TomTom fitted with easy get back to 1973

[Always wanted a Stag]

fitting socket.JPGMount 2.jpgsocket in position.JPGTomTom in place.JPGback to normal.JPG

I have to admit that the satnav is something of a must have these days but I hate having a current day products added to my '73 Stag and I have managed to make a mount for the TomTom which can be totally removed in five seconds and the car returned to it's classic looks.

I have made a bracket which fits onto the back of the centre air vents and have mounted a cigarette lighter socket onto this which is then powered by an ignition controlled 12V supply.

I have then 'modified' an plug which used to have a universal phone mount so that it would accept a TomTom mount.

The 'modified plug' provides power (12V) to a 12V cigarette socket into which is plugged a 5V USB cigarette plug. This then powers the satnav mount by way of a short miniUSB/USB lead.

To fit the satnav, simply rotate the two air vents through 90 degrees so that the rears of each vent face each other,
Then insert the 'modified plug' which is then live with a 5V supply and the place the satnav onto the mount (on a TomTom 5000, the mount is magnetic).

To get back to 1973, simply pull out the 'modified plug', swing the two vents back to their normal position and store the satnav and mount in the locked glovebox.

Looks good when the satnav is in place and provides a powered supply without wires all over the place and is easy to get back to original looks.

I need to finish off the installation by painting the bracket at the rear of the vents black so that it is not visible.

It's a it tricky getting everything lined up and you need a thin plug to modify ( the gap between the two vents is a bit tight) but I am well pleased.

As this is my first post, I hope the photos attach properly.

Stag is now mothballed until the new year. Had a great drive yesterday with the roof down - sunshine and 3 degrees.
Until I got hit twice by the salt spreaders.

[jleyton]

What an excellent idea - well done (and the pics worked perfectly)

I'm thinking of making a fitment for my phone so that I can use the Google maps sat nav and this gives me further food for thought - although I guess it will reduce or totally stop air through the centre vents ?

There's only one thing which I don't think is a good idea - mothballing the car Go on, use it all year round - salty roads excepted, of course.

Cheers

Julian

[Always wanted a Stag]

Glad the pictures worked

As for the airflow, I only use the car with the roof down (all year) unless I get caught out and it starts raining unexpectedly - great fun as the roof is more difficult to get done up than my last year's trousers - difference is that the trousers haven't shrunk unlike the hood .

The Stag is only mothballed whilst I go off to Lanzarote to get away from the crowds and relatives over Christmas and New Year !!!

Hope to have it out and about in early January so that I can send a few selfies to the lily livered friends who cannot believe that I go out without the roof in anything below 21C

[Nambo]

My Stag has a Sat Nav with an automatic return to classic looks feature, though its sometimes annoyingly efficient, I might have to employ some duct tape.

[Always wanted a Stag]

My Stag has a Sat Nav with an automatic return to classic looks feature, though its sometimes annoyingly efficient, I might have to employ some duct tape.

Wow
I do like the idea of an automatic return to the classic look. Very slick.

I may have to rethink and adapt my solution

Just an idea but to really give a real period look, perhaps you could look at using Blu-Tack which was very 'in' back in the day as it was launched in 1970, rather than duct tape.

Paul.

[HersnotHis]

Why anyone needs a Satnav is beyond me! I used to travel thousands of miles around this country as part of my job. For many years this was in the upper 40,000's Even in my latter years as sales manager this was over 30,000 a year. Only in my last few years before I retired as a senior manager did my annual mileage drop to less than 30,000!

I used maps and for local destination detail used directions or latterly google or similar maps (from around 1994!)

I have a Satnav in my modern Jaguar. Irespective of the way I set it up it invariably gets the route wrong. My former colleagues with similar travel experience to my own also report similar problems with the Sat Navs in their Fords, Audis, Mercs, and BMW's.

I Live in a village where there are 2 routes through - one is simple - one is impassable to any heavy vehicle. Guess which route most Sat-Navs suggest. The porch on my sons house that is on the non negotiable corner was recently demolished by an HGV which chose to ignore the unsuitable sign and follow his Sat - Nav.

If you drive a Stag then you are looking at a great 1970's experience when even the "Sats" were novel and the "Nav" was Sci Fi

[malc4d]

Has anyone thought of using that unused speaker hole and cover to make a 'popup' system like some new cars....

[mjheathcote]

Agree regarding the usage of sat nav.
Only in the office today I was giving someone simple directions to a customers site, but no, they insisted on having the post code!
They do have there uses, but it is getting like mobile phones, some people just won't use their car unless they have their sat nav with them.
How did I ever survive with no phone or sat nav, just an AA map book and a few coins for a phone box in case of an emergency!

[Nambo]

I was taking a young lady home last summer, she didn't seem to know where she lived, I didn't, the interior light was too dim for either of us to read my map book at night, must have added at least an hour whilst I headed in the direction I thought her town would be, using the stars for direction.
When I got home I bought a sat nav.
Very usefull for telling you where the speed cameras are.

[Escape]

Very clean, I like it!
I do agree satnav should never be a must, but it can sometimes be useful, especially when traveling alone. Though I must admit I seem to get it wrong more often when looking at the directions of the satnav (can't stand to have a silly voice ordering me about so always mute the sound) instead of just using common sense of direction and reading the roadsigns.

When putting the satnav in the Stag for my newyear's trip to UK, I didn't have much time for a proper install. I did look at both the center speaker opening and the vents, in the end it was just a piece of thick electrical wire through the upper vent and as my satnav is a rugged outdoors type rather than a posh car one, it would simply hook onto the wire. Took less than a minute, did the job it should but of course doesn't look all that nice. And very easy to revert back.

Filip

[Shazzbatin]

Well, in my case I just use the cellphone + CoPilot.
I keep the bracket in the glovebox, so it takes only some seconds to take it out and stick it to the windshield.

Furthermore my old-looking-top-notch radio also has an USB socket which feeds the phone perfectly.

It cannot be easier.


Regz

[stag8manod]

Come on Nambo. You took the young lady the long way home, Come to think of it I did that 48 years ago, been married 44 years this year.
Cheers Ian A