Hey, I know this has been done but I thought I would share some pics of my set up. I am going for a stock looking setup that sounds decent. I have my stock radio ready to go in with an LC8I per Stereoinstaller's suggestion so I can add an aux input and convert the deck output to a nice solid signal for the amp.
I know, broadcasting it on the web isn't exactly secret, but for the opportunity thief hopefully it won't give them reason to pause if they look in the window or walk by while the top is down. Mainly, I just think most of the aftermarket radios look really bad in e30. This should give me everything I have in my modern BMW except Bluetooth, which I only use for phone calls - which ain't gonna fly with the top down. Anyway, on to it.
The LC8i has a remote subwoofer level/aux level knob with two LEDs. By pushing on the knob you can switch to the Aux source and then the knob becomes the volume knob for the aux source. Otherwise it acts as the sub level control for either. It also happens to be almost the same exact size as the cigarette lighter knob.
Basically I bough a $1 pack of metal Ls from a store and went about disassembling two cigarette lighters I pulled from a few bimmers at the junkyard.
Notice residue from cold beverage. . .
The disassembled e30 (I think) literally slips about an 1/8 of an inch onto the stock LC8i knob. I added some black tape, and a spacer I found in the floor of the junked car and put the lighter top from an e36 lighter on top. Right now it's all just pressed together till I decide if that's what I want. I'll probably fix it permanently later, but it's super solid as is.
I drilled out the hole in the L bracket to accommodate the controller and added an additional hole to position the knob at about the right depth
You can't see where I screwed it to the housing, but looking at the ashtray from the back there is a gap where the moving ashtray lid doesn't touch right where the screw needed to be. The whole thing just kind of went together like it was meant to be. I was super lucky.
Although it isn't there in the photo, I left the lighted part in the hole and I stuffed the two controller LED's into the lighted ring. I really don't need to see the LEDs to know what I am operating, especially since I am a set it and forget it subwoofer guy. But, if the LED's are bright enough at least at night, they may illuminate the cigarette lighter ring different colors. I am not holding my breath on that one but it's a nice thought.
Anyway here is the finished product. It looks just slightly higher than stock based on the one that came with the car. I almost went flush with it but it is a volume knob after all so I need to be able to move it around. And I have been looking around on the web, looks like i need to add another spacer to raise up the center piece so it doesn't sit as low in the middle.
Also, if anybody can tell me how to fix the flikr pictures so you don't have to click on them or suggest a better free photo sharing site, that would be awesome. I never had issues with flikr on other forums?
I know, broadcasting it on the web isn't exactly secret, but for the opportunity thief hopefully it won't give them reason to pause if they look in the window or walk by while the top is down. Mainly, I just think most of the aftermarket radios look really bad in e30. This should give me everything I have in my modern BMW except Bluetooth, which I only use for phone calls - which ain't gonna fly with the top down. Anyway, on to it.
The LC8i has a remote subwoofer level/aux level knob with two LEDs. By pushing on the knob you can switch to the Aux source and then the knob becomes the volume knob for the aux source. Otherwise it acts as the sub level control for either. It also happens to be almost the same exact size as the cigarette lighter knob.
Basically I bough a $1 pack of metal Ls from a store and went about disassembling two cigarette lighters I pulled from a few bimmers at the junkyard.
Notice residue from cold beverage. . .
The disassembled e30 (I think) literally slips about an 1/8 of an inch onto the stock LC8i knob. I added some black tape, and a spacer I found in the floor of the junked car and put the lighter top from an e36 lighter on top. Right now it's all just pressed together till I decide if that's what I want. I'll probably fix it permanently later, but it's super solid as is.
I drilled out the hole in the L bracket to accommodate the controller and added an additional hole to position the knob at about the right depth
You can't see where I screwed it to the housing, but looking at the ashtray from the back there is a gap where the moving ashtray lid doesn't touch right where the screw needed to be. The whole thing just kind of went together like it was meant to be. I was super lucky.
Although it isn't there in the photo, I left the lighted part in the hole and I stuffed the two controller LED's into the lighted ring. I really don't need to see the LEDs to know what I am operating, especially since I am a set it and forget it subwoofer guy. But, if the LED's are bright enough at least at night, they may illuminate the cigarette lighter ring different colors. I am not holding my breath on that one but it's a nice thought.
Anyway here is the finished product. It looks just slightly higher than stock based on the one that came with the car. I almost went flush with it but it is a volume knob after all so I need to be able to move it around. And I have been looking around on the web, looks like i need to add another spacer to raise up the center piece so it doesn't sit as low in the middle.
Also, if anybody can tell me how to fix the flikr pictures so you don't have to click on them or suggest a better free photo sharing site, that would be awesome. I never had issues with flikr on other forums?
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