Morning all ,
My 430 doesn't have sat nav , so I was thinking why not put a 7" headunit /gps

in that space , and run the rca out from new unit to the GTA car kit I have installed ( RCA plug male( new HU ) to 3.5mm female GTA kit ) This would retain all factory controls ,I could mirror iphone to new headunit

I wouldn't be able to hide new unit as there is no door , not worried about that, but could hide the ML headunit as usual .

This would allow me to fit parking cam front & rear ,

Sounded a good plan in my head , anyone see any problems ? other suggestion ?

Thx
Bruce

 

Interesting idea if it connects okay and it should be quite a neat install if it's a standard 2 din screen.

To get a larger nav screen, obd readout and various other options, I have an ipad fitted in place of the nav screen. I assume an Ipad would connect directly to the GTA kit. It's a bit of fab work but would that be another option for you?

 

Hi Neil , My original plan was to mount an iphone 6s plus in there , I need to remove the satnav cover to see what's behind there,then make a plan as to what will fit , I had thought of using a smaller ipad as you suggest .

I'm not an audiophile by any means .. and often I just like the listen to the exhaust sound ( rear muffler delete ) esp around town .
Being older now it's not about how loud a system is , more about functionality

 

Hi Bruce, I know what you mean. Sometimes the headers and exhaust take centre stage but I confess despite my aging ears I still like the music to have some quality to it.

A smaller ipad or feature rich head unit would be more sensible and fit better into the dash with less work. The benefits of the ipad/android device would be versatility and potentially a larger screen. I'm fortunate as the Alpine W987 is used in place of the oem head unit and can mirror the Ipad/Iphone and with duet the ipad can link with a laptop. With the IPad installed I lose the centre air vents. Not too much of a concern in the temperate UK.

Does your car have the Navi screen or a trim piece where it usually goes? Is your's a right or left hand drive car? I do have some pictures with the sat nav removed and in pieces, etc if that would help but it's a uk rhd car.

 

Neil , She's a 06 right hand drive ex singapore 138,000Kms on the clock

There is a trim piece , and there are rails on the inside of the cradle , I can lift it up & down manually which I could live with if everything else goes to plan .This is looking good so far .

 

Neil: could you provide some pics of your setup? Thank you.

 

opps sorry about the large photos

 

Hi Bruce your nav door and casing looks the same as mine but with the internal screen unit and the motorised door components missing.

Mine is an 2006 too but I also bought a spare navi unit from an earlier car to take a apart for investigative puposes. There are some subtle differences as the later has more functions. Here are some pictures I took a few weeks ago when I was looking at the options.

 

The later model as in the pictures has the 2 multi-plugs. The earlier model has one but the door mechanism appears to be the same.

A 2 din full size head unit such as my Alpine wouldn't fit behind the door but if you took the unit out then I'm sure it could be neatly adapted to fit. I would say there's room for a fold out screen if that appeals to you.I did think of doing that with a different Alpine unit and retaining the door but it's too much of an engineering headache.

So this is the direction I've taken with the Ipad and an OBD2 bluetooth interface. The Ipad with a cellular service provides all of the 'delights' of the internet, it can mirror whatever I have loaded on an attached laptop using the duet app. Via bluetooth connection to a Scantool reader, (OBDlink MX) it can also display in (more or less) real time a selection of the cars sensor outputs by reading the Toyota PIDs.

The screen surround is a first draft to give me something to set it up with, I will improve it when I have a free day to create a better version but it's okay for now.

Standard navigation unit in situ

Navi removed, wood facia and air vents trimmed and removed

Ipad air2 with surround and USB cable in place.

Dashcommand app using obd2

dashcommand custom gauges from a distance

at night

Setting parameters

digital gauge readout using obdlinkMX from the US

checking on the forum in the rare hot English sun.
.

 

lol @ "checking on the forum in the rare hot English sun." Both times I have traveled to the UK it has been Aug / Sept and the weather was great . no so much up in wales for xmas one year.

Thanks for putting up the pics , I have quite a few options , and am actually pleased there was no satnav set up , I have OBD so would be able to wifi it to the head unit which has wifi as well ,probably what I need most is the front / rear camera , already had 2 curb rash situations , low profile tyres don't help either , thinking of going up to 45 profile when it come time to replace tryes .


I am looking at a unit like this, on a budget so it's no name brand out of China & has all I require .

 

Hmmm the ipad does look good tho

 

Would this fit in there ?
https://www.alpine-usa.com/product/a...auto--ilx-f259

 

I got a similar double-din to fit in mine with a lot of cutting and grinding the nav chassis.

 

That is a really neat setup and I like they way you dressed it out to match your car. It has functionality and nice aesthetics.

Do you find you miss your A/C Vents? Being from Sunny Arizona, we kind of survive off A/C.

 

Personally I don't miss the vents at all.The car still maintains temperature with the roof on, even today, one of the hottest recorded days in the UK 36 degree C but sunny West Sussex isn't Arizona
Easiest thing to check by shutting your centre/center vents off for a while to judge if it's okay or not.