New here, current project - Kaypro 1 mod

[gnat]

I will post better quality pics soon as I move forward with the project.

Ok here is what it started out as...

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro-1.jpg

+

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro-2.jpg

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro-3.jpg


=

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro-4.jpg


Actually there isn't a ton of work left. I have to turn the motherboard around and dremel out the back of the box for the connections. I also have to mount the hard drive behind the drive blank/fan control(simple). I have only one problem. I can't find my 7" LCD touchscreen I used to use in my carpc. I had it within a month or two ago so my hopes are high. I should have no problem making it look good in the hole.

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro-5.jpg

oh, also have to hook up the light and a power switch on the back which shouldn't be much problem either. I may move the fan knob to the back and add another drive up front. I also have a wireless card I will be adding and a usb sprint broadband connection to add.

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro-6.jpg

I have considered using an HP tablet pc instead of the gx150 I currently have in there. I believe the screen is 12" and of course it's a touch screen as well which I really want no matter what size I end up using.

[gnat]

for reference here are a few pics of older projects

around 2002 (from a full sheet of plexiglass)
http://168.9.26.28/case/smallcase1.jpg

car pc (2004)

http://168.9.26.28/carpc2-1.JPG

http://168.9.26.28/carcase2.jpg

Previous to the wireless keyboard w/pointer

http://168.9.26.28/carpc1.JPG

Keyboard I just mentioned which I may enable on the kaypro as I have two receivers and it will allow me to continue to use it on my media center machine.

http://168.9.26.28/kp3.jpg


----------
Thats the short of it, I wish I had more pics of older projects but I don't sry(ie 1998 car pc).

Anyways, I've really enjoyed the site since I started browsing yesterday and I'll post updates as much as possible.

[jdbnsn]

Welcome gnat!

I want to know EVERYTHING about that car PC!!! That is exactly what I was planning on doing in my old car before I moved away from the space where I could do it (and the financial resources). Do you have a worklog or "in-progress" photos? Give us the rundown on what that baby can do, features, functions, etc...pretty please?

A friend of mine who worked as a cusom system installation tech for a mobile AV company was working on his truck but I never saw the finished product. He mounted all of his hardware where the glove-box was and replaced the box with a slide-out keyboard mount with a detachable wireless KB. He fabricated a new fiberglass dashboard that housed a ~19" touch-screen monitor where all of the climate control and headunit space was. Replaced all climate control and other various operations with PIC operated gadets and had installed some sort of software that controlled them as well as monitored all of the engine stats like temps, oil pressure, RPM's (I have no idea how). He even had installed bluetooth for laptop/PDA/phone connection, and wifi to connect to his home network to download media from his server. I was awestruck, I wish I could have seen the finished product.

[BigJohnson]

Wow. I definately want to see more of the carpc too! Thats awesome. What kind of car was it in? We are visual people here. Your progress pics are better than porn. Welcome to TBCS.

[jdbnsn]

Your progress pics are better than porn.

LMAO!!! I don't know if I'd go that far.. :)

[NightrainSrt4]

What kind of car was it in?

I think that one is in a mustang.

Projects look nice dude. Keep up the good work.

[BigJohnson]

I think that one is in a mustang.
I think you may be right.

[Darth Dad]

Wow. I definately want to see more of the carpc too! Thats awesome. What kind of car was it in? We are visual people here. Your progress pics are better than porn. Welcome to TBCS.

+rep for having a mind purer than driven snow! :p

[SgtM]

I think you may be right.

Ditto.. You can clearly see the stang on the steering wheel, as well as "Mustang" embossed on the dash.

Welcome aboard gnat! Can't wait to see more of your projects.

[gnat]

Welcome gnat!

I want to know EVERYTHING about that car PC!!! That is exactly what I was planning on doing in my old car before I moved away from the space where I could do it (and the financial resources). Do you have a worklog or "in-progress" photos? Give us the rundown on what that baby can do, features, functions, etc...pretty please?

A friend of mine who worked as a cusom system installation tech for a mobile AV company was working on his truck but I never saw the finished product. He mounted all of his hardware where the glove-box was and replaced the box with a slide-out keyboard mount with a detachable wireless KB. He fabricated a new fiberglass dashboard that housed a ~19" touch-screen monitor where all of the climate control and headunit space was. Replaced all climate control and other various operations with PIC operated gadets and had installed some sort of software that controlled them as well as monitored all of the engine stats like temps, oil pressure, RPM's (I have no idea how). He even had installed bluetooth for laptop/PDA/phone connection, and wifi to connect to his home network to download media from his server. I was awestruck, I wish I could have seen the finished product.

I have some more pics and ill try to post more when I get home later.

I don't have it installed anymore but it was 1800mhz amd with 1gb ram and I think it a couple 120gb hds.

The lcd you can get from eBay is 7inches and about 200 bucks. The brand is lilliput but I'm not sure if I spelled that right.

It ran XP media center so I could run the media program or winamp with a full screen pluggin. I had two fans one in and one out but they were car audio fans by stinger somewhat like a squirrel fan. I live in Georgia so the summer was pretty much to hot for the trunk. I had no problem with the dell small form factors though. I think the website that I went to was mp3car.com if I recall correctly.

But like I said ill try to post more images later.

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

[gnat]

Oh yeah I also had a wireless card so I could download in the driveway.

[jdbnsn]

Very cool! I recognized the lillput screen from Paul's project Nighthawk. And yeah, we'd def like to see as much as you can show us about it, we have almost no car PC mods and this is something I am interested in. I used to go to mp3car.com all the time and read up on the how-to's. Someday I'd love to do something like this.

[SgtM]

The car PC has been featured on the front page! Good job gnat.

[gnat]

woah thanks! looking through my pics now so I can add some more.

Sorry I don't have any in progress pics of the box I made but it was made with simple speaker box wood, then vinyl and a couple alluminum plates that I hit with a sander to make swirls on it.

One very necessary thing I had to buy was a shutdown controller and a relay. When I would cut the car off the shutdown controller would send a singal to the motherboard to shutdown and windows would do a quick shutdown. It had a timer in it basically and it would disconnect the relay to the power inverter after about 30 seconds so it would continue to run after the car was off but would then cut itself off after the pc had shutdown. As far as I know they still sell them.

I moved my equilizer over to the glove box as well and thew in some kick panels with mb quartz components.

http://168.9.26.28/kp2.jpg

Here you can see the keyboard wireless receiver
http://168.9.26.28/kp1.jpg

This was during testing;
http://168.9.26.28/carpc3.jpg

closeup
http://168.9.26.28/carpc2-4.jpg

Like I said it was a touch screen so those little buttons you could just tap to play, or skip etc.
http://168.9.26.28/carpc2.jpg

another
http://168.9.26.28/carpc2-5.jpg

This shows the airflow
http://168.9.26.28/carpc2-1-2.jpg

also painted the amp to match the car - or at least be closer looking in color
http://168.9.26.28/carpc2-2.JPG

yes it's a mustang ;)
http://168.9.26.28/carshoot7.JPG

http://168.9.26.28/carshoot2.JPG

[gnat]

Here were the qforms... questionable quality compared to some real kickpanels that could have been made at the stereo shop.

http://168.9.26.28/qforms/DSCN3570.JPG

http://168.9.26.28/qforms/DSCN3571.JPG

http://168.9.26.28/qforms/DSCN3572.JPG

I ended up having to remove these and put components in the door because the kick panels were litterally inches away from the clutch. :/

[gnat]

Sorry here are the correct stats. I was working off of my shot out memory previously

1.2ghz AMD cpu
768mb RAM
Asus A7V mobo
Asus GF4 Ti4200
SB Live Plat.
80gb HD
6xDVD
Enlight 250w PSU
400/800 Inverter
Lilliput 7" TS LCD
Pionner 7400mp H/U
Clarion EQ w/Aux Input
Punch 360 (3 x punch 60's - 6 channel amp)
6-1/2" Kicker RS6 Resolution Components (front)
5-1/4" MB Quartz Components (rear)
8" Kicker Solobaric L7 Sub - Ported Enclosure

The pictures don't show it but I put the pinoneer 7400mp h/u in the glovebox as well. And the stats above note the mb quartz in the rear but they were moved to the kickpanels as you have already seen.

[gnat]

I can't find my 7" lcd to save my life and it's really bothering me. I might just have to order one of these 8" lilliputs to use instead. It has a higher res of 1024x768 and I think it will fit much better.

http://168.9.26.28/kaypro8.jpg

of course 10" would be so much nicer but I have to think realistically. I abandon projects quickly. This will just end up in the closet. lol

[BigJohnson]

Congrats on the feature. That CarPC is really nice. I have been thinking about doing that a lot so I can have a nice stereo and my whole music collection with me whereever I go. Why did you pull it out?

[gnat]

Thanks;

I got tired of my cdplayer/controls in the glove box and it's just not as easy as dealing with a standard stereo/mp3 cd player. If I could have had both the radio and the lcd in the middle I probably would have kept it longer.

I also later removed the pc and replaced it with a 1u dell server which worked pretty well. I had heat issues in the summer with the pc in the bottom of the trunk so I hung the 1u server from under the top side of the trunk(not on the trunk lid but under the rear window).

Finally it just lost it's coolness I guess.

[thrash]

next thing to do is WC it :P

[Eclecticos]

I can't find my 7" lcd to save my life and it's really bothering me.

Here (http://www.case-mod.com/display-screens-tft-video-monitors-c-109_125.html) are some screens.

And Here is the Suppliers List (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/modwiki/index.php/List_Of_Suppliers). .if you can't find something or would like to add to it.

[gnat]

Here (http://www.case-mod.com/display-screens-tft-video-monitors-c-109_125.html) are some screens.

And Here is the Suppliers List (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/modwiki/index.php/List_Of_Suppliers). .if you can't find something or would like to add to it.

Thanks!

[isunktheship]

Ahhh a GT, now that's what I call a true mustang, none of this 6 cylinder tomfoolery!

Okay the most obvious problem I would run into is lack of car wiring knowledge with the project like this.. also waterproofing maybe, was that hard?

A+ idea/work!

[gnat]

Well my amp or anything else back there has never been wet... The area around the trunk lid has rubber lining and plugs in it where water might come through but water was never an issue.

And as far car wiring experience, I've done it all I guess I started playing with pc's when I turned 13. My first computer my dad purchased(aside from my comodore vic/20 I was programming basic on) was 10mhz with the turbo on! It also had no hard drive, just two 5 1/4" floppies and a monochrome monitor. Little does he know I was taking it apart within a few months and I'm 31 now. Of course when I turned 15-16 I was working with car audio and I was always working in car audio installation; on and off ever since.

So in other words I guess I have a good 15yrs experience with each pc and car audio. It's always fun when it's yours, but man does it suck to work on other people's cars. lol.

[gnat]

I found my screen! thank god, I'm ecstatic. I'm about to go grab some abs to fill it in. I got the touch screen going and maybe later tonight I can dremel the case and get everything fitted! I'm so excited.

Off for some last minute christmas shopping :)

http://i4.tinypic.com/6nw8kcp.jpg

[TheGreatSatan]

Where's the intake?

http://168.9.26.28/carcase2.jpg

[isunktheship]

Isn't it this:


This shows the airflow
http://168.9.26.28/carpc2-1-2.jpg