Fabricating Custom Mount

[DaViper]

How should I make this a clean install (look at the pic)? I have 2 of the plastic pieces that usally over that hole, but I'm not sure how I could cut a perfect mount for this in that plastic piece and have it look nice. The black piece the radar detector is mounted through (yes, it is a remote mount radar detector (whistler pro-3450), and it's displaying the battery voltage since it isn't recieveing a radar signal in the pic) came with the radar, and as you can see, it sticks out a little too far from the sides of the hole. Any ideas on a reltively easy way to make a nice mount in that hole? I don't want to fiberglass if I can avoid it. Any ideas?

Thanks!
-DaViper

 

[323CiP5]

if the detector stays in place, could you not take a black piece of plastic and with a dremel cut it to size and glue it....assuming you didn't want to take it out any more?

 

[DaViper]

that's what I was thinking of doing, but I dont have a dremel. Think I came up with a good idea I've almost finished. I took a block of foam from packing materials I had, and cut it to the size of the hole in the radio, then cut out the shape of the detector. I now just need to figure out how to make the front smooth, and the color of the black plastic.

Thanks!
-DaViper

 

[DaViper]

Well, I fnally figured out what to do. I just bought a square foot of ".019 mil aluminum" although I think it's thicker than .019...that seems very small. I then measured out the hole's size and cut a piece out of a corner to those measurements. The I traced the radar's shape on the piece, and drilled a hole in the center to start the scissors from. Since the metal bends easily and bends flat again without much work, it wasn't too bad to cut, and I was able to do it all in about an hour. I painted it with the black spraypaint I had, but I'm going to go buy some paint that is closer to the factory black plastic color on Monday and reaint it. I decided I wanted it recessed into the opening a bit to reduce glare, and I'm also shaving down the cover that was there so that I can put the cover back on and it will look stock when I want to hide it.

Let me know what you think!
-DaViper

 

[bazooka joe]

you paint that bad boy up and it will look great!! and the cover still will fit over it?

 

[Brian MP5T]

Nice use for a waste of space...

 

[DaViper]

you paint that bad boy up and it will look great!! and the cover still will fit over it?

I shaved the original piece down so it's only about 1/4" thick, and all the lines running across the back are sanded out. I still haven't gotten the piece to fit yet, since something is going to have to hold it (or I may add some foam to the edges again), but it should work when I have time to finish it. I just need to find what paint to buy now.

Thanks!
-DaViper

 

[323CiP5]

Good job, yah it definitely needs the paint, maybe CF? dunno if you have any other CF trim in the car.! BTW did you hard wire the detector? if not that might be another idea for you!

 

[DaViper]

Good job, yah it definitely needs the paint, maybe CF? dunno if you have any other CF trim in the car.! BTW did you hard wire the detector? if not that might be another idea for you!

Yea, it's all hardwired. I think I just want to keep the stock look on the radio though. I tried a glossier black paint earlier...I'll see in the morning how it looks when dry.

Thanks!
-DaViper

 

[illogik]

Here's what worked for me (to get rid of the silver trim around my Kenwood head unit): spray down a base coat of flat black and then finish up with a crystal clear coat over top.

 

[DaViper]

Here's what worked for me (to get rid of the silver trim around my Kenwood head unit): spray down a base coat of flat black and then finish up with a crystal clear coat over top.

Great idea! I'll give it a try if this black doesnt work out!

Thanks!
-DaViper

 

[bazooka joe]

Good job, yah it definitely needs the paint, maybe CF? dunno if you have any other CF trim in the car.! BTW did you hard wire the detector? if not that might be another idea for you!

ya, they sell that cf sheets that are stickey back. maybe a piece like that will look good too?