i got this idea of putting a small lcd touch screen in place of the stock radio and a/c units, so it would take up that entire area.

has anyone ever done anything like this?

reason is i want to put a pc in my car with wireless networking so i can put all my music on the harddrive. the screen can also be used for internet browsing, navigation, or watching tv & movies. and also want it to control the a/c.

sounds like a big project, i know, are there any companies that offer this kind of work?

 

I havent seen someone do it have have seen it stock on I think it was like a 89 riviera. I was a ugly monochrome monitor though.

 

I can see it being done.. but not cheaply, nor easially.... not to mention I think it would all be a custom job done by someone who knows electronics/computers/programming.

I would say the computer and touch-screen would be fairly easy, and you can kind items like this without too much issues. It's going to be the computer interface to the Radio/Heater controls that will have to be a one-off type thing with a program written for a user-interface, and then some sort of input/output controller (Probably USB based) to allow the computer and Heater/radio to interface.

No where near a small project, but something that is defenetly do-able if you have the motivation to do it and time.

 

You're going to need some servos, if I remember correctly, that interface from the computer to the AC and such. I've seen it done on other cars, but on a Camaro it's much more difficult. For one, 93-96 Camaros have vacuum tubes behind the AC switches instead of it just being electrical or what not. Interfacing with the radio is not hard at all, though. Most current radios that I've seen have an interface plug that's for the 5-disc+ CD changers, and some companies use that same plug to allow audio input. It wouldn't be interfacing directly, but you could have the 3.5mm audio jack to RCA jack adapter wire plug into the adapter plug for the headunit.
Here's a picture of my wire:
http://carpc.meissenation.com/audiowire.jpg

Then you just plug the one end into the computer's speaker jack, and the other end into the headunit and the computer's output would be straight to the headunit which would then output it to the speakers and amps.

PS. As it hints in the top right corner of the pic, I'm putting a 10.5" touchscreen in my car.

 

checking in here, i'm also putting a touchscreen in my car. Just ordered a 7'' lilliput with a epia m10000 and a morex venus case, should be some cool stuff. I just need to figure out how to get it to input into the stereo. Is this what a PAC OEM-1 is for?