add technology to older cars

[car10002]

hi

was just wondering how youd go about adding some of the later technology to older cars, obviousley you cant add side airbags which is fine, just wanted a few little things

1. steering wheel buttons for stereo - is it possible to buy a wireless remote control for the aftermarket stereos that attach to the steering wheel that work with kenwood jvc and pioneer stereos, and ifso where do you get them from. ebay, repco,auto one, sprint?

2. radio reception - how would you improve the fm reception in a older car that has a aftermarket stereo, ef fairmont has a aftermarket jvc touch screen and it cant pick up the adelaide fm stations in the copper triangle, can barely get the local copper coast station, have driven a 2006 hyundai santa fe and the factory santa fe stereo picks up every station even adelaide in wallaroo and the fairmonts newer aftermarket stereo doesnt pick much fm up not like the santa fes factory 12 year old stereo.

what antennas and boosters would have been fitted to the santa fe when it was made to improve the fm reception. would fitting a aftermarket fm booster improve fm reception in the fairmont and when your really close to the transmitter will the booster add too much gain and block the station when in a city.

is it possible to put a window type antenna on the rear window and is it possible to get a splitter or something to connect 2 antennas together (the window antenna and the original one)/ would a tv masthead amp work if it is one that picks up the fm band.

will fitting a fm booster stop am from working.

3. lane depature and forward collision - is it possible to fit lane depature and forward collision to a older car. have heard you can buy aftermarket kits for previous cars.

4 blind spot detection - is it possible to buy and fit blind spot detection, have seen some kits at jbhifi.



with the cruise control can you fit aftermarket cruise control or newer ford cruise control that still has the cable and be able to use original ford ones, and ifso what kits allow that and is using ford still what models still have the cable and allow you to still use the original buttons on steering wheel/

with the ed model can you fit ef cruise control and still be able to use the ed buttons and ifso what parts would you use.

to get ef cruise control to work how would you join the ed cable to ef module.

[jaydee]

anythings possible.

[car10002]

what would have been fitted to the antennas in the santa fe for the 12 year old factory stereo to pick up fm so much better

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by car10002

what would have been fitted to the antennas in the santa fe for the 12 year old factory stereo to pick up fm so much better

Either add a booster to your car, or potentially upgrade the cable running to the antenna as it may have degraded. Being a more modern head unit its probably not the issue at all.

[car10002]

the 2 year old aftermarket stereo is not picking up as good as a factory hyundai head unit.

would tv cable rg6 or rg 59 cable work on a car antenna is they use the same cable for fm antennas on tv poles and house hold stereos

[Junkyard-Dog]

You could add a double usb charging port to your power-source and then connect usb accessories like a booklight or perhaps a small desk fan to blow air into your face.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by car10002

the 2 year old aftermarket stereo is not picking up as good as a factory hyundai head unit.

would tv cable rg6 or rg 59 cable work on a car antenna is they use the same cable for fm antennas on tv poles and house hold stereos

Rg 6 would probably be better as its the larger of the 2. Ive used it before for custom rca cables to run to amplifiers. I do do matv installs at work and rg6 is good for 30m. So in a car there shouldnt be an issue if its not run beside power cables.

[car10002]

could you plug the car antenna into the rg6 cable, can you buy car antenna fittings for the rg6 cable or adaptors to change f plug or coaxial to car antenna

could you use a tv masthead amp that boosts fm frequency and if boosting fm will am stop working and when in city will the booster add so much gain that it blocks signal

[commodorenutt]

1: check out this link for some options: http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...look-here.html

2. Other guys have covered most of it.

3. Not really - it requires a complete system that integrates the detection side of things with the ability to be able to apply the brakes (via the ABS pump & valves). You would pretty much need to rebody a modern car with the whole shebang already in it.

4. Plenty of kits available on ebay from $100-400 that are easy enough to DIY install.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by car10002

could you plug the car antenna into the rg6 cable, can you buy car antenna fittings for the rg6 cable or adaptors to change f plug or coaxial to car antenna

could you use a tv masthead amp that boosts fm frequency and if boosting fm will am stop working and when in city will the booster add so much gain that it blocks signal

I dont think a tv head end will work, but maybe have a look at jaycar for a booster. There should be some kind of adapter for f type connectors to what the car needs available. Compression crimps for the f type connectors are the standard as they do not crush the dielectric

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by car10002

what would have been fitted to the antennas in the santa fe for the 12 year old factory stereo to pick up fm so much better

Many factory fitted head units use two antennas in a diversity setup to improve reception especially in urban built up areas, where as aftermarket car stereos are usually connected to one aerial.... Thus the difference in better reception.

For example the FG falcon sedans have the obvious roof mounted antenna that you see, but also the second FM diversity antenna hidden behind the front bumper.

When FG owners change the long whippy roof antenna to a short stubbie one... "They say... The stubbie has great performance and looks better!"
But they forget about the hidden diversity one aiding its performance.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

Many factory fitted head units use two antennas in a diversity setup to improve reception especially in urban built up areas, wheras aftermarket car stereos are usually connected to one aerial.... Thus the difference in better reception.

For example the FG falcon sedans have the obvious roof mounted antenna, but also the second FM diversity antenna behind the front bumper.

Im going to pull you up but not in a derogatory way. My ex wifes mk2 fg only has the rear window antenna. Nothing on the roof. It may have something up front but its not a thing ive ever gone looking for. And yeah i live in suburbia so radio typically works. Again no ill speak.

[commodorenutt]

Holden also had diversity antennas in the long wheelbase models from the 90s up to 2006 - a grid on the rear glass, as well as the traditional mast, but the radio itself did all the work - it had 2 sockets in it - one for the regular antenna, and a miniature one for the rear glass antenna, which also had it's own booster/amp mounted on the rear shelf, under the trim.

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Im going to pull you up but not in a derogatory way. My ex wifes mk2 fg only has the rear window antenna. Nothing on the roof. It may have something up front but its not a thing ive ever gone looking for. And yeah i live in suburbia so radio typically works. Again no ill speak.

It was only the late FG2s that started getting the roof antennas. Earlier ones (and most of production) only had the one in the glass.

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

It was only the late FG2s that started getting the roof antennas. Earlier ones (and most of production) only had the one in the glass.

You will find that all the FG MKIIs that had the roof mounted antenna also had the second diversity located behind the front bumper fascia on the LHS of the vehicle.

This is what it looks like...

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

It was only the late FG2s that started getting the roof antennas. Earlier ones (and most of production) only had the one in the glass.

Thanks for the clarification. The fg2 in question is a 2012.

[commodorenutt]

I'm not saying they don't have the front antenna - I was clarifying that the roof antenna on an FG2 is a very late FG2 production running change - hence why the example he noted didn't have it.

The vast majority of FG2 sedans only have the antenna in the glass, like their FG (and BA) predecessors.

[Junkyard-Dog]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

The vast majority of FG2 sedans only have the antenna in the glass, like their FG (and BA) predecessors.

No wonder my BA gets such crappy reception.

[klyson]

I did research this topic about 2 years ago - wanted to add a lane departure warning, collision warning and blind spot monitoring systems to my 2012 Territory. The best quote I got was $2400 for all of the above mentioned ones. Finally gave it up and sold the car
You can easily add these systems to an older car - it's just a matter of how much you want to spend on it.

[JC]

You can now buy dash cams with lane departure warning built in - should be around $300 to $500. It won't correct your steering or apply the bakes, but will sound a chime. Or you could just drive and take notice of what's going on around you and you'd have no or little need for these features, as that is what the driver is supposed to notice!

[tranquilized]

The lane departure and forward collision warnings are permanently switched off in my VF, nothing but an annoyance! Blind spot assist is pretty good though.

Poor radio reception is often due to the quality of the head unit. There can be a massive difference in reception between two head units all other things being equal. As a general rule I'd say older decent quality head units would have better reception than newer ones.

[klyson]

I would not agree with a statement that “driver should just drive and take notice of what's going on around” as an argument for not using line departure or other “smart” systems. One can use the same argument for the seat belts. Driver should drive carefully, take notice and do not cause collisions - so why bucle up the seat belts? Why even have seatbelts in a car?

Seems ridiculoulus, right? Well, 30 years ago this would not sound ridiculous at all. The new car features and technology is there to improve safety. I would not discourage people from using it because it might cost somebody’s life in the future.

[commodorenutt]

What happens when drivers become so reliant on these systems, that they can't function without them?

ABS is pretty much standard on all new cars for the last decade or so. But what happens if a 20 year old tries to stop a 30 year old car in an emergency? How will they know about modulating the brake pressure manually?

I'm guilty of it in a far less dangerous way - I'm so used to the automatic "3 blink" lane change function (FG & VE), that I find myself just tapping the wand, and only getting a brief flash in cars not equipped with it.

Blind spot warning I agree with. AEB/citystop etc - automated low-speed forward collision avoidance - I can agree with that too.

But lane departure warning and lane keeping is really dumbing it down for drivers, and enabling them to take even less care on the road. hey, no worries about browsing facebook on my phone, the car will stay in it's lane, and the AEB will stop me....

I recently watched a woman in a Volvo XC60 crawling along in stop start traffic, lean over into the back seat to brush little Johnny's hair & fix his tie, all while the car kept speeding up & slowing down in the traffic flow. Sure, it's probably safer than a human applying the brakes & throttle, but at what point was she in control of the vehicle?

Lane departure warnings aren't really a necessary "safety" item if the driver is paying attention. It shouldn't be needed. I agree with the VF ones becoming a bit annoying - I like to move over as far as I can in my lane for trucks (and cyclists) and it goes off as you approach the white line.

I recently heard a story at work from someone with a late model luxury car, who fell asleep at the wheel, and woke up several km past his exit on the freeway. Lane keeping, radar cruise & AEB kept the car going. At what point do we need to say WAKE THE F&^% UP ???

To me it's breeding complacency, not adding safety, and it's encoraging a decline in driving skills.

[Junkyard-Dog]

The problem is that people are such horrible drivers that most of the time I would prefer computers to be controlling all the other cars.

[Rallye Sport]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

What happens when drivers become so reliant on these systems, that they can't function without them?

ABS is pretty much standard on all new cars for the last decade or so. But what happens if a 20 year old tries to stop a 30 year old car in an emergency? How will they know about modulating the brake pressure manually?

I'm guilty of it in a far less dangerous way - I'm so used to the automatic "3 blink" lane change function (FG & VE), that I find myself just tapping the wand, and only getting a brief flash in cars not equipped with it.

Blind spot warning I agree with. AEB/citystop etc - automated low-speed forward collision avoidance - I can agree with that too.

But lane departure warning and lane keeping is really dumbing it down for drivers, and enabling them to take even less care on the road. hey, no worries about browsing facebook on my phone, the car will stay in it's lane, and the AEB will stop me....

I recently watched a woman in a Volvo XC60 crawling along in stop start traffic, lean over into the back seat to brush little Johnny's hair & fix his tie, all while the car kept speeding up & slowing down in the traffic flow. Sure, it's probably safer than a human applying the brakes & throttle, but at what point was she in control of the vehicle?

Lane departure warnings aren't really a necessary "safety" item if the driver is paying attention. It shouldn't be needed. I agree with the VF ones becoming a bit annoying - I like to move over as far as I can in my lane for trucks (and cyclists) and it goes off as you approach the white line.

I recently heard a story at work from someone with a late model luxury car, who fell asleep at the wheel, and woke up several km past his exit on the freeway. Lane keeping, radar cruise & AEB kept the car going. At what point do we need to say WAKE THE F&^% UP ???

To me it's breeding complacency, not adding safety, and it's encoraging a decline in driving skills.

Couldn't agree more.
However we are enthusiasts and appreciate the art of driving unlike your average Johnny punch clock.
I never thought I'd say it but I think collision avoidance technology is the best thing since sliced bread. A while back I was driving my T series on the freeway, I got to the B pillar of this Volvo, the indicator flashed once and he was coming over, didn't even see his head turn. The car corrected him but in the meantime I broke, braced and let out a little poo. I ended up easing past him when it was all over and he just peered out of his window at me with a bewildered look.
+1 for that technology, even if its just there to save our beloved enthusiast cars.

As for the OP's original questions, save your pocket money and buy something with the features you want/need.

[IanC]

Radio reception. Before you do anything else try replacing the radio aerial. That can often help at minimal cost. The old ones get corroded and gradually don't work so well.

[klyson]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

What happens when drivers become so reliant on these systems, that they can't function without them?

ABS is pretty much standard on all new cars for the last decade or so. But what happens if a 20 year old tries to stop a 30 year old car in an emergency? How will they know about modulating the brake pressure manually?

I'm guilty of it in a far less dangerous way - I'm so used to the automatic "3 blink" lane change function (FG & VE), that I find myself just tapping the wand, and only getting a brief flash in cars not equipped with it.

Blind spot warning I agree with. AEB/citystop etc - automated low-speed forward collision avoidance - I can agree with that too.

But lane departure warning and lane keeping is really dumbing it down for drivers, and enabling them to take even less care on the road. hey, no worries about browsing facebook on my phone, the car will stay in it's lane, and the AEB will stop me....

I recently watched a woman in a Volvo XC60 crawling along in stop start traffic, lean over into the back seat to brush little Johnny's hair & fix his tie, all while the car kept speeding up & slowing down in the traffic flow. Sure, it's probably safer than a human applying the brakes & throttle, but at what point was she in control of the vehicle?

Lane departure warnings aren't really a necessary "safety" item if the driver is paying attention. It shouldn't be needed. I agree with the VF ones becoming a bit annoying - I like to move over as far as I can in my lane for trucks (and cyclists) and it goes off as you approach the white line.

I recently heard a story at work from someone with a late model luxury car, who fell asleep at the wheel, and woke up several km past his exit on the freeway. Lane keeping, radar cruise & AEB kept the car going. At what point do we need to say WAKE THE F&^% UP ???

To me it's breeding complacency, not adding safety, and it's encoraging a decline in driving skills.

I definitely agree that none of these systems at a current stage of technology developement could replace the driver’s attention to the road. The decline of driving skills due to the “convienience features”, however cannot be avoided. A couple years agou i found it hard to believe that people can get a driving license without knowing how to drive with a manual gearbox. Where i come from, 95% of cars are manual. The car with a automated gearbox is considered a golf cart - not a car. Manual gives you much better control of the road, control on the snow, consumes less fuel and is much cheaper in case of a breakdown. Still - you go to the US or Australia - and almost everyone drives a golf cart. It is just more covienient.

Lane departure - still think this may be useful. I can imagine a situation where a car without that system loses control and crashes into my car and kills all my family. If that other car would have line departure - we survive.

[OzJavelin]

Only "new" technology I'd bother adding to my old cars (2x AMC Javelins, Chev Corvair, Plymouth Fury):
1. Disc brakes (drums can pull up OK, but a pain to stop from pulling side-to-side)
2. A/C
2. O/D transmission
3. Cruise Control

All the other guff of modern cars I can personally live without ... 'cept maybe get rid of the non-collapsing steering column in the Corvair?

[Fed]

I really like my new fangled reversing beeper, no more looking for reflections in shop windows.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Fed

I really like my new fangled reversing beeper, no more looking for reflections in shop windows.

I have trucks with reversing bleepers, doesn't mean other drivers are going to stop and give way.