Valentine One Install
Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,654
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From: Torrance, CA USA
Valentine One Install
Just finished mounting my V1. Didn't want to put any holes in the P-Car, so I made a bracket to attach via the visor grips. 12" x3/4" steel bar, with holes drilled at the ends to hold the bar in place by the existing visor grip screws. I drilled a single hole through the V1 bracket in to the bar and put it together with a sheet metal screw. I filed down the extra bit of the screw that stuck out on top.
I painted the bar black on the bottom, and put black electrical tape on the tope to "cushion" it. I put two washers between the bar and the V1 bracket to bring the detector down a little.
It sits behind the tint, and seems to be too high to really pick up radar or laser from behind, but I figure most of the threat is in front.
the steel bar cost my $4 at OSH, I could have used aluminum, but they only had 6' lengths.
I painted the bar black on the bottom, and put black electrical tape on the tope to "cushion" it. I put two washers between the bar and the V1 bracket to bring the detector down a little.
It sits behind the tint, and seems to be too high to really pick up radar or laser from behind, but I figure most of the threat is in front.
the steel bar cost my $4 at OSH, I could have used aluminum, but they only had 6' lengths.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,168
Likes: 1
that does look good, but if you don't get a clear view of the rear then i don't think the directional arrows will still work 100%. i think that threats from the side will appear to be threats from the front since they will not be detected by the antenna that faces the rear. i also don't agree that most of the danger is from the front...
Weathergirl
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From: SE PA
Originally Posted by mborkow
that does look good, but if you don't get a clear view of the rear then i don't think the directional arrows will still work 100%. i think that threats from the side will appear to be threats from the front since they will not be detected by the antenna that faces the rear. i also don't agree that most of the danger is from the front...
I'm no expert, but I believe that radar detection is as much about refections as a direct gun-to-sensor connection. When you're in the "cone", the V1 will do it's job, even if it's there's something in between. How else could it detect over hills, around buildings, etc?
One area where this mounting will likely make a significant difference is a cop on an overpass shooting laser at your backside. But I would suggest that there's no way the V1 or any detector would save you from that trap. You'll just know you're caught a fraction later.
Track Day
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Westchester County, NY
Nice install. You could space the V1 holder down if you wanted it to have a clearer 'view' from behind, but I think that it is unnecessary.
In terms of radar performance, having a line of sight from the rear is not necessary. The microwaves from the radar will pass through the glass and plastic and will still be picked up by the V1. I have mine similarly mounted and haven't had any decrease in sensitivity to radar. Laser, yes, but not radar.
If you really want to be protected from laser, I would recommend the Lidatek laser jammer. Mine has saved me countless times, and has always gone off before the V1 even detects the threat. (from the front)
In terms of radar performance, having a line of sight from the rear is not necessary. The microwaves from the radar will pass through the glass and plastic and will still be picked up by the V1. I have mine similarly mounted and haven't had any decrease in sensitivity to radar. Laser, yes, but not radar.
If you really want to be protected from laser, I would recommend the Lidatek laser jammer. Mine has saved me countless times, and has always gone off before the V1 even detects the threat. (from the front)
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Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,654
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From: Torrance, CA USA
There is view to the back, although since rear window is a tad lower than the front, the view straight back is obstructed so the view is down. One of those geomtry problems. If you are far enough away to the rear, a cop on a bike say holding a gun about 4 feet off the ground, should be detected, unless he is right next to the car, then you are too close anyway. As for the overpass situation, unless you are in a Cabriolet, you are obscured by the top. If it were much lower, it would be obsructed to the rear by the seats more. Once I drive it around, I will see With a longer sheet metal screw and more washers, I could lower it more, but I wanted to keep it up high. Around my neighborhood, in my experience anyway, the local police use photo radar which picks you up from the front, and there is a laser trap on Anza heading South just before PCH (for my Torrance Friends) typically around 3:00pm when schools are getting out and there are lots of kids crossing Anza. I will test it out when they are set up to see what pick up I get from the rear.
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Michael S. Palmer
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2006
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Shot from behind
I've had my V1 for six-months now, "temporally" clipped onto my passenger visor. I know it's high, but figured it was better than nothing until I decided what to do on a perminent basis.
This past Saturday morning on the way to Cars & Coffee a motorcyle unit got me from behind on the 5. It was my first direct hit as the unit really went off. It startled me so at first, I thought it was a malfunction as I didn't see any sign of a cop in my rear view mirror. After looking again, I could see the unit what seemed like a 1/4 mile behind me.
I had backed off when the V1 first went off, going down from 80+ down to 70.
I figured he had me, but was saved by a BMW convertable who suddently decided he wanted to blow by me. I watched with a big smile as he was pulled over, knowng my V1 just paid for itself.
This past Saturday morning on the way to Cars & Coffee a motorcyle unit got me from behind on the 5. It was my first direct hit as the unit really went off. It startled me so at first, I thought it was a malfunction as I didn't see any sign of a cop in my rear view mirror. After looking again, I could see the unit what seemed like a 1/4 mile behind me.
I had backed off when the V1 first went off, going down from 80+ down to 70.
I figured he had me, but was saved by a BMW convertable who suddently decided he wanted to blow by me. I watched with a big smile as he was pulled over, knowng my V1 just paid for itself.
Weathergirl
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From: SE PA
Perhaps a better question is: Are the compromises required to get better radar detection performance acceptable?
A lexan roof bubble would be better. An uncoated windshield would be better. Mounting the V1 in the perfect center of the windshield and rear window as veiwed from the front and rear would be better. All three require compromises that many 993 owners are not willing to make to get slightly better radar reception.
I find I'm ducking under the rear view mirror to see a corner exit all the time. Having a V1 and cord mounted even lower in the center of the windshield would be a bad compromise many times a day, vs an occasional benefit in certain circumstances on the highway.
A lexan roof bubble would be better. An uncoated windshield would be better. Mounting the V1 in the perfect center of the windshield and rear window as veiwed from the front and rear would be better. All three require compromises that many 993 owners are not willing to make to get slightly better radar reception.
I find I'm ducking under the rear view mirror to see a corner exit all the time. Having a V1 and cord mounted even lower in the center of the windshield would be a bad compromise many times a day, vs an occasional benefit in certain circumstances on the highway.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
My car came with a custom V1 installation. The main unit resides in a faux interior third brake light at the top of the rear window.
The remote display is located in the ashtray and as such can be completely hidden. There is yet a third volume control unit as per a motorcycle installation that is a little smaller and this is piggybacked on the bottom of the ashtray. It is the only thing you can see when the tray is closed and it is small and you have to be looking for it to see it there. Me thinks its a near perfect installation. The detector is in the best location for front / rear visibility and the display is hidden yet readable.
If anyone wants pics let me know.
Danny Shapiro
96 993tt
midnite blue
The remote display is located in the ashtray and as such can be completely hidden. There is yet a third volume control unit as per a motorcycle installation that is a little smaller and this is piggybacked on the bottom of the ashtray. It is the only thing you can see when the tray is closed and it is small and you have to be looking for it to see it there. Me thinks its a near perfect installation. The detector is in the best location for front / rear visibility and the display is hidden yet readable.
If anyone wants pics let me know.
Danny Shapiro
96 993tt
midnite blue
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From: Parkland, FL
All,
I've had mine mounted the exact same way for the better part of 3-4 years. With or without the DAS rollbar, the V1 works just fine. Yes, there is probably some interference, but it still reads threats as side, front, or rear.
Kika - nice install.
-Skip
I've had mine mounted the exact same way for the better part of 3-4 years. With or without the DAS rollbar, the V1 works just fine. Yes, there is probably some interference, but it still reads threats as side, front, or rear.
Kika - nice install.
-Skip
Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,654
Likes: 93
From: Torrance, CA USA
David,
I don't know if a Cab has the same roof area available to mount similarly, but cool if it does!
I realize the location may be somewhat of a compromise, but no solution is perfect. I tried to follow the V1 guidance of high on the windshield, and also wanted to avoid drilling any extra holes in the car.
I don't know if a Cab has the same roof area available to mount similarly, but cool if it does!
I realize the location may be somewhat of a compromise, but no solution is perfect. I tried to follow the V1 guidance of high on the windshield, and also wanted to avoid drilling any extra holes in the car.