RacerCub68

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How about moding a GM or BMW heads-up display for the SLK?

I drove a friend's 'Vette Roadster with the top down, and sun didn't wash it out. Speed, tach, turnsignals, etc. all floating above the hood out towards the front of the car it seemed.

If you need any help, NR4L, I have a friend in German who works for GM designing circuit boards. You could make a mint selling those!

RacerCub68

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PS: Don't forget to give me a discount since I suggested it. ;-)

DansSlk

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I am sure noregret will reply with some ideas but this one if gonna be hard even for him i think because all of the data travels over the CAN so we would need some device to decode that data and then re-format it in a way that the HUD could display and then i guess the obvious one where are we gonna mount it i think cutting the dash is a bit ambitious.

But as always noregret mate if you decide to give it a try you have my full support.

Dan

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cyberdrakon

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they sell a kit for this you can buy, the only problem with our car is where to get the pickup. some of the kits can actually be used with aftermarket speed sensors and rpm sensors. i'll look for a link.

cyberdrakon

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http://www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/defish...ncept_top.html

http://www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/defish...basis_top.html

this company sells 2 models (you need to buy a seperate controller)

DansSlk

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cool the only problem is as you say it would have to be a whole aftermarket setup from start to finish with new speed sensors and everything thats gonna be a big job for little gain as i see it.

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noregret4life

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This would be a great mod. However as Dan said, it would be difficult to come up with a Speed sensor & RPM hookup.

Dan, how about when an aftermarket Navi is installed in our cars. They too need a speed sensor hookup in order to operate properly.

I know that almost everything of this nature is on the CAN BUS, but is there really no way to tap into the speed sensor and RPM? The speedo cluster i take it is on Can Bus as well.

OBDII?
or one of those G-Timers with outputs?

DansSlk

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A speed pulse wire can be used to get the wheel speed some units attach to the CAN and watch for the redundant speed pulses sent over the CAN other tap the wheel sensor wires it all depends on the unit.

They will only have the speed for one wheel because they have to use a standardised signal and putting the speeds or each wheel on the network would just add clutter whereas the OEM setup uses a custom command where the speeds of all the wheels are sent out in one data packet so it can have full access so all aftermarket units are at a dis-advantage unless of course they tap each individual speed sensor but that adds more wiring.

You would have bigger problems getting the RPM because it is only on the CAN-C BUS and uses a custom packet, the cluster reads the current vehicle speed from the ESP control unit and the current RPM's via the ME-SFI both are on the CAN-C.

If you are serious about then you could tap a speed sensor yourself and get the RPM's by tapping a spark plug on each bank of the engine you could then relay that info to the aftermarket control unit and then to the HUD projector i am sure the wiring part of things you would be able to do without any real problems mate.

I think the biggest problem is going to be integration nothing looks more cheap and tacky then something just tacked onto the dash especially in an area where you are going to notice it easy really what we would need would be a cut out where we could hide the unit but that would involve cutting the dash and the possibility of a cock up.

A full aftermarket setup is going to be the only real way to go with this integration with the cars brains is going to be next to impossible you could use ODB2 but it has a slow data rate and your going to get lagging this is even more pronounced when the engine is running and the ECU is busy because it just does not have the time to answer the requests.

If it where me i would first think about hiding the projector unit and if i was satisfied that it could be done well enough to look presentable then i would go for the full aftermarket setup for ease of install and reliability.

Hope this helps mate and if you decide to go ahead with a setup you know where i am for help or whatever.

Dan

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noregret4life

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sound similar to the "pushbutton start" good in concept, almost impossible to wire in

I think all this would outweigh the benifits of the mod itself. You are right, i was looking at the dash trying to come up with a good place to put this thing clean, but there is really no where due to the curves. Only way would be to custom make a holder out of similar material as the dash, and blend it in. I've seen it done before, but would take a decent amount of custom molding.

Wiring sound like a total mess though. Possible voltage issues with curren sensors could be a problem as EVERYTHING is Volt sensitive in this car.

I think i can come up with a mold, if anyone is seriously interested. (currently trying to figure out where to put a concealed display for my V1)

noregret4life

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Thanks Bill. Then that may do the trick for the connections bit.
Now finding a home for the display... will need to think about this one.

Also there appears to be some sticker you need to put on the windsheild on where it projects the info on. Not sure how i feel about that.

DansSlk

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I think the sensors are easy enough to do like Bill said RPM is easy and so is wheel speed really just tap a sensor i think a clean integration is going to be the hard part of this install

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noregret4life

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I had a look at the websites and descriptions of the 2 displays they sell. The only place to mount would be to the left of the main cluster. It would not fit behind the cluster itself as it will not have enough distance to project.

Also, the display would be sensitive to Sun and heat damage. Which means once installed you need to cover it every time you park outside in the summer. Else it will melt/warp the plastic its in.

Cost estimate looks to be about $380 at min for the headsup display unit and the NOS RPM sensor, plus any additional wiring.

I would think for a 6-sp manual this may be of use showing shift points and RPM, but for an automatic (to me at least) it does not appeal in terms of Use VS Cost.

I think i would invest in a G-Timer at 1/3 the cost, before going for this display. (but thats just me)

RacerCub68

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I agree the plastic matching the grain would be quite difficult to find.

Are you guys looking too deeply into where to get the data from? Are not the gauges electronic?

I was thinking what about monitoring the signal sent to the electric gauges and using the reference signal for them being converted by a small board to go to the HUD unit? A bit more complicated with the board, but the travel of wires would be quite short. I'm afraid this way would NOT be a plug and play solution and would require major dash disassembly, however.

RacerCub68

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I would seriously disagree with you about covering it if you based it on an existing GM or BMW unit. They already sorted out lamp / mirror wearability. My friend has had his 'Vette here in South Florida, parked outside, through 2 years and it has not had any issues.

However, the goal isn't the G-Tech LCD readout on the dash, it's the cool 3D hovering numbers out on your hood, you never look away from the road as well. Go to a Chevy dealer and drive a Vette with it, or a BMW. Once you see it, you love it!

Personally, I think it would be worth $500 if done well.

RacerCub68

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I have not noticed a sticker on the GM units, or frosted or any changed of the glass. They take into account the reflective properties of the glass, and they have adjusments so you can get it right with how you see looking out. What may be an issue in adapting a GM or BMW unit is if they are range of adjustments to fit the SLK's rake. I know the same GM one is used in Caddilac, Corvette, and Pontiac Bonneville, so I think it might. (They do restrict display of items, Corvette gets most complete display. In fact it gives you G forces.)

noregret4life

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i'd like to look into the GM units/BMW because like you said, they are already adapted to be used in high heat and sun. I was refering to the aftermarket displays (they did say direct sunlight is an issue on their website)

as for electronics, the gauges are on the CAN BUS as far as i know, so pulling the data from them would be more difficult then from external sensors.

i'd like to see the parts used in the GM or BMW, to see size and shape. How it may be adapted to our display/dash. Also the "Film" on the windshield is not needed according to the aftermarket one. But it is clearer when there.

DansSlk

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I don't know about the GM units but the BMW systems sit on the CAN and acquire the data that way so adapting that unit is out of the question really unless you gut the electronics sound and start over.

As noregret says the IC is on the CAN so your not going to be able to just tap it unless you mean actually dis-assemble the cluster itself and tap the wires from the circuit board to the motors but as lots of people have found out the gauges lack behind real-time so tapping them might not be the best of ideas for accuracy of information.

Again i cant speak for the GM unit but the BM system is not tiny if you look at a 6-series BM because its dash is the most curved one i could find and then checkout the hole in the dash for the HUD projector you will see what i mean.

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