Derek Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Well since i don't have the money to do the motor work I figured I'd start working on my console/center dash setup. I'm running a carputer with a 7" touch screen, and a Vintage Air ac unit. The carputer handles my music, navigation, and engine monitoring through Megasquirt. I've been running a couple different switch and LCD locations and I'm pretty close at this point to a final placement. The first thing I needed to work out was the center vents. The stock vent just wasn't cutting it with the new A/C unit. I've been kicking this around for a few months and finally settled on 5 series BMW center vents. The first thing I needed was an adapter from a single 2.5" hose to the twin intakes on the Bimmer vent. I'm carving the adapter out of type 1 PVC which is really dense. It's the same stuff electrical conduit is made of. 1" blocks laminated together Interior roughed Interior finish cut Fits like a glove Now the tricky part. Machining the exterior Finished adapter Now the switch plate Here is the switch plate with SEM texture paint. I had to raise it up for switch clearance . Here's the BMW vent in place The LCD and the A/c Switch assembly is close. I'll probably pull the bottom of the screen and the switches back towards the console to improve the angle on the screen. When everything is set I'll carve a piece to attach to the console that runs up to the dash and a bezel plate that surrounds the LCD. Tuner Studio Thanks for looking Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmont Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 nice work so far - what frontend is that, and how much did your ac put you back (if you don't mind). Also, did you feel it was necessary to do any kind of upgrade to your alternator for the carputer system? Also laptop w/inverter, or ITX with DCPS? I'm all questions because your going down the same road I am. Later Val (PS, you felt the orig. vents didn't flow well enough? Have you been able to test the new ones? Marked improvement or what?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 17, 2009 Author Share Posted August 17, 2009 nice work so far - what frontend is that, and how much did your ac put you back (if you don't mind). Also, did you feel it was necessary to do any kind of upgrade to your alternator for the carputer system? Also laptop w/inverter, or ITX with DCPS? I'm all questions because your going down the same road I am. Later Val (PS, you felt the orig. vents didn't flow well enough? Have you been able to test the new ones? Marked improvement or what?) I Think I paid 450.00 for the unit and 150.00 for the switches. I'm not really sure. I really try to forget that kind of stuff! Here's a link to a write up I did. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30411&highlight=vintage+air The unit cools great but I have a lot of insulation. If you don't want to pull the dash the Mini is the way to go but if your pulling the dash anyway the compact is a better bet. The center vent is so basic that I wanted something more adjustable. It works a lot better than stock. plus I can direct one vent on me and on towards the back of the car to cool down the hatch area. The carputer is running roadrunner for a front end. It's a Jetway Atom 330 with a dedicated car PC power supply. The Atom 330 rocks. I can run Roadrunner, iTunes, iguidance and tuner studio all at the same time and it never misses a beat. I'm running a 90 amp maxima alternator. And yes that's the first thing you should do! Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g9m3c Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Awesome work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Wow, very nice work and quite inspirational. Great camera too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woldson Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 You, my friend continue to SUCK!! All I can do with you is say wow, over and over again...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 You, my friend continue to SUCK!! All I can do with you is say wow, over and over again...... Thanks guys Yes it sucks being me! Life would be a better place if everyone had their own CNC knee mill! Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valmont Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 I Think I paid 450.00 for the unit and 150.00 for the switches. I'm not really sure. I really try to forget that kind of stuff! Here's a link to a write up I did.http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30411&highlight=vintage+air The unit cools great but I have a lot of insulation. If you don't want to pull the dash the Mini is the way to go but if your pulling the dash anyway the compact is a better bet. The center vent is so basic that I wanted something more adjustable. It works a lot better than stock. plus I can direct one vent on me and on towards the back of the car to cool down the hatch area. The carputer is running roadrunner for a front end. It's a Jetway Atom 330 with a dedicated car PC power supply. The Atom 330 rocks. I can run Roadrunner, iTunes, iguidance and tuner studio all at the same time and it never misses a beat. I'm running a 90 amp maxima alternator. And yes that's the first thing you should do! Derek Did you end up sacrificing your glovebox for the atom? And yeah, i've beeen looking at the reconditioned 90A Z alternators for 2-300$. I didn't know about the maxima thing, so i'll do some searching - you recomend it? What are your plans for portable media? I bought a slim slot load DVD+-R that I'm going to try to fab into the dash somehow. Val Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatBlack Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 I must have that. Good work, sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 18, 2009 Author Share Posted August 18, 2009 Did you end up sacrificing your glovebox for the atom?And yeah, i've beeen looking at the reconditioned 90A Z alternators for 2-300$. I didn't know about the maxima thing, so i'll do some searching - you recomend it? What are your plans for portable media? I bought a slim slot load DVD+-R that I'm going to try to fab into the dash somehow. Val Right now I have it in one of these cases http://store.mo-co-so.com/4thgenminiitxcaseforcarputercarpc-p-178.html?zenid=apmj31qos98hg7l2mrcnf5e2q6 And it's behind the passengers seat. I had hoped to mount it under the passengers seat but it was too tight a fit. I have no provisions for portable media. I have a wifi connection so I can update my music. I also have it set up with tight VNC so I can manage it from my office. Running itunes through the front end is clunky but it works ok. If I'm on the road I set up an ad hoc connection with my iphone and use the remote app to run itunes. Road Runner works really well with winamp but not with itunes music. I tried conversion programs but could never get the tags right. I'd like to integrate a cradle for the phone but I want something slick I can't remember what alternator I used but it was from Autozone. It had a serpentine pulley on it. I had to make a spacer so that my stock pulley would go on. It may only be a 85 amp unit. It's been a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softopz Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 I agree with him you do suck! not cause of the crafstmanship I love that But I was going to do the same exact thing But I gotta get my car running PROPERLY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrZ Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Wow! that's awesome! TechnoZZZZgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I still hate you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rucus01 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 What is the software package you are using for that home screen? Is that something you custom wrote or something you found and modified? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 I still hate you Thank you for hating me. I feel warm all over! What is the software package you are using for that home screen? Is that something you custom wrote or something you found and modified? It's called "Ride Runner" formally known as "Road Runner" until Warner bros came down on him! Or so the story goes. Here is everything you need to know about carputers. http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/ There is a whole lot of reading on there. Here's a link to the front end forum http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/front-ends/ Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menzzer37 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 I downoaded ride runner, but where did you get that skin? Mine looks nothing like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 I downoaded ride runner, but where did you get that skin? Mine looks nothing like that. Skin http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/rr-skins/117143-digitalfx-4-0-released-07-25-08-a.html Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soundmasterg Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 That is VERY cool! If you were going to make and sell the adaptors to go from the stock to a BMW 5 series two input thing, I'd be all over that if it didn't cost too much! I was thinking of doing something similar with the vents but couldn't figure out an easy way to make up an adaptor...... greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 That is VERY cool! If you were going to make and sell the adaptors to go from the stock to a BMW 5 series two input thing, I'd be all over that if it didn't cost too much! I was thinking of doing something similar with the vents but couldn't figure out an easy way to make up an adaptor...... greg Hi Greg No plans to make the adapters. I'll certainly release the 3D model if you know anyone that can machine it for you. Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 I was thinking of doing something similar with the vents but couldn't figure out an easy way to make up an adaptor...... greg How about fiberglass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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