carputer in the Laforza

I had this idea since couple of years and finally I had the time to build it.
I was always wondering what it was to have a computer in a 16 years old car.
This system is exactly like a portable or home computer installed in the vehicle.
There are a lot of forums and sites coming up in internet of people that have build nice projects and that share their knowledge and experience.
So I am sure that anyone that has a interest to do something like this, will find all the information and technical hints on the net.

I am just very happy with mine because it does not alterate the original set up of the car.
I did not want to change or cut any of the original console and I want it to have the chance to go back to the original design of my Laforza.

I was considering and pondering many options before to finally mount the screen and the computer where they are now. The first and most obvious was to position the screen on the cup holder over the dash but I had a lot of ergonomics troubles, for example to reach the touch screen and the overall problem in visibility. The second option was to mount it in place of the actual ceiling clock with a home made flip down bracket but also this was not as practical to look or touch, beside it was also getting in the way of the rearview mirror.

I did not take into consideration any of the commercialized indash monitors because they are not VGA compatible and you cannot really see them well and connect them with computers. I also think that a fixed monitor was looking much better especially if inserted in a burl wood box, like the one I built.

The brain of the system it is a DIN size computer made to work with 12 volts and built with a VIA motherboard with USB2 and DVD CD rom. It also has a quite large harddisc 40Gbytes (at least for my needs).

You ask me why a computer in the car?

Well, first off all any decent GPS navigation system are about $2,000-$2,500 and they just do that. A computer can do GPS (probably better), play DVDs, CDroms, cds, MP3, can store information, addresses that you can make interacting with the GPS, telephones numbers, and you can have internet and download your email with a wireless system where you have signals or connected with your phone. The cost if you are smart can be around $1,100 and $1,200 for computer and screen with some additional electronic items you need to power up the system. Of course you have to install and build the wood console enclosure for the screen by yourself like I did.

I mainly did it for the GPS and to store all my classical CDs on it, so I can probably go on for couple of months without to listen to the same Sonata or CD.

There are also programs that let you interact with speech control and this is my next step.
Another option is to hook it up with the brain of the engine (with an appropriate wire) and control, possibly modifying the parameter on the cpu.
From the moment I have media engine, or you can get media car as well as and other software for touch screen compatibility with easy to touch icons; beside they are free and very good.

If you look at the pictures you will see that I installed the computer under the glove compartment in the center console. I had to cut the plastic box and make it less deep then the original to make space for it. But with my great satisfaction the ashtray for the back seats in the center console was the perfect size to let the dvd cd-rom tray slide out. Very convenient! I extremly dislike smokers in my car, so I do not have any use for the ashtray.
I could have also put the computer behind the double DIN console under the radio but due to the space the screen would have had to go somewhere else. The bottom of the glove compartment is now plexiglas so that you can see the computer (kind of looking cool) but I think I will upholstery it with black leather or suede.

I will let you know about the upgrades and maybe add some pictures with the system on (GPS or Internet).

Best regards,

Alessio