Builds ROTW - Red Beard

[TrickyT]

Nice job, Red Beard! Your older brother's loss is clearly your gain. And it's nice to see the LC tradition continue in your family. Like -B- says, you definitely have some great parents.

Tell us a little more about your Mac Mini setup with Xenarc touch screen. Can the Xenarc substitute for a mouse, or do you need both? Do OS X applications know how to take advantage of the touch screen directly? What apps are you running? I assume you've got the audio out on the Mac feeding the aux input on the Blaupunkt; how's that setup work for you? Running any GPS mapping software yet? If so, how's that work with the touchscreen?

 

[Red Beard]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Regarding my parents. I know, my parents are pretty awesome. They're really supportive. My mom was a mechanic and my dad was a mechanic too, but really good at everything having to do with building stuff. He can tell you how to build t he impossible.
They were definitely cruiser lovers though. I could show you photos of them before I was alive marooned on a sandbar on the roofs of their 40's waiting for the tide to come in. They would later drive those 40's back home in with no problems (after plugging the mufflers and airintakes).

I'll keep an eye out for some good lifts. Is the drive any more top heavy? That was the main concern. They would say, you're just going to flip it. You have a lot higher chances flipping it when its higher. Which is true, but how true?


The mac mini:
Yeah, its pretty cool. Yes, plenty plenty of wires. But the Carnetix DC Regulator actually does a lot. It outputs directly from the battery 19v for the Mac Mini as once the voltage flattens out. I have it wired it automatically turns on when you turn the key. You can set it up to when you lock/unlock the doors, but I didn't want to bother finding the line. Any 5v+ pulse will work as the "on switch"
Then when its turned off via the key it will put the mac mini (or pc) to sleep (or stand by) until the battery gets to 11.5v or something. I haven't had this problem yet. I've kept the car off for a while and its still in there sleeping.
Since its sleeping, as once the key is turned back on it'll send a pulse the mini and turn it on. Takes about 7 seconds to get everything together and then hit play.
To send the on pulse the mini you have to pop it open and replace the on button with a Y-Cable they supply you with that will allow the on button to function AND the pulse to work. The on button sends a quick short pulse to the Mother Board signaling it to turn on. The Carnetix P1900 will to.

I use the touchscreen at night when its a little easier to see. During the day or when I'm trying to find a particular song quick I have a wired mouse and a wireless keyboard floating around. If you look at the middle picture closely in the mac mini section at the bottom, there's a silver hub. Its a 4 port USB hub that runs off the mac mini usb power. Works great and I have a Mouse/Ipod/Wireless Keyboard and my Griffin Powermate plugged in there. The ipod cord is for "guest ipods".

No GPS yet. I gotta look into getting one of those USB GPS devices.
The sound from the mac mini to the blaupunkt is run from a monster cable to a ground loop insulator to the head unit. I could have skipped the monster cable and just got the Ground Loop Insulator if I knew. If you do a carputer you must get a ground loop insulator. Its going to sound real distorted a certain dB level otherwise. they're real cheap at radio shack. I can give you more details if you want.


Yes, I love my cattle guard too.

 

[Red Beard]

Oh, and I forgot, my sister just bought an FJ Cruiser, Silver and of course 6-speed. I've been trying to catch her when she's free to get her out there while its still under warranty.

My dad would have gotten the new Land Cruiser back in '04 when he gave up the cruiser to my brother but it was just too expensive. He got the Sequoia instead, but he still off roads a little bit anyway. He likes it, but he likes the International MXT more.http://www.internationaltrucks.com/...toid=d2c1ed8481670110VgnVCM10000085d0eb0aRCRD He's looking to get that, somehow. My mom wishes she could have a 40 like she used to, but she drives her race car, a v8 dodge magnum hemi. Its really a racecar.

 

[Land Speeder]

nice rig! Definitely keep it forever since it's been in you r family since day-one.

Hate the color though look at my ROTW in my sig line....

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Nice rig, and great write-up. I think you can do better on your front bumper, though. You've got good fab skillz, why not one-up ARB? Make it beefy, but hug the body. Just my $0.02.

 

[Tennessee80]

Looks good, Red Beard. Custom work like that definitely would instill pride in your vehicle! Nice bumper. Cheers!

 

[Red Beard]

nice rig! Definitely keep it forever since it's been in you r family since day-one.

Hate the color though look at my ROTW in my sig line....

Actually, your rig is one of my favorites. The tires look good with the stock rims. I would have kept them too but I wanted to keep my old ones for long high trips and new rims I could get a wider tread.

Your rig is definitely sweet though.

 

[Red Beard]

Nice rig, and great write-up. I think you can do better on your front bumper, though. You've got good fab skillz, why not one-up ARB? Make it beefy, but hug the body. Just my $0.02.

Yeah, I wanted to mention that in my write up that I do have regrets on it. It was before I got a good look on everybody else's bumpers. I think I'm going to make a new one and sell this one or something. Make one that is like the arb, the plating and stuff. More metal though, I'll see what I can do.

 

[lovetoski]

Yeah, ... I do have regrets on it. .

Don't regret how you did your bumper. You jumped in and made it. Now in hindsight maybe you can think of a "better" way to do it - well duh, all of us can figure out how to do it better the second time! Most people though are afraid to even try the first time - and you've already shown you are not afraid to make it happen.

On the lift - I second what Beo said re negotiating with your parents. If it's unstable they are worried about (and they should be - taller is tippyier, simple physics) prove that you are responsible - promise good grades, deliver, and you are probably OK.

Nice work!

 

[80 Cruiser Rod]

Real nice ROTW, thanks for contributing. It's great to see someone taking advantage of their resources and skills without having deep pockets. Also being a Mac guy love what you did with the Mini Mac.

 

[Slomo]

Nice rig and good job saving it from your unappreciating older brother. Great write up and thanks for doing ROTW.

 

[reffug]

Nice write up.

Nice rig.

As always thanks for participating.

 

[lt1fire]

great write up. very interested in the mini set up. all to gether how much does that set up run

 

[Red Beard]

it was about $1000 all for me.
The Xenac 700TSV was $364
Mac Mini $250
Carnetix p1900 $100
Blaupunkt Head $50
Lots of wire and small components.