DasDoktor

Been working on and off for about 6 months on this mod. I got the inspiration initially from the . I then checked the my350z.com forums and found some threads about installing tablets, but none of them was about putting a 7" tablet in the non-nav cubby. After some soul searching I decided to give it a go since I figured it'd be amazing to have a full on android tablet in my dash.

First thing was the tablet selection. I ended up with a Nexus 7 for two reasons. One, being a complete nerd I love the idea of getting the latest version of Android before anyone else. Second, I found out the Nexus 7 had a dock that connected without wires, giving me a "factory-direct" way to have the tablet in the dash but keep it completely portable.

In the end, it was WAY more work than I first expected, but I'm very happy with the results so far. My motivation to post this was to assure everyone that 1) having an android tablet in the dash is awesome, and 2) it is possible to install a 7" tablet in the dash of a non-navigation 350z and keep the cubby door functional.

Here's a pic of the (nearly) finished product. Going to center it a bit better before finishing, but it's in and it's working.

kaze06

Soooooo what all did you do for the install?

DasDoktor

In a word -- Dremel. I had to do a ton of grinding and cutting to both the dock and the cubby to have it all fit properly. Note that my install was with an aftermarket head unit, so the amount of cutting and grinding will vary depending on the mounting/fit of the aftermarket unit you have installed. I highly recommend crutchfield.com (or .ca for fellow canucks) for any new head units. While you may not get the absolute lowest price, you do get a wiring harness and mounting bracket that make it dead easy to install the unit with a (close to) factory look.

In my case, I had to (ever so slightly) widen the cubby to fit the tablet. The nice side effect of this was that by grinding out slots in the sides of the cubby, it creates a natural cradle for the tablet to sit in. This prevents it from flopping forward during "spirited" acceleration. I actually bought a couple of velcro pads to keep the tablet from flying out, but they ended up being unnecessary once it was all fitted properly. I tested it with a few drag races on cruise night, and it all stayed in place just fine

Other than that, the biggest thing was finding a head unit I could afford that had rear auxiliary input. This seems to be a relatively rare feature, but I really needed it since I needed the bluetooth connection for my phone.

If you're interested I can do a quick step by step, but it's pretty much just a ton of marking, grinding/cutting, testing, repeat until done.

BY350z

iTrader: (1)

why not just get the 03 cubby since its the best for mounting a 7in screen or tablet behind it

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Kudos to the OP but im not a big fan of how it looks :/

DasDoktor

If I was going to keep the tablet permanently installed, that would have been the way to go. In my case, the ability to remove the tablet quickly and easily was a major requirement, so I took this route. It doesn't look nearly as clean as your examples, but for me, I like the fact that I can just slip the tablet out, pop it in my pocket or bag and go. With the climate here, I'm not sure letting the unit sit in sub-zero temps for months at a time over the winter will be good for it, and if I take it with me, I figure my car becomes a little less attractive to the auto electronics thieves.

samsniss350z

I really enjoy watching these MCM's, and Moog (Blair Jocelyn) is quite a musician too. As well as writing and recording the music for the show he has a recording contract with a German Record Company. Plus he has the better taste in cars than Martin who seems to favour driving around in those matchbox sized Hyundai chitboxes, whereas the last car Moog was seen in was an S15.

DasDoktor

With Moog's love of Nissan, I'm hoping to see a Z on the show at some point. Probably my favourite car show next to Top Gear UK.

doshoru

iTrader: (3)

I'm trying to research this, but...

Does the 03 upper waterfall/cubby fit with the 06-08 lower waterfall/shifter console?

I know there'd be a color mismatch, but I'll probably just wrap it.

aboveliquidice

iTrader: (1)

No... It doesn't fit. I believe you can go all 03-05 or 06-08, but you cannot mix and match pieces...

doshoru

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the info. Guess that idea is out the window.

Fluke861

What tablet is that? I am looking at doing something similar.

teodizzo

iTrader: (1)

That is so sick. I may have to try and do this with an iPad mini..

Spike100

I think one problem with a fixed position mount for an iPad (or any tablet) is the fact tablets are meant to be rotated (landscape to portrait) depending upon the image or text formatting. Mounting a tablet in a fixed position defeats that feature.

--Spike

damnhippie

Will an 03 cubby fit in a 2007 350z?

Spike100

No.

openupitsdave

old thread sorry...

BY350z, How were you able to keep the track for the cubby door intact without dremelling it off to make room for the tablet? Which is what I just did...Now I dont have a cubby door...sigh..