octane300

I thought I had read a post a long time ago about a guy on this forum who took a rearview mirror with the electronic compass from a toyota car (avalon maybe) and successfully installed it in an sc300. This is a mod that I'd be interested in doing, but want more specific info. I've done a search, but the thread in question did not come up. Help, anyone? PCMW??

Thanks,

Doug

pcmw

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=67546

Hmm..

What did YOU search for?

MW

squarehat

Yes, I've got a Gentex mirror from a 2003 350Z with autodim/compass/HomeLink installed in my 1996 ES (reference that thread in the above link). I'll try to get some pics up, I'll likely post them in the ES forum. I had a glass shop take off the Lexus mirror and put on a universal-type windshield button. The Lexus mirror (at least on my ES) has a thin rubber disc to absorb vibration between the mount and the glass. The guy at the glass shop used a putty knife and a little hammer with gentle taps to skillfully remove the mirror. I literally called over a dozen glass shops before I found one willing to do it. They guy who did the job didn't even charge me, and he even cleaned up the adhesive and put on a new universal button. I smiled and handed him a crisp $20 bill as a tip.

octane300

Thanks for the info guys. That mirror looks great.

However, the thread Im referring to was a loooong time ago and the guy said he was able to swap the mirrors w/out removing the piece from the glass. PCMW, could you please take another crack at this?

squarehat

Sportythief,

I've never been in the 1997-2000 version of the SC, so I don't know what the windshield mount looks like. If it is perfectly square, than no Toyota/Lexus car had a compass mirror and this mount. The LS/IS/RX/GS cars all have a custom headliner mount, and the ES/GX/Avalon use the mirror with the universal mount shown below. If you have the button pictured, you're in luck, otherwise you'll have to change the mount. I even tried a mirror pulled out of a salvaged Infiniti with a similar looking square mount, but to no luck

.

sourcemine

Well I read a bunch on these, and went ahead and had 60% of the work done today, and I wanted to add some information to the forum since there arent any good writeups on this I'm adding the data in this post.

I have a 1993 SC400, I wanted to wire up my V1 Radar and my new Gentex Replacement Mirror with compass(no temp, too much wiring I didn't want to do).

Facts:
1. The map/dome lights are 12V, but cannot supply enough power to draw any accessories, DO NOT TAP up here, well at least do not draw power from here, it wont work. I wanted to run 2 12V devices up in that area, my new mirror and the V1, so I wanted alot of power.

2. Constant/non-constant: On the gentex replacements, you want constant power for the map lights and switched for the mirror. You do not need map lights, cuz the SC has them, so I wouldn't even buy that mirror, unless you want alot of light!!. Anyways back on track, we need switched power, none of which is available up there becuase the map lights are all always on..

3. We tapped new switched power from the ignition and ran every everything up top and all is working well so far.

Tommorrow I will have the heat treatment done to my winshield, I saw some people do it for free, I found a shop who said $24 and it'll take an hour, so tommorrow I will switch mirrors.

Just wanted to put some of this info out there.

Mods: This information is both electrical and SC400 related, use WISE discretion if/'when moving.