HUD install started on my 09 1LT
02-24-2010, 10:43 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
HUD install started on my 09 1LT
Figured I'd probably do more damage doing it the long way, so I'm doing the "cut-the-duct" method. So far, so good.
Not finished yet. But I think the hard parts are done.
Taking things apart was surprisingly easy. Shoe-horning the HUD in place & bolting it down was the most difficult part, and that's done! Tomorrow I plan to do the wiring if it's not too cold. I bought a harness, so I'm hoping the rest is easy.
I'll post some pics and a few tips when I'm finished -- that is, if everything works well and I don't screw it up (knock wood).
If you're considering this upgrade, I found these threads helpful:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-complete.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...d-install.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...available.html
http://www.theredlion.us/C6%20HUD%20...%20Rev%202.pdf
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...d-install.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...many-pics.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...staxi-com.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-the-dash.html
Not finished yet. But I think the hard parts are done.
Taking things apart was surprisingly easy. Shoe-horning the HUD in place & bolting it down was the most difficult part, and that's done! Tomorrow I plan to do the wiring if it's not too cold. I bought a harness, so I'm hoping the rest is easy.
I'll post some pics and a few tips when I'm finished -- that is, if everything works well and I don't screw it up (knock wood).
If you're considering this upgrade, I found these threads helpful:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-complete.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...d-install.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...available.html
http://www.theredlion.us/C6%20HUD%20...%20Rev%202.pdf
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...d-install.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...many-pics.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...staxi-com.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-the-dash.html
Last edited by CO Lightfoot; 01-10-2011 at 06:13 PM. Reason: added thread link
02-25-2010, 11:32 PM
#3
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Done! And it works great!!
Well, sitting in my garage it looks great. Too much snow in my neighborhood to go for a drive. So its back to sleep until Spring.
Some ideas/pics not shown in the above links:
1. Cold plastic can be brittle. So before removing the plastic instrument trim, I ran the engine & turned the interior heat to 90.
2. Trim was easy to remove with the plastic tool set (Actron) I got from amazon. $15. You don't need the whole set, but who knew?
3. Get a ratcheting 10mm open-end wrench. $12 at Ace Hardware. And I had to trim-off the tip of the handsaw blade (with a hacksaw) to cut all the way thru the duct.
(The saw above is shown before I trimmed it.)
4. Cut a notch in the HUD mounting tab with the small hole.
Makes it easier to line-up the mounting holes while you shoe-horn in the HUD unit.
5. Would've like the custom wiring harness to be a few inches longer. As is, it worked OK even after covering with elec tape. Just take your time and think it through.
6. Much easier identify wiring colors with good daylight.
7. I used lots of towels to prevent scratches to seats, steering wheel, trim, etc. But working space is tight. Long skinny arms are good. Big hands are a nuisance.
8. Near as I can tell, the wiring connectors are designed so that it's practically impossible to put 'em in the wrong slot. Just to be safe, I used post-its to label wiring bundles. Put screws in labeled snack baggies. And take lots of digital pics for later reference when you re-assemble. For instance, after re-installing the duct, the alignment shown on the left duct looks odd, but is factory correct (and it works that way).
9. HUD parts ($330) + custom harness ($75) + tools & stuff ($75)... I spent about $500. Plus, it was nice to have 2 unrushed weekdays to do this winter project without interruption.
10. Was it worth all the time, effort & $$$? I think it will be, but I'll reserve judgment until I get some on-the-road seat time. One thing's for sure: I have to wear glasses, and it's hard for my 57-year-old near-sighted eyes to quickly focus from the roadway to the speedo/tach. I'm hoping the HUD will solve that problem.
And the g-meter looks
Well, sitting in my garage it looks great. Too much snow in my neighborhood to go for a drive. So its back to sleep until Spring.
Some ideas/pics not shown in the above links:
1. Cold plastic can be brittle. So before removing the plastic instrument trim, I ran the engine & turned the interior heat to 90.
2. Trim was easy to remove with the plastic tool set (Actron) I got from amazon. $15. You don't need the whole set, but who knew?
3. Get a ratcheting 10mm open-end wrench. $12 at Ace Hardware. And I had to trim-off the tip of the handsaw blade (with a hacksaw) to cut all the way thru the duct.
(The saw above is shown before I trimmed it.)
4. Cut a notch in the HUD mounting tab with the small hole.
Makes it easier to line-up the mounting holes while you shoe-horn in the HUD unit.
5. Would've like the custom wiring harness to be a few inches longer. As is, it worked OK even after covering with elec tape. Just take your time and think it through.
6. Much easier identify wiring colors with good daylight.
7. I used lots of towels to prevent scratches to seats, steering wheel, trim, etc. But working space is tight. Long skinny arms are good. Big hands are a nuisance.
8. Near as I can tell, the wiring connectors are designed so that it's practically impossible to put 'em in the wrong slot. Just to be safe, I used post-its to label wiring bundles. Put screws in labeled snack baggies. And take lots of digital pics for later reference when you re-assemble. For instance, after re-installing the duct, the alignment shown on the left duct looks odd, but is factory correct (and it works that way).
9. HUD parts ($330) + custom harness ($75) + tools & stuff ($75)... I spent about $500. Plus, it was nice to have 2 unrushed weekdays to do this winter project without interruption.
10. Was it worth all the time, effort & $$$? I think it will be, but I'll reserve judgment until I get some on-the-road seat time. One thing's for sure: I have to wear glasses, and it's hard for my 57-year-old near-sighted eyes to quickly focus from the roadway to the speedo/tach. I'm hoping the HUD will solve that problem.
And the g-meter looks
Last edited by CO Lightfoot; 05-18-2010 at 12:03 PM.
02-26-2010, 12:41 AM
#4
Safety Car
glad it worked for ya, if you didnt already I would strongly consider soldering the wires into the car wires rather then the pinch/crimp connectors. WHY? one of mine didnt make good enuf contact and it freaked me out (thot i had a bad projector) , so i took each one apart and soldered them into the wires. Really a better way to do it and you dont have to worry about it again. The scotch connectors over the years working on cars i have thronw more of those away that lost connection and caused issues. be safe, paul
03-01-2010, 04:51 PM
#7
Team Owner
Well done. Great job on the install. My prediction is that you are really going to like the HUD once you start using it.
03-01-2010, 10:13 PM
#11
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Glue + duct tape + aluminum tape. IMO an excellent seal -- and very secure after adjusting & tightening the hold-down screw on the left vent.
Note that the system is NOT pressurized -- it opens to the left vent -- so a perfect seal doesn't make any difference anyway.
I tried to simulate a worse-case scenario of rough-road induced misalignment of the duct... at worst, when misaligned, they securely jam together. Resulting max misalignment was a quarter-inch or so (the thickness of the duct wall).
Difficult to describe in words, but easy to understand when you do it.
Where to make the cut -- THAT'S the most critical part of cutting the duct. Of course you want enough room for the HUD to slide into place; but you also need additional space for your hand to reach the hold-down bolt after you get the HUD in place.
So make the cut as far right as practical... just left of where the duct wall is thickest (which is to the left of what looks like some kind of sensor).
Note that the system is NOT pressurized -- it opens to the left vent -- so a perfect seal doesn't make any difference anyway.
I tried to simulate a worse-case scenario of rough-road induced misalignment of the duct... at worst, when misaligned, they securely jam together. Resulting max misalignment was a quarter-inch or so (the thickness of the duct wall).
Difficult to describe in words, but easy to understand when you do it.
Where to make the cut -- THAT'S the most critical part of cutting the duct. Of course you want enough room for the HUD to slide into place; but you also need additional space for your hand to reach the hold-down bolt after you get the HUD in place.
So make the cut as far right as practical... just left of where the duct wall is thickest (which is to the left of what looks like some kind of sensor).
03-13-2010, 05:15 PM
#12
Melting Slicks
Didn't want to start another thread since the steps are very similar, but I was able to get mine in today using the method about in 4 hours total. I took many 15 minute breaks to watch the Buckeyes win, so maybe 2 hours total time on the project.
I purchased all of the parts from PartsTaxi.com ($296.23), electrical tape and T connectors at Radio Shack (< $10), and Hack saw, 10mm ratcheting wrench, 2 6mm nylon lock nut, 1 j-clamp, 2 washers, 1 6mm bolt, aluminum tape, and Gorilla Glue ($30) from Ace. The items from Ace look pretty much like what CO Lightfoots purchased.
The most time consuming piece was sawing through the A/C duct since it's a very awkward angle. However the saw above rips through the plastic with ease. I also would have like for the wiring harness to be a few inches longer as I had to have the bezel almost fulling on to make the connection. The one suggestion that I have is to connect up the HUD bezel controls, ignition, and gauges after you complete the wiring. Everything worked, but it would be a huge PITA if you had to disassemble everything to find a wiring issue.
Anyone that is on the fence, give this a go. I'm not by any means proficient in working on cars, but with the guides on this site, this is an easy upgrade.
I purchased all of the parts from PartsTaxi.com ($296.23), electrical tape and T connectors at Radio Shack (< $10), and Hack saw, 10mm ratcheting wrench, 2 6mm nylon lock nut, 1 j-clamp, 2 washers, 1 6mm bolt, aluminum tape, and Gorilla Glue ($30) from Ace. The items from Ace look pretty much like what CO Lightfoots purchased.
The most time consuming piece was sawing through the A/C duct since it's a very awkward angle. However the saw above rips through the plastic with ease. I also would have like for the wiring harness to be a few inches longer as I had to have the bezel almost fulling on to make the connection. The one suggestion that I have is to connect up the HUD bezel controls, ignition, and gauges after you complete the wiring. Everything worked, but it would be a huge PITA if you had to disassemble everything to find a wiring issue.
Anyone that is on the fence, give this a go. I'm not by any means proficient in working on cars, but with the guides on this site, this is an easy upgrade.
03-13-2010, 10:56 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
The only problem I had with glare was initially in the garage. The headlights shinning on the white wall was so bright that it was near impossible to see it. I will know better tomorrow when I take the car out with the roof off in the sun.
03-14-2010, 01:09 AM
#15
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Took a long drive today. Clear & sunny & 50's... no problem! Display was easily visible in bright daylight. Just push the button to max brightness. Haven't driven directly into a low sun, but maybe that's a problem.
And no problem with my dark polarizing sunglasses.
Bonus-I-didn't-Expect: HUD displays the gear # in paddle-shift mode. Very nice!!
Bonus-I-Don't-Need: When you change radio stations in "street mode" HUD briefly displays XM1, FM1, etc.
And no problem with my dark polarizing sunglasses.
Bonus-I-didn't-Expect: HUD displays the gear # in paddle-shift mode. Very nice!!
Bonus-I-Don't-Need: When you change radio stations in "street mode" HUD briefly displays XM1, FM1, etc.
03-14-2010, 04:47 PM
#16
Instructor
Member Since: Nov 2009
Location: Big Canoe GA
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Didn't want to start another thread since the steps are very similar, but I was able to get mine in today using the method about in 4 hours total. I took many 15 minute breaks to watch the Buckeyes win, so maybe 2 hours total time on the project.
I purchased all of the parts from PartsTaxi.com ($296.23), electrical tape and T connectors at Radio Shack (< $10), and Hack saw, 10mm ratcheting wrench, 2 6mm nylon lock nut, 1 j-clamp, 2 washers, 1 6mm bolt, aluminum tape, and Gorilla Glue ($30) from Ace. The items from Ace look pretty much like what CO Lightfoots purchased.
The most time consuming piece was sawing through the A/C duct since it's a very awkward angle. However the saw above rips through the plastic with ease. I also would have like for the wiring harness to be a few inches longer as I had to have the bezel almost fulling on to make the connection. The one suggestion that I have is to connect up the HUD bezel controls, ignition, and gauges after you complete the wiring. Everything worked, but it would be a huge PITA if you had to disassemble everything to find a wiring issue.
Anyone that is on the fence, give this a go. I'm not by any means proficient in working on cars, but with the guides on this site, this is an easy upgrade.
I purchased all of the parts from PartsTaxi.com ($296.23), electrical tape and T connectors at Radio Shack (< $10), and Hack saw, 10mm ratcheting wrench, 2 6mm nylon lock nut, 1 j-clamp, 2 washers, 1 6mm bolt, aluminum tape, and Gorilla Glue ($30) from Ace. The items from Ace look pretty much like what CO Lightfoots purchased.
The most time consuming piece was sawing through the A/C duct since it's a very awkward angle. However the saw above rips through the plastic with ease. I also would have like for the wiring harness to be a few inches longer as I had to have the bezel almost fulling on to make the connection. The one suggestion that I have is to connect up the HUD bezel controls, ignition, and gauges after you complete the wiring. Everything worked, but it would be a huge PITA if you had to disassemble everything to find a wiring issue.
Anyone that is on the fence, give this a go. I'm not by any means proficient in working on cars, but with the guides on this site, this is an easy upgrade.
I would like to get this done, but I am a worried I screw someting up.
03-14-2010, 05:08 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
I wouldn't mind showing someone how I went about doing it and lending a second set of eyes/hands. Don't really want to take on the potential liabilities that come with taking money to perform modifications on a car. If you have any mechanical ability, I'm sure we could get this done on your car.
03-14-2010, 05:29 PM
#18
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Member Since: Nov 2009
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I wouldn't mind showing someone how I went about doing it and lending a second set of eyes/hands. Don't really want to take on the potential liabilities that come with taking money to perform modifications on a car. If you have any mechanical ability, I'm sure we could get this done on your car.
03-14-2010, 05:32 PM
#19
Melting Slicks
03-14-2010, 05:37 PM
#20
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Member Since: Nov 2009
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