installing a 9500ci in the maro? anyone else done it? good mouting locations?

[Arachnyd]

8 just bought my 9500ci yesterday and I'm about to install it. I can't decide where to mount the display unit... any suggestions? Anyone else done it yet??

[Racer-X]

disassemble the display and fabricate it into your Rear view mirror.

[Arachnyd]

That is actually the greatest idea ever... especially on the onstar equipped vehicles, there is enough room for it.

Whose white camaro is that? It looks darn beautiful...

[Racer-X]

The white Camaro is an LS3 that belongs to one of our Customers. The pictures I posted just don't seem to do it all the justice... much better when seen in person.

[SS Drifter]

It is fairly easy to integrate into the instrument cluster directly above the DIC.

[Arachnyd]

That looks great... Thanks Drifter! I think thats where I'll mount it.

Where did you end up mounting the control panel? I used to have an SRX and for that it just had a small button I stashed on the side of the shifter... this one I was thinking between the shifter and the cup holders, but wanted to see if you had any other ideas?

Thanks!

[SS Drifter]

I mounted the control in the depression just to the right of the steering wheel. This was primarily for stealth reasons and it was easy to wire.

The rear laser positioning was a bit of a challenge. Mount it under the license plate and it sticks out like a sore thump, above the plate and it blocks the license lamp. I wish Escort would have included an integrated LED license lamp in the unit. I'm looking for an LED strip that I could apply to the bottom of the laser unit to illuminate the rear plate.

If you are thinking about going with a heritage grill now would be a good time. Access for mounting the front radar/laser units is difficult. In hindsight it would have been quicker to just remove the entire front bumper.

[Arachnyd]

The SRX went off all the time so I needed quick access to shut it off. I guess with the ci, you probably cut out a lot of the false alerts quickly, eh? I was planning on installing the front jammers in the lower grill region. The CEO of escort is a primary investor in my company, so I may have to give him a hard time if I run into any problems. he set me up with the contact information for their install guy at the corp. office so I may have to see what he has to say. I know the motorcycle guys have escort install headphone jacks on their radar detectors. I can ask them about LEDs under the rear jammer unit. If the draw is low enough, which I anticipate LEDs may be, you may just be able to piggy back off the existing power running to the rear unit.

Thanks a ton for your help/feedback. that helps a ton!

[Racer-X]

for LED stuff check out Oznium.com

[SS Drifter]

Amigo, PM'd you back.

For anyone doing this mod you need to remove the cluster bezel to gain access to the cluster mounting screws. It comes off pretty tight and I had to work it for several minutes before the clips would release. Once you get the bezel off its a piece of cake. When the cluster is out just pop off a few retainers on the cluster and it will sperate. Watch out for dust and finger prints on the inside of the cluster, every little spec showes up. Also, don't use any fuming glues like silicon or CA, it will fog the lens premanitely.

[SS Drifter]

The ci doesn't false much. I pick up some guys that are runnung full time laster jammers. Theres one guy around town that has a radar jammer that causes falses. Once you use the ci you'll notice that not all radar guns are are the same frequency so his jammer probably doesn't jam much of anything.

[Arachnyd]

3 months later I finally finished the install. Not completely satisfied.

I love the button/remote placement (thanks to the one at http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...=1#post2144073)

I love the display placement (same place you put yours SS Drifter)

I love the speaker location (top right of the gauge cluster installed while the cluster was out- Makes it sound like its coming from the center channel and it's super loud)

Love the location of the USB (right to the top right of accellerator pedal)

Pleased with the location of the extra wire and the control module (Behind panel to the left of the clutch pedal)

Satisfied with the GPS module - located behind the current antenna/module on the outside of the vehicle (was going to do inside the window, but this is probably better)

Satisfied with laser jammer location (Inside lower grille. Fits with VHB tape if you take the build in mounts off. Looks good, and should work good

Not too pleased with my location of the radar unit and I think I am going to try to find a better place to mount it. Currently it's under the car mounted to the front bumper. It cuts into ground clearance slightly, but I could not for the life of me find any other places to mount it. It does work well there though. Thats where the SRX was mounted on my 3000GT I had before this.

Not at all happy with the rear jammer unit. It blocks the LP light and creates a "halo" around the unit like "look at me I have a laser jammer. Come harass me". So I pulled the bulbs and ran LED strips under the jammer unit. I guess I'm at a "it works" stage, but the idea of it still being like that in 10 years does not make me jump for joy. The wires are visible from the outside, and I dont like that. I'll be continuing to look for a good solution, but I haven't seen anyone with any solutions yet.


I'll probably post up an "install guide" if I get around to it.

In the meantime I posted up locations if anyone else opts to give it a shot.

and I still raise two "thoughts" as to the best placement solutions for:
1. Radar Unit
2. Rear Jammer

[SS Drifter]

Try mounting the radar antenna right behind the bowtie. The bowtie is plastic and it will not interfere with reception. With some minor fab the bracket will bolt just below the hood release. The supplied bracket will work but, it vibrates too much in my opinion. I'll fab a new mounting bracket when I get around to installing the Henessy grill.

[SSCamaroKid]

i just did this with mine works great and real stealth

Originally Posted by SS Drifter

It is fairly easy to integrate into the instrument cluster directly above the DIC.