Who's got some interesting DIY ideas?

[deevergote]

Nice weather is finally approaching in my area (mid-60s and sunny this weekend!) That's making me itchy to find some cool DIY projects for my car!

Let's get a conversation going about some creative DIY ideas. Anything at all. Big or small. Something you're dreaming up yourself, or something you've seen on another car that you want to do to your own. CB7-related is best, but if you've got something else, it's all good (that's why I'm putting this in Off Topic!) If you follow through with any CB7 DIYs, please consider documenting it for our DIY section!

Anyway, here are my DIY ideas that I may or may not actually pursue:

1) Light-sensing auto-headlights. My Cadillac and my wife's CR-Z both have this feature, and I love it. You set the lights to "auto", and you never have to worry about turning them on or off ever again! Except in the rain... but whatever. I REALLY want to add such a thing to my Miata, and it would make a cool addition to a CB7 as well. I briefly looked into the process, and it doesn't seem to be all that complex.

2) Carputer. I've always loved the idea, but quality systems are expensive. Inexpensive systems are of questionable quality. I thought of building my own setup out of a Raspberry Pi, since I'm absolutely enamored with the damn things. Ideally, it'd be usable for audio, video, normal computer stuff, and even datalogging. Maybe even GPS. Unlike my first idea, I haven't done a whole lot of research on this one... but I like the idea of it.

3) Potentially integrated with the carputer... a hidden multi-camera system. This is something I wanted to do in my Fit. I always had a dash cam running in that car, but I hated having a bulky thing stuck to my windshield. These days, cameras are quite tiny. It wouldn't be terribly difficult to mount a series of tiny cameras in multiple locations in the car, running wires through the headliner, pillar covers, etc...


What DIY ideas are you cooking up?

[Fleetw00d]

A very cold trip (-17 F) in one of my CBs got me thinking about an intake air heating system. I believe the very bad fuel mileage I got for that trip was related to very cold intake air affecting fuel atomization. I though about running an intake duct to behind the radiator fan and using intake resonator switching valve to automatically try to maintain intake air temp greater than 50-70 degrees in cold weather.

With the weather warming up, my motivation will diminish until next winter unless global warming solves the problem for me.

[cp[mike]]

A very cold trip (-17 F) in one of my CBs got me thinking about an intake air heating system. I believe the very bad fuel mileage I got for that trip was related to very cold intake air affecting fuel atomization. I though about running an intake duct to behind the radiator fan and using intake resonator switching valve to automatically try to maintain intake air temp greater than 50-70 degrees in cold weather.

With the weather warming up, my motivation will diminish until next winter unless global warming solves the problem for me.

Wasn't this part of the OEM design of cars in other colder markets? I'm pretty sure the CB7 was offered with a secondary intake tract that actually pulled air from the heat shield around the exhaust header. Like... there is a version of the OEM heat shield that includes a tube sticking up for an air hose connection.

[deevergote]

A very cold trip (-17 F) in one of my CBs got me thinking about an intake air heating system. I believe the very bad fuel mileage I got for that trip was related to very cold intake air affecting fuel atomization. I though about running an intake duct to behind the radiator fan and using intake resonator switching valve to automatically try to maintain intake air temp greater than 50-70 degrees in cold weather.

With the weather warming up, my motivation will diminish until next winter unless global warming solves the problem for me.

That's a really cool idea!
I wonder if that could be integrated into the stock airbox resonator, along with a valve to close it off when it's not needed (no need to crank hot air into the intake in July!)

[hiptech]

Nice weather is finally approaching in my area (mid-60s and sunny this weekend!) That's making me itchy to find some cool DIY projects for my car!

Let's get a conversation going about some creative DIY ideas. Anything at all. Big or small. Something you're dreaming up yourself, or something you've seen on another car that you want to do to your own. CB7-related is best, but if you've got something else, it's all good (that's why I'm putting this in Off Topic!) If you follow through with any CB7 DIYs, please consider documenting it for our DIY section!

Anyway, here are my DIY ideas that I may or may not actually pursue:

1) Light-sensing auto-headlights. My Cadillac and my wife's CR-Z both have this feature, and I love it. You set the lights to "auto", and you never have to worry about turning them on or off ever again! Except in the rain... but whatever. I REALLY want to add such a thing to my Miata, and it would make a cool addition to a CB7 as well. I briefly looked into the process, and it doesn't seem to be all that complex.

2) Carputer. I've always loved the idea, but quality systems are expensive. Inexpensive systems are of questionable quality. I thought of building my own setup out of a Raspberry Pi, since I'm absolutely enamored with the damn things. Ideally, it'd be usable for audio, video, normal computer stuff, and even datalogging. Maybe even GPS. Unlike my first idea, I haven't done a whole lot of research on this one... but I like the idea of it.

3) Potentially integrated with the carputer... a hidden multi-camera system. This is something I wanted to do in my Fit. I always had a dash cam running in that car, but I hated having a bulky thing stuck to my windshield. These days, cameras are quite tiny. It wouldn't be terribly difficult to mount a series of tiny cameras in multiple locations in the car, running wires through the headliner, pillar covers, etc...


What DIY ideas are you cooking up?

I noticed there were very few DIYs listed and so I recently put up a few posts but guess these are too simplistic so not seeing much response...

I'm working on adding USB ports to the seat heater knock-out plugs in the console but its not quite there yet.


Personally, I'd love to see the following:

1. A steering wheel radio control conversion from an Acura Legend of the same generation.

2. An overhead map light with HomeLink controls (I don't think a combo unit with sunglass holder is doable since there isn't sufficient depth).

3. A repair guide for dismantling and fixing the interior sun-visors.

4. Retrofit the wiper delay function to include variable intermittent delay.

5. Power antenna lockout switch so when you plan to use your head-unit to play something other than AM-FM it isn't necessary to run the antenna up/down each time you turn it on.

[deevergote]

I noticed there were very few DIYs listed and so I recently put up a few posts but guess these are too simplistic so not seeing much response...

I'm working on adding USB ports to the seat heater knock-out plugs in the console but its not quite there yet.


Personally, I'd love to see the following:

1. A steering wheel radio control conversion from an Acura Legend of the same generation.

2. An overhead map light with HomeLink controls (I don't think a combo unit with sunglass holder is doable since there isn't sufficient depth).

3. A repair guide for dismantling and fixing the interior sun-visors.

4. Retrofit the wiper delay function to include variable intermittent delay.

5. Power antenna lockout switch so when you plan to use your head-unit to play something other than AM-FM it isn't necessary to run the antenna up/down each time you turn it on.

Not many replies to your posts, but you have over 130 views in just 3 days... so they're not going unnoticed!

The wiper retrofit has always interested me. Julianachos, who bought my 09 Fit, just added a similar thing to that car. Anyone with seat time in newer cars would definitely appreciate that addition to older cars, for sure.

[hiptech]

Wasn't this part of the OEM design of cars in other colder markets? I'm pretty sure the CB7 was offered with a secondary intake tract that actually pulled air from the heat shield around the exhaust header. Like... there is a version of the OEM heat shield that includes a tube sticking up for an air hose connection.

This is ironic since I'm always fighting the opposite here in the southwest. In a few weeks we'll be in the upper 80s and by April-May pushing 100 from then on its toaster city.

Right now my cars feel invigorating to drive thanks to the cooler denser air. But too soon I'll be running the A/C and dealing with hotter thinner air and they will all turn to slugs...

[Accrdwgnguy]

Those hot air intakes were really for carb'd cars, in the cold weather they would take a long time to warm up, if you don't understand why that's an issue then you've always had EFI cars. The fuel atomization is not an issue on EFI cars since the fuel injector is spraying a fine mist of fuel at 50-ish psi right into the cylinder head intake tract. Plus the computer can make fine adjustments. Some early cars with EFI like my 85 Volvo, had a preheat hose but it's missing and I'm not seeing any effect on driveability or fuel mileage.

You may recall CB7's having that hose because they were carb'd models.

[hiptech]

Those hot air intakes were really for carb'd cars, in the cold weather they would take a long time to warm up, if you don't understand why that's an issue then you've always had EFI cars. The fuel atomization is not an issue on EFI cars since the fuel injector is spraying a fine mist of fuel at 50-ish psi right into the cylinder head intake tract. Plus the computer can make fine adjustments. Some early cars with EFI like my 85 Volvo, had a preheat hose but it's missing and I'm not seeing any effect on driveability or fuel mileage.

You may recall CB7's having that hose because they were carb'd models.

LOL You're right I forgot not everyone has FI...

[Fleetw00d]

I think even with the FI, at -17 deg, I only got 20 mpg, next day in the mid 20s, it got 29 for the reverse trip (over mostly flat ground). I'm not convinced it was just because of extra drag from the denser air I was driving through or that wind played a big part. Even the fine spray has to evaporate to vapor and mix with the air to burn.

\

This is ironic since I'm always fighting the opposite here in the southwest. In a few weeks we'll be in the upper 80s and by April-May pushing 100 from then on its toaster city.

Right now my cars feel invigorating to drive thanks to the cooler denser air. But too soon I'll be running the A/C and dealing with hotter thinner air and they will all turn to slugs...

Run your intake through the AC?

[CyborgGT]

Since we're on the subject... Deev, whenever you get some time, the Suspension DIY index was never stickied. Perty please?

http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=207698

hiptech, your DIYs have been added to the Interior index. Cool convenience ideas . I always mean to keep a roll of those blue paper towels in my trunk for oil checks at gas stations and such (that stuff just never comes to mind when I'm at home), I might have to rig one of those hangers up.

[deevergote]

LOL You're right I forgot not everyone has FI...

Everyone in the US does. At least as far as cb7s go. We never got the carb'd models.

[Rilas]

hiptech #4 has already been covered. There is a DIY on the site already. You need to get the switch from a '95-96 Accord v6 (only), and an A11 unit from a '95 or '96 only. It's one or the other for the A11 unit you need the other has an A12 which is harder to work with. Once you have those in hand you can have wiper intermittent delay.

[buzz11]

Just an idea, but a tablet in place of a double din radio. I noticed a decent double din car stereo can go for $200. Small tablets can go for $100 (or less used.) A 7 in Nexus tablet ( or others) might be able to fit in that area, with some modifications of course. With right plugs and hardware, it would be doable. And there are some (but very limited) automotive ROMs available for certain tablets.
The only bad is the placement of the radio itself. It is a bit hard to reach down and press the screen or to look where you need to press while driving though =[

[CyborgGT]

^ I was actually wondering about that, because it's apparently a very popular mod for RSXs:

http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=1196434

I don't know if it'll fit in the space of a double-DIN, though. Not to mention, being down so low, I don't know how well it would work for keeping an eye on navigation or something like that.