Technical Integrated Sat Nav project

[Seagull]

Lots more rubbing down done, just waiting for the perspex 'window' to arrive and I can plan the cuts to mount it and the satnav....

Trial fit soon!

 

[alexGS]

Good work Seagull - kudos to you for creating something custom that matches what you want.

I do think that space for the digital voltmeter would be better left blank though I was going to suggest a digital clock, but I suppose the instrument panel already has that.

-Alex

 

[Seagull]

Thanks for your input Alex, the real life version has a little less room on top than it looked like it would have so it may not need it. I will only use an led module if I can make it look like the rest of the gauges

 

[Melanabb]

You can make it go all the way to 11!

 

[Seagull]

The good thing about working with plastic in this way is that you can keep cutting bits off and adding to it until you are happy with the shape. After a test fit, (as close as I could without taking the radio out) I decided to change the angle of the shield part so I cut the joint, angled it and started building up with slices of plastic. I am now using a mixture of jointing methods, epoxy glue and plastic welding.

Once this lot is set solid I'll start using filler to get the shape right, then I need to source some textured plastic to match the top of the dash or find someone scrapping a 500 that is willing to cut a chunk out of the dash for me!

 

[Seagull]

Still shaping.....

I'll give it a little dusting of primer tomorrow to see how flat it looks... Does anyone have any ideas for matching the paint colour? My best idea so far is to get some emulsion made up at Homebase from a sample and then lacquer it to match the finish.

 

[Melanabb]

Maybe Fiat paint sticks, after putting some primer first?

 

[Seagull]

If there is a fiat paint code for it I can get some made up, but as it is an interior plastic finish I don't think there is....


I received the led voltmeter yesterday and was pleased to see that the "yellow" is actually almost exactly the colour of the LCD orange of the dash..... Although it does not photograph as such!

 

[RobinPJ]

Hmmmmm your link took me to a Facebook advert thingy for Hastings Direct insurance...?

 

[Seagull]

Hmmmmm your link took me to a Facebook advert thingy for Hastings Direct insurance...?

Wow! You are quick!

Could have been a worse image to have in the paste buffer though!

 

[alexGS]

Wow! You are quick!

Could have been a worse image to have in the paste buffer though!

Like the time a colleague typed g (for Google) into my Internet Explorer address bar, and a video website address appeared...

That's an interesting plastic filler you're using? Black pasty stuff. What is it?

-Alex

 

[RobinPJ]

Like the time a colleague typed g (for Google) into my Internet Explorer address bar, and a video website address appeared...

I bet that hit the spot.

 

[alexGS]

I bet that hit the spot.

Not exactly. Actually about two years later, the answer was "we already knew"!

-Alex

 

[RobinPJ]

Not exactly. Actually about two years later, the answer was "we already knew"!

-Alex

Ah, I may have misinterpreted your previous post in that case.

 

[Seagull]

.....isopon plastic bumper filler, I thought the heat expansion properties would be the best match considering where it will be used...

 

[loveshandbags]

First post
I've had my new 1.2 Lounge for nearly a month now and my 'tinkering' side has started to twitch...

I ordered the TomTom predisposition and bought the Satnav, but am finding it a pain to keep picking the damn thing up from behind the seat and pulling it off the dash when I park (my last car had built-in satnav)

So I started thinking whilst stuck in traffic the other day how there must be another way and I came up with this:

I use the TT B&Me Live 2 quite a bit and generally during the day leave the cradle in the dashboard but take out the sat nav overnight. In the 500 you can place the sat nav in the seat if you haven't got the interscope.
Also sometimes I end up having to type directly into Google search with the satnav out of the cradle using 2 thumbs to type since it has no voice recognition. It's also handy being able to angle the satnav correctly but I tend to rely on the voice so I don't have to keep too much of an eye on the screen.
Will be interesting to see how it works out when you have finished it.

 

[loveshandbags]

just had another thought. If you're encasing the TT do you plan using the lead it came with to allow a USB connection for updates ? Imagine that you could use one of those 12V USB converters for power.

 

[grimwau]

just had another thought. If you're encasing the TT do you plan using the lead it came with to allow a USB connection for updates ? Imagine that you could use one of those 12V USB converters for power.

I've just had another thought as well, will you be using an external antenna as you might not be able to pick up the satellites once it is inside the shroud?

 

[Seagull]

I've just had another thought as well, will you be using an external antenna as you might not be able to pick up the satellites once it is inside the shroud?

Yes, I was planning on using the USB cable for power and have accounted for the space it takes, I'm assuming that when I get the radio out I can find a route to bring it down to the centre console to pick up power and was planning on making the plug available to plug into my laptop for updates

On your second point, modern GPS chipsets are very sensitive a will still get a good reception under the metal roof, a small amount of plastic will not hurt. Sound, however may be an issue, I am a little annoyed that there is no audio out option but I may try getting hold of an active holder for a tom-tom 1000 which has a similar connector with a 3.5mm connector and if that works I could use a sound-on-top cable to put it onto the speakers. If that is not an option then I may have to make some holes in the shroud

 

[grimwau]

Ah! OK! The only reason I mentioned it was because my TomTom, a 730T is very intolerant to locking on to satellites if it does not have a direct line of sight to the sky. Mind you, it is a few years old now so probably not so sophisticated as the new models.