still in development, but damn, I like it! The complexity of the wiring involves makes me hold off on it, but its effectively an E38/39/46 era Nav system transplant!!

http://forums.roadfly.com/forums/bmw/bmw-8-series-e31/9222388-1.html

No one agrees :embarrasm :stickoutt

Interesting... Would have to see how the final product functions, looks, etc.

For all of the interesting points of that conversion Aura, I think the OP did himself a disservice with that original first picture. Turned me off the moment I saw it. Something like Revtor's worklog is much better to read....something that's complete and successful, followed by the nitty gritty of how it got there.

Rather just get an avic-z1 and call it a day.

I apologise for the poor pictures. The original posting wasnt intended to be a 'how to' or even show the steps reached to meet the end.

It was a snapshot of a design stage which I had reached on my installation. I thought the idea of OEM navigation in a E31 with provoke thought and imagination and even open up ideas for owners as to what is achievable with some thought.

I know its not for the purist and I knew there would be a lot of people who did not like it, but the installation is full reversable with a new plastic console.

I am open to questions and critism :)

BTW, this is my first post

Gill...it is amazing. I have a few questions...I will post them when I have more time.

Project Navigation 95% complete. Thought I'd flash an update

that looks really good, I have been dreaming up the same idea since I had my 8 only 2 months now...

I am glad your covering this ground work, I have been looking at aftermarket units but I am really picky about looks in the cab.

I have also been considering my own computer system with an aftermarket screen, I know there is a way to interface the obc functions to a computer system.

carelectronicsworld.com/raw-lcd-modules.aspx

Amazing job Gill!

I like the way the surround nicely fits in the center console and follows the lines on the navigation unit. But I'm not sure on the bottom of the surround. It has somewhat of an unfinished look and how do you read the OBC/MID? Ok, you wrote it's still only 95% completed, but I really wonder how you will fix that.

Before I started my own Becker mod, I also looked at the E46 navigation and car pc projects with double DIN displays. But I have wood trim in my car and considering the prices BMW asks for this, I simply couldn't afford breaking the piece :D

Revtor, a plastic centre console is less than $50 from BMW, so I had no fear hacking away at mine.
The remaining 5% of the work is with the OBC/MID and with the amplifier wiring to the front door speakers. All you see of the OBC are the buttons. I split the MID into two halves. The buttons are all mounted below the screen to allow for easy access when driving.
I have yet to finalise exactly where the display to the OBC will sit. The two workable options are above the rear view mirror or my favourite, as a HUD on top of the dash flush with the windscreen. You will see pictures of this option as soon as I finish making the housing.
Your Becker modification is an amazing source of inspiration. May I ask where you picked up the speed pulse signal for the GPS? Although my navigation works, I have yet to wire in the speed pulse which will ensure accurate tracking when going through tunnels.

My next mod will be a M3 type MF steering wheel which will interface with the navigation. I have most of the parts, I just need a matching E36 M3 type airbag and a 1997-2001 E38/E39/E46 type wheel mounted slip ring before I begin the installation.

Wow that is cool. So with the widescreen in there. Can you go onto the On Board Computer and it will give you your fuel consumption and all that sort of thing on that screen?

Wow that is cool. So with the widescreen in there. Can you go onto the On Board Computer and it will give you your fuel consumption and all that sort of thing on that screen?

Afraid not. There is no simple way of interfacing the existing OBC/MID with the i-bus screen. It can be done, however it will need a separate computer to convert the messages to relay them to the screen. I opted to avoid this and keep the existing OBC/MID as its much better to use being button driven rather than menu driven. - what you must remember is that on cars of that vintage, the OBC messages are passed to a LCD/LED strip on the instrument pod. Apart from MPG/average speed etc, warning txt type messages are never displayed on the TFT.

All you see of the OBC are the buttons. I split the MID into two halves. The buttons are all mounted below the screen to allow for easy access when driving.
Good thinking! The OBC is built-up out three PCBs: the keyboard, the mainboard and the displayboard. Will you only be moving the displayboard or keep the displayboard and mainboard attached to each other?

Be careful with the flexible link between the LCD display and the PCB. It's the main cause of dead pixels in these units.

Your Becker modification is an amazing source of inspiration. May I ask where you picked up the speed pulse signal for the GPS? Although my navigation works, I have yet to wire in the speed pulse which will ensure accurate tracking when going through tunnels.Believe it or not, but the speed signal is already available in the OEM BMW radio wiring harness. It's pin 10 in the original BMW plug and if I recall correctly it's a black and white wire.

Good thinking! The OBC is built-up out three PCBs: the keyboard, the mainboard and the displayboard. Will you only be moving the displayboard or keep the displayboard and mainboard attached to each other?

Be careful with the flexible link between the LCD display and the PCB. It's the main cause of dead pixels in these units.

Believe it or not, but the speed signal is already available in the OEM BMW radio wiring harness. It's pin 10 in the original BMW plug and if I recall correctly it's a black and white wire.


The OBC/MID motherboard stays with the buttons. Just the display will be mounted remotely. This keeps the display module as small and discreet as possible which will make an ideal HUD.

Thank you for the tip on pin 10. I wasnt sure if the signal was on the BMW radio block as I havent had a chance to connect a meter whilst driving.

I now need to run an extra cable from pin 10 to the boot where the GPS computer is mounted.

http://z3ers.com/01/081501/stygar/showthread.php_files/hktpwiring-1.jfif
http://z3ers.com/01/081501/stygar/showthread.php_files/hktpwiring-3.jfif

Just a nice picture telling what the pins do.