Well since getting the S50, I've been constantly thinking and searching for an aesthetically pleasing and none damagin mounting options for the unit. Seeing that the S50 is new, and hasnt really saturated the market yet, makes the owners that have an S50 & a 350Z even smaller. So after a week or two of unsuccessful searching the net, and scouring the SIRIUS backstage forums.. i decided to make my own!

Based on the idea of the current metal mounts, which bolt in between the seams of the dash..

Example:


Its clean, does not have to stick on a surface, and use mounting point within a stock dash.

The Z unfort, as you all know, does not really have many horizontal seams, nor does it have alot of open space to mount something, without it looking out of place or in the way, making the interior look cheap.

I found with the S50 sleak vertical design the only area in the interior that had the lines to match the unit was right of the center console, right of the radio unit.

Supply:
Galvanized Sheet Metal
an idea!
and pain tolerance...

Tools:
Metal Shears
Drill, drill bits
clamp
bandages...

(Sry for the s***ty quality images, cam sucks!)

Back of the radio, where the headunit screws into the console.. 2x on each side.


Initial piece of sheet metal:


Mounting Location, measuring..


Rear of the unit, in mounting location..


Measuring, bending, cutting... (WEAR GLOVES OR MAJOR PAIN!)

 

Test fitting..



More Measuring, drilling, cutting..


Final Product... PERFECT FIT (still needs smoothing..)





Spray painted Gloss black piece..



Well still waiting for mount to finish drying... then im going to install the unit into the Z.. Im very very excited about this mount. The S50 is a beautiful sleek black, and the buttons light up blue, the exact same blue as my Alpine headunit. The mounting location is high enough so that the passengers knees will not hit it. And sturdy enough that it will not bend, or break.

More pictures to come... Final picture will look awesome...

More to come...

Sull

 

Final Pic's

Wish i had a good camera, pictures wouldnt be blurred.. and sh1ty!!! GRRR :angry:

Anyways, in reflection, Im going to make another mount, and have it a little longer mount, which will allow the unit to face the driver slight bit more. All the wires will be gone upon final installation, they will be sleaved, and tucked. The unit will then be hardwired, so no FM modulation.

here's the s***ty pic's!





If you cant see the images above, here the DIR of all the images..
http://web.mit.edu/irishman/www/z//project/

Sull

 

Heh, I replied to you in the Sirius forum but I'll reply here just for the heck of it. Make sure you make one for me

 

u got it!

 

Hey, looks good...have you had any problems with your passenger hitting the unit with their leg? I need to install, and this is the first thread i have found with an s50 installed with pics. I'm worried about breaking the plastic connection when someone hits it.

 

Well tomorrow, ill try taking some better pictures. Im approx 6'3"/6'4" so i guess id be perfect as test fit for knocking stuff over.

As for the wires, I plan on looming them in a Braided Wrap / http://www.cableorganizer.com/f6-wrap-around/

Example:


Its flexable, and will allow tucking under the console without crimping/creasing the wires. The plugs in the S50 are pretty tight fit, snug plugs. And once the wires are loomed, and tucked i dont see the passenger kicking them out, unless they did a jump kick into the mount..

Anyways, ill update as i go.

Sull

 

Looks good. I bought one made by panavise for $25 for my '03 Pathfinder. Works great. They make two different models for the Z. One, like yours, for the right side of the dash, and one for the left side. See link. I'm pretty happy with the one for the Pathy. I've got the Eclipse hide-away tuner for my Z, but the S50 serves double duty in the Pathy and the boat. Here's a link to the panavise one, or you can browse www.panavise.com

http://www.panavise.com/f/comm/indas...ddatarq=Nissan

 

I believe those slide under the air vent, so a bit different design. The only thing i see being an issue with their mounts for the S50, is that the mounts slides under the air vent, assuming its mounted on the right like the left hand side mounts..

example:


The plugs, plug in right under the mounts holes, so if there not enough space behind the mount and the dash, the plugs would be tough to insert and could stress the plugs tips. Also with the height of the S50 on its base, i think it would be blocking the use of the vent behind it..

Thanks for the heads up, gave me a few more ideas.

Sull

 

Since this seems to be the only thread on the S50, I need to ask a few more questions...Where did you mount the antenna? I have it currently sitting on top of the three center gauges. It seems that the reception is good, but not sure if anyone has issues with it being inside the car. Also, how can this wire directly into the bose system? is there a "line in" on the back, or will i be stuck with the fm modulator? Thanks, this is the first thing i am doing to my car, and have never installed anything in a car stereo before. I just don't want to tear apart the dash and realize there is no line in.

 

My experience has been that the S50 antenna is quite good. I have it mounted under the dash in my Pathfinder and its reception is better than the Eclipse hideaway's antenna on top of the Z dash. The best thing to do is simply try different locations before permanently installing. Hook everything up including the antenna and move it to different locations you are considering. Install it permanently when you're satisfied.

As for the second question, https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....light=bose+rca is the first thing that came up when I entered "bose rca" into this website's SEARCH feature. There's plenty more there to read through.

 

My mounting location for my antenna is under the right plastic finisher piece of the rear strut bar. If you go to the rear strut bar, you can pop off the piece of plastic. Under the plastic, is the metal strut. The magnetic antenna will stick right to this.. I then ran the wire under all the plastic to the center console, up to the back of the radio..

i also had the antenna on top of the Z.. I get just about the same reception either way..

Sull

 

Forgive me if this is a silly question but how do you pop up that piece? I tried to pull it straight up the other day to try that as a location but it wouldn't budge. (I actually didn't pull too hard as I didn't want to break the plastic)

Is there a special technique or should I just pull it straight up?

 

looks good! =)

 

Thanks for the help. I will look into doing the install soon.

 

ZBran...if you have an 03 w/ bose, do one of these:
http://www.logjamelectronics.com/soundauxniss.html

This will give you an aux. input disguised as an external cd changer. You DO NOT lose functionality of the 6 disc in dash. If you have an 04 or 05 bose, do this:

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/pacaainis.html

Same kind of deal...but piggybacks off the sat. input for your headunit.

 

Thanks for the help, I have an '04 touring, so it looks like the pac-aai-nis will work. Then i will have to buy some other wire to go between the S50 and the aux-in (RCA), correct? Any idea which cables will finish it off?

 

Yes, you'll need some kind of cable. It may be something that comes w/ the S50. I'm not sure what the s50 connections look like.

 

Hey Sully, any update on the mount?

Thanks!

 

Sully, I fabricated my own mount this weekend. I used a silver satin aluminum panel in lieu of sheet metal, but the color matches the aluminum accent perfectly. I let mine bend in towards the driver slightly, and mounted it higher (so my wife won't tear the damned thing out when she moves around in the passenger seat.) The bottom edge lines up with the seam between the bose and the temp. controls. It looks great, much nicer than using that huge arm that would definitely get kicked off. Thanks for your guidance, I owe you a beer next time you're in Chicago. Now only if the pac-aai-nis was in stock....