Passport 8500
Custom mounting bracket (made by Mike Peronek)
Hardwired into mirror wiring.

 

2
It's not pointing up.. just the camera angle...
Look.... No suction cups !!

 

3

 

where'd you get the mounting kit??? I like it alot.

 

Looks great, how hard is it to hard wire that into the mirror.

 

can the person who made the 8500 please contact me? I need that mount! bmcdonald@siminet.net

How much & how get?

 

Check out this link for a slightly different stealth install.

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....light=passport

 

Very nice!! I WANT ONE!!!

 

Where do I send my money?

 

Nice install, I hope to do something liek that for my V1 coming in tommarrow!

 

I think mine is the 'prototype' of this style. A guy named Mike Peronek" <mike3348@adelphia.net> made the original one, and posted it on a thread here:

my350z.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=41835

I liked the concept, but didn't like his design (see his photos), so I asked him to make me one with countersunk screws, a slot for the passport bracket to slide into, and without the Z logo. What you see is the result ! $ 20.00

His workmanship could've been a little better (his cuts weren't straight).. but I think it looks nice, compared to anything else I've seen.

As far as wiring into the mirror... piece of cake. The radar detector hardly draws any current. Unplug connector from back of mirror and slide back the tubing to reveal the wiring. Splice and solder to the black wire for ground, black with red tracer is ignition.

It's at the ideal height, and I hated that suction cup look.

Enjoy !

 

I just e-mailed Mike to order one! That looks sweet (and the suction cup mount blows).

-Chrismcagle

 

Anyone hear rumors of next generation Valentine? V2 perhaps?
Also for those of you who mounts their radar in the hatch and use the remote display, are there any performance compromised by mounting in the rear of the car?
thanks

 

Ordered mine and I don't even have radar yet... Although I really need it for this car... tsk tsk...
It just seems to lug along around 3300 in 6th so nicely.

 

Hey Nizzzan,

Did you just e-mail Mike, or did you actually paypal him the money for the mount? I imagine that he must be pretty busy because I e-mailed and pay pal'd him on Tuesday and I haven't heard anything back from him about it. Have you?

-Chrismcagle

 

I think I sent mine through paypal about the same time. I have not emailed for an update since as I said I don't even have the detector yet. I don't think he is scamming us over 20 bucks or anything. Probably just busy.

 

Does the mount fit Valentine1? thanks

 

He has been busy with work got this message on Wednesday from him.

 

Grudus,

That's what I figured, but I am a bit gunshy because I have been duped a couple times on paypal purchases. How long after you ordered the mount did you hear back from him?

-Chrismcagle

 

Trust me I know what you mean. But I figure if someone is going to actually just keep your money they would try for more... $20 seems to little to bother.

 

I sent the money in on the 14th then PayPal said it cleared on the 18th. Asked for an update on the 20th he responded on the 22nd saying he was busy with work this week and would get it out this weekend. So hopefully next week I will have a nifty bracket to mount. Will post an update when I get it in.

 

Cool. Guess I'll just wait to hear from him then. I can't wait to get rid of those stupid suction cups. With the recent heat, they melted and the detector was tilted down almost 45 degrees when I got in the Z.

-Chrismcagle

 

I have updated the mount for the Escort 8500 and Solo radar detectors. Using acorn nuts to clamp and cutting slot with cutter instead of sawing. Still $20.00 Now have in stock.

 

Mike's mount is great. I have the 8500 "Solo" and went and got some something different than the original nuts or "acorn" nuts. Found some black plastic null ***** at Ace Hardware. Can remove with fingers within a minute. No wrench required. Can do it while sitting behind the wheel.

 

Mike,
Great work! When do you get your 350Z Inventor Avatar ?

I'm sure we could modify your mount for the Valentine One small remote display placed on the bottom of the mirror, but could you make one that mounts on top similar to Rahtok's solution at this thread. His solution is great, but it would be easier to use a clamp than to fool around with the liner.

 

Natal,
I am getting a Valentine One from a friend next week so I can design a mount. I don't see a problem designing a mount. Will post pic's as soon as I get it done.

 

Sounds good. I'm looking forward to that design. I hope your friend plans on using the remote display by the mirror, and installing the main V1 unit just behind the passenger seat.

I've seen the main unit positioned underneath and just behind the mirror at this thread. It looks good, but it's still too tempting for the guys that want to break in to steal it. That's why I prefer the remote display in that location.

The next two posts are V1 pictures from spydr's neat installation thread (mentioned above)...

 

Here's how a typical main V1 unit "stealth" mount would look under the mirror (side view):

 

Here's the front view of that main V1 unit "stealth" mount :

 

Got my mount in today from Mike. Looks good.

 

I also go my mount from Mike. If you want it to look even better and want to get rid of those nuts or acorn nuts, go to your Ace Hardware and get some plastic "Clamping Nuts" 10-32 1/2" Dia. or 10-32 3/4" Dia. Part #: 55390-J or 55393-M. You can literally sit in your seat and remove with your fingers.

Mike is trying to find or fabricate these *****.

 

Looks good. Its a nice stealth install. Good job.

 

I got my mount from mike and it's AWESOME!!!

One thing though that I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned is that the stock mounting bracket has to be realllllllllly bent a lot to fit under the rear-view mirror and sit horizontal. I wasn't really planning to have to do that and just wanted to let everyone know.

With that said... the end result is great! I would DEFINITELY buy one of these mounts from Mike. They are worth every cent of the price

-Chrismcagle

 

I got mine too and you can't beat the price with a stick. Works like a champ. Thanks again!!!

 

That mirror post being "horizontal" was an issue with me also Mike did finally clarify. If you want it to look even better, especially from the outside looking through the windshield, go to Lowe's and pick up two "Clamping *****" Item #: 139669 10-32

 

any word on the V1 bracket ?

 

Haven't got a V1 to measure up yet!! Will let you know when I get one.
Mike

 

Can someone please post a Picture by picture write up on how to hardwire something like the 8500 to the rearview mirror? It would be a great help

 

As far as wiring into the mirror... Unplug connector from back of mirror and slide back the tubing to reveal the wiring. Splice and solder to the black wire for ground, black with red tracer is ignition.

A standard male RJ11 phone connector is all that's needed to plug into the radar detector. The center two pins are all that's needed for power. An RJ-11 connector is a 6 position, 4 conductor connector.

The attached diagram is for a Passport 8500.

 

I ordered one for my Maxima from Mike and got it within a week. This mount is awesome!

 

Great! I'll be waiting. I'd send you mine (v1) but I dunno if I can part with it.

 

here is a pic of the mount prior to my install

 

Alright, this may be a stupid question, but can you just use a regular telephone cord to wire your escort to your rear view mirror or do you have to buy the hard wiring kit to do that?

If you can use a regular phone cord, how in the heck are you supposed to strip those tiny gage wires?

 

Yes you can. No sense paying $$ for the hard wire kit. Some phone wires are better (heavier guage) than others. strip carefully and solder. It'll work fine.

 

Yup. I used a regular phone cord for mine. Works like a champ!

-Chrismcagle

 

Thanks, tried a different phone cord and it's better. First was was impossible to try and strip.

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Question:
=======

As for mounting location of a radar. I've been reading all sorts of stuff on radar info websites and everythign that I read says to mound the radar low on the windshield, close to the dash, not up high on the windshield or in the middle of the windshield.

Some of the reasons are:

1) in the middle it's to obvious to be seen by others esp. law enforcement and thiefs

2) too high will impair the radar's ability to sence if you're pegged by a laser as the word goes that it only has a 3 foot radius and if the radar is up high on the windshield as opposed to down low, it won't pick it up or as fast...something like that

So, having said that, if there's any radar gurus out there, is there going to be a difference in mounting the radar with this bracket or keeping it low to the dash with the regular suction cups???

 

If they shoot you with Laser, hold onto your ankles. Best hope for laser is that there is enough scattered energy from shooting cars ahead of you that your detector picks it up.
As far as mounting height in the Z, you need to get it up high, or it won't pick up laser from behind. Higher allows the detector to have better visibility both from ahead and behind.

 

I unplugged the connector from my rear view mirror to reveal the wiring and I see three wires. One black and two others that are both black with a red tracer.

According to your description the black is the ground, but which of the other two black w/ red tracer is the ignition?

I'm assuming one is hot always and one is ignition

Thanks..

 

I recently purchased the Passport 8500 with ZR 3 laser shifter on ebay for $500. I think the ZR3 is your only prayer against laser right now. Also Escort claims that laser is regulated by the FDA and not FCC, and there is no regulation against jamming laser.

Mike's radar mount works like a charm...and looks good too.

 

Yup! You are correct. You can jam (or shift) the hell out of Laser all day long, but don't try it with radar or you'll get a quick trip to the pokey!