DME Relocation

[Don Plumley]

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.



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).



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:



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:




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



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...