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  1. #1
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    Default Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    I am new to this forum and I need your help and expertise. I have been a "lead foot" with my trusty V1 for quite some time. Great product except for I/O and laser which can make anyone toast if you’re not paying attention.

    I bought a new Mazda 3 Sedan and I am interested in seeing some stealth installs.

    I travel 200 miles a day to get to work; it is all highway at 70 MPH legal!

    I have viewed several other car installs and like a few I saw where the Valentine One is installed on the back seat deck. One BMW owner put the V1 in a rear parking light that sits on the rear deck and another built a box out of Medium Density Board and some interior fabric. Both were awlsome. I have some ideas but I am an idiot when it comes to cars and electricity. I am pretty handy but not an expert. The thought of taking apart my new car is intimidating to say the least.

    I have three ideas I am toying with.
    1) I thought about just doing something simple like mounting the V1 in the sun visor with the visor clip on the far left hand side. It would be very easy to just route the telephone wire across both sun visors, down the pillars, stuff the wire under the dash and use cigarette lighter plug in with V1 concealed remote. In doing so, I can remove the V1 as needed. Kind of stealth but not really! (Easiest) At least it is not seating in the middle of the window saying “Catch me if you can”!

    2) Same as above but I am interested in doing a direct wire (there are map lights near the rear view mirror) with the concealed remote in the ash tray with a kill switch attached to the turn signal.

    3) Get rear brake light housing from a junk yard and mount the V1 in there. Run a concealed remote to the driver cabin and put a speaker system in the center arm rest.



    4) Build a box and mount on rear deck.


    I love the back seat desk idea but I’m a little concern with the V1 siting in the car all the time and the heat in the cabin on hot days. Here is NC, with a dark gray interior; I am guessing it can get pretty hot.

    Input welcomed. I know I am asking alot but I need very detailed instructions and recommendation. Thanks

  2. #2
    Power User
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    Apr 2006
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    3,405

    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    Quote Originally Posted by pwest View Post
    I travel 200 miles a day to get to work
    Just to get to work? Or is that round trip????

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    94 Miles one way. It stiinks but compared to those out of work, I am not complaining.

  4. #4
    Speed Demon
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    You've obviously done a lot of surfing in the install area. Well done! Nobody knows how to do anything until they are taught or until they try. Just have some confidence and know that if you have any questions or problems, there are some real addicts here that will contribute to a solution within 30 minutes most days. If you want some starter suggestions, post some pictures of the inside of your car, or just your car model so we can google it. I enjoy the customization aspect of this hobby a LOT more than the game, so this is the bread and butter of what I like. Keep posting. =)

    rc

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    Thanks for the kind words. I have surfed alot. While I have seen a lot of elaborate stealth installs, Right now I just have it stuff into the headliner with ta concealed wire going frm the visor down the pillar under the dash to the cig lighter. Not bad. Very hard to see from the back widow with the factory tint/ I am going to order a remote display and see what goes from there. The folks who do the rear mount say that there is no loss in singal strengh but with all the travel I do, protection counts. There are so many really cool installs out there but people are modest with the posts from what I see
    Last edited by pwest; 04-06-2009 at 07:45 AM.

  6. #6
    Speed Demon
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    North Central Indiana
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    People who take part in a hobby rarely pat their own backs. You basically have 4 options:

    1. Attach the V1 to the headliner for a permanent (non suction cup) install that is as high as possible.

    2. Attach the V1 to the uppermost area of the windshield.

    3. Attach the V1 to the rear headliner, dashboard, or headrest in some extremely clever way.

    In all of these cases, a concealed display is a must. Until you are able to have no worry about you having to see the V1, you can't open your mind to the install possibilities.

    Personally, I took a couple pairs of vicegrips to the visor mount that came with the v1. I bent the hell out of the "hook" and stuck it up into the headliner. Then I put some velcro between the "hook" and the windshield to render the mount immobile. Picture attached.





    The second picture is exactly how my setup is now with one exception....the Sirius player now has a buried mini jack cord rather than the coiled one that comes down the dash.

    rc

  7. #7
    Professional
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    Sep 2007
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    East Texas
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    I PM you and I'll post my pictures on this thread when I get my car from the body shop that I got in a wreck at their fault two weeks ago. It is Mazda 6 by the way but I did have Mazda 3 with V1 last year but I never took pictures of it. I don't know if you just want Mazda 3 pictures?

  8. #8
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    Talking Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    Thanks for showing your pics. How did you not break the visor clip when you bent it to stick in the headliner. On the Mazda 3 there is an area where it might accept a visor clip but it would have to be pretty thin and traight. Again, thatnk for the pics, they were very helpfiul.

  9. #9
    Speed Demon
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    The visor clip is very hardy. Just place some vice grips side by side, and slowly bend it to fit. You need to have a general idea of how you want to bend it. You don't need precise measurements, but you need to have a goal that you're reaching for. The black powder coat will flake off at the bend points, but you needn't worry about that. As I stated with my setup, a second contact point for stabilization is helpful. It just so happened that I had about .3 of a centimeter between the visor clip and the windshield (at the very top) and stuck some stick back velcro in there so that I can take the mount down if needed. I'd prefer not to do this, but if you would really like to see mine with the bend i'll take it down and snap a few shots.

    rc

  10. #10
    Lead Foot
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    Jan 2009
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    HSV
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    Default Re: Valentine One Mounting Mazda 3

    Quote Originally Posted by pwest View Post
    I love the back seat desk idea but I’m a little concern with the V1 siting in the car all the time and the heat in the cabin on hot days. Here is NC, with a dark gray interior; I am guessing it can get pretty hot.
    Heat definitely will hurt these units. I've had to send each of mine back to VR after a few years in Alabama heat.

    But if you plan to make a box for it, just have vents on it and a solor powered fan assembly. That way, it will always have some air circulation.

 

 

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