jwillman

Will there be an OB 5 spd version with a standard configuration, i.e. HVAC controller below the vents and single DIN stereo below that plus room for a clock?

ReDesign by FEATHER

Jim, I don't intend to be glib here, but at the beginning of this thread there was a lot of interest in individuals obtaining just some of the basic components in order to facilitate them doing their own configuration(s). That is still going to be a possibility, I think. What the means, in answer to your question, is that there can likely be such a configuration, but only if you come up with it starting with the basic stuff and doing the development on you own.

There wont be any configuration coming from me except the one I have developed this project to accomodate, as shown here. That was the one Kieth W. did originally and the one requested by Nicole, so that is the one I have developed. I have not, however, built into the project any flexibility for another configuration, except as it might relate to things like clocks and the various controls and outlets we have recently been discussing, at least from the perspective of having me do it. Something like your suggested configuration will take substantial further development, I think, and I wont be doing it.

I think that if you review the Kieth Widom thread you may discover that there is not enough room under the console at the lower location you suggest for the NAV unit. Maybe if a more modern unit has much less depth it will work. As to the clock, I don't think either of my versions of the lower insert will accomodate the original clock, but I am not sure about the 5-speed version. It might. However you might do a search and find my earliest thread about this conversion and the one about the development of the lower original shifter trim piece where I was intending to make a trim piece to accomodate an infinity clock which is somewhat smaller, and one of those might still work here. However, no one was interested in that clock.

Alan

Jerry - stop drinking! Putting a power outlet on the pod is just a horrible idea...

Unfortunately our hazzard switch is a complicated one - replacements typically won't work without probably several additional relays. We need a combined single pole 2 way (SPDT) and a quad common single pole 1 way (4xSPST) in a single switch. There are other Porsche options in this configuration - but most other manufacturers do this rather differently...

Alan

ReDesign by FEATHER

There is, however, a little bit of flexibility built into this project, at least from the standpoint of additional features. Two things that Jimmy M. wanted in his was what I had hoped to complete, but didn't, was a system of indicators for the shift position in the cars with automatics. I have that system nearly developed, but not complete or tested, and I am kind of disinclined to go further with it for some reason; maybe because of the tedious and complex need to simply wire it up.

The other thing Jimmy wanted was the inclusion of three instruments along the pass side of the shifter recess. The only way I could accomodate those was to take the instruments he provided and fabricate newly designed cases for them with progressively smaller faces or presentations. There is enough room in the back for the body of the instruments, but not enough room for the faces without the new cases. That was a lot of work, and that too I didn't finish. Nearly, but not complete.

The top instrument I was working on for Jimmy was a neat little round analog clock.

In fact that clock stimulated me to begin the development of a version of the rectangular clock from the 928, but using the clock body and mechanism and a newly designed face and with the development of a rectangular claear plastic lens. I pretty well had that developed, at least up to the point of buying several of the clocks at about $70 each, for further development. I have about 50 base plates waiting for further work on that project. I also was not too pleased with the clear plastic lens I developed, but have recently discovered a possible method to make them more precise than I had before. I don't think I did a thread about those, but I have posted a picture of the clock face a time or two.

Here are a couple of pictures of where that part of Jimmy's project got left. What I did was send him a blank, but complete, lower shifter insert, but even with that I don't think he and his technician were able to install the conversion and get it going. I suspect Jimmy's car has been out of commission ever since, but not because of the absence of these additional features, only because of their inability to complete the work under the console, the work Kieth describes some in his thread, and which he suggestd that he would never do again.

Alan

Jerry - keep it simple. Open up the HVAC controller - remove the stock connector from the board and solder wire pigtails directly to the board and mechanically attach them for strain relief somehow (Ziptie to the case?) maybe have these now exit towards the back rather than the side (through a new grommet?) and then this acts as your extension you needed for the wires anyway - Add a new inline high current connector for this - loose in the console (can also allow enough wire for an easier install)

Extra work but its fairly simple, robust and will make install much easier later.

Alan

ReDesign by FEATHER

Thanks, Alan, for the fatherly advise. I am really just trying to discuss the possibilities, particularly for those of you who might still be interested in doing most of this conversion on your own. For myself, I am not inclined to move the hazard switch, not am I now inclined to put a 12v outlet or a USB port on the lower insert. I might put a power outlet somewhere else, since I have eliminated the lighter with the A-S-H recepticle, but I really kind of like the clean plain look of the insert with nothing else on it but the Rear AC controls, and maybe even without them when that feature is not in the car.

ReDesign by FEATHER

I'll be happy to give you credit for this suggestion, Alan, even though that thought actually occurred to me also last night. Now I wonder if there is a male version of the 5-pin connector somewhere in the car that might be salvaged from one being stripped out without saving the harness. On the other hand, I might very well be able to fabricare such a connector with male bullet connectors and glue it up in ABS plastic.

Great idea. Thanks.

Alan

I'd delete the stock connector and use something like this weatherpak 12 AWG connector:



Very easy to build - flat ones available too. (easy to mate/unmate too)

Alan

ReDesign by FEATHER

I have the NAV unit tray mounted now and have the unit in place. All I have left to do with that is to locate some holes on the sides of the tray where I can put some bolts through to hold the unit. I have them located, I think, so I have to take it apart and drill them. I'll do that after the game.

I cut holes in the tray to sort of correspond to any kind of opening I could find in the outer chassis of the NAV unit for cooling. There is a little fan on the back of the unit and I guess that it blows air in, so anywhere that the air might come out will help the circulation.

I had kind of hoped to be able to use screws to hold the unit in, but all the mounting points are up and covered by the sides of the console. I'll have to use some small hex head bolts to do it. I hope I have some short enough and in the right thread.

When that is done I think I will be able to start to put this in my car. Oh; one thing I still need to do is to build up the blocking for mounting the lower of the AC panels. That one is sticking out just a bit too far. I have to take it apart to get that done, but I am getting pretty good at that in spite of the fact that the upper insert is holding itself in place really well with the thicker doublers I am using along the bottom edges.

Pardon my mess in the background of some of these pictures. Cleanup is not creative so I only clean up about once a year, whether it needs it or not. Besides, I find that standing on all those chips and metal curls is easier on my back than a nice clean hard concrete floor. The only problem is that when I drop a tiny screw or something I have to just abandon it and go get another.

ReDesign by FEATHER

Hi Paul. I'm reviewing this thread and see that I probably didn't address your concern expressed in this post. One thing that you need to notice is that the longer narrower recess for the auto shifter is needed for the further travel foreward than with the 5-speed shifter. It is narrower because the auto shifter does not move left or right, just fore and aft.

On the other hand, the recess for the 5-speed shifter is shorter and wider to accomodate the shift pattern.

The fact that you have adapted a shifter handle that looks more like a 5-speed handle does not change the shift pattern. Yours still goes only fore and aft. The 5-speed shifter recess is not long enough foreward for the auto shift pattern.

I haven't finished this review of this thread, so if I addressed this before, this will be an Enzo.

hans14914

Jerry,

Looking good. Just wanted to pop in to congratulate you on getting so far so quickly with the project.

Also wanted to give you a heads up on a common issue seen by people that have done double-din projects in the past: the depth of the common DD headunits seems to almost always want to sit in the exact same spot as the vacuum actuators for the climate attached to the central mixing unit.

You may want to do a quick test fit to see if you need to relocate or fabricate a new bracket and arm for that vacuum pod. Could be a quick fix with your fab skills, but thought you may want to address it before finalizing all your brackets.

Again, great work.

ReDesign by FEATHER

Thanks Hans. Great to hear from you.

I have made note of this issue in my mind, based on the thread by Kieth Widom about his conversion that Nicole used to inspire me into this venture. It appears from his description and pictures, that he moved that vacuum pod from the left to the right. I cant' tell from either just what he had fo fabricate in order to do that, but apparently something.

I'll be test fitting the bare console with the tray/rack installed in it, probably next, so we will see what needs to be done. I suspect that there are a few other item under the console that will need to be moved, probably under the new location for the main AC panel. Then I'll see what kind of additional issues I will have with the wiring and if the original connections can be made, or need to be extended.

The "brackets," such as they are, are very well finalized, so any changes now will have to be with what's in the car.

Thanks for your input.

ReDesign by FEATHER

Today I drilled the tray/rack for some mounting holes. Then I found that the AN3 bolts that I have in stock are too long to use so I will be off the the HDW store a little later.

Then I put the fill-in material on the two lower mounting points that I have been putting off. When the glue sets and cures a bit, I'll redrill them and then finish out the holes into slots, as in the original mounting points.

Then I dug out the Air Vent that I had originally cut out of Jimmy's leather covered console. The picture shows what will be an issue for those of you with this version of the airvent. It appears that the opening and closing flap was actuated by a vacuum pod rather than by hand as with the later cars. I think Jimmy's car is a 79, but I don't know when this pod was deleted. The pod is in the way of this converwsion.

My first inclination with his was to try to find another vacuum pod that I might use and with some different mechanical connection it could be adapted and installed so it would be out of the way. I even went online and found several different pods on eBay that I bought to work with. However, I finally abandoned that approach and simply went to a later console for his conversion. I don't know if the absence of the vacuum pod caused any issue for him.

Alan

Jerry that looks like the double vacuum pod on an '82/'83...? If so don't think any other models had that config.

Does it in fact have 2 vacuum lines for 2 level activation?

Alan

ReDesign by FEATHER

Alan, I looked back at my exchanges with Jimmy when I did his console conversion and see that his car is an 81 Euro. However, in one of his messages I see that he had offered to send me his extra console out of an 82/83. What He actually sent was a leather covered console with the oddball air vent shown. I guess I'm not too sure which one it was that he sent. Perhaps it was the 82/83 and not the 81 Euro. I'll check later about the two vacuum lines you are asking about.

In any case, I think any 928 with the kind of air vent shown is going to have an issue to be solved for the person doing the conversion.

I think the easy way to tell if your 928 has this odd air vent is to notice that the little knurled handle sticking through the verticle slot on the right side is not there. I guess I'm not sure what the grill looks like in this configuration.