PDA/GPS Install...

Well, I gave up on the idea of a sleek, custom install of my PDA/GPS combo. I was excited about the possibility of placing it within the center console--had it all figured out--but then a "test run" in my Legacy revealed that the angle of the PDA would provide one gnarly glare on the screen at most points during sunshine. So, I opted away from that and decided to rig something using the production PDA mount...the one every joe-schmo uses. So much for uniqueness. But, I did "custom" it a tad by mounting the PDA holder to the driver's side windshield pillar, running the power and an audio cords behind the dash, so that at least that provids a clean look.

From the box, the PDA mount has a little spring lever that provides constant tension for the suction cup that holds the thing to the windshield. I tapped the pin out of the lever and removed that whole suction cup assembly so I could mount it directly to the pillar trim, as you can see in the above pic.

I drilled a hole in the trim and used a nifty wall anchor to hold the PDA mount in place. I did have to hacksaw the length of the bolt, of course, to provide clearance once the pillar trim was snapped back into place. I thought this setup would be more secure with its distribution of weight, as opposed to just a nut screwed on the bolt.

Then I cut a notch at the botom outside corner of the pillar trim. This is to allow the power cord and the audio cord to be out of sight and out of the way except for the portions that are in the PDA. I already had the two cords sticking through the dash before I put the pillar trim back on.

And, here's the finished result. Not what you'd call "trick", but it looks better than having it hang from the windshield and with cords strewn over the dash. I do want to find a couple 90-degree elbow adapters for the two cords so it pulls them out of view a little more--especially that power cord on the bottom.