I was thinking of installing a front and rear dash cam setup, and I was wondering where would be the best place to grab power and what the optimal wiring path would be. I was thinking I could either wire directly into the rearview mirror wires, but I also plan to remove my sunvisors and I was wondering if the connectors from those would be suitable as well. I want to use a dash cam with a parking mode, so I would need whatever I wire into to be powered even when the car is turned off.

Also, with regards to the rear dash cam, I was wondering where the optimal location to place it would be. For reference, I will be installing this in a hatchback coupe. I was thinking of using double sided tape to mount the rear dash camera in the middle of the interior halo trim, but I'm worried that the angle with the curved hatch glass will distort what the camera records. Does anybody have experience with this?

My knowledge on wiring is fairly limited, so if anybody has recommendations or pictures detailing the install process, they would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

I don't have a rear cam, but I run a front camera and it's been a life saver twice.

I have this:
And they have a hardwire kit:
The hardwire kit is run to the fuse panel in the passenger floor board. The wire is tucked up under the A-pillar on the passenger side and the front window trim.





The quality of the video is great. Picks up audio astoundingly well, too.

Looks like they offer a new version that has a rear camera bundled:

 

Because of all the electrical anomolies in the C5, I decided not to tap into an existing line. I opened the BCM under the dash on passenger side and used open fuse slot 11 in my 04. This is a key off fuse. I understand earlier C5's have a wire already in the BCM for add on. That wire was not included in the '04's. I ran the wire from the BCM up the passenger's door frame then along the top molding. Sorry, no pics. If the additional wire has been already been used for another add on, you can get a piggy-back fuse plug and put it in one of the existing fuse slots that is key off.

 

following

 

I use a fuse tap to add an additional circuit for the camera. The fuse tap leaves the original circuit alone, without any changes. Just remember to fuse the original circuit with the same fuse. I used the ground close by. I used a 5 amp fuse for the new circuit. Then I split the power, with one line staying at 12 V to power a radar detector. In my case the radar detector needed a cable with a RJ 35 connector. The other line I hook to a 12 V to 5V dc to dc transformer. Just make sure to get a transformer that will give you enough amps to run what you need. From the 5V output, I split it to three USB connector: one for front, one for the rear, and one I ran to the center console to charge my phone. Once you get here, you just use the correct USB cable to power you cameras. I put the transformer underneath the dash right on the center tunnel.
Now for the front camera, I took the radar detector and USB cable, put them in a cable sleeve. Run it underneath the dash, up the A piller, across the roof to the middle of the windshield. You can easily pop the A pillar cover off to hide all the wiring. I tuck the wiring underneath the headliner and just have the wire pop out in the middle to connect to the camera and radar detector.
For the rear camera, you will need to connect the data cable, from the front camera, which has your screen, across the roof, down the A pillar. There you will meet the USB cable from the transformer that will power you rear camera. Some system will use a proprietary cable from the front camera that contains both the power and data cables. In that case you do not need the USB cable for power. I ran that under the threshold trim. Tuck under the trim behind the seat all the way to the back off the car. I use the same point that the stock wiring exit the trunk. I mouth the camera on the rear bumper cover, just above the license plate. So you run the wire out the trunk, behind the cover to the camera. I cannot remember now if I needed a bigger grommet when I exited the trunk to pass the extre cable through. I am think there was enough room.
As you can see, this process leaves the only expose wires as the USB cable and radar detector cable that drops from the headliner to you devices, it is just a few inches. Just trim that out with a cable sleeve to make it look nice.

 

Where does the stock wiring exit the trunk? Thanks for the detailed response, this was more or less what I had planned to do but I had planned to keep the rear camera inside since I thought I would need to drill a hole in the trunk to mount outside.

 

If I remember right, by the tail lights. I did not think I made my own hole so it must be an existing one.
If you want to drill a hole, not a big deal. Just get a grommet to seal it up. I did that when I move the battery to the trunk. Needed to bolt the battery box down. It is composite panel, you do not even have to paint it to prevent rust.

 

Thanks, if there's an existing one I'll just use that.

 

A Mirror tap is easy option too for power

 

I have the same camera in my black 99 and also in my 97 Expedition. I'm fixing to put one in my red 99. I also went with the optional hardwire kit for all three vehicles.

 

Would that be powered even while the corvette is off? I want to be able to use parking mode as well

 

It depends on where and which wire you tap

 

Sorry, I was wondering if the mirror wires specifically would be live even with the ignition off (or does the mirror harness have both types of wires in it?) If so, would you happen to know which specific wires within that harness would be powered even while the car is off?

 

No, the mirror power is switched, not constant.

Orange is switched +12V and black is ground if you DON'T have an auto-dimming mirror (early cars) and Brown is +12V and Orange is ground if you DO have an autodimming mirror.

But there's no constant power. No need for it in the mirror. You have to get it from the fuse box, which isn't that hard.

What year is your car?

 

I dont have it yet,, but I should get it pretty soon. It's a 2003 coupe

 

Do tell?