8 hours in the garage yesterday...

...and here is what I did:

1) I bought the Coleman Safari Rack (thanks for the tip, Etlsport!). However, with our stock Yakima rack, the mount points didn't quite line up with the Coleman rack, so I had to shorten the tubes by 3/4 of an inch. Now it fits perfectly, and was a h3ll of a lot cheaper than the Yakima or Thule basket.

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/coleman1.jpg

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/coleman2.jpg

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/coleman3.jpg

2) Finished installing Tone's frame mounted hitch receiver and wiring harness. What a BEOTCH, but it looks sweet! Thanks Tone!

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/hitch01.jpg

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/hitch02.jpg

3) Bought a ScanGuage II from Tone also, and embedded it below the lower DIN slot. It looks REALLY good sunk in here, and fits totally solid. I cut the rectangular slot out with my Dremel, making the project pretty easy. But, the Dremel left the opening a little rough around the edges. I took some black rubber tubing I found at Home Depot in the plumbing section and split it down the side to make a little "frame" for the top, if you will. But I am not to happy with that either. Do any of you have any ideas for an actual frame or some sort of trim that would work here? I want to finish it off nice and make it look more stock.

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/scang01.jpg

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/scang02.jpg

I also made some time this lazy Sunday morning to update my VX Madness site, so check the pics and mods sections for some new stuff.

Thanks,

Bart

:thumbup: Looks good! I like the in dash power inverter. Was it a pretty straight forward install or did you have to do some modding of it? What model is it and where did you pick it up from?

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Do any of you have any ideas for an actual frame or some sort of trim that would work here? I want to finish it off nice and make it look more stock.

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Rack, etc. look good !
I don't know the material thickness of your cutout for the scan gauge, but you could try some black door edge moulding(cut 45 deg. miters in the corners)...get the cheapest you can find @ K or Wal mart.

Thanx Bart... :rolleyes: I was browsing around your VX page (very nice), minding my own biz as usual, when I saw your link to the weathertech rain guards. I've been meaning to get a set, just hadn't got around to it.

Anyway, they're on their way.

Hey Billy, thanks! The power inverter is one of my first mods. Its made by Vector, I picked it up at Pep Boys, iirc. And no, not straight forward at all!

I started by taking apart the inverter so I could spray the shell of it black (it was bright red). After that, I took the DIN pocket out, and then basically hacked and hacked until I got the inverter to fit. The inverter was about 1/8 of an inch too tall, and about 1/8 of an inch too wide. So I had to cut the top of the DIN pocket and cut grooves along the bottom on the sides so it would fit. Plus, I had to cut apart the back of the pocket to make room for the cord(s). At the time, I did not have a Dremel. Looking back, this would have been a piece of cake if I had a Dremel, but for this mod I used a jig saw and if you could see behind the trim, you would see what a mess I made of the DIN pocket.

Anyway, I originally had the cig lighter adapter sticking out along the side of the inverter, but later I had the idea to run the cord behind and up into the ash tray via a hole cut in the back of the ashtray. So now, whenever I need to use it, I just pull the cord out from the ashtray and plug it in. It comes in handy for powering up my cell phone, video and regular camera, etc.

Bart

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Originally Posted by Triathlete

:thumbup: Looks good! I like the in dash power inverter. Was it a pretty straight forward install or did you have to do some modding of it? What model is it and where did you pick it up from?

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Black door edge molding, hmmm, I will look for that next time I am at the Depot or Wally World.

Thanks dub!

Bart

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Originally Posted by Ldub

Rack, etc. look good !
I don't know the material thickness of your cutout for the scan gauge, but you could try some black door edge moulding(cut 45 deg. miters in the corners)...get the cheapest you can find @ K or Wal mart.

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i really like you scangauge mod.. so i decided to go one of my own... just chose a different location.. Thanks for the idea i love the way it turned out!

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...photos_017.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...mpions_001.jpg

no more sliding around and no more visible wires

Yeah, I like where I have mine, but I still need to make it look a little more flush. I have been unable to find any suitable trim or edging to use. The good thing about where mine is, is that it is completely solid in there and the wires are all tucked under the dash.

:) Bart

PS - How the heck do you set these to calculate gas mileage? We have a 22.5 gallon tank, iirc, and the scan gauge does not have a setting for 22.5??

i just set mine at 22 gallons.. the size of the tank shouldnt matter with the mpg calc..

Hmmm - I like your scangauge mountings (actually Bart I love your whole vehicle!) but do you not find it hard to read them on the move? Still, better than my "sticky pads tot he top of the dash'" approach!

I love your rain deflectors, but sadly Weathertech won't ship directly to the UK. :(

;)

A

whats did you do with your old rack????

Is there anywhere to buy tinted rainguards? I've wanted them for awhile, but that light color just seems odd to me.

Paint 'em any color you like

I picked up a set at autozone that fit great

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Originally Posted by alanbradley

Hmmm - I like your scangauge mountings (actually Bart I love your whole vehicle!) but do you not find it hard to read them on the move? Still, better than my "sticky pads tot he top of the dash'" approach!

I love your rain deflectors, but sadly Weathertech won't ship directly to the UK. :(

;)

A

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If you are seriously interested, you could buy them through someone in the US, and then just have that person mail them to you. You will pay double shipping, but....Its easy enough.

Let me know.

Bart

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Originally Posted by don moore

whats did you do with your old rack????

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What do you mean? The only rack I ever had was the Coleman one...

Bart

The Weathertech ones are tinted....they are not super dark, but they are not totally clear either.

Bart

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Originally Posted by gexxo18

Is there anywhere to buy tinted rainguards? I've wanted them for awhile, but that light color just seems odd to me.

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Originally Posted by circmand

I picked up a set at autozone that fit great

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Do they go in the window channel like the Weathertechs? Or are they the tape on ones?

Bart

They are tape on youhave to have them order it. I did not llike the way the weathertecs fitted.

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Originally Posted by circmand

They are tape on youhave to have them order it. I did not llike the way the weathertecs fitted.

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That's weird. What didn't you like about them? My Weathertechs fit perfectly, but I have heard (I think it was Etl) that sometimes the molding is off?

Bart

I just did not want to hinder the window when it was rolling up in the track due to windows that are sticking as it is also I smoke and like to vent the smoke out the window by holding the cigarette at the top of the window. The weathertec provides less space. Just a personnal preference

Sorry.:confused:.I thought you said you got a new one ....MY BAD...you just fixed it..
DUH:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by circmand

I just did not want to hinder the window when it was rolling up in the track due to windows that are sticking as it is also I smoke and like to vent the smoke out the window by holding the cigarette at the top of the window. The weathertec provides less space. Just a personnal preference

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Ahh I see. Yeah, you don't want to be knocking your cherry off and have it go into your back seat and burn something! I was just curious if you got one with a bad molding also...

Bart

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Originally Posted by nfpgasmask

Ahh I see. Yeah, you don't want to be knocking your cherry off and have it go into your back seat and burn something! I was just curious if you got one with a bad molding also...

Bart

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yep it was mine that was off... not by much, heres a shot of the passenger side (the one that is off) and the drivers side (which was a good fit) I had to shave about 1/8-1/4" off of the end of the passenger side to get it to fit like it does now, when i got them (ordered from e-bay) the passenger side just wouldnt go because that tab was not lined up and would get in the way

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da.../visor_002.jpg
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da.../visor_001.jpg

my tip for anyone doing the scangauge thing... use a dremel to get close.. but do that last 1/8 inch by hand with some sand paper on a wood block then just test fit, shave a bit off, test fit etc until it fits snugly

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Originally Posted by etlsport

my tip for anyone doing the scangauge thing... use a dremel to get close.. but do that last 1/8 inch by hand with some sand paper on a wood block then just test fit, shave a bit off, test fit etc until it fits snugly

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So wait, your scanguage is embedded also? It didn't look like it in your photo. So you cut into the plastic there?

Bart

EDIT: OK, I just took a closer look at yours. Its so clean looking I couldn't even tell it was embedded! Nice! :)

You Bart you...I thought to suggest the same thing. Ship "em to one of us, and have them sent to you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by circmand

I just did not want to hinder the window when it was rolling up in the track due to windows that are sticking as it is also I smoke and like to vent the smoke out the window by holding the cigarette at the top of the window. The weathertec provides less space. Just a personnal preference

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I've been running with weathertec's for like 5 years now, no window issues...yeah I smoke...but the car doesn't come out in the rain, so except for washing, the windows are down, so my opinion is s$%# and I'll shut up now.

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Originally Posted by Chopper

I've been running with weathertec's for like 5 years now, no window issues...yeah I smoke...but the car doesn't come out in the rain, so except for washing, the windows are down, so my opinion is s$%# and I'll shut up now.

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Yeah, I find the WeatherTechs to be the best option for rain deflectors, period. Very nice, durable quality, and they give my windows no issues. The stick on ones just look cheapola to me...

Bart

I too love my weathertech's...I've had them 3 yrs...awsome

The weathertecs do not cause my window problems its that little design issue I just did not want to make it worse or have the motor have to wok any harder. I also beleive in buying local when the shipping is likely to cost more than the product if you have to pay to get it then ship it back and then to recieve a second pair.

Me too...the W-T's are also far more resistant to melting due to accidentally touching them with a lit smoke. I've done extensive testing.

Yup WeatherTechs are the way to go. The other ones (glue on type) just make any car look cheap.

Circ - could you post pictures, I have a feeling with the design of the VX it will not look that bad???

I have done burn testng too these work okay and are easily replaceable. I will attempt to post my first internet pics ever this weekend. I have a new digital camera whichI have never used and never posted a photo before so no promises