Indash GPS MP3 player

[bubba_zanetti]

I did this to my '96. I had to move the stereo up to where the cupholder was (never liked it anyway)... and had to remove the ashtray (don't smoke).



You can go here for more info.



Ok go here for the pic I guess

 

[jwgary]

Your site is not working.

 

[MCummings]

well,, here's two pics, get details on his first link. (The first Link works for me)



#ad




#ad








Hope these Help.

MerrickNJr

 

[MCummings]

Well, It WAS Working...

 

[bubba_zanetti]

Sorry, yahoo doesn't seem to want me to share the pictures... too many hits... oh well, the page itself should work now.



Thanx

 

[Doc Tinker]

That is sweet - Does it look as good in person as it does in that picture? You going to do installs for us?



Doc

 

[bubba_zanetti]

The trim isn't done, but the screen itself looks much better.



The best (and most expensive) screens are TFT... this one is Dual Scan.



But I think it is pretty cool.



I have been working on this particular project for a couple of weeks. I won't do it again



The picture was taken in the garage in the daytime, I had to turn the screen brightness way down, and use a trouble light to illuminate the dashboard enough to see it.



In the bright sunlite, I get some reflections off the center console... don't know if I can fix that.

 

[thepipe1]

Bubba:

I don't impress easily, but I'm very impressed!!! How about one for an '01?

 

[rono]

Very Cool!!! What are we looking at as far as cost etc...

Ron

 

[bubba_zanetti]

Well...



I did this project because I wanted to, and I wanted to see if it could be done.



The most important issues for me were



1 is there room to move the head unit (there was... barely)



2 is there room for a large enough screen to use. (again barely)



I carved a lot out of the dash behind the trim piece... it is intact but more holes in it.



The project cost me about $150 for the computer (If you can even find one anymore) and about a zillion dollars for the time I put into it. The home stretch of building it took about 4 days at 10 hours a day (I had time off from work)...



This site has a lot of folks doing similar projects... I used them for ideas.



I think my project shows that there is room to put a screen in the 'older' new body style.



Unfortunately I don't think there is room on the newer dashboards to do the same project. (and I really wanted that new 4 door)



Now if there are people out there that want some kind of mobile navigation systems, there are now a few other choices...commercial products... not cheap...



I just hope I sparked some ideas in folks, and I wanted to share what I did.



To the dallas area folks, I will try to make the meeting this week if you want to see it in person.

 

[Cooker]

Quote:

"I just hope I sparked some ideas in folks"



Yep. Now I have a great idea for one other BOMB to the truck. I always wanted a small monitor/TV in the truck without losing the center seat/console.



Thanks for letting me know how it can be done.



-Ryan

 

[bubba_zanetti]

Give me a few days and I can give the dimensions of the screen I am using, it is the biggest you can use in this setup, a smaller screen is easier to fit.



Of course you can always get those indash pop out video unit$$$

 

[Cooker]

I'm not to fond of the "pop out" video units. I would really appreciate the dimensions/size of the screen. Thanks!

 

[bubba_zanetti]

OK I did some measurements of my screen.



I plan on doing more cutting on the dash trim piece and fiberglassing a better looking/fitting opening.



So these are the dimensions of my screen, depending on my work above, a slightly thicker screen may fit, but height and width is about the biggest you can fit without much more drastic cutting.



Thickness 1/2"



Width 9 1/2"



Height 6 1/4"



The screen itself is approx 7 3/4" diagonal... I say approx because I don't know how the companies measure theirs, but my measurement is actual display size.



Good luck out there.

 

[Cooker]

Thanks.



I was thinking on a 6. 4" screen. These are not too expensive, and there is a good selection of screens that size out there to choose from.



I'd consider a different size, but I think the next step up is a laptop screen, and the majority are rather large.



I'm also toying around with the idea of not relocating the CD Player to the cup holder area. Was this very difficult to do? I'm thinking instead of putting an FM tuner card in the small PC I will eventually be building.



Maybe with a 6. 4" screen there will be enough room below it for the Cd player. I'm sure if I went to a smaller screen, which I don't want to do, there would be enough room for the screen and the CD player in the modified opening.



Thanks again.

 

[bubba_zanetti]

My player just barely fit It is a large din type.



If you are up to it, you can just carve out the complete dash, put the screen up at where the coin box/overdrive hole and cupholder.



Down below where the ash tray goes you will have to carve it out quite a bit.

 

[MCampbell]

I see a ton of these screens on ebay. They are acticve matrix and they look like they would fit nicely.







http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1290001350

 

[bubba_zanetti]

Its about 2" thick, but I think it is narrow and short enough to fit with less trimming than I had to do.



Especially the 3. 5 inches on the side difference.