bradc2112

I just bought the TL 2 days ago and already I'm modifying it...

So it goes, a day in the life of a gearhead, or for those who watch Top Gear (Petrolhead)

I had my Valentine One Radar Locator (V1) hard wired in my Lincoln LS, tucked neatly to the right of my RV mirror. No one could see it, which meant I never had to take it down. The shade at the top of the windshield did a great job of hiding it. I'm hoping to accomplish the same the same thing in the TL.

I need ideas on where to mount my V1 in the TL. Do they make a mirror with the remote module already installed for the TL? Has anyone hard wired their V1s yet?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Kingmeow

You can tap into the back of the RV mirror for a 12V source. My Bel is mounted on the passenger visor with a homemade cord that goes to the back of the wire connector that snaps into the back of the RV mirror.

Very well hidden and I never take it down.

bradc2112

Thank you for the idea. I found a company called www.stealthcords.com. I might try that idea. Do you have any pics? I work in MD, but live in DC. I also frequent VA. Needless to say when I park in DC, HIDDEN is a major priority.

Thanks again.

Kingmeow

If you are not handy then get the cord from them. I'm very handy and built my own cord as I have lots of phone ribbon cable and the connectors/crimper. If you are facing the front of the car, the connector to the mirror has 3 pin outs. You want to use the middle one and the one to the left (remember, you are facing the front of the car). I don't remember but I *think* the left one is negative and the middle one is positive. BUT, PLEASE MEASURE WITH A METER TO CONFIRM.

I don't have any pictures but if you search for stealthcord you will find some. There are pictures posted somewhere here.

bradc2112

I saw the demo on the stealth cords site. Looks like anyone can knock it out in a few minutes. Spending the $15 is worth it to me.

I think I found a good mounting place for it, just to the right of the mirror behind the sun shade. I hope it will be hidden enough to thrwart any potential theives.

Has anyone used the Cheetah GPS Mirror? Likes like a nice toy to have with the V1.

bagbklyn

I have a stealthcord, good quality connector, price a little steep but well worth it and it take actually less than 1 minute to install. It will take you longer to install the radar then it does to install this. I went with stealthcord because I have a lease, but the tips of the cable that go into the mirror are sturdy and their customer service is very good.

fusiongt

here is your answer.
http://www.blendmount.com

I have this setup on my 09 TL and it look very clean. I highly recommand to all TL drivers out there with a RD.

El Genio

Never used one but I'm on the radardetector.net forum a lot and they absolutely love them. If I lived in a bigger city I'd probably get one of those mirrors. They say Cheetah's CS is pretty good if you have problems. Just don't get a blend mount. Turns your warning into a citation, makes it easy for other drivers to see you have a rd and makes it easy for thieves too. O did I mention that I love to shoot people with visible Rd's with my radar gun.

bradc2112

I'll never buy the Blend Mount, it just highlights the fact I have an Rd.

fusiongt

well then where do u guyz mount the rd?? I mean if u guyz mount it on the windshield it's even more visible + those dam sucktion cup keep fallin off the windshield really sux.

Kingmeow

I used this clip to hang my Bel Vector 940 to the passenger side visor. It's pretty high up there and with the front windshield tint, it's pretty well hidden visually. You have to bend down to look inside the car but at the same time look up to see it.

http://www.amazon.com/Escort-Visor-C...d_bxgy_e_img_c

El Genio

Well if your in a car mount it high on the tint strip, assuming the strip in non metallic. Yes the tint strip cuts down on laser reception but that is pointless anyways. I never have problems with my suction cups. When they start giving me problems I boil them and that usually fixes it. I've seen some use the visor mount and put the rd hanging off the headliner in a GTO.

NAiL05

I mount mine right below the tint strip...I would recommend taking off the radar along with suction cups everytime you are in a public area to prevent theft. Thats what I do. Prolongs the life of the suction cups and IMO still looks better than the blendmount...That just looks more intrusive than it needs to be.

fusiongt

but those suction cups randomly fall off the windshield. esp in hot summer time. oh and if u put your suction cup on and off all the time it'll make even worse.

NAiL05

I havent had that issue with my escort one. I had to replace mine because I left it on the windshield all the time. Now that I do this it doesnt fall off.

bradc2112

I have a better plan. I already installed my V1 on the windshield behind the tint. Once my 'hidden cord' comes in it will be stealth. To combat the laser detection issue I will be installing the Blinder M27 Laser Jammer. That will solve that problem!

bradc2112

I had a problem with the suction cups VERY COLD days. Believe it or not a cop told me how to solve the probelm. Use a small dab of vasaline on the inside of the cup, press firm. You'd think they were glued to the w/s!

NAiL05

Yep my uncle told me the same thing. Vaseline prevents it from hardening and losing its ability to stick on windshields.

jmhowieii

I have my Escort mounted via suction cup just to the right of the mirror. I used a stealthcord and it works great. I am interested in the Blendmount now and might try it out.

LaCostaRacer

For those of you planning on keeping your car a long time, consider glueing the metal mount to the windshield instead of dealing with suctions or visor mounts. There's pictures of this and related info here about 2/3's down:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...t=lacostaracer


This might not be a great idea for leases. I have never attempted to take off a mount and don't know if any damage would happen. I would just leave the small black mount on the windshield and see if anyone notices it.

It's very cheap to buy and extra mount and take off the suctioncup. Previously, I bought a blend mount and that was a loser idea because it really showsoff the RD and causes the RD to vibrate on rough roads because it has lateral support. The glue solution allows the detector to be wedged up against the windshield and the RD does not vibrate at all- my STi has a rubberized forward edge and that works perfect.

I glued mounts for both my cars 2 years ago with no issues. My RD is very stealth (in tint strip) and out of the way. The other benefit is you really don't need remote mute control because the detector is near the rear view mirror and an easy reach anyway.e. Alerts are very obvious too because the lights are near your rear view mirror and eye level. I used the invisicord to tap into the RV mirror power like others have suggested.

bradc2112

Now that I have a plan to install my V1. I figured out that a regular phone splitter will also give power to the remote display while the main unit is drawing power from the mirror.

Has anyone mounted thier V1 Remote displays anywhere inconspicuous?

0akland

here is mine.











I'M ALSO SELLING MY V1, just in case anyone is interested. PM me.

bradc2112

My Stealth Cord is installed. Even with the howling winds, and frigid 16 degree weather it was installed in less than 5 minutes. It looks great, very professional. I decided to scrap the remote module. My V1 sits just above my sightline, works quite well. I'm just waiting on my RJ Grill so I can install my Blinder M47 Jammer.

0Akland, I am curious as to why on earth would you ever sell your V1? Those arrows have saved me countless times.

0akland

Hey Brad, I sold it to try the new Escort 9500ix. The blue screen seems to match the TL lighting. I still like the the V1, I'd had V1's since 1996, they work great.

if all fails with the 9500ix, I'm sure i'll buy another V1 immediately. The V1 sold in less than 4 hours on Craigslist. That shows that they hold their value and they are still desirable after all these years.

I had my V1 mounted exactly where you had yours.

Sonor Kid 2

The new Escort 9500ix is a great unit, better than anything I have used including my old 8500 and Valentine.
Mounting the detector up high on the visor will cut your laser detection to down to nothing, laser guns have a very focused beam, there is no way a visor mount location would pick it up.
Here in Illinois we have some towns who use laser so it's a concern.

chaiwala

Hi Oakland,
I did the exact same thing. I sold my V1 and bought the Escort 9500ix because the blue lighting matches more with the cabin lighting. After a month, I would ditch the Passport in a heartbeat for the V1. Yes the Passport has less falsies and the GPS is a cool feature but the one area the V1 shines is its range at picking up the radar. Plus I learned the hard way that I can't live without the arrows either. If you have not bought your Passport, let me know, I can sell you mine if you really want to try it out.

0akland

i havent purchased it yet. let me know. I was also considering the hard install on the 9500ci. I have that on my other car and I like it because it is totally concealed.

bradc2112

BUY THE VALENTINE ONE! The arrows alone are worth the price admission. If that isn't good enough did I talk about the range on the V1! I think the V1 knows where the radar is before the LEO's do.

Read above on stealth, and how fast it is to hard wire a V1.