topradio Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 This is something I've been meaning to do since I bought the car. I normally have to scrabble around in the centre cubby to find the garage door remote as I was too mean to specify it as a factory option as it was about £200. I did a similar mod to Mrs Radio's Mini and it works great so it was time to take the 981 apart. I removed the switch cluster behind the gear selector to look into the feasibility of enabling one of the spare switch blanks, The unit simply pulls out by getting your fingers between the open ashtray lid and the switch. This is my unmodified switch There are six screws on the back to open up the cluster and the pcb just lifts out along with the rubber contact pad. You can just see from the pic that the three sliding actuators are missing from the unused positions. So after popping out the blanks this is where I was I had been looking around on eBay to find a donor switch but they are about £100 which is a little steep just to cannibalise it for a couple of parts. So I asked on here if anybody had a spare one and @Greenman offered to send me one that he had. Its from a Cayman and all the positions are populated with the actuators as well as a selection of switch covers some with legends and some blanks. It also has the little chrome dividers that sit between the switches and add a bit of bling. So I fitted one of the donor actuators to the spare slot below the auto stop/start switch and selected a cover with a legend for an option that the car doesn't have (I think its the switch to lift the front end for speed bumps on the 718) I then soldered two wires to convenient pads that connected to the switch contacts. You can see the resistor that I removed to isolate the contacts from the rest of the components. I left it in place on the outside chance that I might ever need to reverse the mod. I routed the wires through a convenient hole in the bottom of the enclosure and soldered them to the switch contacts on my garage door remote controller. I then wrapped the remote in foam to stop any rattles and cable tied it in the space under the switch making sure that it was well clear of the gear selector cables - there's actually loads of room. I then refitted the switch block. The finished job I just need to think of some things to fit in the spare switch slots, ejector seat or machine guns perhaps There's loads of spare bits left from @Greenman kit so if anybody else fancies doing something similar then I have the parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topradio Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 There is a kit on eBay from a 991 GT and it has a switch with the legend 'PIT SPEED' which I think is pretty cool but it's £170. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz05 Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Good job. Couldn't you have done the same with the spare slot on the overhead console as per the option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart21UK Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topradio Posted October 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 17 minutes ago, daz05 said: Good job. Couldn't you have done the same with the spare slot on the overhead console as per the option? Almost certainly, just have to source the binnacle with the switches. There is one on eBay but the reason I didn't is because I find trying to locate a switch in that location by feel, especially in the dark is a pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringer250 Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Nice job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mac Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Looks like an excellent / discreet / useful and reversible mod! Nicely optioned 981 too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Wapping the remote in foam doesn't reduce the range in any way? Negligible, or just doesn't bother you personally? (I drive down a straight road to my house, I'd like max range; someone else made a U turn into a cul de sac so could press his button at the "back" of his house and the door would be open by the time he got to the front). The full set of silly stickers off eBay didn't have a more suitable icon? Think I remember Sonar. Wish I could wire my remote into my Homelink buttons but I barely know one end of a soldering iron from the other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Love things like this, nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenman Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Looks awesome, a great mod. As said, you just need a suitable garage door icon to finish it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T24RES Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Thats great, I love these modifications. I just need to scour ebay for a house with a bigger garage and electric door for under £25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topradio Posted October 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Thanks for the positive comments guys. 10 hours ago, Menoporsche said: Wapping the remote in foam doesn't reduce the range in any way? Negligible, or just doesn't bother you personally? (I drive down a straight road to my house, I'd like max range; someone else made a U turn into a cul de sac so could press his button at the "back" of his house and the door would be open by the time he got to the front). The full set of silly stickers off eBay didn't have a more suitable icon? Think I remember Sonar. The foam probably doesn't attenuate the signal too much especially compared to burying it in the console or even having it in the car in the first place. Many years ago I lived near a very busy road (now the A14) and from one direction I effectively had to drive past my house for half a mile and then double back to get to it. As I flashed by at 70 I would zap the garage door so that when I arrived 2 minutes later the door would be open and I could drive straight in. I did have to modify the remote a little to turn up the power slightly I used a switch with a legend as it had the 'cut out' bit to accommodate the chrome bar. I am going to take the Dremel to one of the blank switches and if successful look out for a decal with a suitable legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guvs Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Very Smart I like it. Guvs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18greens Posted November 1, 2017 Report Share Posted November 1, 2017 Thanks for demystifying whats behind those switches. I'm always surprised how cheap everything looks on cars when the covers come off. I bet the switch will confuse the next owner when you sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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