86 GL Wagon Mods (dial up warning: pictures!) NINTENDO!

[mulletsquirrel]

Well, now that I have had this wagon for about two weeks, I really have to dig in and make it more... me. So yesterday I finally received the head unit mounting bracket, and I could mount my head unit without using any zip-ties (besides on wiring)!

 

Before:

 

 

 

I am going to mount the 4" speakers I got on the dash, will make a fiberglass enclosure to fit them nicely in that crevice. Maybe in the enclosure I can include a cup holder for myself, as this car has ZERO cup holders, what the heck?

 

 

Done with Head Unit (besides antenna adapter. can anybody enlighten me how to attach an antenna plug to the bare wire I had to cut off of the OEM radio?):

 

 

 

I also found a really cheap (hopefully not describing the quality) LCD monitor, specifically designed for cars and video games, which I will use with an NES in the car. Came with a 9 inch screen, 300W power inverter, speakers, and has composite input, and also USB/Memory Card input. I got it for $75 bucks at Walmart on clearance! ( PS this is not in its final location. Everything will be cleaned up nicely. It was getting late, and I just wanted to test it out. )

 

 

I am going to attempt to find a cheapo NES (don't want to ruin mine) and mod it so the cartridge goes in that spare hole under the head unit. I think that would be tight.

 

Let me know what you think so far! More pics coming soon.

Edited October 26, 2010 by mulletsquirrel

[jboymechanic]

If you could mod your car & NES for the cartridge to slip into the dash that would be cool as hell, at least to those of us that grew up when these cars were new and so were Nintendos.

[jboymechanic]

By the way, I have an '87 GL-10 wagon and my factory radio is narrower that yours as off to the right side of the radio was a trip computer. I see you have the display for it up on your dash, so what did you do with it? Does the display on your dash simpley not work any more? I'd love to put a CD player in my car, but I don't want to ruin the factory trip computer because I get a kick out of it (old school technology).

[mulletsquirrel]

I didn't realize it had a trip computer. I thought that was just a clock!

 

My factory radio was also narrower than this unit, I ordered a new faceplate from Amazon.com. There was just a black piece of plastic to the right of my radio, nothing in that tall slot, if thats what you were asking.

 

I can hopefully get a hold of an NES to mess around with today from a pawn shop or CL or garage sale and get that project going.

 

Another question to anybody: Where is the best place to route a power wire from inside the cabin to the 12V battery? The only spot I saw was where the clutch cable comes in by the pedal.

[jboymechanic]

Whoops, misread your title, thought it said GL-10. Since you have a GL and not a GL-10, yours probably just is a clock. Mine has several other optional displays to choose from that show up on the clock, such as outside temp and I can't even remember what else. The tall narrow slot is where the controls would mount.

[mulletsquirrel]

Idea for speaker box:

 

[MilesFox]

you should find one of those 2nd generation top loading NES for the dashboard mod. There is plenty space above the glovebox and to the left behind the dash to mount it. You could even mount the controller sockets on the dash with the cartridge slot.

 

awesomeness

[TheLoyale]

There also should be a large rubber plug under the dash on the firewall (By the brake pedel) make a slit in it, feed the wire though then just use some black RTV to seal it up.. You can always drill a new hole and put in a rubber gromet as well.

 

Cheers.

[mulletsquirrel]

I actually am thinking of wiring up the cartridge and the power/reset buttons/lights to go in that head unit slot, and then have the controller plugs be in the center console so they are accessible to all. The only downside is that someone may not be able to insert a cartridge while in 1st, 3rd, or 5th gear.

 

I am still trying to decide where to place the actual NES hardware. Maybe I could fit it all under the CD player, but I doubt it.

 

In the end there will be a 9" monitor in the back center and a 4.3" in the front right, as shown in my picture.

[Mykeys Toy]

When I ran power cable from the battery I ran it through the boot behind the pass side strut cut a slit and ran it down that side of the car. I ran speaker wire down the drivers side and remote with patch cables up the middle to minimize ground loop and other interference. Though I may change that and run the speaker wire obove the headliner and use the drivers side for everything else.

 

Mike

[TheLoyale]

The only thing I would be a little concerned about is, if the old NES electronics will be able to take the heat of mid-summer in a closed up car...? It wasn't made to sit in 160+ Deg F.

[brumby420]

great idea. All my friends call my suby the mario cart LOL

[mulletsquirrel]

The only thing I would be a little concerned about is, if the old NES electronics will be able to take the heat of mid-summer in a closed up car...? It wasn't made to sit in 160+ Deg F.

 

There's only one way to find out! :-\ I may install a cooling fan to the unit if heat becomes a problem.

 

Update: I got the wire ran by the driver side strut down into the car by the fuse panel. Thanks for the help! Updates coming soon!

[Ricearu]

the end of that "bare" cut off piece of antenna wire you chopped off the back of the radio, is just below the console under the carpet on the driver side. the car side antenna wire has a male under there. You just need like a standard 18" antenna extension cable. lol

[mulletsquirrel]

Wow. Wish I would have known about that sooner. I bought a 12" extension to solder to it. Probably won't be long enough. I'll give it a shot.

 

Edit: I found the connector, bought a longer extension and hooked it up. Radio works!!

Edited October 26, 2010 by mulletsquirrel

[mulletsquirrel]

Made a bit more progress today:

 

My 6" extension actually worked to connect the radio antenna! I can take back the 4' plug I got robbed $15 for.

 

 

Hooked up both front speakers into their (hopefully temporary) speaker rings. These were hastily made out of plywood, but I hope to get a hold of some MDF and the correct tools (router, jigsaw) to make these decent.

 

 

 

Hopefully I can get a hold of some fiberglassing material as well to create a cool enclosure on the dash for these.

 

I never showed my 6x9" speakers, here they are chilling in the back seat. They add some necessary mid-bass to rock music that I listen to.

 

 

And, the most exciting part of this project ( at least for me ) is the NES in dash mod. Here is a picture showing the fit of the cartridge. I will have to really play around with the wires back there to get it to fit all the way in.

 

Can anybody guess my favorite band? (Hint: look at song below)

 

 

 

 

There is no way a 1980's NES will fit back there, so I am planning on mounting it below the console where that little pocket is. I want to mount the power/reset switches by the game though.

 

 

I am purchasing a 'spare' NES tomorrow to do the mod on. I wouldn't want to be without an NES if I screwed this one up. The mod will involve a lot of soldering and wires and awesomeness:banana::banana:

Edited October 26, 2010 by mulletsquirrel

[1982gl4]

This is amazing, that is all that I have to say

[mulletsquirrel]

Luckily I know a lot of electrical engineers (good solder-ers) if I run into trouble. I just know that I will have to solder a ribbon cable to 72 pins on each side of the cable. Thats 144 solders! in a small space!

[TheLoyale]

Pretty interesting stuff. This is the start of a good thread!

[mulletsquirrel]

Darn right this is cool stuff. It just fits that I have an 86. About the time when the Nintendo hit America. Maybe if I pull it off nice enough, I can convince people it was a factory option

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

Nice Project, the "Mario Cart Subie!"

 

you should find one of those 2nd generation top loading NES for the dashboard mod...

 

if you Want to See one of Those, I got one in my Subie, just See this Thread:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=73736&page=6

 

Also, Let me Tell you that there are Many Chinese Versions of the NES that Comes with Hundresds of Original Games Bundled inside, so You'll Not need Any Cartridge at All; but if you Still Need to Put on a Cartridge, it comes with Two Slots, so you can Put on a NES or Super Nes Cartridges too...

 

 

Like This one:

 

 

Or This one:

 

 

Just to Show few Examples.

 

 

There Also are here on the Local market, consoles like the "Retron 3" which beside the hundreds of included bundled-on-the-memory games, it also Accepts Sega's and Nintendo's cartridges, and have wireless controls!

 

 

 

 

For More info, Click here:

 

http://hyperkin.com/index.php/retro-system-retron-3.html/

 

Or Here:

 

http://gizmodo.com/5580566/retron-3-can-play-nes-snes-or-genesis-carts-with-all-three-original-controllers

 

 

Kind Regards.

[SubaruJawn]

i would have done it with something more advanced than a Nintendo NES.....

 

SUPER NINTENDO !

[mulletsquirrel]

I chose the NES because

 

1. It is awesome

2. It is the same generation as my old car

3. I won't be afraid to break it

[jboymechanic]

I have quite the NES collection myself.

 

-2 NES systems

-4 score controller adapter

-12 controllers

-2 zapper guns

-1 power pad

-2 game genies

-122 games

 

Wish I could afford to keep my car and do this as well. If I end up some how being able to afford to keep mine, I'm going to do this some day.

[Gloyale]

I'm curious as to why not mount those speakers in the doors? You can mount them "over" the door cards if they are too deep.

 

I personally think the big dash add on fiberglass thing will be kinda weird. Cool work, you're doing a great job, it's just ......why not in the doors?

 

 

FWIW, the "Euro"(2 cups+ cubby) and "Euro Jr."(1 cup) adjustable cupholders availble at almost any auto parts store work AWESOME on a GL dash.

 

They come with velco pads or screws. I screw them down. They are secure enough that I can leave a full cup of coffee/w lid in one and drive corners like I'm Auto X-ing and they don't move. Plus it creates a barrier to prevent things from sliding around so much.

 

Put the speakers in the door, and a "Euro" on the dash, and you've got speaker and 2 cupholders and still a few flat spots to set down those controllers when the thumbs cramp up.

 

Remember, it's your car not mine so feel free to disregard everything I say.