Starting from scratch what would you include for ICE?

[Nurburgsingh]

So, Ive got a couple of car projects on the go and one ( 1974 VW Beetle Conv ) is now at the stage where I need to be thinking about the wiring and what i'm having.

The car is undergoing a bare metal resto so everything is up for grabs. Currently I'm thinking... in no particular order..

Dash Cam Front and Rear
Reversing Camera
Apple Car play head unit
Jukebox storage device thing
USB chargers in the back
USB Chargers in the front
12v socket in the back
12V socket in the front
Wireless charging pad/wallet
heated seats


and then there's stuff that I'm intrigued by... so I know I said Carplay unit, but what if I just had a BT module connected to an amp and then just used my phone... no head unit at all.

The other thing thats caught my eye recently is camera replacements for mirrors - 3 screens inside the car to replace the mirrors which on a beetle are properly crap anyway...


So what would you add/ not bother with ?

Just for some added context - Im old... so no need for enough volume to shake my dental implants loose.

[jamei303]

Headlights, brake lights etc, electric windows, heated windscreen, heated seats, heated steering wheel, electric parking brake, sun visor vanity lights, tyre pressure monitors, windscreen wipers, electrically adjustable seats...the world's your oyster really.

[DennisCooper]

Hi/Kiddah Nurburgsing !

All of those features ... and more are possible! you'd not need a 'jukebox' thing given that MicroSD cards can be had for £50 and 512GB in size. There's excellent quality amplifiers with Bluetooth so you could use your phone to stream audio to it and have no modern head unit in the car so can leave a period looking unit in for looks.

Heated seats, massaging seats, Wireless charging pads that integrate better, 5G modems with Wifi , removeable tablets so no need to cut into headrests and so on.

All depends on what you want really!

Cheers, Dennis!

[Dave.]

I'd just go with a Bluetooth amp or maybe even an Alexa (hooked up to an amp) if you're that way inclined.

A hidden magnetic pad on the dash for your phone if you need nav. (Not sure if that would be doable with wireless charging too.)

I wouldn't go nuts with dashcams and reversing camera etc, keep it simple.

[Nurburgsingh]

I’m liking the sound of the BT amp more and more to be honest… keeping some of that period look would be a bonus.

[Pickled Piper]

If it were mine, I would want to keep the dash looking as standard as possible, perhaps with a period correct radio just for looks. So wireless BT amp and do everything from your phone. i would also keep the Usb charging points under the dash out of view.

[Dave Hedgehog]

auto pilot

[MuffDaddy]

MuffDaddy said:

I've bought a marine control unit to Bluetooth to my amp. Gives me volume control and next/previous and will be hidden away. Therefore no visible stereo.

https://celsusice.co.uk/celsus-universal-ip66-bluetooth-audio-receiver-controller

Still testing at the moment. The phone will be the 'headunit' but only when on a longer drive needing nav. Otherwise it will also be tucked away

[donkmeister]

12v socket in the frunk too - it's one of those things that you never realised you needed until you need it, but so easy to add when the car is in bits.

Also, a battery charging point that's hidden away but accessible outside the car so you can keep the battery topped off easily with the car locked. There are standards available if you don't want to be tied to proprietary connectors.

Another thing I would do is to include a terminal block mounted out of sight but accessible (somewhere behind the dash perhaps) with ground, permanent live and ignition live. The only car I've had with such points as standard was an S2000 and it made life easy when adding equipment, I'd add it to any restomod job.

[Mogsmex]

BT amp hidden up under the dash for me, 8" sub on the rear shelf under the standard 1973 speaker grill, 3 way box speakers under the front seats

then I stream spotify from my phone, not the audiphiles choice ! but it works ok and most importantly for me I cant see any of it in an old car

[Nurburgsingh]

donkmeister said:

12v socket in the frunk too - it's one of those things that you never realised you needed until you need it, but so easy to add when the car is in bits.

Also, a battery charging point that's hidden away but accessible outside the car so you can keep the battery topped off easily with the car locked. There are standards available if you don't want to be tied to proprietary connectors.

Another thing I would do is to include a terminal block mounted out of sight but accessible (somewhere behind the dash perhaps) with ground, permanent live and ignition live. The only car I've had with such points as standard was an S2000 and it made life easy when adding equipment, I'd add it to any restomod job.

12v in the drink added to the list and the battery charger - genius - added that too

[RazerSauber]

Remember to pick quality cables for your install. Don't spend tonnes of time routing cheap or unsuitable cables only to have it not work or burn to the ground as soon as you connect the battery!

Puddle lights can be quite handy and illuminated door handles look snazzy too.

[donkmeister]

RazerSauber said:

Remember to pick quality cables for your install. Don't spend tonnes of time routing cheap or unsuitable cables only to have it not work or burn to the ground as soon as you connect the battery!

Agreed - cost of materials is nothing compared to the time and heartache of finding faults and redoing work.

Also decent crimps and crimping tools. I've gone from "squeeze handles together hard" crimp pliers, to Robson ratchet crimper, to a set of ratchet crimpers with interchangeable dies and each time I've been amazed at the difference in how repeatable good crimps are.

I'd recommend non-insulated connectors too, much easier to get a good join then slide the insulating boot over.

There is a website called "12v planet" that sells decent gear.

[Decky_Q]

Door switches for interior lights and puddle lights, as mentioned frunk lights (more than 1).

[Nurburgsingh]

donkmeister said:

RazerSauber said:

Remember to pick quality cables for your install. Don't spend tonnes of time routing cheap or unsuitable cables only to have it not work or burn to the ground as soon as you connect the battery!

Agreed - cost of materials is nothing compared to the time and heartache of finding faults and redoing work.

Also decent crimps and crimping tools. I've gone from "squeeze handles together hard" crimp pliers, to Robson ratchet crimper, to a set of ratchet crimpers with interchangeable dies and each time I've been amazed at the difference in how repeatable good crimps are.

I'd recommend non-insulated connectors too, much easier to get a good join then slide the insulating boot over.

There is a website called "12v planet" that sells decent gear.

Un/fortunately I’m not anywhere near skilled or confident enough to take this on myself so my input into this will be “I want” and “bank details please”