DIY In Car Camera Mounts

I know I'm not the only one who tracks their Subie and since some of us have sedans and some have wagons, not all solutions work for both. I had a cruisecam headrest mount in the Legacy and sold that thinking I could not use it in the 08 STI. Of course, now that it's a hatch, it has headrests. In an effort to make 2 mounts (one for our 07 STI and one for the 08 STI), I did a little research online. Here's what I found:

 

Sedans:

Children Tie Down Bracket

 

Wagons/Hatches (use with the headrests):

Instructions

PDF File

 

I bought a nice ball mount from Ritz camera for just under $30. I'll let you know how they turn out following these instructions.

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If you are an occasional autocross competitor like me, you can go the simple, cheap route. Basically like the MAKE magazine article (I subscribe, and saw it when it came out) but easier to complete.

 

 

• Use an approximately 18" long 3/4"x3/4" piece of wood.
  
• Drill a hole in one end for a 1/4-20 bolt.
  
• Pull uo the headrest and zip-tie the wood to the vertical headrest supports.
  
• Put the digital camera on it and adjusted the seat back so that the image is out the front.
  

The tech scrutineers laughed when they saw it, but passed it. Puts the camera almost on centerline, inside the car. If you have a digital camera, use a larger piece of wood to stabilize it. If you want to go higher penny-tech, use some rectangular aluminum tubing.

 

Result:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_xAIIuE12I]YouTube - Subaru Outback Wagon Autocross[/ame]

not sure if anyone has ever mentioned this

 

but this is a pretty innovative camera tripod that might work for incar video if you use your digital camera for video capture.

 

http://www.joby.com/products/gorillapod/original/

 

and pictures of it at work here:

http://www.joby.com/gallery/gorillapod/original/

 

in theory it should work, but never tried it myself, not sure if the g-forces would keep it from sticking. just thought i'd throw it out there, then this can also double as your camera tripod when needed and no fabbing required.

I recently bought the Hero Motorsports http://www.goprocamera.com for my autoX and trackday footage.

 

Below is a couple of test runs before I hit up a track next month.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLxqEYjVAmc]YouTube - Hero Motorsports Camera[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl1A9rd8XDs]YouTube - Hero Motorsports Camera[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8Gn9c9aRSw&NR=1]YouTube - Hero Motorsports Camera[/ame] this one is kinda long so just skip through it to get an idea of how the rearview would work

As far as the gorillapod, most SCCA event require that the mount be bolted or 100% secured to the car. I don't think some bendy plastic would work. I love the pods for random angle shots from trees though...

^ oh i see, i R a n00bz .......well there goes that plan, haha.

 

but i guess for other random in car videos you could use that setup.

I have a nice weatherproof motocam system for both cars, however, the video quality is only so-so. We have ours set up outside the cars, however I still want a better in-car view.

I have made my camera mount from 80/20 aluminum extrusion. I Can make more if anyone is interested. Please PM me. Adjusts by the movement of the front seat. Catches guages and view out front window. Lengths can be selected.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/coco5316/cameramount001.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/coco5316/cameramount003.jpg

very nice, however I have to put mine in the rear seat.

very nice, however I have to put mine in the rear seat.

Is that because of the integrated head rest? That's what the WRX has and I haven't considered how to mount on that, yet.

 

Are you going to use a tripod? I've been thinking you could mount that central and forward pretty securely.

 

http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/418080987_iRBr2-L.jpg

I have made my camera mount from 80/20 aluminum extrusion. I Can make more if anyone is interested. Please PM me. Adjusts by the movement of the front seat. Catches guages and view out front window. Lengths can be selected.

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/coco5316/cameramount001.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/coco5316/cameramount003.jpg

 

Nice work, but it looks dangerous. I'd hate to have that thing stuck in the side of my head.

Is that because of the integrated head rest? That's what the WRX has and I haven't considered how to mount on that, yet.

 

Are you going to use a tripod? I've been thinking you could mount that central and forward pretty securely.

 

http://dervish.smugmug.com/photos/418080987_iRBr2-L.jpg

yes, I don't have headrests in the front seats. I have found the best place for me is actually the middle rear seat in the back.

Does the STi have the same gap under the headrest as the WRX?

 

I'm planning to either make a clamp, or zip tie it around the pillars. Using the front seat is a lot easier to aim, and turn on and off before and after a run.

 

I was also thinking about making an aluminum bracket that would sit on the dashboard and mount to the windshield with a couple of suction cups.

Nice work, but it looks dangerous. I'd hate to have that thing stuck in the side of my head.

 

I have plastic caps that cap off each side, but that was a prototype so i didn't put them on. But it is safer then it looks.

Does the STi have the same gap under the headrest as the WRX?

 

I'm planning to either make a clamp, or zip tie it around the pillars. Using the front seat is a lot easier to aim, and turn on and off before and after a run.

 

I was also thinking about making an aluminum bracket that would sit on the dashboard and mount to the windshield with a couple of suction cups.

I've tried that and it's too shaky. also, I have a remote with my camera.

 

as for suction cup mount to the windshield, don't know about your area, that wouldn't pass tech for autox or rallyx.

Do you think if you had a clamp that passed through the hole in the WRX seat that it would pass tech inspection?

 

What about if you used a Garmin GPS adhesive mount on the dash, would that be a no-go? Because you can get RAM mounts that fit in that slot, which has a lock.

http://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/vanns/465014714?$medium_item$

Do you think if you had a clamp that passed through the hole in the WRX seat that it would pass tech inspection?

 

What about if you used a Garmin GPS adhesive mount on the dash, would that be a no-go? Because you can get RAM mounts that fit in that slot, which has a lock.

http://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/vanns/465014714?$

no way that'd pass tech. certainly not here anyways. I've had suction cup mounts before and they went FLYING across the dash! no more for me. it's gotta be bolted down or something or i take it off and put it in the glove box.

 

Anyways, I ended up doing a super easy one hole drill for my in car mount. Wagons and other's may have this in theirs as well:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/trdvibe/Car%20Mount/DSC_0895.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/trdvibe/Car%20Mount/DSC_0894.jpg

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/trdvibe/Car%20Mount/DSC_0892.jpg

 

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/coco5316/cameramount001.jpg

 

That's similar to how I do mine, but I just zip tie the tripod onto the headrest mounts, comes out OK.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdCtfu_7ua8]YouTube - Dunnville Autodrome[/ame]

no way that'd pass tech. certainly not here anyways. I've had suction cup mounts before and they went FLYING across the dash! no more for me. it's gotta be bolted down or something or i take it off and put it in the glove box.

 

Anyways, I ended up doing a super easy one hole drill for my in car mount. Wagons and other's may have this in theirs as well:

 

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/trdvibe/Car%20Mount/DSC_0894.jpg

 

Nice. Did you just tap into the mount for the headrest?

^^ yep. one hole, done! used some foam self stick stuff for the bottom to help cushion the mount so it wouldn't rattle too much. I did get a little rattle from the rallyx because of the surface being so rough but i didn't tie the cam down for added support. I think that may have fixed it, so next time...

I made this one. Went a bit overboard, but I'm selling the extra's I had made:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2419259#post2419259

 

http://www.amt-engineering.com/images/AMT_CF_HCM_Installed.JPG

Whoa! That's sweet!

 

I made this one. Went a bit overboard, but I'm selling the extra's I had made:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2419259#post2419259

 

http://www.advancedmotorsporttech.com/images/Mounted%20in%20Car%20small.JPG

wow pretty hardcore imo.

I've still got 3 available.

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110869