My Car PC and Stereo Project

Discussion in 'Modifications & DIY how-to' started by FTZ, Sep 2, 2006.

  1. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    First I want to thank JT and Bobby for the help they have provided so far.

    At this point I have built a false floor for the trunk, built a Sub box for 1 JL 10w6, and Built 2 Amp racks. All pictures can be seen here: http://picasaweb.google.com/wrxfan420/MyCarPCAndStereoProject


    I also removed most of the Interior: Seats, Door Panels and Center Console.

    With the way this will be set up, I will still have a good amount of Useable Trunk Space. I should be able to fit a Full Size Suitcase, will still have easy access to my Spare Tire, and be able to easily access the jack.

    Tomorrow I will be running all the Amp Wires, running Speaker Wire from the Amp to all the Doors and hopefully starting to reassemble some of the car.

    Sunday, Hopefully the PC will be installed, and the rest of the car will be put back together, with everything being done by Monday. I am not going to Upholster any of the Trunk yet, will probably wait until after Nopi.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 12, 2006
  2. GTscoob

    GTscoob Black is Beautiful

    Looks much better in person than in the pics. I cant wait to see it completed.
     
  3. Weapon

    Weapon 90lbs of dynamite Supporting Member

    looking good man
     
  4. BelvnAWD

    BelvnAWD I'm Vin, Bell-Vin...

    Good luck Jason! I wish I had time/money to do a car pc right now. Hope it turns out well!
     
  5. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    My Car PC Project, Part 2

    Ok guys, ran into a bit of a snag yesterday and am only partially finished. The Computer is working, but I am getting now sound. Initially Early yeasterday morning, turned on the PC, and my amp turned on, but got no sound, so, I started playing around in the control panel to see if something was not set right. Everything looked ok, so I turned the PC off to check all my wiring. Everything looked fine there also, so I turned the PC back on to try again, and now my Amp won't turn on.

    I got a little frustrated at this point and pretty much gave up for the weekend. I had been working on it since I got home from work Friday Night around 8 till 2 AM. Went to sleep, woke up Saturday around 10 and worked on the car till about 2:30, Went to sleep, woke up Sunday around 10 and worked on it till about 1:30, tries to go to sleep, but couldn't close my eyes, so I went and did some more work till about 6 AM, then finally went to sleep. Then yesterday I worked on it from about 8:30 to 5 PM, at which point I got a little frustrated and decided to take a day or two off from the project.


    With that said, I am looking for any possible help this weekend. I intend, if I have to to work all weekend to get this done. Anyone with Stereo Installation skillz or PC Skillz, you abilities will be greatly needed and appreciated. Please come help me get this project up and running before Nopi.

    Beer, Pizza, Hamburgers and Hotdogs for anyone will to come lend a hand.
     
  6. blink

    blink Member

    I got da skillz in pc repair/troubleshooting, and stereo installation... and for you jason... anything!
     
  7. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Sweet man, I am going to play around with it after work throughout the week, but if it still isn't working properly, which most likely will be the case, will need all the help I can get Friday Night, Saturday and Sunday.
     
  8. blink

    blink Member

    yeah i should be free this whole weekend, so whenever, just give me a call.
     
  9. MarkM2016GTI

    MarkM2016GTI Supporting Member

    I could come out and lend a hand if you need some assistance, Jason...

    Mark
     
  10. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    I will accept all the help I can get. The more people show up to help the better.
     
  11. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    i might be able to lend a hand sometime saturday... i have a big submission coming up and have prior plans for saturday night that i cant back out off
     
  12. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    I got some free time this weekend. I have a bit in both skillz...been building computers for myself for about 15 years and installing amps and stereos for about the same, lol. Nothing professional, but I manage!
     
  13. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Milo, anytime you want to stop by is cool. I will probably be working on it Friday Night, all day Saturday, and Sunday if necessary. I need to get this done this weekend for Nopi. Plus you need to see the new additions to the house.
     
  14. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    So I have some good news to report. I figured out my problem for why my amps weren't turning on. I had a bad ground, so I moved my grounding spot and now the amps are turning on. I also was able to figure out why I was not getting any sound when the amps were on, so now I also have sound.

    The car is pretty much done. I just need to get some RCA Splitters, plug in the Sub Amp, put the Sub in the box, and put my car back together.

    I am so relieved that everything is working now. I should have my new screen tomorrow and can hopefully just about wrap everything up. I was getting kinda frustrated the other day when things started going wrong, but everything is back on track now.
     
  15. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    Congrats dude!
     
  16. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Still need help? We can still come by for a bit if needed.
     
  17. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Well, I still need to put the car back together, wire up the DVD Drive and USB Hub, clean up the wires to the computer and mount it down to the car, finish plugging in the rest of the stereo equipment in the trunk, do some fine tuning to the gains and probably some other little stuff here and there. I would definitely be down for having a little get together even if everything is done by then.

    Luckily, I will not need technical help, someone to troubleshoot what isn't working, since everything is working now, but like I said above, I still have plenty of little things to do.

    Also, if anyone else needs anything installed, we could possibly help with that stuff. I know RamblinWRX has some Prodrive Springs to install, maybe we can turn this into a mini Install day before to help everyone finish up and get ready for the show.
     
  18. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Sweet I will come by as planned then just to lend a hand and meet some folks. Nothing to install at this point...waiting on the new turbo before I do the intake and turbo inlet tube. Of course that is if I ever hear back from Tray at TS...been a week now, lol. Luckily it looks like it is going to take a bit. Wife just found out she needs like a g in dental work :/
     
  19. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    So the project is pretty much done. I just need to get a USB Extension Cable Friday to run the DVD Drive and USB hub to the Glovebox. At this point I have all 4 door speakers hooked up, the Sub hooked up. The new touchscreen installed and working properly. Once I get the USB Extension, I can finally put my passenger seat back in and be done.

    I still need to carpet the stuff in the trunk, but that is going to wait until after Nopi.

    Will add pictures to my Google Image Hosting webpage later tonight. Current pics are here
    http://picasaweb.google.com/wrxfan420/MyCarPCAndStereoProject
    New pics will be added tonight.
     
  20. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    lookin good man... are u gonna leave the gap behind the amp rack? or are u gonna cover it up with carpet?
     
  21. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Will probably cover it up later on. Those aren't event the finished pictures there, that was just a test fitting, to see how everything will sit.
     
  22. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    fitment looks nice and clean :bigthumb:
     
  23. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Just updated the Image host with more pics. Everything is pretty much done. I just need a USB Cable to finish hooking up the DVD Drive in the glovebox and move the USB Hub. I switched the Keyboard and Mouse with the one I had in the house. It is a Media Keyboard, so I can control Media Player, and more inportantly the volume with the keyboard. SO MUCH BETTER NOW. It is also wireless, so I don't have wires running anywhere visible, except for the GPS for now.
     
  24. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Some more pics added, project is pretty much finished. Just need one or two little things, but the car is back together.
     

    Attached Files:

  25. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    Throw up some pics in your garage!
     
  26. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Just a few more.
     

    Attached Files:

  27. BelvnAWD

    BelvnAWD I'm Vin, Bell-Vin...

    Looks nice Jason!!
     
  28. yerrow

    yerrow Active Member

    nice sub
     
  29. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    i have seen this thing first hand and its bad ass :bigthumb:
     
  30. jt money

    jt money 350hp mmm mmm Good! Supporting Member

    now you need one of these. this from RayfieldsWRX on clubwrx.net.
    [​IMG]

    i got one of these works great for skiping trcks and volume
    http://www.directron.com/xpmediactrl.html

     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2006
  31. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Well, I switched out the keyboard and mouse for the one on my home computer. It is not as nice as that one you posted JT, but it does have Media Controls, so I can control the volume, skip tracks and do other stuff. It is wireless, so I don't have any visible wires, except for the GPS which will someday be moved to the roof to go in the rally monitoring box. I was also able to map some of the function keys on the keyboard, so now, when I hit the webcam button, it starts up Streets and Trips. When I hit play, or skip track, it starts up Media Player, and again, I have the volume control which is the biggest help.
     
  32. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Volume control was needed!! It seemed like kind of a pain for you to do the volume.
     
  33. jt money

    jt money 350hp mmm mmm Good! Supporting Member

    true i just thought the remote would be easier to use that a biig ass keyboard. :keke: so on you media center do you get tv? im tring to find a way to see the gator game while im at nopi. lol other wise i might have to leave early.
     
  34. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Unfortunately, I won't have the Bluetooth Dongle or my new Wireless phone by Nopi. If I had both of those, I would have Wireless Mobile Internet connection at Cable Modem speeds.
     
  35. 1ll-WRX

    1ll-WRX Active Member

    yeah I'm leaving early I think to go to my friends Gator party :ddirty: the game is at 8 PM correct?
     
  36. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    If it is anything like last year, I doubt we will be there at 8 PM.
     
  37. rexrocker

    rexrocker Active Member

    Phenomenal man! Looks great.
     
  38. 1ll-WRX

    1ll-WRX Active Member

    yeah Jason, this set-up looks super sick!!! I remember you mentioning this stuff at Friday's...can't wait to see it in person...
     
  39. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    It was scary there for a little bit. I had a couple of times when I was about ready to give up on the PC idea, but then I had friends like Amol, Alex, Bobby, JT, and Mike Crashtke, come by and help out. Now that it is done, I couldn't be happier. I posted up a bigger, more detailed writeup of the process on Nasioc that I will copy over to here in a few minutes.
     
  40. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Yeah, thanks to you. :naughty:
     
  41. MarkM2016GTI

    MarkM2016GTI Supporting Member

    The system looks nice Jason!!.


    Mark
     

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