I thought I would bounce this one off of you guys.
My GN has been in a few accidents, only minor cosmetic damage, but annoying nonetheless (CT drivers keep hitting me).
For a while I've been laying the groundwork for building my own ECM. I'm thinking that I could replace the entire ECM with a PC running Win XP.
From how I understand it, the ECM is just like any other computer, it takes a set of inputs, runs some conversions and calculations on them, and makes a set of outputs. This could easily be done with a PC.
The benefits of this would be obvious. Rather than running TurboLink, you could see all the readings in realtime straight off the sensors on a monitor. The computer could be programmed to cut off the throttle when there is too much knock, or activate another fuel pump to get rid of it. Customization of the car would become a lot easier.
Then, you have all the ricey options. You could watch DVD's, or play MP3's right over the stereo. A touch screen monitor could replace all the switches in the car. Imagine touching a screen to turn on the headlights. Or even a custom password to even turn the car on.
Here's what I am thinking. For a while I've dreamed of getting a 1940 Buick Coupe and fixing it up. My uncle had a roadster when I was a kid, and that's what made me fall in love with cars.
Sooooo...... get a 1940 Buick Coupe and put my (tired) GN Motor in it (after a through rebuild). I would put the GN Rims, Badges, and as much of the trim as I could make fit. Paint it black (of course), and then custom build the interior. I'm thinking of putting the GN interior in it, after the leather kit that I see advertised.
Finally, this could be the car that I make my ECM idea work on. Custom dash with a LCD touchscreen monitor instead of a instrument panel anyone?
Obviously this is not a daily driver, and I won't have it finished tomorrow or the day after that. I want to make it a long project where I build up the car into a show car that can still kill some ricers on the street/strip.
1940 Buick Grand National, anyone?
What do you guys think? Is this possible?
My GN has been in a few accidents, only minor cosmetic damage, but annoying nonetheless (CT drivers keep hitting me).
For a while I've been laying the groundwork for building my own ECM. I'm thinking that I could replace the entire ECM with a PC running Win XP.
From how I understand it, the ECM is just like any other computer, it takes a set of inputs, runs some conversions and calculations on them, and makes a set of outputs. This could easily be done with a PC.
The benefits of this would be obvious. Rather than running TurboLink, you could see all the readings in realtime straight off the sensors on a monitor. The computer could be programmed to cut off the throttle when there is too much knock, or activate another fuel pump to get rid of it. Customization of the car would become a lot easier.
Then, you have all the ricey options. You could watch DVD's, or play MP3's right over the stereo. A touch screen monitor could replace all the switches in the car. Imagine touching a screen to turn on the headlights. Or even a custom password to even turn the car on.
Here's what I am thinking. For a while I've dreamed of getting a 1940 Buick Coupe and fixing it up. My uncle had a roadster when I was a kid, and that's what made me fall in love with cars.
Sooooo...... get a 1940 Buick Coupe and put my (tired) GN Motor in it (after a through rebuild). I would put the GN Rims, Badges, and as much of the trim as I could make fit. Paint it black (of course), and then custom build the interior. I'm thinking of putting the GN interior in it, after the leather kit that I see advertised.
Finally, this could be the car that I make my ECM idea work on. Custom dash with a LCD touchscreen monitor instead of a instrument panel anyone?
Obviously this is not a daily driver, and I won't have it finished tomorrow or the day after that. I want to make it a long project where I build up the car into a show car that can still kill some ricers on the street/strip.
1940 Buick Grand National, anyone?
What do you guys think? Is this possible?