Percy - 2003 GX Love

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

The large transceiver (?) part of the unit I mounted on the side of the rear drawer system.



It sits low enough that nothing should bump into it when packing the rear of the car. It is a pretty tight fit with the air compressor down the side of the drawers there too. I'm thinking of relocating to air compressor into the interior panel - looks like there's plenty of room in there and it might reduce some of the noise.



Using the cargo barrier for yet more storage I used a couple of large washers to mount the speaker at the top of the cage.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

Auto tune mounted using the Kaymar wheel on door mount.



There's enough clearance for the cables sit pass beside the door glass but not so much that you can put them in split tube.

The cables run down the door and through the rear bumper - there's a bit of a gap in the rear bumper but I made it larger to allow the cable to keep a straighter run down and under the car.



Cables come through the bumper with a U bend and then straight back up through by grommet and into the interior. I used plenty of Sikaflex around the cables to try and stop anything else from coming into the car with the cables. I'm a little concerned that running the split tube through the grommet allows water to enter along the tube in a deep crossing - I'm having some water problems in the front of the car which I'm attributing to the split tube.



I cheated a little with the earth strap - I ran this behind the rear tail light. The strap is flat and I wanted to pick up a decent earth in the rear interior of the car. Time will tell if I've compromised the dust sealing.

The headset mounted low in the dash. I had wanted it up higher so that (as with the UHF) when scanning you can see the channel when driving - there was just no spot higher that Nadine and I could agree on. The original plan to use the glasses holder was veto'd.



Looks neat anyway.

A mate came over to do all the soldering for the day. I normally crimp all my connectors and once Drew discovered this I had a helper for the day making sure all the joints were soldered and not crimped. The result is excellent with no noticeable interference from the engine.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

I forgot to acknowledge the excellent posts on this forum that helped me with the planning for the installation of the HF - thanks PP.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

Getting ready for a 4 week trip in late June so I'm refitting the spot light wiring loom. I removed it prior to having the cracked guards repaired. One of the things that always annoyed me about my original spot light install was the holes through the front bar - I had to enlarge them with a file to fit the cables through and they always looked shonky.



Since I've purchased an embigening bit for another job I thought I'd use it to tidy up the spot light install.



Larger hole to fit the grommets I had.



and all done.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

I've been having some problems with water coming into the car in the front passenger floor. After checking and applying silicon to the firewall grommets where I've pulled through all my cables I was stumped as to where the water was getting in. After taking a look at the front windscreen seal I'm pretty sure this is the problem. I though some silicon along the edge of the windscreen and particularly at the lower front corners where there was some movement and this has reduced the amount of water getting inside.

This weekend I picked up some windscreen sealant.



and removed the front facia below the windscreen.



I've added this stuff around the silicon and that should be more water tight now. When we're back from our trip to the Cape I'll have the windscreen replaced to fix the leak properly.

As usual my helper was on-hand.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

We'll be towing the new camper trailer up to Cape York in late June / July and I don't a repeat of the major stone damage from our last trip so I've extended the mud flaps.

Picked up a couple of larger mud flaps from Supercheap.



I fixed them to the existing flaps. I had considered removing the original flaps but using both seemed to be more solid.



They look nice and ugly in that photo. Not so bad with the tyres on.

I've seen other members just add a small extension at the base of the existing flap, I hope my approach will improve stone deflection and avoid the cracking of the original flaps I have seen here on PP.



Of course I needed some nylex nuts and whilst at Supercheap I picked-up some other goodies. I've developed an addiction to buying little packets of miscellaneous fasteners, washers, o-rings & anything else in those little plastic packets.



Looks like I have enough nylon washers.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

Lucky to pick-up a DP Chip on eBay for $350 this week. Installed it today.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

Needed an inverter in the back of the car for our next trip. I made up a bracket from some scrap guttering facia.



Drilled some holes through it to prevent over-heating.



Sprayed it black and tested the fit.



Couldn't help myself and drilled more holes in my car. Fixed the inverter to the plastic door covering the jack.

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

Inverter installed.

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Looks good mcgonical, with that many holes in ya car it will be like Swiss cheese. Cheers samo

[Nik120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nik120]

Nice work, Mcgonical, particularly of your HF install pics.

I was going to go the Kaymar rear bracket for the 9350 antenna, but I'd have a slight clearance issue with the garage roller door and some underground car parks - hence mine will be going on the front b/bar.

Keep up the good work - very interesting pics!!

Cheers,

[mcgonical Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcgonical]

Cleaned-up the nest of wires under the drivers seat. Relocated it under the centre console.



Also added some more sockets for charging in the back seat of the car. Just a cheap set from eBay ($8).



Picked up a neat little adapter from eBay so that one lighter socket can charge two USB cables. Lucky too since the crappy cigarette socket strip won't put out enough charge through its integrated USB socket to charge the iPhone. Charging the iPhone through the adapter does work. Get what you pay for...



Reflecting on the "Swiss Cheese" remark I elected to velcro the new sockets in rather than drilling more holes.

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Reflecting on the "Swiss Cheese" remark I elected to velcro the new sockets in rather than drilling more holes

lol mcgonical very well put. cheers samo

[rags Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close rags]

Mcgonical , while having a look on carsales tonight seeing what our poverty pack gx 's are asking i notice an exceptional unit forsale in the ACT, which looked very much like your Prado being sold ,with a contact of Nadine . I only hope that you are upgrading to a newer model and we may get another great build up as this current build up has been a favourite of mine .
cheers
Russ

[justin1979 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close justin1979]

Mcgonical - If you are selling your beast would you sell the DP chip that you had? I have a 05 gx with the 1kz and it sure could use some help!!

Hopefully this means that another build thread is on its way?!?...

Cheers

Justin