How strong is da dash? and whats behind it - Honda Prelude Forum

Jape · 11-18-2002, 10:36 PM

I am trying to mount a laptop system in da car... Havent had much luck with cost effective mounting systems. screw rammounts they're too expensive.

So I went to walmart and picked up one of those Wall-Mount TV things.. Its for 13" TV's, and weighs like 10 or 12 pounds mounted. The problem is the brunt of the weight is extended about a foot from where the mount is.

I was gonna fabricate the thing so that it mounts on my dash with 2 screws and some epoxy.

so my 2 questions...

If I found some good strong screws, would this mounting system work or would it rip and fall and make me depressed? I am probably going to mount it right next to the A/C vents.. So I can swivel the TV thing left and right but it'll be sitting a foot above my shifter. (this is for movies and gps purposes)

also what's behind that dash? I wanna guess nothing? I have no passenger side airbag do i? (its a 93) it dont say SRS anywhere on that side. can i use really long screws? maybe even those things u use in drywall that when you drill into it, it spreads out. what u guys think? Luckiily it comes with a cover so nobody will ever see those screws.

go pre · 11-18-2002, 10:53 PM

this idea sounds really ghetto.

i say sell the laptop and use the money for some motor internals..

Jape · 11-18-2002, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by go pre
this idea sounds really ghetto.

i say sell the laptop and use the money for some motor internals..

??

sorry bro, but....worst response evar!!

I have a goal here.. to mount my laptop in the vehicle for movie purposes and my GPS hooks to the laptop to give me accurate directions. I will be driving from Seattle to Arizona to New York to Pennsylvania to Maryland. This GPS setup will be vital. Also the MP3 capabilities along with the pimp factor.

A Prelude is NOT a fast N/A car, and selling my laptop is not a feasable or smart solution at all.

Now does anyone know if this will work?

MR.CLIFFORD · 11-18-2002, 11:00 PM

Jape I think you are talking about a butterfly set mount. IMO that would work for a short while. I don't think it would hold. I do not believe the dash would be strong enough to support that much weight. It is pretty skinny and would tear after awhile.

AND YES IT IS GHETTO

EDIT: I got this horrifying image from Go Pre. I hope he doesn't mind.

Don't use long screws!

MidNKight-lude · 11-19-2002, 12:31 AM

hey jape i would suggest taht you get a LCD screen mounted into the dash, i forgot who did it, i belive it was j92s, and then get a TV out connector for your laptop. On my sony lappie it already comes with a vid and sound out port, so i can actually do that, and then run the lappie, but i wont' be doin teh fast and furious style monitoring the system while shotting nitrous....

Jape · 11-19-2002, 01:20 AM

midnkight: or I could drop $250 on that rammount system and be done with it. I'm looking cost effective here! thanks for the input tho.

UEnvyMyStyle · 11-19-2002, 01:21 AM

if u are gonna mount something put a plate behind the dash where u are gonna bolt to for more stregnth and use washers. why not make something that comes out of the glove box

MidNKight-lude · 11-19-2002, 01:35 AM

actually you can get most LCD screen for around 100-200, if you wanna be cheap get a PS1 screen and do that. 50. then a tv adapter for a lappie should run 100 dollor max. unless you get a super expensive one.

Crate · 11-19-2002, 01:54 AM

find a surplus place that sells the parts cops use to mount their laptops in the squad cars.

LudemanDan · 11-19-2002, 02:34 PM

There is an air duct that runs right behind the dash on the passenger side. Goes to the door. You can get upside down under there with a flashlight and see it.
Whatever you do, I think you should definitely mount it directly to the firewall. Maybe cut a hole in the dash to get through it, but don't mount it to the dash. It may hold it up, but you'd probably get so much creaking and squeaking, there wouldn't be any pimp factor... more like mouse factor.

Anway, good luck. Hope it turns out well.

Dan

MR.CLIFFORD · 11-19-2002, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UEnvyMyStyle
if u are gonna mount something put a plate behind the dash where u are gonna bolt to for more stregnth and use washers. why not make something that comes out of the glove box

I was thinking about this today at work. I don't know if he could stuff anything behind there thick enough that would actually fit. And he would have to take the whole dash apart. What did you have in mind??

UEnvyMyStyle · 11-19-2002, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by $$lude

I was thinking about this today at work. I don't know if he could stuff anything behind there thick enough that would actually fit. And he would have to take the whole dash apart. What did you have in mind??

umm put a plate under the glove box inside then make a bracket with a slide in piece to hold the laptop. and have a plate that connects to the rod that connects the laptop to put the laptop on. if i could draw i would

92 SI Ludester · 11-20-2002, 12:13 AM

it is going to look to ghetto though...get the cheap LCD and use that...you can mount that almost anywhere you want and run it to the vidieo out of the lappie to use it that way...and leave the lappie on the pass seat when being used...how big is the LCD on the lappie anyway? if you do mount it to the dash somehow, when its open wont it block some of your view out the windshield?

pter · 11-20-2002, 08:42 AM

What I'd do is:
Secure laptop to the floor.
Attach video out to a lengthy cable.
Make some rails that attach by the armrest and slide a flat panel out from there.
Then just hook up a mouse.