Heres some pics of my finished PC System. A totally STOCK looking mini setup.

Heres interior:

 

PC Revealed:

 

Revealed:

 

Close UP and PC Powered ON:

 

Can You spot the Changed in this PIC?

 

Yep. that little black dot on the lower left is the Microphone.
And heres the Button to use the Mic:

 

My Wireless keyboard and Mouse:

 

The Receiver is under the Secret compartment in the Glove box
(that red power cable is to power my Amp, the PC power cable is tucked under the front)

 

ah, can still use the Secret Compartment

 

My Keyboard, mouse and User Manual in the glove box. Nice Fit

 

A wide shot view:

 

and you've seen my interface already

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=40026

Interface
(note* need Divx 5.05 to view)

Xenarc Touchscreen in the Nav Area.

 

oh, forgot that I had a USB port under the Change box. Just lift it out and I got a USB port for my WI-FI adapter (or any usb device) to transfer files.

Oh, and a web cam in the rear for when I back out.
Will post pic when I finish the Support to hold it. Cam is in and works great.

I've also put the AC adapter under the trunk with the AC cord on the Spare tire. This way I can just lift the carpet and reach in that hole to access the AC cord and plug it into the extension cord from my garage. I can save my car battery when I have to transfer files or do any changes. Just have to swap the plugs (looking to install a 12V 5amp relay so I don't have to swap the plugs)

 

What do you program in?

 

Here are some specs.

800 MHz Processor
512 mb Ram
40 gig laptop Harddrive @5400 rpm (thats the fastest I can find)
60 W PSU w/ Custom Voltage regulator
Slot loading DVD rom
Custom case and faceplate
Light up Ring power button and Clear Red HDD led

*all the above is mounted in the Mail Slot area. Bolted to the Mail Slot Support bracket

Xenarc VGA touchscreen.
USB Mic and USB audio out
Web cam in rear
wireless keyboard and mouse
Copilot (under the driver's dash)
AC adapter in trunk
AMaNDA interface

PC hooks into my AMP so sound is really nice. Can have the radio playing at the same time.

 

Man, I love your system, alphared. So cleeeeaaan! I wanted to do that, too. But, do you think you'll have problem with the unit overheating? Maybe you could cut hole in the plastic to provide for ventilation?

 

Nope, no worries of overheating. The mail slot area is very open not like the glove box. If you pull the storage box out you'll see that its open in the back and on both side (rear speaker on the right of it and other storage area to the left) more than enough air flow. heck i didn't even bother putting in an extra fan. Plus the unit doesn't really get that hot anyway, its not a pentium

 

So you can't use the mic if you are shifting?

(j/k)

The set-up looks very nice Alphared. You did an awesome of job of incoporating everything into the car, while maintaining a stock look.

Well Done!

I might borrow some of your ideas when I get around to revamping my set-up.

 

Lets say I went with a less suttle setup and just put a laptop in the glove compartment. What connections would I need to hook it to my stock radio? And to power the laptop while in the car?

 

If you did this, when you were done, you would still just have a laptop in the glovebox. Your screen, input devices, drives, everything is in the glovebox. Once you realize that this isn't going to do you much good, you will start to hook up externals to take the place of things on your laptop (screen in dash, wireless keyboard/mouse, external CD/DVD drive), etc.

The notebook becomes nothing more then a motherboard with ram, HD, and video/audio cards. You then realize for a couple hundred bucks you could buy all that stuff in a much smaller footprint, and install somewhere where you don't have to access it, and still have a glovebox available.

A notebook just doesn't really seem beneficial, something I (and probably others) evaluated before going with small custom PC's.