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MG MGA - GPS Mount - Follow Up

A few days ago I asked how/where others had mounted GPS units in their MGAs. That thread got a bit side tracked so I thought I'd follow up with a new thread to show what I ended up doing.

I got hold of one of Garmins "new design" portable friction mounts and put it on the tunnel just behind the gear shift. This seems like a good location. It's out of the way but easy enough to see from the drivers seat. Because the dash overhangs it a bit, it's shaded from direct sunlight. The shape of the base allows its tip to be stuffed under the carpet which helps to keep the base planted quite solidly in place.

I've mounted an accessory plug-in up on the firewall and wired it into the ignition key circuit. The GPS power wire runs under the carpet and up to the accessory plug-in.
Andy Bounsall

Oops, forgot to add the photo...


Andy Bounsall

...and as viewed from the drivers seat.


Andy Bounsall

Andy,
You've got good eyes. I prefer a mount that involves the minimum eye movement from the road.
D Sjostrom

Andy

We were all quite enjoying your last thread. We will have to side track this one now.

Your new position is too low for me. It's below the cockpit instrument level. In the fighter aircraft game we lost too many pilots looking down low into the cockpit to change radio channels and the like at crucial times, then hitting the ground or other aircraft. Keep the lookout going!!

It is also where I have mounted my fire extinguisher.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Side track as you will Steve. Fortunately threads are cheap and plentiful. :)

I don't normally look at the GPS while I'm driving so having it at instrument level is not really a requirement for me. I select my route/destination before leaving, then listen to the directions to follow the selected route. In the event that I do need to look at the GPS to figure out where I am, etc., I would pull over and stop anyway. At that point, looking down is not a problem.

This works well for me, maybe not for everyone though.


Andy Bounsall

Andy, I'm impressed with your GPS if you can hear it at highway speeds. I can barely hear the radio (if I have it on). Where you mounted your GPS is right where I have my ashtray mounted. The ashtray used to be a perfect holder for my older Nokia phone but that got replaced and the new phone's fit is not-so-good. I tried my Garmin GPS last weekend in that same location and had some difficulty receiving the satellites. It likes to be up in the line of sight of the satellites.
Chuck Schaefer

I guess I never had to think about this, having a Coupe. I used the suction mount at the top of the windscreen, slightly to the right of the rearview mirror. It doesn't block my view of anything there, it's an easy reach, and it's not much more of a glance further than the mirror.

It's funny to see what everyone else sticks behind their shifter. I use the belt clip on my iPod case to clip the iPod to the carpet there.
Mark J Michalak

I'm not sure what model GPS you are using but my old Garmin Street pilot 2610 has an internal and external antennas . So if you would like to keep your GPS on the tunnel under the dash (away from prying eyes and the excessive glare of the sun , just run the external magnetic mount antenna up above the dash for great reception
Chris Velardi

This thread was discussed between 08/07/2009 and 10/07/2009

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