rear view camera

[4380r]

In the S220 Exige I owned, I installed a wireless rear view camera, wired to be 'on' at all times, not just when in reverse. The Exige has actually less 3/4 rear visibility than the Europa.

The wide angle cameras virtually eliminate blind spots. It really worked out very well.

So, thinking about putting one in the Europa. Have any of you done this? What unit did you use? Before I installed on the Exige, I anticipated a lot of interference. The signal did, after all, have to go through the engine bay. But to my surprise there was not interference.

I'm guessing the likelihood of interference is higher in the Europa. There is less electronics in there, but also less modern day shielding?

Would love any suggestions from those who've done it in a Europa

[LeftAngle]

Haven't installed them yet... But... I have one of those mirror attachments on my PU truck and a wide angle camera out the rear window.  It is very good at showing what's on the rear quarters of the truck, but because of the wide angle, everything behind is a tiny dot.

For the Europa, I've opted for a different technique.  Since the rear view is pretty good, I'll be incorporating 2 screens, left and right to handle the blind areas along with 2 cameras of normal lens length.  I haven't decided where to mount the cameras as yet, but the mirrors would certainly be on the short list.

As far as the screens, you have to realize I'm not refitting the interior with all of the NOS interior available.  I've have Richard Winter's fiberglass crash pad, which is perfect for customizing.

I have to warn you, these shots are from a cobbled together initial prototype of the interior, so no wise cracks please...

The dashboard itself is pretty much stock wood, but I've replaced the radio with a 64 gb jailbroken ipod that holds a ton of mp3s plus my first attempt at navigation apps.  Everything works, but since I have to use an external gps, it isn't too reliable.  The ipod will be re-purposed and fit into the crashpad, directly in front of the driver's position (love that fiberglass... thanks Richard)... it will become the programmable heads-up display, linked via bluetooth to the 16 gb iphone that has the gps and compass already installed and set in a new 3D printed housing with only 2 knobs instead of the zoo that's on the one in the photo.

Below this, will be the rear-view screens.  Of course, they'll be painted black, along with everything else behind the clear lexan face, so it'll look like one smooth black piece from the shift knob to the dashboard.  The separate strip that's between the shift and rear-view screens now will not be a separate piece and will become an area where switches are mounted.

A little more than you asked for, but in order to make it understandable, I had to put you through that... sorry.

[EuropaTC]

You need to keep posting things like this and forget about it being a prototype, it's the imagination that goes into these things that's the real point.

I'm fascinated although I'll readily admit I'll never manage such things myself.  But I like seeing results from those that can.....

Brian

[LotusJoe]

I am also adding a rear view camera. But I'm using my radio to display it. It already has that feature built in.


This is the only singe DIN radio with navigation and camera.

[LeftAngle]

Looked at that Joe, but an iPhone/iPod combo will allow me to add additional features like g-force, tire loading, heads-up speed display, my entire mp3 collection, make 911 calls and also, with the addition of a pair of 180º fisheye lenses and a second battery, become a kick-butt security feature with satellite tracking capability... of course, I'll have to put it all together, design and build the housings and make it all work, but hey, that's what makes me tick.   

[LeftAngle]

Oops... Forgot one.  Voice Navigation.

[4380r]

I was thinking of just putting a 7" monitor angled towards the driver, in the glovebox. More or less in the vicinity of where one would glance to look at the rearview mirror.

Indeed all the wide angle cameras greatly distort size/distance, I'm just looking for something that lets me know something is in, or near my blind spolt.

[LeftAngle]

Go for it.  My setup is as much (more) for show as it is for performance.  I think the key is avoiding wide-angle cameras.  Good luck.

bfk

[7upJohn]

I thinking about mounting a rear view camera in the center of each outer tail light instead of running side mirrors on my car, looks like it will work with a wide enough angle lens. of course I will need the car back first

[LeftAngle]

That's a great idea John.  My first thought was to mount mine at the rear of the center console I had fiberglassed into the roof between the driver and passenger.  Primarilly to stiffen the roof, it'll also hold the interior lights, but I've reconsidered, because in order to get a clear shot through the rear window, I'd lose a little rear vision, which is already limited vertically.  Mounting them in the cabin's corners, near the upper seat belt mounts was another idea, the left aimed toward the right and vice versa.  You'd think finding a place to mount cameras would be the last thing to be an issue:)
Bruce