Valentine 1 connections in a Ferrari | FerrariChat

Valentine 1 connections in a Ferrari

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by coachi, Dec 30, 2003.

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  1. coachi

    coachi Formula 3

    May 1, 2002
    2,108
    SC USA
    Today I had a golorious drive, the longest I have ever had in a Ferrari. I drove my 550 Maranello for 8 hours in one day. It was wonderful. However, I tried to plug my new Valentine cord into my cigarette lighter socket, but it would not stay in....it seems I have to have a fancy installation to be able to use this wonderful device. Needless to say without Valentine I had to be extra careful with al;l the holiday traffic etc..

    How did you hook your radar detector in your Ferrari if not in the lighter socket?
     
  2. Sfumato

    Sfumato F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    10,194
    Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Anglesey, Wales
    Full Name:
    Angus Podgorney
    Coachi:
    I had my dealer hardwire it into keyed hot, down in passenger footwell somewhere...fusebox is down there. Wire run up column next to mirror on R side, so unit not visible to anyone peering in window, alarms not visible to car behind, but Laser/Radar window peeps out beside domelight housing on R side. Driver can still see warnings/arrows. Sorry I don't have more wire-in details, but I don't have time to mess with it anymore. Buy extra hardwire kits or V1's, put'em in everything I have. I rotate my V1's every couple years, so software is always fresh, market for used V1's amongst friends is solid.
    FWIW
    Lee
     
  3. dwood1969

    dwood1969 Karting

    Nov 1, 2003
    67
    Charlotte, NC
    Full Name:
    David Wood

    Lee,

    You don't happen to have a picture of this, do you? Sounds like a great solution...

    Thanks.
     
  4. mensi

    mensi Rookie

    Dec 9, 2003
    43
    360/550 cigarette lighter holes are too shallow for Valentine adaptors. I fried my Valentine this past weekend trying to make it fit. I have to send it for repairs (fuse did not protect it).
     
  5. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    59,406
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    Talk to Brian Stradale, he has a great setup in his 360... hard wired and hidden up above his rear view.
     
  6. sparta49

    sparta49 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Mar 3, 2001
    7,802
    LA
    Full Name:
    Frank

    The 348's lighter hole is also too shallow. I just ordered another hardwire kit from Valentine .
     
  7. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner

    Dec 1, 2000
    59,406
    Southlake, TX
    Full Name:
    Rob Lay
    anyone know if it works for the 328 OK out of box?
     
  8. Steve King

    Steve King F1 Rookie

    Feb 15, 2001
    4,367
    NY
    You might just want to change the lighter. The cost around $5 at an auto store.
     
  9. BigHead

    BigHead Formula Junior

    Oct 31, 2003
    995
    Outside of Boston
    Full Name:
    Dennis
    It's actually very easy to hardwire many Ferraris for the V1. My friend and I did it for my 348 and 355 in less than 10 minutes apiece, using a wire stripper, a fuse tap, a screwdriver and a driver's license.

    Also, I dimly recall that the V1 came with a little adapter that you could fit around the cigarette lighter plug, so that it fits snugly into larger sockets (European in particular?).

    vty,

    --Dennis
     
  10. malcolmb

    malcolmb Formula 3
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 17, 2002
    1,160
    San diego
    Full Name:
    Malcolm Barksdale
    Buy the remote display and mount it on the steering column behind the VIN on the little flat spot. Run all the wires behind the dash and up to the appropriate area next to the rear view mirror. If you dont like to do this yourself a good audio shop can, but it is really easy to do.The manual is pretty good. I have three cars set up like this and just move the unit around. I tend to only use it when I take a trip, in Southern California it is just too crowded to speed close to the coast. If I lived in New Mexico I would put a unit in each car and call it a day. It WORKS.
     
  11. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 17, 2002
    3,612
    Dallas, TX, USA
    In every car I own, I use the hardwire kit that comes with the V1 and wire into the interior lights that are (in most cars) at top center of the windshield. In every car, there's some wire in the light set that is wired to the ignition (so its only hot when the car is on). And of course there's ground wires up there.

    I then run the wires out between the headliner and the windshield... no cutting necessary... so removal can be complete.

    That leaves the little black box with the two phone jacks dangling there... but its truly not noticable in every car I've owned, because the headliner comes down from the windshield making room for the lighting console.

    Then I use the suction cup mount to put the Valentine above the left half of the rear view mirror. In that position it is: A) as high as possible in the car, ideal for detection; B) very easy to see and operate as driver; C) very hard to see from outside in a tall vehicle and looks like a typical LED clock from lower vehicles; D) very hard to notice from the front as the black just blends with the back of the rear view mirror and/or the light console.

    I use one of those little 4" or 6" phone cords that you get with most any phone capable of being wall mounted to connect the V1 to the little black box.

    Sooo, its fairly stealth, but extremely functional. And when I go to the track, its trivial to remove.


    As for Ferrari mounts, I can only speak directly to the 360: Yes, the needed wires are up there. Yes the V1 fits well above the rear view, as long as you have the thinner (more recent) models. If you have a model that's more than 3 years old, you might have one of the fatter ones... it doesn't fit so well. I put the fatter ones in my other cars that leave a bit more space between mirror and roof and use the thinner one in the 360.
     
  12. sparta49

    sparta49 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Mar 3, 2001
    7,802
    LA
    Full Name:
    Frank

    I can second that it works. I drive over 150 miles a day to work round trip . And it works like a charm :)
     
  13. 308SYSTEMS

    308SYSTEMS Karting

    Dec 16, 2003
    51
    I have my V1 hardwired in, using a black telephone cord as the power from a switched wire under the dash.

    However, I have also used the cigarette lighter adaptor prior to the hardwiring and I simply used a soldering iron and added a small mound of solder to both metal contacts. It now fits tightly!!!!

    Mark
     
  14. TOM B

    TOM B Formula 3

    Jul 24, 2003
    1,038
    Orange County, NY
    Full Name:
    Thomas Buckley
    On my '88 Mondial I had to wire it directly to the battery. It seems the wiring system in the car goes a little crazy when something is attached that doesn't belong there. For example...when tied into the power line for the brake light circuit, it would alarm every time the brakes were applied. Must be those Italian electrons. :)

    I actually hardwired a 3 socket adapter from Radio Shack to the battery, mounted it under the dash and plug my V-1 and cell phone into that. You do have to remember to turn it off manually.


    Tom
     
  15. Theo

    Theo Formula Junior

    May 6, 2002
    359
    Westford, MA
    Full Name:
    Theo Pappas
    Yes it works fine plugged into my lighter socket and I have a 87 328 GTS. Sometimes it pops up if I go over a big bump, but has stayed in place even with agressive driving.

    Theo
     
  16. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Oct 3, 2002
    48,581
    @ the wheel
    Full Name:
    Andreas
    Took the power off the center console and run a wire through on my 308. I mount the V-1 only when I mean it.
    :)

    Had my car broken into once because somebody was after the bloody thing. Repairing the car cost more than buying a new V1.
     
  17. Lloyd

    Lloyd F1 Rookie

    Aug 25, 2001
    2,713
    Austin
    In my 512TR I used the remote display kit and tapped into the power wire for the stereo. I ran wire to the main unit between windshield and headliner and mounted the main unit partially behind the rear view mirror with only the rear sensor sticking out behind the mirror. Mounted remote display on steering column serial number plate. Works great and display lights not visible to cars behind you.
     
  18. buzduz74

    buzduz74 Karting

    Apr 19, 2004
    57
    Boca Raton
    Full Name:
    Buzz Marcus
    I wired mine into the overhead lite on my 360. 1/2 hour job. EASY
     
  19. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
    6,099
    MA USA
    Full Name:
    Mr. Doody
    before i had my V1 hardwired on my 355 and 550, i used it plugged into the lighter (the ashtray is the same on both cars) and never had a problem with it staying in.

    but definitely do the hardwire - and the remote display. like malcolmb, mine is on the top of the steering column - it's great.

    on my 550 i believe they tapped the overhead light power that's up there already.

    doody!
     
  20. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

    May 29, 2003
    1,793
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Yoshi Ace
    I used it in my 328 before. I just used cigarette lighter for power source.
    Don't you remember?? I thought you were the one who told me that I'd better remove V1 from my car as it could get stolen at 1st Carson's night I went last year

    It's just surprising that y'all knows so much about wiring. Due to my ignorance, I somehow feel what you guys did seems very hard to do for me... How much should I expect if some pro to do this? (like car audio shop or Ferrari dealers?) I don't like a cord extending dangling when I use a cigarette lighter for power source.
     

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