1997 Lumina LS Installation Pics

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Tue Jul 23, 2002 9:39 pm

Thanks to Alex, I am able to post some pics of the equipment in my lumina. It is a 1997 Lumina LS. I replaced the factory seats with Recaro police seats so I would have the center open to mount stuff. I have a vhf Spectra A7 (remote mounted) and a MW520 Motorola MDC computer. I run APRS with the computer and also have it interfaced to my spectra for some of the control head functions.

Jason

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jul 23, 2002 11:44 pm

Nice computer, can it program the Spectra?

metro121 · Post by **metro121** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 1:45 am

Nice calender

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 6:01 am

I can program the spectra with it. I like the calender too, but I can't see it unless I tilt the screen down.

Jason

kf4lhp · Post by **kf4lhp** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 11:45 am

OK, here's my (only) question, as I have a 1997 Monte Carlo... more or less the same car, but with two doors, not four... how did you get power from the engine compartment to your console? From what I've looked at thus far, it seems like the best place to tap off is the AUX BATT post on the driver's side for jumping the car off, but I'm curious as to where you went through the firewall. I'm told through the speedometer cable grommett is the best place, but I'm wondering how difficult it is to get to the cable from there on the passenger compartment side.

Thanks.

--mws
http://www.scanchattanooga.com/

Will · Post by **Will** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 12:14 pm

So I could do my reports on the MDC and dump them to my billing computer when I get back to the shop? Where do you find these MDC's? What is the CPU and operating system?

I can see it now, reprogramming my Spectra VHF while chasing trains!
Now I just have to find the main chassis parts for a VHF mid-pwr Spectra simmular to yours.

Post by **alex** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 12:36 pm

They appear on ebay here and there...

It's a MW520 terminal - pretty cool.

Monochrome ones ~500. There was a guy with about 10-15 of them at dayton, new in box.

-Alex

Ra · Post by Ra » Wed Jul 24, 2002 1:27 pm

Can we see the outside of the car too?

But, you didn't bolt it down?

Nice Seats.

Ra

JAYMZ · Post by **JAYMZ** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 1:57 pm

JMR how did you get your wiring through the firewall? I think I may have found a spot but to get to it requires jacking the car up....

jim · Post by **jim** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 2:02 pm

Wiring on a Lumina (W-body) comes through the firewall at the passenger side area about 1" above where the floorpan and firewall meets. The hole will almost look like it's in the floor, but not.
Take power form the AUX tap for jump starting.

Nice install. By the way....let's get some split-loom tubing on that wiring harness!

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Jul 24, 2002 11:29 pm

Very nice looking install. Who's laptop mount system is that? Do the MW520 support much in the way of software. We have little experience with them here as we use toughbooks with VRM600 or VRM650

copcarguy · Post by **copcarguy** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 7:43 am

Pretty good..however you should consider a couple of things. Do not use white ty-raps for automotive use. They are good for inside bldgs for catv and telephone work inside only. . Black should be used for automotive where the sun hits. Black ty-raps are ultra-violet friendly, white are not. After the sun hits them for about 60 days , they fall apart in your hands. If you ever saw a telepone boot on a telephone pole, they always use black.

One other thing, How about a piece of 2" loom for the wires that go behind the MDC to under the dash? It would make your install look Professional.

Other than that, It looks great!!

You can get wire loom at Terminal Supply, Troy, Michigan on Thunderbird Street..They have good prices and UPS

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 10:35 am

I added a side pic of the car to the beginning of all the pics.

Jason

copcarguy · Post by **copcarguy** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 2:25 pm

mount looks like a lund industries. out of Chicago

jmr061 · Post by **jmr061** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 2:33 pm

All the mounting equipment is from Gamber Johnson out of Stevens Point WI.

http://www.gamberjohnson.com

Jason

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 3:47 pm

You might find this odd, but i have used this before and it works out great. While doing the install on my Blazer, i couldn't find Wire loom big enough to get all the wires in, i was browsing around our local hardware store when something caught my eye. (don't laugh) i bought a 20 foot roll of sump pump hose (looks identical to wire loom) and just cut off however much i need. its really thin and cuts really easy, you can run wiring thru it or slit the hose and wrap it around. worked out good for me, and was big enough for all my wires and had extra room for more

Mikey

Post by **alex** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 4:06 pm

One of my roommates actually got around 25-30 feet of 2" split loom off ebay for around $10 I think. Might be hard to find it there, but you never know....

At least it won't be sold as untested as is!

-Alex

1997 Lumina LS Installation Pics

1997 Lumina LS Installation Pics

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