Rear View Camera (UPDATE)

[406IT]

Hey Guys - I am going to be fitting a rear view camera in my estate - And am looking for suggestions on the location for the 3.5" Monitor I have bought - Its not a ready made kit its one I am going to be customising myself - I have bought a 3.5" screen and also bought a Pin Hole camera (one for the front door peep hole type) and going to modify it to be installled in the tailgate ( I have a towbar so the middle of the bumper is out) and I am looking for suggestions on the location of the screen - I donr want to just stick it on the dash or the window as this is more likely to be broken into and pinched - I was thinking of making a surround and moulding it onto the Dashboard in the window by the drivers side or fitting it into the sun visor but cant make my mind up - Anyone have another suggestion ? Anyone dont this and if so some Pics would be nice to see different installations..

[DaiRees]

The sunvisor sounds like a plan, as you say out of sight....

As far as the camera goes I'd be tempted to fit it in the back window somehwere, if you put it in the tailgate it'll be filthy in seconds every time it rains, at least if you mount it beind the screen you can use the rear wiper

[mjb]

Put it in your pants where your manhood should be On a more serious point, what about mounting it on the tailgate or nearby, so you can reverse normally and still gain the advantage of the camera for close-up work. I still reckon the 406 estate is one of the easiest to manoeuvre cars I've ever driven... Could reliably back that thing up to within an inch of hitting something

[eoin27]

I'd make a mini frame and stick it in the glovebox and open the glovebox each time i reversed. Discreet!!!!!

You got a '89 735i?? Whats that like then?

[406IT]

Hi Guys - Well reversing has never been a problem - to be honest I was bored as I have been recovering from a Hernia operation over the last 2 weeks, and went a bit mad on ebay and bought a camera and screen - Well I decided to mount the monitor in the drivers sun visor - I have fitted it today and tested - It works fine - I just have to tidy up the finish and do a lot of cosmetic work. - My 735 I have had over 11 years now - Its my Baby - cant see me ever getting rid of it - Its currently having a rest - Another summer project this year - every few years I do a bit to her to get her looking good - this summer is going to be seats out and repaint - and finish some paint work i started last year .I use it for the summer and then lay her up for a year . need to replace one of the flexi pipes on the front brake - and replace a ball joint on the steering - thats all she needs this year - i will post a few pics later. and of the screen .

[Welly]

You didn't hang about did you?

Look forward to the pics

[406IT]

Some Photos of my sunvisor screen :-






If I decided to spend a lot more time I would have done it with hardboard and found fabric the same colour - thats a job for the future upgrade

[TopDonkey]

thats a nice little screen, i fancy one of those too now !, have you got a link to the auction at all ?

As for camera placement, i would put it at the top middle of the rear window, but within the wipers arc, and point it down enough so you can just see the bumper for close up reversing, but get as much view looking up as you can as well, then when you have loads of stuff in the back blocking your rear view mirror, you can just pull your sunvisor down and use it as your rear view mirror !

[406IT]

Hi - I have enclosed the link from ebay - I placed minmum bid and got it - I took the screen out of the housing and mounted it in the visor - It has 2 Inpus so I can have one for the rear camera and the other for a DVD player and switch between the two -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/UK-3-5-TFT-LCD-IN ... 19baddac04

In the shop there are plenty of these -
You can have the one showing the DVD player and if you wire the camera to the reversing light it will out switch - Its neat.

[steve_earwig]

That's pretty neat, what's the story on the camera?

[406IT]

I have orderd a colour door spy camera as listed below and was originally going to mount it in the tailgate but have been experimenting with a old spyball camera I had and think i will be mounting it on the roof inside looking out of the back window as posted earlier as this i think will give best pic when stuff in the boot etc.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CCTV-Door-Eye-Spy ... 3efe05fda5

i will run the cable through the roof lining to the screen - will post some more pics when installed..

[406IT]

Well a quick update - I have fitted the camera to the plastic strip in the roof lining by the tailgate - its quite neat i think, not to noticable - and run the cables to the front of the car & Tested and it works great - I have just ordered some round micro switches which I am going to fit into the A pilar plastic to switch the screen and camera on - ( didnt want to wire upto reversing light as I may want to use them when driving) - As the screen has 2 inputs I can fit the DVD player to it so want to turn it off individually and isolate any power drain there could be ( The screen auto turns on at any input signal ) - at the moment the car is full of wires in the front - Pics below

camera located top middle (well almost middle) adjustment needed - the cable you can see to the left is my satnav external aerial cable mounted on the roof and not from the camera


another view of camera from inside


image on screen (flash in the way but very clear image) - tailgate closed - the lines on the screen are the heated window wires


image on screen (but a little out of focus) - tailgate closed - the lines on the screen are the heated window wires


the view is very close to the bumper i didnt think it would be as good as it is - Its amazing how much you dont see behind the car through the wing mirrors and rear view mirror.

[Welly]

That is bloody cool

[DaiRees]

Good work mate, I like it!

[no2lurch]

how much was the kit? is the camera only powered when the car is in reverse as standard then?