2018-09-29

Comvette Storage Compartment Wiring

Deciding where to hide the Comvette electronics was determined by several factors:

1. I will probably want to modify, upgrade, tweak, play etc. width the Raspberry Pi and associated electronics.
2. Putting the electronics in the dash makes item #1 difficult.
3. Some items must be placed in the dash like the touch-screen, USB jack and the volume control. But these items will rarely need to be changed.
4. Parts of the system that are subject to frequent changes are best kept somewhere other than the dashboard.

There isn't much unused space available inside a Corvette but there are two rather deep storage compartments, one behind each seat. These compartments have a small removable tray which when removed, provides access to the deep compartment below. After a couple of years of production, General Motors introduced ABS brakes and in doing so, commandeered the compartment behind the drivers seat for a place to keep the ABS equipment. But the upper tray was still available for storage of small items. Eventually, the entire compartment behind the driver's seat was taken by General Motors and bolted shut.

However, the compartment behind the passenger seat is available. Since I rarely use this compartment, I decided that it would be a good place to hide the Comvette electronics.

Here's a few photos of the Comvette wiring harness arrangement in my car.

I used a Greenlee punch to make two holes through the bulkhead into the storage compartment. Then I cut out the sheetmetal between the two holes. This left an oval opening large enough to pass all of the Comvette wiring. I split some rubber vacuum hose and lined the perimeter of the opening to prevent the sheetmetal from cutting any of the wiring.

Then I laid the Comvette wiring along side of the existing wiring from the dashboard to the rear storage compartment. There is enough room along the side of the console to stow the Comvette wiring. I neatened everything up with some wire ties.