I should introduce myself;
I'm Logan Strunk, the one and only.
 

So far, in my 1988 Lincoln Continental Limited (ooh, ahh) which I paid 1400$ for,

I have:
1. 20ft 4-gauge wire (replaced with 30ft of 6 gauge)
2. 70 amp inline fuse
3. 600 watt inverter (got it on sale)
4. 120 mhz HP computer (replaced with 120mhz Compaq Desktop Prolinea)
5. assorted stuff, basically raid the electrical section in RadioShack.
(btw, buy as little as possible from The 'Shack, mail order from www.jameco.com)
6. FM-modulator, I got from "Big-Poppa's Car stereo" or something. (Going to be replaced with new Stereo)
My original goal was to do this with as little money as possible. So far, I may have spent 100$

I wanted to do this with out modifying my original stereo, so I am going to use a FM modulator.
It plugs into your antenae in on your stereo, then you can plug your computer into it.

My computer is a old HP I had just laying around.
I am using Windows98 (evil), but booting into Dos (slightly less evil) to use Mpxplay (Dos boots faster)

See my Cost list

APRIL
Thurs, March 3-

I suddenly get the notion to put a computer in my car
I buy a 600watt inverter 85$

Fri the 4th- I go to Home-Depot, I buy wire and misc parts
I goto radio-shack, buy tape-deck converter

Sat the 5th-
Get Inverter installed, works (and I accomplished it working with my grandpa, lets see you do that!)
Make super-duper long ps2 cable from cat-5 wire by lotsa soldering (had ps2 wire laying around) It works
Make super long Stereo wire, It works
test Tape-Deck converter, sounds terrible
Knock hole in side of computer so I can put it on side, and still have cd on top
 

Fri the 9th- sister has large party, goto Grandparents (I keep my car in their garage)
I setup computer, Crud, No sound anymore!

Sat the 10th- Still no sound after Dos reinstall!
Computer No like Soundcard ;-)
Take Tape-Deck converter back to the 'Shack
I need new Power-Steering pump for car, mine now longer likes me,  and decided to give up, for 150k miles,
its still pretty good

Fri the 16th- Put windows on computer
Bo0Rah! SoundCard decides to work, reinstall Mpxplay,
It works!
Edit Msdos.sys to boot to dos instead of windows
Put Mpxplay in autoexec.bat with "c:\mpxplay.exe c:\mp3\*.*" to autoplay my collection of mp3's
I heard if I put HD on its side, bounces won't hurt it as bad
I found a Recall on my car, I'll have to take it to the dealer when I get pump fixed.

Sat the 17th- Took pics of Car and of merry little helper people, check them out here
 

Fri the 23rd-Took out my stereo, looks like the FM-modulator won't be hard to put in.

Sat the 24th- Went to "Big-Poppa's car stereo", bought FM-modulator.
It wasn't as hard to get in as I thought it would be. There was a butt-load of extra wiring ( not "Extra" but I had about an extra 10ft of line running up front from the computer), so I just shoved it in the glove-box.
I rigged up the toggle-switch that came with it so it stuck out of the trim above the Radio. I need to by an Amp, the sound that comes out of the radio is very weak (I have to turn the radio up half way to even hear anything). I called the company that I bought it from, and they told me I need to boost the signal that goes into the fm-modulator (the guy I talked to has to have an IQ of 10, His head practically exploded when I told him I had a computer in the trunk, I had to call him a couple of times when I had problems, and they kind of got mad, but hey, I paid 80$ for the thing!, I could have gotten it cheaper mail-order.
I found out it would be only like 50$ more to get a new radio with Aux-in after I get the FM-modulator, and an Amp.
But, I think it would make it more of a target for a break in if it had a shiny new radio in the dash. I'm already worried about the Inverter, as next year I'll be using it to drive to school, and I don't want somebody to grab it. I've already told some people at school about my project, but I guess its no different the some one saying "I just spent a grand on new speakers and an Amp."

Sat the 14th- I went aand put my inverter in my trunk. I did have it between the seats in the front of my car. I called the place where I bought it and the told me I would have to use 4 gauge wire to put it back there, but I used 6, and all is well.
I also canabolized the switch inside the inverter, and wired to a Toggle switch in the dash, and I put in a 12volt green Led in their (which is powered by the computer.). I voided my warranty, but what the hey, it was on sale.

Sun the 22nd of April- Well, The Fm-Modulator Just sucked on sound quality, so  pulled it out and am selling it on ebay.
I am going to buy a new stereo, the Fm-modulator cost 80$ (I found out I got severly ripped off). The stereo I want to buy is a Pioneer KEH-P1010 Which is a pretty disant Tape-Deck, plus for only 36$ I can get a part which will let me plug my computer right into it (When your looking for a stereo for a project like this, look for one with Aux in, and don't get a sony, because the Adapter is like 100$).
    I switched my mp3computer over to another case, I was using a tower, and I liberated my server that was sitting in the bottom of my room doing nothing but being a router, switched it with the Tower computer, and put all the soundcards and stuff into it. I did have win98 installed on the HD so I could use network to transfer files, but that took up 200megs, so now I just plug the HD into my other computer, and it comes up as the E: drive.
    I know have 100mp3s on that computer, and it is only 40% full. I want to find a few more Harddrives to toss in (I have another 1 gig laying around), but there are no slots to put them (as its the flat kind of case). So, I will probably use some wire ties and attach them to the bottom of the 5-1/4'' bay.
    I also wire-tied all my lines together that run to the front of my car (and to the battery), and pulled back the carped along the doors, and layed it along there. You can't even see it at all now.

Everything is coming along pretty nice now, I just need some more money, so... If you have any, send me some donations! I am a legitiment Organization, yeah.....

June (sorry, I didn't have much free time or money in May)
Sunday the 16th - I snapped off my antenna waxing my car, it got bent in, and I slammed the trunk. Stupid Me!
I want to RatShack, and bought another one for 40$, everywhere else wanted atleast 60$ for a electric Car antenna, so I got a god deal, I'd say.
My  cars in the shop right now, its costing 200$ for a new Power Steering Pump, and I don't know how much for a vacuum line for my brakes. Now I finally get to drive it, WOOHOO.
I am setting up a woofer for the trunk. Its a 80watt Eq/amp on a 10" Subwoofer my uncle gave me. I am not sure if I will use it or not.