in a locked compartment that is camoflauged into the dash. Later I'll reroute the dvd/cd drive somewhere into the dash but that's for later work.

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GAH!