Well, shortly after getting our C5 earlier this year, I decided that I wanted to get some sort of Homelink installed to open our garage doors. I hate carrying these old antique humongous transmitters in the console, let alone clipped to the visor.
I did some research on having one of the forum vendors do a visor conversion for about $150 using my visor. He gets rave reviews and I was very close to pulling the trigger and having him do the conversion. Then I considered replacing the rear view mirrow with one that has homelink built in. Not a very cost effective choice, and there were some other limitations with that option due to our courtesy lights being in the stock mirror. Anyhow, my other option was to do a custom install myself. That would be the cheapest way, as well as the most unique, so I went for it.
I made a 'write-up' and posted it on our website. That can be viewed HERE.
Basically, I bought a rolling-code, visor mounted, Homelink transmitter on that online auction site. This one was $45 buy it now. They can be had cheaper at a junkyard if you don't mind searching, or online if you don't mind bidding on an auction and hoping for the best.
Mine arrived in 2 days and I got right to work. Here's a picture after I attached my ribbon cable to the corresponding surface mount pads on the transmitter board:

Then I used a small piece of 0.1" perf board to mount the switches and LED on. I wired that to the other end of the ribbon cable:

I mounted the remote board in the front edge of the console, just to the right of the 12v power outlet (a convenient source of 12v unswitched power, by the way). The small piece of perf board on the right side of the picture is a drill template to make sure the holes line up with the buttons and LED.

Here's a picture of the functional setup:

Although I found this install to be pretty straight forward, some electronics experience is pretty handy. Also, having the proper tools is a must to get into a project like this. I don't have part numbers for the components used yet, but I'll post them on the write-up once I have them.
Hopefully someone will find my write-up helpful.
If not, maybe you can use our ROCKING SEAT FIX instead?

 

 

Steve,
Great idea and nice write up!
I bought a Homelink transmitter from the same sources, been trying to decide where to mount it. Don't want it in the visor. Your site really explains it well!

Regards
Don

 

Don,
Good luck with your install. These push buttons are from Mouser (www.mouser.com) and can be had for $0.16 each. LED was a random part I found laying around here at work.
I initially wanted to used the built in buttons but there was really no place that the form factor of the transmitter would fit. I thought maybe mounting it under the console with the buttons facing upward into the console would work until I pulled the console out to find there is ZERO space under it. Makes sense if you think about it.
Let me know if I can help you out with part numbers for the parts.

 

Very cool install. Nice writeup too.

 

Thanks for the information. I've been thinking about going the mirror route, but I like your idea even better. I'll have to figure out another area to mount it. I've drilled a nice sized hole for my Ipod cable right where you mounted it. David

 

David,
Thanks.
There might be enough room to mount the button board horizontal under the gas door switch. Especially if you put the LED on the end instead of along side the buttons.

The mirror route...
I was initially thinking of getting the Gentex (50-GENK42) mirror that has mood lights like the stock auto dimming mirror in the vette, but with the addition of Homelink capabilities. I received this from the seller of the mirror who seems to really know these mirrors:
"Also, just a heads up, this mirror (50-GENK42)does have Mood/Map lights but they can't be wired to automatically come on when you open the car door like your current mirror may be. I just don't want you to loose that functionality if you currently have it and depend on it to be able to see when you enter your car in the dark."
I thought that was great information before spending that much coin on a mirror.

Good luck, which ever method you decide to go with.

 

Thanks Jack!

 

That's a great looking install... ...never seen one mounted there before...

 

I thought my homelink install in my visor was cool. That's until I saw your set-up. Man that is really slick Nice job.... Maybe you can make (and sell) some of these for those that are electronically challenged.

 

I bought a Homelink on Flebay and installed it above the rear view mirror. I wired it into the drivers mirror for power.

 

This is mine. Man I really like the original posters set-up.

 

LIKE YOUR IDEA'S!

 

That's a great place for the homelink... I like the way it looks....

 

yes !!! thanks for taking the time to share your handiwork

 

Great mod!

 

Thanks Jack!

 

good job!

isn't it a hassle, though, to have to open the console every time you come home and leave?

 

I had to open the center console and fumble with the original garage door transmitter, so I don't find it a hassle at all. Not to mention the install is clean, and totally out of site.

 

Thanks for all the positive comments, fellas.