MrBean

@ Turbocorty: Ok, I have just studied the wiring schematics on the ICC/related circuitry, and there area few things you need to cater for - you probably know all this already, so this is some info for the uninitiated. A) I) The Instrument Cluster 5W illumination comes from the ICC, pin 19H on C-364 ii) For those that have factory Sat Nav installed, you need to consider the 4 Nav signals, ie Nav Mute, Amp+, Amp- and Shield signals on pins 213, 668A, 669A and 48A, all on C-364. iii) Same goes for the telephone signals, Telephone Mute, Telephone Audio+ and Telephone Audio- on pins 823, 725, 724 on C-364 iv) There's a few CANbus connections to/from various modules, pins 914N/915N to the BEM, and pins 914M/915M to the Instrument Cluster. No ii and iii is no real problem for those of us that will be using carputers vs std ICC, and I guess you will cater for this market only (for now). No I and iv is important to keep in the back of your mind, as I have a feeling the CANbus loops through each module to the next, ie cascading in/out - so your connector must fascilitate this, or we need to manufacture a plug to support this function once the ICC is removed. B) Ok, having a looky at the HIM schematics, it seems the only comms from the HIM is from the ICC, and fortunately for us, via CANbus - take note this is CAN 11-bit network, most of the devices on the market can do 29-bit, make sure about compatibility. So we only need the command-structure (which we can trail/error test based on std CANbus protocol), and then which bits do what to the HIM. One more note on this, which might stuff you up with your software - depending on which ICC you have, either manual HVAC, or Dual-zone control, will determine what software is running in the HIM - this load is different for these 2 control units, and you will have to cater for both - I hope the dual-zone comes first, as I have one...lol... In reality, I have one of each, and can easily ask Ford to flash HIM back to support manual HVAC.... The CAN network on the BF is running at 500k baud, and I think the fastest serial CAN-modules you will get on the market, ie the high-quality industrial ones, will do 115k - so, we need to discuss with Ford to set the comms parameters to accommodate this (compatible) speed, and divorce the HIM CANbus comms from the rest of the car's control-area network - this way all the other (important) modules can communicate at the default 500kbits, while the carputer (via serial) to the HIM will be on it's own dedicated slower bus - we don't need fast here anyway, so no problem... Or, did you have another plan? Keep us posted of your ideas, maybe this would be good to get input from the community, I believe there's much on offer, even to the extend of testing bit-functionality, as we have the proper tools, and Lukeyson over at Fordmods have done great work so far on quite many VIDs. Chat to you later, but whatever you do, please do not go and hide -

Hello Guys, Thanx for the feedback I am having the next few days off, until Jan the 7th, so will do some more work then, hopefully finish this over Chrissy - was just to busy this last few weeks at work making budget, and being in charge of a $3mil Aud in Pulp and Paper Industry is not easy. So I guess I will be forgiven for not having done much the last few weeks. What I did do though, was finally getting my hands on one of the better controllers out there, a vandal-resistant, all stainless steel industrial trackball - this was my weapon of choice from the very beginning, but at over $800 Aud a pop it was just to expensive to justify - until now, that I have won a new one on ebay for only $85- Aud shipped.... This lady obviously did not know what it was worth, and luckily for me, no-one has bid on it other than me ... Will post pics on the weekend, it looks so pro, and blends in beautifully with the UTE's interior color scheme - and yes, it goes in the same place where the other was going to...

@ Kilmo: To move your existing LCD would be very simple, just adjust the length of the signal cable to where you want to relocate the 'old' mono-color LCD. Then you can buy a premo-fascia, around $70-80, and remount your existing ICC hardware to that. Then, good luck finding a 6.4/6.5" LCD to fit into the premo-fascia without cutting it to bits, but, it certainly is doable. You can even use a stock Ford TFT LCD, it will set you back about $500-650 for a decent one, and then make your own cable from your carputer to drive it. So, all-in-all, not that expensive, and probably your best bet to keep monocolor LCD (relocated) and fitiing in a std Ford TFT color LCD to a new premo-fascia. $700-$800 for this option, including new fascia. Excl carputer which is required for this method. Another option, get a decent 2nd hand 6-stacker with color TFT, if you're lucky, it won't cost much more than option 1 above - and then fit your carputer to drive the original TFT, and there is a screen-select line which will then allow you to switch between std HVAC screen (overlay) and normal VGA input - for this option you will need a VGA-CGA converter too, same as with option 1 if you used the std TFT from factory. What did you have in mind spending? Maybe we can provide better options if we knew....

@ Slammer: The Carnetix 2140/1900 won't work with a standard Mini-ITX board, as they use ATX power plug.....if you're lucky you can find some Mini-ITX boards with a 2/4-pin DC input, ie the Commell LV-677 DC - there are 2 versions of these boards, the one you want has the -DC suffix. The M2-ATX controller will be more suitable for motherboards with std ATX connectors, as it is directly compatible. Just a heads-up

Hello Turbocorty, Nice idea, one which I have been toying around with too - but, my problem is I am an idiot with C++/high-level programming, I know assembler a little, but, my main forte must then be networking/interfacing due to my 16+ year background in Industrial Control Systems. I have a very neat Rockwell Serial CANbus interface here, and then a J2534 Mongoose FEPS USB unit. I am willing to act as a guineapig for option 3, as I would luv to get rid of this monstrosity called ICC - please see my Project Log for my progress on my Carputer setup.... Please keep me posted, and yes, I will pay that sort of money for the interface(soft+hardware) to rid us of the evol that is ICC Take care, MrBean

Thanx Dags, will try that

Hello Guys, I am looking for PPO - Polyphenylene Oxide- this is the thermoplastic used in all or BA/BF Falcon's fascias. Do any of you have an idea where I can buy sheets of this around Vic? It belongs to the same family as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), but if I want to plastic weld them, it needs to be the same plastic.... So, it must either be PPO or PPE (Polyphenylene Ether) I would appreciate feedback/input. Kind regards, MrBean

Just be careful with polishing the screen - they have an anti-glare coating, and it is this that scratches so easily. If you use any polish, better remove the complete coating then, but it will make the screen appear "glossy"

Thanx PSIFRK, I need this to finish my carputer mod - the bezel's gotta be repainted now, so, finally

I was going to mention that I was in Koh Samui 3 weeks ago, and weather was hot, rainy, humid......fark.......then I saw the date. Dags, you're a bad boy.

Ah, thanx Seventytwo Anyway, missed this one pic....

Mounting the Space Traveler I have managed to get my hands on a 3dConnexion Space Traveler a while back, and decided I will use this controller in conjunction with my touchscreen as an input device. Well, the problem is usually where to mount it, and still have an aesthetic appearance - in this case, it doesn't look to bad, although I had to sacrifice the cupholders in the console - well, I really don't need them in the UTE.... Here is a new cradle I have made out of balsa-wood, and it is very sturdy.... a View from the side... and this pic showing how I am keeping the unit in place - it works very well, and I can take it out if I ever needed to and lastly, a few shots from different angles... <img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v329/MrBean_PM/CarPuter/Space%20Traveler/DSCF3731.jpg"> from the side..... and 2 last ones, close-up from the top - it blends in very well with the rest of the contours on the rest of the console.... Take note that I am only on the initial primer stage, there's still a fair bit of work to finish it off, before applying the factory standard color spec (lightning-strike). Well, it sits extremely comfortable, with my elbow resting on the console lid, which feels very natural to me, my hand sits comfy on the unit - FPV should have brought it like this to the market... Feedback appreciated. Edit: I am considering cutting a nice piece of brushed aluminium and mounting it ontop of the wood, would really be hard wearing, and compliment the silver interior.

About 370rwkw - in one piece. I guess if you hoon you can break drivetrain, even with modest power levels. Without mods though, don't go past 350-370rwkw mark and expect reliability - at the very minimum, above those levels, get custom billet rods.

In the Fords there's an arrow overriding the hose-position...

Heya Guys, Just returned back from Bangkok, so next weekend it will be - really tired this morning after very little sleep, and watching my team, the Springboks take the RWC - I m on top of the world right now:)

Hey, it's going really well......95% finished with the bezel, put a testcoat of silver on yesterday to see how it turns out, and great! One or 2 small pinholes to fill, then sand and onto finding the lightning strike color code for the fascia - would luv to keep it original color.... I am off to Bangkok tonight for a manager's meeting, will be baack Saturday, then the paint on this should be good and dry for a final sand, and then final coats of LS. I will post some pics on the weekend for the semi-finished unit, it came out much better than I expected... Watch this space.

The UTE has the same rims all around, ie no offsets.....so they won't work on a Sedan (rears that is) - at least according to my Ford W/sho manual -

The problem with that is that the players will then turn every breakdown/rg/maul into a negative affair. Penalties have there place, it keeps the likes of Richie McCaw, George Smith and Schalk Burger honest .

Go Bokke

Route66 is the only one available - and it's not as good and userfriendly as the windows-based ones.

Hello Guys, Thanx for the input and feedback. @ Tab and Ghia: The vents will now be non-functional, no problem in the smal(ler) cabin space of the UTE, I have tested airflow/circulation using the other vents, and it is quite good. No problem for me, and the Wife is stoked as she hates airflow directly into her face.... To be honest though, not a big loss - and with the UTE a purely recreational vehicle, the sacrifice is very small.

I'll be mostly use it for GPS, and for OBD-II diagnostics.....I doubt Coppers would give me problems for that.....

Thanx, thought so.....hehe....

Thanx for the feedback, guys Fatsex = Danny? or Adam? I will mount the original ICC controls/LCD in the space reserved for the tissue-box.....a few wires to extend, and then making a nice liitle bezel for it should see me home....

Thanx for the feedback, guys - anything you guys would do different? Anyway, a few more progress shots.... Lots of work to do, in terms of finishing off the bezel/fascia, but made some good progress on the weekend. I used a plastic filler/bondo-type thing, called Selly's - for sale at Bunnings, and it works like a dream - set rock hard in 20 odd minutes, depending on hardener used - difficult to sand, but yields a very good finish..... Here's a shot of the bottom part, I used a primer to seal the balsa wood on this piece, need to sand it down and apply a few more coats, some spot-putty will come in handy to close the few pinholes... and the newly fabricated top side - remember, ther used to be vents here, so had to use some balsa wood to make a new top cross-member - came out rather nice.... and a shot of the semi-finished front... Booting Windows XP and running Autoenginuity OBD-II software... Feedback would be appreciated. thanx Guys.