Hello all! I***8217;m posting my DIY project of installing a computer system in my BMW E46 Coupe. The project is complete right now and took me around 2 weeks. Prices are in GBP but in US all the parts are definitely cheaper!
My plan was to put the pc case on top of the battery cover using special suspension mechanism and the radio (without its face) below the case (between case and battery cover). Battery cover seems solid enough to hold the weight of these two. Then, cables will be routed from trunk, below the rear seats, through the middle of the car and continue under the handbrake, gear stick, ashtray, and end up in dash.
I have bought:
1. VIA Mini-ITX motherboard (***163;60 - Ebay)
2. 512 MB DDR SDRAM (***163;13 - Ebay)
3. 80GB 2.5" Fujitsu HDD (***163;55 - My PC shop)
4. 3x 40mm Cooling Fans (***163;4 - Local electronics shop)
5. Laptop hard drive to IDE converter (***163;5 - Ebay)
6. Full aluminum case (***163;39 - Ebay)
7. Xenarc 7000 TSV Touchscreen (***163;200 - Ebay USA)
8. M2 160W ATX DC-DC Power Supply (***163;43 - Shop)
9. Kenwood KDC-W6531 (***163;110 - Ebay)
10. BMW Multistalk Adapter to keep steering wheel control (***163;33 - Ebay)
11. Antenna extension plugs
12. CUSTOM Made Bezel to accommodate the Touchscreen in the place of OEM radio and climate control. I have fabricated the bezel using resin. It will be painted with black metallic paint to match interior trim.
13. OEM BMW climate control relocation unit
14. BMW ISO plug to Kenwood plug converter
15. Lots of cables:
- 60m of cable (to wire Radio from dash to trunk (You need 13 wires total for the BMW ISO Radio connection and 2 for PC On/Off)
- 10m of shielded communications cable to link radio faceplate with the rest of the radio (radio in trunk, faceplate next to hand brake)
- 6m Shielded RG-58 cable for antenna extension + plugs
- 6m Shielded 2-wire cable for multistalk adaptor connection
- 4m XGA Extension cord (NOT VGA)
- 3x5m USB Extension leads (1 for Touchscreen and 2 for extras)
- 100 male/female connectors
My plan was to put the pc case on top of the battery cover using special suspension mechanism and the radio (without its face) below the case (between case and battery cover). Battery cover seems solid enough to hold the weight of these two. Then, cables will be routed from trunk, below the rear seats, through the middle of the car and continue under the handbrake, gear stick, ashtray, and end up in dash.
I have bought:
1. VIA Mini-ITX motherboard (***163;60 - Ebay)
2. 512 MB DDR SDRAM (***163;13 - Ebay)
3. 80GB 2.5" Fujitsu HDD (***163;55 - My PC shop)
4. 3x 40mm Cooling Fans (***163;4 - Local electronics shop)
5. Laptop hard drive to IDE converter (***163;5 - Ebay)
6. Full aluminum case (***163;39 - Ebay)
7. Xenarc 7000 TSV Touchscreen (***163;200 - Ebay USA)
8. M2 160W ATX DC-DC Power Supply (***163;43 - Shop)
9. Kenwood KDC-W6531 (***163;110 - Ebay)
10. BMW Multistalk Adapter to keep steering wheel control (***163;33 - Ebay)
11. Antenna extension plugs
12. CUSTOM Made Bezel to accommodate the Touchscreen in the place of OEM radio and climate control. I have fabricated the bezel using resin. It will be painted with black metallic paint to match interior trim.
13. OEM BMW climate control relocation unit
14. BMW ISO plug to Kenwood plug converter
15. Lots of cables:
- 60m of cable (to wire Radio from dash to trunk (You need 13 wires total for the BMW ISO Radio connection and 2 for PC On/Off)
- 10m of shielded communications cable to link radio faceplate with the rest of the radio (radio in trunk, faceplate next to hand brake)
- 6m Shielded RG-58 cable for antenna extension + plugs
- 6m Shielded 2-wire cable for multistalk adaptor connection
- 4m XGA Extension cord (NOT VGA)
- 3x5m USB Extension leads (1 for Touchscreen and 2 for extras)
- 100 male/female connectors