Well, after spending a lot of time flip flopping back and forth from getting the dash cut and getting an install done like MikeS2K (i believe is the name) or saving my car from some permanent hacking and getting smaller screens put into the visors of which the main drawback would be...well..smaller screens.. my car strereo installer and I came up with a new idea that would allow me to still use a prefered 7" widescreen monitor while not doing permanent damage to the car.. so here's what i plan on getting done in the next two weeks or so..

-Removal of the rearview mirror
-Get a custom bezel made to match the stock vynal that surrounds the reading lights
-The bezel will fit the 7" widescreen monitor and will use the rearview mirror mount (in the glass) to mount the screen/bezel...the bezel will be made to look like this screen came with the car as it will angle to the countours of the windshield while not using up much more visibility than the OEM rearview mirror...the bezel will then mount up to the vynal piece that is above the windshield directly under the reading lamps.. (the monitor will not appear as though it is hanging in any way)...kind of difficult to explain.
So, now that leaves the inevitable problem of being able to see behind me... in order to compensate for this and the fact that with the top up there is not very much rear visibility at all anyways in the 2002.. a small camera will be mounted in the rear bumper where the insert is already cut out from the factory for the installation of a tow hook...in place of the round cover that comes with the car will be a clear acrylic cover that will be painted to match the car with the exception of a small area where the camera will have to be able to see through...
There will be a switch in the car that will allow me to switch from dvd to the rear camera and the camera will automatically come on when the car is put into reverse.

Any thoughts on this?
BTW: as complicated as this might sound, it isn't and will cost just slightly more than getting the dash done due to the extra expense of the camera.... I will post pics as soon as it is done.
And price including the indash cd/dvd player, monitor, camera, pac unit to be able to retain the dash controls, and labor will still be under $2k ...lucky for me as i unfortunately don't have a very high income (but love toys none the less).
- Chris

 

no feedback at all?
Anyone have any thoughts on this idea...?
=chris

 

here's some feedback - i don't believe video has any place in a two seater - it's distracting to the driver, and in some states, it's illegal to have video where the driver can see it, and also illegal to have it operating unless the e-brake is up. in an SUV or something carrying a lot of people or kids who can be kept occupied, perhaps. that said, i don't think having video (MAYBE for navigation, NOT for DVD) is worth losing rear visibility... what are you going to do, flip the switch when you want to see traffic behind you? changing lanes? it seems to me an excessive way to achieve video in your car, and it also seems a great way for your installer to make a lot of money. and i work in a stereo shop. just my $.02. do as you please

 

Well, thanks for the input.... i think
Actually, the main reason for the mobile video is not for me to watch while driving, but rather for the fact that i will be going to a lot of import events (in and out of state) and my girlfriend who usually comes with me out of sure kindness has a tendency to get bored after listening to talk of supercharges and 1/4 mile time for hours and usually ends up just reading or falling asleep in the car..thus one of the main purposes for the mobile video....no, i'm not planning on watching movies while driving down the road....as for losing visibility...i'm not really sure that i would be losing visibility... the visibility in my car sucks and if anything, the camera should allow for a wider view of what is behind me....as far as flipping the switch...i suppose that depends on the driving style..some people hardly ever use their rearview and rely more on the side mirrors....if i find a need for it, i can always keep the camera set in "on" position the entire time (since i'm not planning on watching movies while driving)... also the way the bezel will be set the entire monitor will be no lower than 1" below where the rearview currently is and will be pushed back further than the rearview currently sits....thus, not taking away from overall visibility from the windshield.
-Chris

 

Sounds quite ambitious, if nothing else.

I don't think you're going to have any room under the tow hook cover without hacking apart some of the bracing in there. Remember that area is designed to hold the weight of the whole car. A better idea might be to get a single exhaust and put a well-protected camera in the other exhaust opening? That'd be trick!

The place where you're planning on putting the screen sounds like it'd be really easy for somebody to reach in and rip it out. The idea sounds like it would be neat from a "show off" perspective but not from one of function or practicality. And unless the installer has done something very similar before, he's gambling with your car's well being...

If your girlfriend's bored, get her a portable DVD player. Like Lightning, I'm not for having video in my S2000, but if you're going to do it, I'd do it like Mike did, like OEM in Japan. As long as you plan on leaving it in the car and you do it right, it might actually help your resale value.

Good luck!

Jason

 

I think it would be a fun project if I had WAY too much time and money (notice I haven't done this yet )

If it were me, I'd buy my girl a portable 7" screen DVD player with a car adapter so she could keep herself happy while yammered away about my hobbies.

As for the visability thing, whatever, I've never had that much trouble cranking my neck around to look at my 5 o'clock, then backing it up with my side and rear view mirrors.

Sounds like a huge waist of time and money to me, but if you pull it off please post pictures!

 

heck, for the "only" $2,000 that you think it will cost, you could have a brand new DVDLA95 with a NINE inch screen (panasonic dvd player), and $1,000 left over to buy more stuff

 

I gotta agree with these folks.. OHH and then 7-9" portable DvD players are down in price..they can be had for $599-$799 now... leaving $1300 for about 50 DvDs... or ~100 hours of entertainment for your Girlfriend w/out a repeat... And if she gets "really" bored, I'm sure you can think of something for her to do on that long drive.

I also think your going to be subject to some vandilism or theft having a 7" screen hanging down...

Save your $$ IMHO...worst case, make that girl-friend into an honest woman with a $2k ring /lol (Am I really one to talk?)

-- Aaron

 

Thanks for the input guys (seriously!)..these are some of the viewpoints i was looking for.... Ultimately, how this came about is that i took the pic. of the Jap. OEM screen in dash and the pic. of what Mike did to 5 of the local car stereo installers...all of which recommended one guy to do it (aside from driving my car to Philadelphia to get it done)..anyways, when i took it to them, they assured me they could do it and i looked at other work they had done...they also assured me that they could make it look "as good" if not better than the pics *note: that has yet to be seen.... i plan on keeping the car for a long time but either way they suggested that i might not want to cut the dash on a car that is rare (in this area it's rare anyways)...ultimately, i believe the dash area would look the best as has been proven already and w/ a new dash costing $340 (can anyone confirm this??)...it wouldn't be that big of a risk i would think....plus this job would be cheaper then what we were talking about doing... as far as nav. goes... i would love to have a navigation system but that IS going beyond my financial means at this time although it could probably be added later. The idea of putting the monitor in place of the rearview mirror was a new idea that they have done on some other cars, but my hesitancy was one of the reasons that i posted the idea in here.....so do you guys think the dash idea is a better route??
Thanks again for the input guys.
-Chris

p.s. Lightning... i don't think it matters whether mobile video is in a 2 or 4 seater... all of the fold out mobile video units that are being sold to be installed in the dash is surely not just for the people in the back seats .... i do appreciate your input though and see where you are comming from.
p.p.s. -While the girlfriend is a main reason for doing it, it's not the "only" reason...thus i'm really wanting to stay with something that is integrated into the car and i'm not so sure that doing something like this is any less functional or a waste of money than spending $2000 for aftermarket wheels that weigh more than the stock wheels and serve no real other purpose than to make one's car look better in their own opinion...just a thought...also the total price i said would be under $2000.... the price i was quoted for the rearview replacement w/ camera was $1500 and for the placement in the dash was $1300.

 

Hi All,

Well I for one admire your creativity in attempting to find a different solution to the space problem in fitting a screen.

For me I needed (well wants and needs are easily debated!) the screen for the Navigation system. And the DVD is really only to like you said to keep the girlfriends eyes busy and away from the SPEEDOMETER!!

The decision on placement for me came down to a little logic and mostly logistics. I love my car, and pretty much everything Honda put into the design and implementation of the final product. I considered the fact that Honda designed the OEM Japan version for Nav in the dash spot. Since they decided to put it there It must be the right spot! I can just see the Japanese engineers scratching there head on where to put the screen??

Anyway I wouldn