My Start Button and Aux-In mods

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10-24-2006, 09:17 PM
Monkey of Death

My Start Button and Aux-In mods

Ok, I know these aren't performance enhancing, but the aux-in is awesome (especially since I hate Dallas radio but want to keep the factory unit) and the 'Start Button' mod is just fun...
http://www.johnlanning.com/BRB_1.jpg
With door closed

http://www.johnlanning.com/BRB_2.jpg
With door open and aux-in jack and switch visible

I had already done the aux-in mod and loved it. I wanted to do the start button, but hated that most folks put it in the cigar lighter spot. Too low and too far on the passanger side for my taste. So... I decided to combine the two mods into one unit. I sketched out a new tray unit to replace the one that was under the radio and had a friend machine it (he's a model maker and runs a shop with several CNC machines :D ). The button is in a factory-looking beveled hole and the tray now has a door that can be closed to hide whatever is inside (like my mp3 player). Since there was extra room behind, we made the tray deeper so you can actually fit things in it. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out! :D
10-24-2006, 09:32 PM
sammm

Very nice. :clap:
10-24-2006, 09:40 PM
black roadster

Looks great!

:D
10-25-2006, 11:19 AM
Treibenschnell

Looks awesome!! Very nice.
10-25-2006, 01:08 PM
juxt3r

Wow, that's a really clean piece and install! Any thoughts to producing more and selling them? Seems like there'd be a market for such a thing.
10-25-2006, 02:24 PM
Monkey of Death

Thanks for all the kind words!

Quote:

Originally Posted by juxt3r

Wow, that's a really clean piece and install! Any thoughts to producing more and selling them? Seems like there'd be a market for such a thing.

My goal was to make it look as 'factory' as possible. I'm just too AR to do something like this half-a$$ed. ;) My philosophy is if you've done it right, you shouldn't be able to tell you've done anything at all...

As for producing more of them... ugh. This was really a lot more work than I'd expected. Even with the CAD designs done, there's still a lot of assembly. I'm just not sure there's enough demand for the all work involved in producing these, especially in small runs. If there were enough people interested, I could certainly talk to my friend and see what it would take. In the meantime, I've started on my next project, which will be another red button that says "Don't Push" connected to the passenger ejector seat :D
10-25-2006, 02:29 PM
Majik

That does look great, I wish I had the patience to do stuff like that.
10-25-2006, 02:36 PM
sammm

Does one have to have the Bose radio to add the aux plug? I'd love to put one in my car, but I have the normal CD head unit.
10-25-2006, 02:43 PM
Majik

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammm

Does one have to have the Bose radio to add the aux plug? I'd love to put one in my car, but I have the normal CD head unit.

I think these is a thread around here that tells people how to add that. I think Jolberry did it to his 99 sport.
10-25-2006, 03:15 PM
Monkey of Death

Quote:

Originally Posted by Majik

I think these is a thread around here that tells people how to add that. I think Jolberry did it to his 99 sport.

I remember reading about doing it to the non-Bose units on several sites, but I didn't bookmark any of them since they didn't apply to me... :rolleyes: This page has good info but all of the pages he has links to are dead :( . At the very least, the Miata audio pin-out page could be helpful... As Majik suggested, do a search here and on the Miata.net boards. Heck, do one on Google and you'd be suprised how much good info there is (and how many dead links! If you get a dead link, try the 'cached' function on Google and you might still get lucky!). Good luck! If I can help, let me know!!

FWIW, the aux-in is one of the best things I've ever done to any car! My wife was driving the Miata while we looked for a car for her and the first thing she wanted when we got her a new ride was a way to use her mp3 player in the new car. It is probably what she misses most about the Miata :confused:
10-25-2006, 06:11 PM
Magma

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammm

Does one have to have the Bose radio to add the aux plug? I'd love to put one in my car, but I have the normal CD head unit.

Sammmmmm, I have the 6 disc in dash from mine if you want it, we can work something out as I have done the Bosectomy to my car.
10-25-2006, 08:58 PM
sammm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magma

Sammmmmm, I have the 6 disc in dash from mine if you want it, we can work something out as I have done the Bosectomy to my car.

Thanks, but I'll pass. I like the radio I have. More than 1 CD would just confuse me. ;)