Another use for that compartment

[Golani]

Just wanted to share some pics of a new mod on my car. All custom done by myself. The plastic holder is 1/4" Acrylic that was etched and the hole cut out with a laser and then press fit into the existing compartment so that the door still closes when not in use. Blue lighting is just a 4" CCFL intended for computer modding that mounted on the back of the box. Honda S2000 start button now replaces the keyed start, unfortunately when I changed out the LED in the button I hooked it up to the wrong side of the flyback diode on ground so it burned out, but imagine a white LED glowing in there.

http://students.olin.edu/2007/tschwartz/mazdaspeed1.jpg
http://students.olin.edu/2007/tschwartz/mazdaspeed2.jpg
http://students.olin.edu/2007/tschwartz/mazdaspeed3.jpg
http://students.olin.edu/2007/tschwartz/mazdaspeed4.jpg

If anyone is interested I already have the dimensions for the part saved, and can with relative ease create more. The cool thing is that I can take any two-tone design (read single color) from any image file and print it out directly onto the plastic.

Also I intend to post some decent instructions on how to install a start button in a few days because all of the directions I found online were as confusing as they were informative.

 

[jersey_emt]

Wow that's pretty damn cool. Only suggestion would have been to take the pocket out completely and make the acrylic to fit the full opening.

 

[Gbourdon]

Hmm. I think that is pretty damn cool.

 

[pates03]

wow thats bad ass !

 

[sickspeed94]

badass, you should produce a bunch more, and sell them, that'd be cool.

 

[UnNaturalinc]

That's pretty neat. I like how it still closes.

Too bad it uses that entire compartment though. What if that plate was the door hinged door instead?

 

[www.03msp.com]

Pretty cool.

 

[Damaga]

that's so sweet!!!
you still need to have the key in the inignition to start it, right?

 

[Swerny]

Well done!

 

[Yellospeed]

Woot woot.. sweet.. make one for me! Seriously!

 

[AutoBox]

that's so sweet!!!
you still need to have the key in the inignition to start it, right?

yeh it has to be on the "on" position.....then u push the button

 

[grcuadros]

Woot woot.. sweet.. make one for me! Seriously!

that is badass! (cool)

edit: does it come with a little nos button? (rockon) haha

 

[jred321]

that looks nice

i've been thinking of trying to do something like that where the door still closes but with gauges, i just think most gauges will be too big so i gotta do some measuring/searching for smaller gauges

 

[Golani]

Wow, thanks for all the positive response!

The reason we put it in the box was partly because my car is visually stock and I kind of want to keep that semi-stealth aspect of it. But also because this is completely temporary and if I decide one day to remove it, things go back to normal by just undoing a few wires. As for having the acrylic fill the entire space with the box removed there would be an issue with mounting it, as well as being able to see through into the wires and other mess that sit under the dash.

We considered wiring it to be keyless, but since it's my daily driver and I work in a real sketchy part of town at night...figured maybe we shouldn't pre-hotwire the car for any potential thieves. The relay is hooked up to the wires that get power when the key is turned to the on position. Only downside is that without a 2nd relay you lose the accessory position.

 

[Spooled]

That's awesome! Great job! I like it with the door still there so you can hide it.

I have one question, though. If you accidently it it while the car is running (ie - passenger bumps it reaching for the stereo), does it grind the starter, or do you have a cutout once the engine is running?

 

[srtchick]

Def original I like it! (thumb)

 

[DigitalHeadShot]

that looks really nice man. Good craftsmenship if you ask me. How does she look in person?

 

[Golani]

Yeah so if you were to push the button while the car is running it would be the same as turning your key while driving. But on the other hand it is pretty difficult to do accidentally. The button is rather stiff, and on top of that the chrome is flush with the plastic and the red part is recessed so you couldn't brush it and depress it enough to do anything. I can't really think of anyway to have a automatic cutout other than going into the engine bay and pulling a voltage off of one of the wires that runs the fuel or the spark plugs for a cutout circuit and it's just not worth messing with. =/

 

[spicynamja]

thats pretty cool - I like it

 

[DSMConvert]

badass idea...i like the idea of leaving the door for stock look, im also currently trying to figure out a way to have the gauges with the door to close and cover....