In keeping with the spirit of modding, I decided to add reverse and forward cameras to the V. This is definitely one of the worst cars I've owned in terms of rear visibility, and why GM didn't equip our otherwise well-equipped car with one I have no idea. At the same time, I decided to add a forward camera since I appear to be challenged in the "How far should I pull forward?" department. Since I have my D3 springs sitting in my garage waiting to be installed, I thought it would even be more important to have some forward visibility so I don't destroy the Vs already low front fascia on a curb stop.
Installation took me the better part of the weekend. The forward camera (Mito VN2218) mounted easily beneath the front license plate holder and I routed the wire through the firewall and then back into the trunk, where I have a switching box that provides the necessary switching functions between front and rear camera. (Switching box VS001) The rear camera (Sanyo CCA-BC200) mounted just above the license plate and I routed the wire behind the plate where I drilled a hole into the trunk for wire passage.
I purchased a new rear view mirror made by Gentex that is made for GM vehicles with Onstar. It's also auto-dimming. It has a monitor built into the mirror itself that when not activated, looks just like a mirror. Installation was pretty much plug and play, with some extra wires that also get routed to the trunk-mounted switching box.
I installed a momentary push-button switch on the lower dash near where my right knee usually sits that activates the forward camera. When I come to a parking spot I just use my right hand to activate the forward camera and can consistently park the car within an inch of the curb. Very nice. I'm not sure why I have so much trouble judging the distance I have left, but I do.
The rear camera activates when the car is put into reverse. The image on the mirror has colored lines that do a fairly good job showing the dimensions of your car to help you line up with parking spaces for example, as well as 4-foot and 2-foot marks. And of course, the OEM rear radar sensors are still working too.
I got all the stuff from an online company called Mito Corp. The gentleman I ordered from was very helpful and friendly. The instructions that came with the cameras were very good, but they only helped with their individual installations and not how to get them to work in conjunction along with the switch box. Therefore, one of the technicians hand wrote me a simple wiring schematic that helped me wire the two cameras into the switch box. Now that's great customer service!
Overall the installation was fairly easy in terms of understanding what I was doing. It was however pretty labor intensive. It all works really, really well.
Tony
Installation took me the better part of the weekend. The forward camera (Mito VN2218) mounted easily beneath the front license plate holder and I routed the wire through the firewall and then back into the trunk, where I have a switching box that provides the necessary switching functions between front and rear camera. (Switching box VS001) The rear camera (Sanyo CCA-BC200) mounted just above the license plate and I routed the wire behind the plate where I drilled a hole into the trunk for wire passage.
I purchased a new rear view mirror made by Gentex that is made for GM vehicles with Onstar. It's also auto-dimming. It has a monitor built into the mirror itself that when not activated, looks just like a mirror. Installation was pretty much plug and play, with some extra wires that also get routed to the trunk-mounted switching box.
I installed a momentary push-button switch on the lower dash near where my right knee usually sits that activates the forward camera. When I come to a parking spot I just use my right hand to activate the forward camera and can consistently park the car within an inch of the curb. Very nice. I'm not sure why I have so much trouble judging the distance I have left, but I do.
The rear camera activates when the car is put into reverse. The image on the mirror has colored lines that do a fairly good job showing the dimensions of your car to help you line up with parking spaces for example, as well as 4-foot and 2-foot marks. And of course, the OEM rear radar sensors are still working too.
I got all the stuff from an online company called Mito Corp. The gentleman I ordered from was very helpful and friendly. The instructions that came with the cameras were very good, but they only helped with their individual installations and not how to get them to work in conjunction along with the switch box. Therefore, one of the technicians hand wrote me a simple wiring schematic that helped me wire the two cameras into the switch box. Now that's great customer service!
Overall the installation was fairly easy in terms of understanding what I was doing. It was however pretty labor intensive. It all works really, really well.
Tony
