DME Relocation
 

Today's project was to move the DME. In preparation for installing the 6-Point Schroth harnesses, it became clear that the electronics under the seat are exactly right in the way.

http://www.plumley.org/porsche/photos/dme_normal.jpg

After much pondering of ways to make brackets that attach to the seat mounting points and other less desirable alternatives, I decided that to do this right, I needed to relocate the DME. The sub strap mounting position is a very important part of the safety package -- this is the wrong time to compromise.

After more pondering of where to relocate the DME, the cable harness was the limiting factor -- how far can I move the DME without cutting wires. I try my best to follow the Hippocratic oath when working on the car (especially with electronics): First Do No Harm.

I wanted to mount it vertically on the panel in back of the rear footwell, but a) the harness really wouldn't reach; and b) there are brake hydraulic lines right there (remember the oath - drills near hydraulic lines are bad). I could just bolt it to the floor pan - but that's in the flood zone and anything that might hit the bottom of the car might hit a very expensive box of electronics. So I decided I could simply reverse the existing mounting plate. Just cut off a piece, attach it to the floor pan with a riser, and bolt everything back down. I thought this might look reasonably "factory like" as well.

Here's the empty rear floor area with the riser (I also installed a new floor pan drain).

http://www.plumley.org/porsche/photo..._pan_empty.jpg

The riser is an M6 bolt mounted from underneath, with a main nut holding it down (using some blue locktite), then a connecting sleeve for another M6 bolt.

And with the mounting pan attached:

http://www.plumley.org/porsche/photos/dme_mount.jpg

For the black box (I think it is for the remote), you can see a second stud in the middle of the plate using an M6 bolt and a T Nut with the prongs flattened down.

And finally with the electronics back in their new home:

http://www.plumley.org/porsche/photos/dme_relocated.jpg


For the passenger side, I just cut a big hole out of the mounting pan, then protected the edges with with tubing:

http://www.plumley.org/porsche/photos/floor_pan_pax.jpg

I thought about rotating this mounting plate as well, but I want to install the fire bottle back there.

Now to mount the sub strap eye bolts...