Alan

Guys,
I just completed a final re-installation of my Valentine 1. I've had it now for 2 years and its been great - but the install was not so easy in a 928 (esp. with the Valentine being so 'chunky').

I've graduated from clipped onto the visors to a permanent fixture and now have the remote display & remote audio modules too. I have recently completed the fully customized version of the install for these & finally I'm happy with it <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />

If anyone is interested I'll post some more details. But I'm also interested in what others did to install a Valentine (if you prefer Escort/Passport etc thats fine with me, but I'm really just interested in other V1 installs)

I guess the neatest feature (which took me months to actually finally get around to) was connecting the Valentine mute button to the cancel stalk on the column. I can now mute the V1 by pulling the info/warning system's cancel stalk (this is the usual 'cancel warning' function of the stalk so seemed obvious usage to me). I liked this so much I've now removed the other button I had for mute.

Warning - this was a lot of work and you need to be very handy with a soldering iron. (worth it in the end though)

Alan. <img src="graemlins/wave.gif" border="0" alt="[byebye]" />

johnw

Well to each his own, I like the simplicity of using my V1 just clipped to the pasenger visor and can remove it and place it in the glove box when not needed.

It has saved me a few times when my mind was wandering and not paying attention to my speed, the only thing I dislike about it is all those false alarms when you enter a town <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Alan

John,
Actually the multiple falses in town was why I wanted an easy access mute button (and volume controls). I can still easily relocate the V1 head unit to another car (like a rental) - it slides into an adapted V1 visor clip holder, although I don't usually remove it for any other reason.

Since I'm in Phoenix and use my car as more or less a daily driver I really need functional sun visors - its just too darned bright without them fully adjustable.

Alan.

Jerry 87 928S4

I sure would like to see some pictures. I have always just run a direct wire to the fuse box and used a window/visor mount so would be interested in how it looks.

Chris

I went with the installation DR recommended a couple of years back.

Wire the power lead up to the overhead light, makes it very easy to remove/install. If the V1 is put on the windshield over the mirror very difficult for anyone outside to know its in the car.

Chris

Alan

Chris,
That overhead light has permanent power - right? Do you have to switch the V1 off seperately everytime you shutdown?

Assume you are using the suction mount? I didn't see DR's article in the archives... do you have it?

I started out with a similar location above the mirror using the visor mount (with the clip reversed) clipped to the headliner. Problem was I couldn't flip the sun visors more than about vertically down, and I often knocked the V1 off when doing this. With the visors down the display & mute button were obscured and I had to be careful to get the rear laser detector to peer between the visors in the middle (only about 1" so its tight). I also found this blocked off most light from the overhead light...

Do you have these same issues? maybe you solved some of them somehow?

I really needed those sun visors to work. However of all the locations I tried as test mounts I think this one did give the best range front & back.

Alan

Chris

So maybe this will help, I only use my Valentine on long trips, for pootling around and general commute I leave it at home.

Therefore the permanent power is (for me) a non-issue.

Yeah the sun blinds are a pain but I have it so the drivers is OK, the passenger does without ....

I looked for DR's post but I suspect my copy is at home, if I find it i'll post it.

Chris

Alan

I don't have any pictures yet - but I'll get some uploaded in the next few days so you can see what I did in more detail.

Basics:

The Valentine main unit is installed in an adaptor customized from the V1 visor mount combined with the windshield post from a generic(Ford like) interior mirror - its mounted directly to the windshield. Its located in front of, level with vertically and slightly to the right of the rear view mirror. Unfortunately this doesn't work with the stock mirror because it is not offset back far enough from the windshield.

This was my excuse to fit a <a href="http://www.donnellye.com/_private/prod01.htm" target="_blank">Donelley</a> Electro-Chromatic (Auto-Dim) Mirror. Basically the rear radar & laser sensors peer just to the right of the rear-view mirror in the gap between the mirror & the visor. This works without any interference through the whole range of visor movement.

From the drivers seat you can't even see the V1. Note the display & controls are now also hidden behind the mirror. the V1 is wired through the headliner across to & down the drivers side A pillar down through the dash & back to the console cover plate where the handbrake is.
This is where the Valentine Remote Audio Adaptor lives. Its custom installed under this panel with two volume ***** (928 fader controls) for Mute & Regular Volume (combined with on/off). This was accomplished by ripping the module apart and splitting the controls while installing the whole thing in an aluminum box for direct mounting. Power is connected directly to the RAA module up to the dash & across to an accessory switched/fused line in the center console. I also have a Valentine Remote Display Adaptor - also ripped out of its standard housing & mounted in an angled box. I've tried 2 locations for this: in the center of the windshield on top of the dash and at the left side of the windshield on top of the dash. the middle is nice & symmetrical but is rather visible from behind while the left side is more stealthy, not quite so orderly looking but invisible from the passenger seat. Both are great locations - within drivers standard field of view and not too close to require major refocus to quickly scope out.

One problem with the RAA was that with it mounted under the panel the warning was too quiet (too muffled by the enclosure) so I wired a line to an extra piezo transducer behind a dash blank next to the dash illumination control. I drilled a small hole in this and its plenty loud - notably more so on the drivers side (good). I also hooked up the RAA's mute switch to the column cancel stalk (for the OBC functions). This is really nice. Mute, on/off, volume & mute-volume controls are all easily to hand for very stealthly access (mute without removing your hands from the wheel).

The only downside is that the main V1 unit is quite visible from the passenger seat. (much less so with the visor down). Its somewhat visible from outside front too - although you have to look hard. I've installed some 'blackout' plastic window film to help hide it further. It covers just the center top of the windshield - blocks the visor gap and hides most of the V1 & mirror hardware without impeeding the V1's view forward. I'd recommend this film on its own anyway - tough to find 'blackout' though.

All in all I'm finally happy with it after 2 years of various tinkering & testing. Incidentally the Donnelly mirror is great too - I highly recommended it (install was pretty easy).

Alan - Pictures to follow in a few days.

SL8GT

Anyone have any experience with the Bel 980 or Escort 8500?

Any comments on this test?

<a href="http://www.radartest.com/DS4HEM.html" target="_blank">High End Radar Detector Test</a>

Thanks..... <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

Aaron Rouse

I have used the Escort 8500 on some long road trips and a little bit around town and am very impressed with it, especially when compared to my Escort Solo that I normally use. Now, I have been thinking for some time that my Solo needs to go in for some repairs, I have had it for several years now and think it might have been dropped a few times in that period.

I have also used the Valentine, but only around town not on long trips. I personally did not like the Valentine, it had too many false alarms from stores than my Solo and the 8500 did not go crazy over, plus I had a very hard time adjusting to that directional display thing, I would want to look at it, but would be slowing down anyway since it was going off.

Alan

Aaron,
Yes you are right the V1 does false rather a lot around town - but better safe than sorry I think (besides I've already got it and it works great apart from this). This was one of the main reasons I wanted the mute & volume controls very easily to hand. To your comment about the directional arrows - I really like them, but when I had just the V1 above the mirror I found looking up & focussing in on it was rather a pain. Often the alert goes off when you don't want to take your eyes off the road... The advantage of the further forward & lower locations I'm using are that its already in your peripheral vision and doesn't require a massive focus change to look at it. While looking at the V1 you still have peripheral vision of the road so if anything changes you pretty much get drawn to it. This makes a much bigger difference than I first thought. I now always look at the display when it alerts. Originally I wanted to integrate the remote display into the instrument pod layout somehow... based on what I know now I wouldn't choose this position even if I knew how to do it nicely, its just not as practical in real use.

Alan

John Welch

SL8GT,

To me, the radartest web site is highly suspect. The tests aren't as controlled as they should be, and for some reason, they consistently do not agree with more controlled tests such as:

<a href="http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/features/2002/february/200202_feature_detectors.xml?keywords=radar" target="_blank">http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/features/2002/february/200202_feature_detectors.xml?keywords=radar</a>

The Escort is a good unit, but if the BEL has the same lousy audible alert that it had when I bought one, I found it useless.

You will never regret buying a V1.

Ed Scherer

Hmmm...

I've got the same combo (V1 and Donnelly mirror).



When I installed the mirror, it was obviously the right time to add a modular connector to power the V1, too. It's used daily. I actually like the V1 display where it is (right under the mirror), as I'm frequently looking that direction anyway.

I've got the V1 set to what (if I remember right) is called the "logic mode", which suppresses alerts for most of the X-band noise around town.

Alan

All,
Here are some photo's as promised:

Here is the straight ahead view with the sun visors down


Here is what it looks like with the visors up:



Here is the view towards the V1 from the drivers seat: (note all you can see is the very top of the window mount tab - note the Donnelly Auto-Dim mirror).



This is the worst case passenge view of the V1:


Its not so bad with the Visor down/back (as it usually is):


Here is the Remote Display: (Center dash option)


Heres is the remote Audio Adaptor Location:


And heres a quick peek at the module itself (underneath) after a bit of customization:


Well can't fit any more in for now..

Alan

Alan

Ed,
Interesting weve got the same ideas. The Donnelly is great isn't it - just works! Did you wire up the reverse inhibit ? Donnelly has some info on it but they sure don't make it easy to find..

How did you mount the Donnelly to the glass? I had a real struggle trying to get the factory tab off the glass - in the end I gave up - twisted the tabs right off the base & used a power file to clean it up nice & flat & then glued the Donnelly tab right on top of this - worked great - in the end.

Don't you find the V1 a bit in your sight line that low? I tried that location but couldn't get along with it - kept having to peer around it.

I use the Full Logic Mode all the time too (the big "L") it still falses a lot (can't imagine what 'All Alerts' would be like).

Alan