WHealy

A little while back, I installed my Neo Jukebox in my RX-8 but never posted the control unit pics as I never really had it completed. Unfortunately, I don't have the skills (or patience : ) to properly cut an opening in my interior for the placement I choose. I tried to "cover" it with a vinyl piece, but without any "thickness" to it, it just didn't look right.

I decided to try a domed piece of vinyl from a sign shop. I gave them a call and some diagrams to create a bezel out of black chrome vinyl. It took a few iterations on my measurements, but we got it done. I'll post the indoors pictures here and follow-up with clearer outdoor pictures if the sun ever comes out again in Indiana when I have my interior clean.

Just thought I would share.

Tamas

iTrader: (1)

That's pretty cool...
This is an interesting topic for me since I'll start with the installation of my Neo jukebox as soon as OverLOAD will be done with the aux-in module... (hopefully soon)

The location you chose was my first thought too, but now I'm rather interested in placing the control module in place of the ashtray so I can close the lid and hide the control unit. It will be certainly not too easy to do that since the space is tight and I will have to hack away on the plastic piece there, but I hope I'll get there someday.

Congrats for the completed install.

NoVa

Tamas, I put my jukebox remote in the ashtray. I think that will be very hard to put it in the ashtray and still be able to open and close. My only solution would be to cut the lid and put the ashtray in there like someone did with their xm commander like you suggested. I couldnt put it where whealy put it because of nav controls.

*back on topic* Looking great whealy keep up the good work. You do everything that i would want to do, but i dont have the fortitude/funds to do it right now ...

th1rd3y3

the control looks pretty sweet......the blue stuff is vomit inducing though

mikeb

WOW how RUDE are you

Rev It Up

Maybe not vomit inducing but the blue carbon fiber and the blue shift *** certainly dont match. Just an opinion.

Spin9k

I too was looking at that 'carbon fiber' stuff on ebay as a possibility. It was like $160 or $180 for the entire dash kit. Good I saw this.

Perhaps it looks a little better in person (probably does), but from what you show, maybe it's just the pics and with the flash... but, well ... it looks kinda like shelf paper stuck there... maybe it's the color... maybe it's the design... but IMHO it looks really, really bad, sadly, and cheapens the interior, sorry WHealy ... I had higher hopes for it. Maybe another shade....

At least you tried it. Peace anyway.

PS do they say it comes off fairly easily?

PPS I DO like the blue dyed interior pieces all by themselves. Simple was better.

WHealy

No problem with dissenting opinions. To each his own. I will say that while you may not like the carbon fiber/interior dye color combination, I don’t think it’s fair to judge the carbon fiber quality based on the pic. I think the best pics are those that are naturally lighted which means sunny days. Not many of those in Indy right now. So I can’t really take better pics. I’ll include a previously posted pic from a cloudy day that I think is a better representation, but still not what I would like.

My main point with this post was to 1) show the neo jukebox control install and 2) show some options that can be had with domed vinyl. Very interesting stuff. Considering having some RX-8 logos made out of the stuff. Should be pliable and look very similar to exterior plates.

As for the color combination, I can share a recent story. Last week my son and I went to shop at “Worst Buy”. We parked way out in that parking lot for obvious reasons. As we walked out, some younger guys (certainly wouldn’t use the term kids even though they did call me sir!) were parked close to my car. As we got in, one of them came over to ask me questions about the carbon fiber. He wanted to know how difficult the install was. We chatted for a moment and he offered up that he was really impress with the CF in the car. Certainly not trying to “prove” anything just thought it was an interesting observation by someone that had seen the kit in person and was somewhat objective. He also wanted to know if the wheels were stock and I told him there were snows and coming off soon. He immediate wanted to know if I wanted to sell them. I assured him that I would need them again next winter and would be keeping them!

From my perspective, I like the setup I don’t mind opening myself up to criticism to help others with similar mods or to know what not to do based on their personal opinions.

WHealy

If you don't like Indiana weather, just complain about it on a web site and it will change ...

Some pictures with near the lighting I would like. I did look closely and I beleive the blue in the CF is a very close match to the blue interior pieces. Of course the difference is that it has black mixed in making it look darker. Again, not trying to discount previous comments, just trying to clarify.

WHealy

... and ...

Spin9k

You're right, these pics look really good! I hadn't thought about the black mixed in making the blue look wrong, even if the blue is spot on. The black fiber can make the blue look purple, I guess that's what I saw.

Anyway, ok, you convinced me, I won't discount this application just yet. I'm not surprised you have people showing attention to your work !

Speaking of the domed vinyl, is that like vacu-formed to a mold or how do they go about that? You said "I gave them a call and some diagrams to create a bezel out of black chrome vinyl."

What kind of diagrams did you give them to work with? And "black chrome vinyl" - I don't see any chrome, black vinyl -yes. Is it thick and stiff, I think of vinyl as softish stuff?

Cheers

WHealy

I’ll include the diagram pic, but it’s just measurements.

Yea I’m real happy with the stuff I’ve gotten from IPT. Parker seems real busy, but always comes through.

I believe the domer guy is calling it black chrome because of the dooming process. The process adds a nice gloss that “kind of” turns the black vinyl into a black chrome piece. Naming is in the eye of the vendor. He actually uses this stuff to make multiple color pieces that fit in the etched out portion of a Chrysler Prowler bumper where the name resides. Kind of like the GT or Cobra etching in the bumper of the appropriate mustang. The pieces created look very similar to the emblems that we have on our cars.

From what I’ve read of the doming process, it’s a “goo” that’s placed typically over vinyl and causes a chemical reaction over several hours. The result is a clear covering over the vinyl that is a semi-circle in it’s cross section. Again, very similar to our emblems. I tried to find some shops here in Indy that used the process with no luck. I basically called this guy because I’ve used him before and was tired of checking here. But you could use this process for lots of things … say a custom 2 din head unit bezel …

Hope that helps.

Chevy

WHealy, I really like your car, You mind if i borrow some of your ideas? When I get my 8 the first think i am going to do is have a interior shop do a two-tone black/blue leather setup. I think that the negative feed back was just from only seeing one part and not the whole car's interior. Again nice car.

Zoom, Zoom

WHealy

Chevy,


Thanks.

No copywrite on the things I've done to the interior. As far as the "blue" parts go, they are mostly a take off from Mazda. So certianly not my idea originally. And if you do the seats, you certianly aren't copying me! Feel free to use the pics/ideas however you see fit.

If you are serious about the seats, check out this thread from Tamas. There's some good info there. I checked into having a shop blue mine similar to the Mazda red interior package that included the seats. I was quoted double what Tamas said he paid. If he had done his before mine, I would have stronly considerd sending my parts out to have someone else do them!

Hanzo

Carbon Fiber add-ons are not very good. The idea of carbon fiber is to reduce weight, add-ons are just that, add on weight. Looks too ricey IMO.

mikeb

my black cf dash kit comes in tomorrow and I will be sure to post pics for you guys

stuart99

wow thats awesome. i just think the blue carbon fiber ruined it. maybe if yu can get it just blue no carbon fiber. it'll look excellent like that. PM me about what the jukebox does. i have no clue =[. wel yeah good stuff thouhg. looks good and useful.

mikeb

1

Krayzie8

how much did it cost to change the interior color?
i plan on using an aluminum accent kit, and i would like to change the seat inserts and door inserts to silver leather, and was just wonering what it would cost me for the leather.

Krayzie8

i wonder what the silver carbon fiber looks like???

Krayzie8

i just ordered the dimond plated floor matts, and was thinking about what would go with them? any opinions????