Jerry Feather

MN, maybe I am over thinking your I-phone project. It you are starting with an insert for the phone like the one shown in your 944 I would need to know just how it is made and covered, assuming that it is covered with something. Then I might do as you suggest and cut the shifter trim off just at the bottom of the clock opening, straight across. That will leave a raw cut edge. Then I would clean out the din opening enough to put the phone insert in. Then I would leave the "H" trim piece as it is and fabricate the outer perimeter of the phone insert to fit the odd shape of the opening by either trimming it to fit or adding some material in places to trim and fit. Then I would put the covering back on around the edges where I have pulled it back to do the fitting. Then I would figure out how to mount it. I would also fabricate it so that it just overlaps the top of the cut-off shifter trim where the clock was.

I don't think anything that I currently make will substitute for the "H" trim piece as you suggest or ask.

On the other note, about the Flush Conversion, I now think that what really needs to happen is for the conversion from the 928 HVAC control to one like the Audi or Boxster unit shown by Hilton and maybe Alan above in this thread needs to be designed. I have bought a couple of the Audi units on eBay while this thread is going on and will be trying to figure out how to do the conversion. That conversion will make the whole Flush Conversion more sensible and modern looking and solve some of the problems I found in doing this conversion for the carputers like Rob's. Another odd thing I found is that the later center consoles for the airbag cars is not quite the same shape as the early ones which requires some modification to fit. Not enough to make me change the forms, but enough to require some additional material to make the inserts look right.

And still on another note, about my Flush Conversion I have been saying that I don't think I can put my conversion into a previously leather covered console (such as yours, MN) but now I think I might be able to. It has seemed like many of the leather covering ideas I have come up with over time have not been feasible because of the thickness of the leather, and I have been scratching my head wondering how the factory did things like cover the 5-speed shifter with leather over the top and into the opening where the plastic shifter pattern insert is installed. Then I saw how they do it on TV. So, I bought myself a Skiving Machine to skive the leather with to the thinness needed in just about any of these situations. That means that I may be able to skive the leather covering on my Flush Inserts so that they will still fit where the space is already taken up with factory leather covering.

Jerry Feather

MN, my other thought about your I-phone project is that when we are somehow able to utilize the audi/boxster HVAC head, in place of the two panel 928 units, you should leave your clock panel as is and simply move the new HVAC unit down to just above the clock then put your I-phone panel just below the vent using the fabrication "techniques" I have been describing for you.

Alan

The way phones have evolved does make this an interesting idea for integration. However - phones evolving is also a big issue. You will have a new phone in 2 years, and another new one 2 year after that, each will likely be better than the last - but is unlikely to be the same size or exact shape.

Rebuilding the console every 2 years will become very very tiresome.

I think some kind of modular intermediary carrier would be needed. Ideally one you can buy off the shelf. Until wireless charging is ubiquitous you also need a plug in way to charge it in the slot for long trips...

Who makes some kind of slot in plates for phones that could be adapted into the console design so you don't have to build a custom new one every time? anyone?

They would need to be someone who would be likely to stay around for the long haul and keep making updates too of course.

Alan

Jerry Feather

Maybe we could just make a flat panel out of plastic or even aluminum and cover it with leather so it looks nice and then just put a strip of velcro on the face of it and the mating strip on the back of the phone. The plastic cover could be any shape needed to fill and/or cover whatever is needed. Now we are getting somewhere fast. We wouldn't even need to cut the clock off the lower insert--just cover it up.

MN

Jerry,

I start to see that a Flush Center Console Conversion is a much more complex project than what I thought. Will have to think this through. I feel that the stock HVAC controls fit well the character and style of the car. Trying to replace it with something else could get "involved".

MN

P.S. It keeps surprising me how much more difficult, complex and expensive it is to do something to the 928 compared to the 944.

Hilton

Like in post #63?

Having gone to the manufacturers website, I'm amazed they're charging so much for what appears to be just some cnc'ed MDF

MN

Alan,

Not really. I see no need to replace a iPhone in a car every two years with a newer model. My car iPhone acts as a multimedia center (music and video); navigation device; rear view back up camera (not quite yet); and as a hands-free telephone. What big improvement could a new iPhone offer for those uses? However, a larger iPhone than the iPhone 6 Plus would be an advantage since it would fill out better a double DIN installation. (Unfortunately the iPad mini is too large for a double DIN installation.)

MN

bureau13

Look at the advancements made every year? Guaranteed there will be a newer, faster connectivity option that you're going to want, among other things. Plus, as you say, larger or better displays, etc. I would certainly not assume you'll be happy with a current device for any lengthy amount of time. Even two years is too long (hello, Tmo JUMP! plan ) so I agree with Alan...if you're going to go to this trouble, make it easily upgradeable.

MN

Depends. The iPhone 3GS is very compact and still good enough for most, simple smartphone uses. (Although the camera does not compare with newer iPhone cameras.)

With LTE we may have reached a plateau for the next few years regarding mobile telecommunications technology.

It seems that the new battleground hardware-wise is to have better smartphone camera.

Agree.

MN

bureau13

I guess it depends on what you want to do with it, but it has a relatively tiny, by today's standards, display and no LTE. Not a particularly recent Bluetooth chipset either, although that may or may not matter. I can easily see wanting to upgrade it though, even if you only use it in your car, just for the improved display and LTE. But, I work with phones, and I'm a gadget geek, so maybe it's just me!

Alan

In 2 years let's come back to this thread and see what phone you have... I think the chances are very high that it will be a newer model... and I think that also holds true for most people today.

Alan

Alan

Good point - I had looked at the picture but not read the text. But this is a modified/customized standard solution. I think the real key is figuring out how to take a standard one and integrate it so you can simply swap it later without much other work at all. Compared to doing all the work yourself $200 isn't so bad - though it sure is good margins for them...!

Alan

MN

Likely, but unlikely for installment in the car unless size is better suited for a double DIN installation. For my car uses, the iPhone must be jailbroken. Hopefully this will also be possible for future iPhones.

MN

ltoolio

Very, very, very far down on my list of things to ponder is a Raspberri Pi connected to a small touch screen monitor. Low power draw (at least from what I've read) easily upgradable and very flexible in what you can do with it.

You could get Wifi from a tetherable phone, be able to have the screen show whatever you wanted and as complex as your technical aptitude, and it's really limitless as to what you can do with it.

I'll probably put more thought into it when Android is ported and / or supported on the device, as once that happens it should be much easier to interact with my phone.

Jerry Feather

Hey Hilton. Did you ever do anything about converting the HVAC control head in your 928 to the unit from the Audi or the one from the 986/996?