About 3 years ago I saw pictures of someone C5 with a 7 inch LCD installed in the dash...the HU was below it and the a/c control panel was mounted all the way at the bottom.
I'm wondering if there is a commercial version of a kit like this.....or what other options are tehre to get a screen in a C5 besides the flip out head units. I'm not good at doing these kinds of things myself (wish I was!). Is there any way to get this done if there isn't a commercially available kit?
Thanks (btw the search is broken for me...keeps trying to get me to log in over and over)
Nothing available...all custom. I have done a few like that and so has a few other members. I am going to bond in a Xenarc 7" touch screen soon in my car. I am also installing a computer in the car. ScottFx already has a computer in his.
How do I go about getting it custom made? I'm sure I can order it from someone...I can do the bedhind the dash cuts/mods myself...its just the actual dash panel I can't do. But all corvettes are standard so if someone just mods the panel (what's the actual name of that dash peice that needs to be modded?) for a 7 inch LCD, I can do the rest myself.
Any ideas who would be willing to make one and mail it?
I'm ready to jump into this.
I'll prolly either make my own carpc or get the one at www.gnetcanada.com to go with it.
How do I go about getting it custom made? I'm sure I can order it from someone...I can do the bedhind the dash cuts/mods myself...its just the actual dash panel I can't do. But all corvettes are standard so if someone just mods the panel (what's the actual name of that dash peice that needs to be modded?) for a 7 inch LCD, I can do the rest myself.
Any ideas who would be willing to make one and mail it?
I'm ready to jump into this.
I'll prolly either make my own carpc or get the one at www.gnetcanada.com to go with it.
You're referring to the radio console trim panel.
Yes. Someone could do the panel for you, but it'd be a one-off custom job and it'd cost $400 plus IMO. They'd also need your car so they could coordinate the mounting mods with the dash trim so everything lined up. I wouldn't touch the job for less than $600 and then that'd only be modifying your piece not including texturizing or painting the part.
If you could find someone of the forum who already did their console to fit the exact model you want, they may be able to make one for you but it'd still take a lot of labor and assuming someone would do it for $20-$25/hour, it'd still end up costing several hundred dollars IMO.
Take the job on yourself, we're always here to help.
I wouldn't know the first thing about painting/texturizing =/
I assume it involves cuting both horizontal bars and moving both down a bit, glueing (somehow), then sanding, texturizing (no idea how this is done) then painting. Then the LCD, radio, and A/C control panel have to have custom brackets made to hold them which will also involve cutting behind the dash to make the radio fit. Although, I'm considering not even having a radio HU since I can just get an FM tuner+ sirius and connect those to the computer.
All I have is a dremel tool =) Although I did install a hurst shifter in myself, but that just involved removing and replacing screws...not "artsy" stuff like sanding and painting.
Is there any writeups on how this is done?
With what's involved, my lack of most tools, and lack of knowlege I'd prolly be willing to shell out a few hundred to have it proffessionaly done and sent to me.
Would this 8 incher fit? Looks like its just taller rather than wider. Here is the 7 incher.
Thinking about going with this carputer....just the barebones, I got all the other parts....with sprint rolling out with EV-DO at the end of this month, it will be sweet to have the pcmcia card to get broadband internet in car =)
I still have 2 elemental designs e10k.44s and a PG ti600 amp that have been in my closet for almost 3 years now because I'm afraid of screwing up the install....I didn't like the job tweeters did with installing my HU 4 speakers and th ti500 amp that's in there now so I haven't had it done for me either....I'm tempted to take the plunge and just do everything myself but I'm just afraid I'd screw something up and end up wasting items =/ I guess I could always replace the radio console trim panel though.
OK! Just realized...I have a perfectly good 1 yr old IBM T40 laptop that can even run world of warcraft at max rez max graphics (its got a CAD/CAM vid card in it). I can use that in the vette as the car-puter!
It can fit anywhere since its ultra thin (just over 0.5 inch without the monitor flap).
Now all I need to do is figure out the sound (sound blaster PCMCIA card or USB sound card with SPDIF output?) and the whole monitor in the dash thing.
If you want to talk about getting the dash done send me a PM.
I am going to use a Sound Blaster USB card outputting to an Alpine PXA 701 through the SPDIF. I am in the process of installing a computer in a Honda Accord right now and have one to install in an Impalla in two weeks. One of these days I can work on my own car again...lol.
Hello, If you are still cosidering doing the mod in the first picture you posted, i have done it, and it was pretty easy. Here is a pic of mine.
There are still a few thing to finish likea few small gaps that I want gone, but I am a perfectionist. The key is to get a screen that will fit behind the dash trim AND inside the metal framework that the radio was removed from. Depth was not a issue, but width and highth are.
The Rest was just some dremel and drill work. I used a screen made to go into sunvisors.
Spote, that's a nice setup. The radio being lower didn't have any depth issues? Also, what method did you use to hold the A/C control panel down there?
The radio being lower didn't have any depth issues?
Nope. As a matter of fact, there is a metal crossbar that the rear of the radio sits on. Also, with the factory radio removed, there is a large void behind the screen that you could use to store most of the wiring
Also, what method did you use to hold the A/C control panel down there?
Just used a roto zip tool to cut the ashtray area out, then unscrewed (just 2 screws) the a/c unit and moved it down. Measured and marked where to drill the new holes for the screws (only needed to drill 1 though as the drivers side lined up with a hole that was already there (dont know what for)), drilled the hole, and remounted it. Sounds and looks a lot harder than it really is.
Hope this helps. Any other questions, just ask and i'll answer. Its the least i can do as this forum is where i got the idea and assistance to do this mod to my car.
I'm in the same boat right now with my 7" monitor. I have the mounting depth figured and the sides fit fine, but my headache is the dash panel fitment.
I've got pics up of previous stuff: speaker plates for 6.5 components and I also relocated the hvac controls to the bottom. Yehaa for the screw hole that already fits on one side!
I'll post more pics as I get the time to do the work, but this is a post that could be added as a sticky. Seems to be more and more guys adding monitors to their C5's.
Scott
DaMaDo....did you realize that those are B stock Xenarc monitors? I was going to bid on one till I saw that.
Didn't realize it, but its too late now. We'll see how it goes.
BTW anyone know how much a new radio trim panel costs (the part we modify for the LCD install)?
Ok got the LCD, the only thing I notice that would make it a B unit is that it has one pixel that is stuck on in the bottom right corner. Not a big deal to me =) Works pretty well...gonna get powerstrip and set it to the nominal rez.
Hmm, ok I might need an alternate method of having a car pc.
I went down to the car with the 7 inch monitor and took off the dash.
The monitor apparently fits fine without removing the case, unless you want a HU under it, but I was planning on putting in an external laptop slim USB DVD player.
All that seems ok, until I look at the A/C control. First I don't see how it fits at the bottom without cutting both the A/C control box AND the metal mounts that held the radio trim panel.
I'm wondering how what's the best method to do this if I'm planning on reselling the car in 1-2 years?
Here's the choices that I know of so far:
I could relocate the A/C to the glove box like someone mentioned before which would then only require modding the radio trim panel itself?
Or I could just get a motorized LCD and sell this xenarc one which wouldn't require any mods at all.
Any other options besides just giving up completely?
Corvette Store
7 inch LCD in the C5 dash?
