[lotza pics] I blame my latest mod on forum member...
jdmvette (thanks mang!!!)
see posts #66 & #81 for an update
During a recent forum thread about radar detectors, he just happened to take a pic of his C5 interior ... and include the fancy mirror he installed (sneaky camera-man... )
ref: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1560662546-post2.html
I started looking at the available rear-view mirrors with Homelink built-in, and found quite a selection available. All seem to be made by Gentex (Johnson Controls).
The very basic ones are all electronic dimming. Then from there you can add:
*Homelink (garage door opener)
*Compass
*outside temp
*OnStar (extra module required, very expensive)
or any combination of. I also learned that any 2006 or newer model Gentex mirror will do the rolling-code type garage door opener (which I have); and before 2006 some wouldn't
The factory mirrors wiring harness for my 2002 coupe already had the needed feeds; ground, 12v constant, 12v switched, and dome light (the dome light importance will be discussed later).
Only if I opted for the Gentex mirror with the temp display would I need to run extra wires. I decided against the temp display; just a personal preference. So, that narrowed down the search a little...
*electronic diming
*Compass
*Homelink
then I discovered that you can get the compass (and temp display) in various colors... amber, blue, red, green. I chose blue, so this further narrowed down my search.
New Gentex mirrors with electronic dim, compass, and Homelink run $300 to 350 WAY TOO MUCH for me, the "cheap bastich"
I then discovered that's there's quite a market for used mirrors. Many high end vehicles come with these mirrors from the factory. A lot of people take them out of wrecked vehicles and sell them on eBay.
The one I purchased on eBay was out of a 2006 Toyota Tundra (if I remember the ad correctly). The seller included a new universal wiring harness (very important, as the connector is unique and you won't find then anywhere)... for $200 shipped.
here's the new and original mirrors:
closeup of the Gentex:
first three buttons are for 3 different garage door codes, and/or homelink lighting (between #2 and 3 is an indicator led). Then another indicator LED, then an auto-dim on/off button, and last a compass button.
top view comparison
bottom view:
as you can see, the factory mirror includes the interior dome lights on the bottom of the mirror (since there's no dome light mounted on the inside of the roof). I anticipated that and modified the Gentex mirror adding 4 brite-white LED's to the bottom of the case:
remember that little yellow LED on the bottom of the factory mirror that everyone discovers and then posts about ???
I added one of them too
yep; it wasn't easy taking the Gentex mirror apart, but there was plenty of room in the rear case to add the LED's and route the wires.
I connected the dome brite-white LED's to the factory mirror dome light wire, and the yellow LED to the switched 12v wire.
Looking at the bottom with the dome-LED's activated:
yellow LED illuminated:
Installed in my 2002 Coupe:
I calibrated the compass, and then programmed the garage door opener... all worked perfectly. Couldn't be happier.
Here's a crude video of the electronic diming feature in action. I start out wth the auto-dim forced off, then with my hand covering up the light sensor, I re-activate the auto-dim. http://ctechradio.com/temp/mirror.mpg
I did some prelim testing with the brite-white LED's... and decided that 4 of them almost equalled the factory dome lights located in the original mirror. These were cheap 99 cent All Electronics LED's. I know there are even brighter ones available, but the cost would of almost trippled; and the amount of courtesy light from these 4 is more than adequate.
I always had my garage door opener on the floor, always fumbling around to find it.
NO MORE !!!
.
Last edited by Mike Mercury; 07-29-2009 at 10:50 PM.
[lotza pics] I blame my latest mod on forum member...
)
WAY TOO MUCH for me, the "cheap bastich" 
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