new EATC mod, I haven't seen this done before

[quadmasta]

I decided I wanted my radio where my EATC used to be so I could put a 7" monitor in the split double DIN area down bottom. Here's step one:

I'm working on a way to avoid using the barrier strip in the visor because it really messed up the clean look. I'm also trying to find some very flexible 12-conductor cable that I could run through the OEM hole in the visor hinge so I won't have to have any wires showing.

All comments and advice are welcome!


Brian

 

[jelloslug]

That's gonna be cool thumb . You could try some network cable without the jacket on it. Fine magnet wire might work also (it is varnished rather than having plastic insulation) but you wold have to jacket it in areas where it could be rubbed.

 

[quadmasta]

CAT 5 proved to be way too brittle, it doesn't bend well and it likes to snap at my solder joints. The enamel coated wire is a good idea, but almost everywhere it would be would need to be jacketed.

Here's something I forgot to mention. ALL EATCs are blue. That's tinted green plastic that's in front of the readout wink

 

[jelloslug]

Try and find either phone or standed wire that hase very fine filaments, they hold solder well and bend very easlly. Or you could program a chip and multiplex the buttons so you could use 3 or 4 wires total.

 

[Blue-By-U]

Is it possible to put a hard button EATC unit face in the visor instead? I see all the great work you're doing but I think the latter style units would be more visually pleasing. Just a thought thumb

 

[quadmasta]

well, unless they're mechanically the same, I'd have to redo everything. Anybody know?

 

[DJ SHO]

Swapping EATC front covers is a snap. The circuit board is the same, the buttons are the same functions, etc etc. You wouldn't have to re-wire any of your stuff there.

I second the phone wire idea. IT would probably fit through the hole too. What are you gonna do about the fan control?

<small>[ October 02, 2003, 11:10 PM: Message edited by: DJ SHO ]</small>

 

[quadmasta]

I got the wire thing figured out. For now, I'm just gonna leave the fan control somewhere else. I'm planning on finding a sliding potentiometer to replace the rotary one. Any ideas on that, feel free to give 'em.

 

[jelloslug]

A slider for the fan control would work great and look good to. A note about the hard button units, the are quieet different in the inside but they are electrically the same. They are more compact also.

 

[quadmasta]

would someone care to donate one to this fine project?

 

[ohioshodude]

jelloslug:
A slider for the fan control would work great and look good to. A note about the hard button units, the are quieet different in the inside but they are electrically the same. They are more compact also.

agreed with jelloslug, my fellow SHO modder. hehe the 93-94 units are quite a bit different mechanicly then the newer units but the "mainboard" is 95% the same. therefore you can rewire the new face to the old board.

interesting project, you are a rare one with that! i've not seen anyone even mention that. is there a reason why you didn't just move the EATC down? cool idea none the less. thumb thumb

 

[quadmasta]

okay, the project is like 80% complete. I need to fiberglass the trim panel, figure a way to keep pressure against the PCB so the buttons can all be depressed easily, figure out what I'm going to do with the fan control, and as far as the EATC is concerned, that's it. I moved my radio up to where the EATC was. Why didn't Ford put it there from the factory?!?!?

It's too dark to take pictures. I'll try to remember to take them tomorrow.

Ohioshodude, I'm moving the EATC face for a couple of reasons: I've never seen it done, I'm putting a screen where the OEM split double DIN section is, and I wanted to

<small>[ October 03, 2003, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: quadmasta ]</small>

 

[quadmasta]

 

[SHO_Driver]

eek! I would've never thought of that. Props to you for making it work thumb

 

[ShoGuy93]

What about the high/low switch??? I would want that!!!

 

[SinisterSHO]

Could you just dismantle a dimmer switch for a house? I know houses sometime have 24v circuits in them for various reasons, which just use transformers, but why wouldn't a slide dimmer switch work? Have you looked at radio shack for something like that?

And a question, how big is the EATC, is it just the face plate and a small pcb behind it? or is it about the size of a cd player? If it is, where did you put the rest of it?

 

[quadmasta]

Opal Frost ATX:
Could you just dismantle a dimmer switch for a house? I know houses sometime have 24v circuits in them for various reasons, which just use transformers, but why wouldn't a slide dimmer switch work? Have you looked at radio shack for something like that?

And a question, how big is the EATC, is it just the face plate and a small pcb behind it? or is it about the size of a cd player? If it is, where did you put the rest of it?

I NEVER use the fan speed control. Right now it's hidden away with the guts of the EATC. The EATC itself is as large as a CD player.

the "brain" of the unit is down there. Just the faceplate and PCB up top.

About the fan speed control: I'm thinking of putting it in my ashtray just in case I want to ever change it. I'm probably just going to fill the gap in the original "face".

 

[Piccolo]

If you just push up on the ashtray from the bottom it will come out of the Gen 1. Or atleast the 89. Let me know if this works on yours.

 

[quadmasta]

Piccolo:
If you just push up on the ashtray from the bottom it will come out of the Gen 1. Or atleast the 89. Let me know if this works on yours.

I'm a stereo installer, so I know how to take things apart Thanks for the info though!

 

[CheckerSHO]

That is awesome! Radio looks good up there too.
i may have to mount my radio up there
where in atlanta are you located? I do some DVD/stereo installation at the dealer i work at

<small>[ October 13, 2003, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: CheckerSHO ]</small>