So to precede my thread on putting monitors in the sunvisors, here is the DIY that resulted. I thought it was going to be difficult, but it was really quite easy. The monitors fit in no problem. I had a BIT of a problem getting the driver side visor to close all the way, but we worked on it and it doesn't look too bad. I would say the hardest part was doing the wiring, not the actual monitor install. Unfortunately the camera died during the install process (we did pictures of the second visor so I couldn't fill in the gaps), but you will get a basic idea of how it works. Now, without further adieu, here is the install...
1) Here are the monitors I started with. NESA NSV-6523. Nice monitors indeed.
2) Removal of the visor is easy... simply get a flathead screwdriver, and pop off the little cover that goes over the 2 screws, then remove the 2 screws using said flathead driver. I think those screws can also use a torx bit, but easier to use flathead since its already on your lap. Careful not to break the little screw covers. I broke one of mine
but not in half so I am still using it.
3) We used a flathead screwdriver to pop the visor open and we removed the 3 parts that go with the mirror. The visor is just a clamshell that comes apart quite easily. It's almost as if they were made to have nice shiny screens in them. Getting the mirror out is easy, I don't have pictures of exactly how we did it, but I cut off these little knobby things that held in the piece that goes around the mirror, took it out, removed the mirror, then cut the clips that hold that little door on and took it off, leaving us with what you see here.
4) This is the inside of the visor before it was cut apart. Not much to see really.... but if you are interested, this is what it looks like.
5) The monitors that I used are designed for use in visors. They came with these handy shrouds that go inside the visor, then the monitor snaps into the shroud. What we did was cut a hole in the plastic in the back of the visor (left all fabric intact) and then inserted the shroud from the back. It was actually pretty easy to get it in. Easier than I thought. We did have to trim off one side of the shroud because of the way that our visors are angled on the outside edge, but whatever. I don't have an exact picture of the shroud, but it is what the monitor is sitting inside in this pic. You can kind of make out what is monitor and what is shroud.
6) We took the shroud and marked out where it had to be cut out to fit. As I said before, we cut it out for the monitor to sit in and then slipped the shroud in from the backside. Again, this was pretty easy.
7) Now here is where the camera died. You don't really need pics of this part anyway. Basically we cut the hole out and slipped the shroud in like I said, and then got glued it in place to where it fit and put the monitor in. We didn't cut any fabric off of the visor, so we just tucked it around the inside edge of the shroud, then put the monitor in to hold it in place. Came out looking very nice and flush, like it was meant to be there. Also putting the shroud in from the back and under the fabric made it look very sleek and stealthy. I could rant for hours about how good it looks, but look at the next pic and see for yourself. Aside from the edge of the shroud poking out at the fabric I think it looks factory or pre-manufactured. It was really easy to get back together too. The passenger side was a bit more friendly to work with than the drivers side, but both look good. The problem on the drivers side is that not all of the clips that hold the visor together wanted to go back in no matter what we did, so there are 2 tiny gaps, but its not very noticable, and at car shows they will be angled down and out of view anyway. We ran the wire down each A pillar to the ignition harness.
8) Here they are installed. This was before they were wired up with either video or power. Thank God for the buddies that let you use their install bays. Thanks Rob at AUDIO VAULT, I owe you
.
9) Here they are a couple hours later with power and video. I had some trouble taking a good picture, but you can see them and get the idea. These screens are really nice and good quality. Unfortunately right now I have no audio (new deck and I need a special plug to get aux in), but that will be fixed soon and I'll be pimpin'
