Ever since I got my ipod, I have been wanting to find a mounting solution for it. I did not like the kuda mounts.. they are too pronounced and intrusive. I wanted something that looked good, yet was not sticking out like a sore thumb, so I started thinking up a design.

I decided that I wanted something that was kind of like the c5 aftermarket cupholders that go under the side of the center console.

I bought an aluminum ipod case on ebay a while back, and it has a round plug on the back where I can attach a belt clip. I don't care for the belt clip, so I never use it, but I wanted to use that plug for the mount and make a notch to slide that plug into on the mount.

A friend of mine is better at the fabrication side, so with the idea fine tuned, we set out to make the mount. We used some thin aluminum so that we could easily cut and bend it to our liking.

The bottom lip of the mount is just to prevent the ipod from swinging around side to side.. it is small enough so that the ipod2car connector still attaches and detaches without interference. We also put some black felt-like material on it mainly for looks but also to help hold it in place a bit as well.

Here is the final product:

This is it mounted... it extends under the console, and I used some industrial strength velcro to hold it in place on the inside.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod006.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod008.jpg

A view of the back of the ipod case so you can see what I was talking about as far as the plug that will slide into the notch on the mount:
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod011.jpg

Here is the ipod mounted:

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod013.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod014.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod015.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod016.jpg
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...od/ipod018.jpg

the aluminum case from ebay is actually pretty nice. the only downside to it was that it did not have a glass cover over the screen when it arrived, so if the screen looks a bit scratched up in the pictures, it's because I actually cut up the plastic case that came with it and used that as my "screen cover". I need to get a small piece of glass cut to replace that eventually.

what do you all think?

 

It looks cool.
I would cut a small hole in the side carpet and pull the iPod cable through that. There is always a change someone will snag that cable and rip your iPod out of its holder.

 

Thanks!

I thought about running that portion of the cable under the carpet, but I want some slack in the cable... mainly because there are times that I or the passenger wants to pick up the ipod, scan through it and manually select some music. so it needs some slack for that. maybe someone will make an ipod2car with a retractable cable there at the ipod end of it

 

Not bad. I would have put it on the driver side, easier access. Did you try that and not like it? You going to make one for me?

 

Good point.

I had my 1st iPod in the center console and the heat killed the original battery (which i replaced) then it warped the 'drive'. So I bought a new iPod and wired it into the glovebox.

 

I didn't try it on the driver's side.. just because usually it's the passenger that is messing around with it. For me, generally, I just put it on my playlist and go... so with it there on the passenger side, it's easier for them. I would think it would work on the drivers side as well. I can check.

Of course we could make some more for someone needing one. Do you have a case on yours? We would have to make it a bit different based on that... would have to make some side lips and make the bottom a hook style instead of the small lip for an ipod with no case.

 

No case, but I could get one like yours.

 

yeah, that was my original plan as well.. just to run the cable into the console and have it in there.. but after putting it in there one day, it got VERY hot from the heat from the transmission, so I said "ok, forget that idea"

 

Very nice and ingenious.

This is how I had my SanDisk player mounted.
I used a piece of the black plastic trim that stereo shops use for car installations. I heated and bent it into a "Z" of sorts. I took off the center console and picked up a radio mounting bolt hole and a "tab" for stability. I mounted it using the one radio mount bolt and put the center console back on. The piece stuck out between the center console and the dash with no drilling or modifications to any parts.

To the black plastic piece I attached a cheapy automobile cell phone holder.

Click for the big pic.

 

sent you a pm

 

looks real nice man... good job!

 

Looks great. How did you bend the aluminum?

 

 

Thanks!

for the 90 degree angle bend for the bottom lip, we used a vice and a metal block. for the Z type curved bends in the middle, we used the vice and bent it over a round metal bar.

 

Thanks

 

How did you run the wire? You should start making and selling these

 

I'm glad you posted that, that is where I just put mine. Guess I'm going to be moving it!



TJ

 

I guess I'll be moving mine until I put in the insulation kit from Crazycowboy. David

 

I like my ipod close by. Looking good.

Paul G.

 

Thank you.

The wire ran behind the console cover and came out near the bracket.

Sorry to hijack.:o