Ashtray modded to fit my iPod touch

[grahamroxuk]

Hi guys, just joined this site today and it inspired me to do a little modding.

I managed to eventually get through the hard plastic using a drill and a small hacksaw to make the iPod touch fit in.

P.S this is a 1st gen iPod touch, not sure if the volume buttons on the 2nd gen will have an effect it fitting in.

1) remove the top section of the ashtray (the bit at the back) and then cut out most of the plastic leaving just the front and back clips with a strip of plastic between the back 2 clips.

2) take off the front plate off the ashtray and drill a load of small holes all around the ridged section (in straight lines) then use a flat head screw driver and a hammer to snap all of the ridged section out.

3) cut the majority of plastic away from the handle section of the front plate.

4) put the front plate back on and pop your iPod touch into the ashtray and mark roughly where the earphones go in.

5) drill a hole about 1cm wide in the position of the earphone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamroxuk/3775979444/in/photostream/

6) use a stanley blade to trim away all the frayed plastic then file and sand down the rough edges. (I haven't done this yet but will do to finish the job)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamroxuk/3775979446/in/photostream/

The photos are of the finished piece. I will take a couple more once I get my new stereo with aux input so I can hook it up to my car speakers.
(I dont have any decent sound system yet and probably wont be amping it up or anything but looking to buy decent speakers if anyone reading this is selling)

Got a few more photos if you want to see the ipod in the car but the camera on my phone is piss poor so its quite difficult to see the ipod well

let me know what you think
Let me know what you think

[Docsamty]

Sounds good but pics dont work for me. . .

[twin1985]

nah pics aint working mate!!!

[grahamroxuk]

so how do you get pics on here lol?

I used my flickr URL's but obviously that doesnt work

[VtrFarlz86]

no pics fella trying using photobucket and the img coding. i'd like to see what it looks like.

[dazzle]

would love to see lol

[Saxotim]

Pics:
5. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2501/3775979444_3c133f5aa6.jpg

6. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3775979446_ff5b8477a4.jpg

looks good mate. :y:

[sirhc1991]

that looks sick!!

Shame I cant do something like that for my phone and ipod...

[jasonwellwicked]

looks good matey! how easy is it to insert and remove itouch/iphone once ashtray is mounted??

[matthewvarnam]

ive done sort of the same thing but my stereo has a plug coming out the back and so ive drilled a hole in top oif ashtray for cable and threaded it through so the ipod fits nicely into the ashtray, and it can even close so people cant see it!

http://i960.photobucket.com/albums/ae84/matthewvarnam/090809_152232.jpg

[creamcake]

nice one mate

[grahamroxuk]

yeah the iPod comes in and out easy enough.
thanks to the ridged section being removed you can just slide the ashtray out a little bit and push the iPod up.

the only thing is that this cant be done while the earphones are plugged in because they come through the hole in the front.

the iPod touch fits perfectly into the ashtray (width wise but about 3mm too short to be snug in 2 dimensions.

all the photos are on photobucket under grahamroxuk but i have included a few because I now know how to do it thanks to one of the guys up above.


http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/grahamroxuk/DSC00707.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/grahamroxuk/DSC00708.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/grahamroxuk/DSC00727.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii306/grahamroxuk/DSC00718.jpg

the last picture is the 3 parts individual parts you should be left with once you take the tools to the ashtray lol

[Paul]

Well done mate, good to see something a little different on the forums :y:

[crustyclown777]

i did it to mine, but filled the ash tray with audio carpet which just gives it that extra nice finish and protects it a bit more.

[Eldridge]

ive wired my ipod into the glove box i had it running under the center console before with the wire running down the side like this

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab139/eldridge3873/Photo137.jpg



but now ive moved the hazard lights and rear windscreen heater over one button each and wired the cable through one of the buttons!! looks much much tidier!!


http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab139/eldridge3873/Photo151.jpg

[bonnet]

thats well cool nice 1

[Eldridge]

trying to think of things to do with the other 3 buttons that are empty now!

ideas?

[crustyclown777]

why dont yo use the rear aux, then it will hide it totally? or do you use it to charge aswell?

[crustyclown777]

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad65/crustyclown777/DSC00161.jpg

i just drilled a hole underneath mine so that the cable can be taken away and stuff, but still pulled out.

[Eldridge]

i use the usb connection on the radio because you can control the ipod through the radio!! there isnt one on the back ive cut a hole in the button now so that it sits in properly will get a pic up soon!!

[Eldridge]

and it charges itself through the radio!!

[Eldridge]

cut a hole in one of the buttons so it fitted flush


http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab139/eldridge3873/Photo159.jpg

[grahamroxuk]

good to see this idea fits in with the people on the site lol.

its just down to sony, panasonic etc to fit the cd players with rear USB ports so we can plug in and charge the iPods with no need for any visible wires lol.

anyone good at electronics??????

thats a little money making idea right there

[grahamroxuk]

whats speaker carpet?
is it like a very thin felt cos i was thinkin somethin like that would look pretty cool but wouldnt know where to get any.

gona prob head into my local auto trader to see what they have for doing the not so chavvy mods. everytime I drive passed there its chrome spinning alloys and massive flourescent spoilers....the thought of going in makes me sick lol

[ZoeM]

I saw this and was inspired to try and hide my ipod in my ashtray but I've got one slight problem and it's quite silly lol. I can't get the effing thing out, I tried pulling it and sticking my fingers down the back and everything lol. Is there a certain nack to it or is mine just stuck haha. Simple blonde comment there for you all :) xx

[LeeBBH]

I saw this and was inspired to try and hide my ipod in my ashtray but I've got one slight problem and it's quite silly lol. I can't get the effing thing out, I tried pulling it and sticking my fingers down the back and everything lol. Is there a certain nack to it or is mine just stuck haha. Simple blonde comment there for you all :) xx

Just pull the ash tray so that its open, then lift it upwards and pull it more at the same time if you get me?

[ZoeM]

I tried that and it didn't work lol, oh well I'll have to try tomoro and just wiggle it loads and see what happens lol

[grahamroxuk]

Theres a metal tension bar that holds the ashtray in.

Pull the ashtray out as far as possible then put ur hand underneath and you will feel a thin metal springy bar.

This bar is what stops it coming out all the way normally.

Push that upwards and it should release the ashtray so you can pull it right out.

You're sort of pulling down towards the gear stick because the ashtray is curved.

Once you have finished put some pics up

[Lippy]

sweet idea! I used my ashtray for an engine start button ;), not actually got round to wiring it up yet though.
A rubber grommet covering the hole would finish that off a treat!

[mattwren16]

i like these there clever any ideas for the old nano any1

[Eldridge]

for the nano! yeah get a better ipod :y: :P

just kidding m8 how about cutting a bit of wood to the size of the ashtray then cut a section out the top so your nano will fit in the ashtray and not rattle about! then paint it up so it looks good! you could even put a spring on the wood so when you open the ashtray the ipod will pop up? :u:

[grahamroxuk]

i like these there clever any ideas for the old nano any1

because its got quite a small screen it would have to be closer to the driver.


not too sure but maybe if you took out the blank buttons beside your hazard you could do something with the space left?

with some sticky velcro you could just attach it to one of the blanks??

[saxo09]

looks good mate id go with the idea said that you should put the carpet in it i think that would make it look both nice and would stop your pod from getting scratched

[ALEXvtr]

thats cool mate im liking the conversion might give it a go when i get my new cd player :y:

[P90PTS]

with some sticky velcro you could just attach it to one of the blanks??

Horrific idea.

[grahamroxuk]

Horrific idea.

Lol i didnt really mean that!!!

Haha could have went for a blue tack option instead.
think the idea of gettin a new ipod is prob the safe bet for this lol

[Eldridge]

blue tack? why not selotape!! :P

[JazO]

Good thinking... I like it

[Eldridge]

or you could stick it to the dash with tigerseel!!

[Shak]

cd's ftw.

[grahamroxuk]

cd's ftw.

the shak attack!!

Welcome to 2009 mate!

[LeeBBH]

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm167/liamweekes/DSCN1088.jpg

This is mine that i made.

Can see the screen fine. The iPod connector runs up from underneath the holder if you get me?

EDIT: This was before i tidied the cables up etc and it sits flush, not raised up

[wadoryu]

nice work mate i like it

[RyanP1391]

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm167/liamweekes/DSCN1088.jpg

This is mine that i made.

Can see the screen fine. The iPod connector runs up from underneath the holder if you get me?

EDIT: This was before i tidied the cables up etc and it sits flush, not raised up


Looking smart, I'm guessing the light is on when you're using your iPod or something?

[LeeBBH]

Looking smart, I'm guessing the light is on when you're using your iPod or something?

Yeah the screen lights up as usual,
you can see and reach it perfectly as i have cut the slot so it angles up towards me :y: