Does anyone know/have pictures of/ideas and/or past experience with adding/moving cigarette lighter ports.

The Problem:
As we all know, the 3rd Gens only have one (1) cigarette lighter, or rather 12v accessorie port for those of us that don't smoke. The port's factory location has no issues, providing it were just being used a cigarett lighter. Let's face it, most of us, if not all, use that port varius other reasons.

Currently I have 3 way spliter plugged into the port, off which I power my sirius satelite receiver (external, with built in FM modulation), and a gps. Occasionaly I also need/like to be able to charge my phone as well.

All that being said, there is a 'hornets nest' of wires coming in and out of that area on my dash, which IMO looks like crap, to say the least.


The Question:
So my question is such...does anyone have ideas, or pictures of custimaztion they have done to solve the 'clutter' issue. More to the point, i have no problem splicing wires and such, and have been contemplating the practicality as well as feasability of essentially adding an extra port or two (or three...whatever) to the black pannel located bellow the dash, yet above the radio/heater bezzel. I know there is ducts as well as I'm sure other things currently running behind there (otherwise I would think GM would have put stuff there in the first place) so....


Any and all thoughts/suggestions/ideas/etc... are welcome!

Thanks!

 

I havn't done this to a 3rd gen, but it is very easy. Our fuse panel has a few extra spots that GM left open. If it were me, I would use the 'always hot" fuse. From there, drill a hole where you want to install the new lighter port, run a wire from panel to lighter, add the ground. Now you got a new lighter port :-)

 

I put my 12 volt outlet in the center console,( in under the lid ).Hidden wiring and you can charge things out of sight.

Alicat.

 

not a bad idea. my G8 has a second one in here and its perfect for a phone charger.

you could also remove the ash tray and build a new plate to mount the port underneath the cover.

 

Sounds good to me..

Yeah I know a lot of the new cars, GM or otherwise, have "hidden" ports in the center console.

I like the ash tray idea, because I don't use it anyway, but I may still try and put it above the radio and heater bezel, just so I don't have wires in front of my stero and such...

 

Yeah I entertained the idea of putting one in the ashtray area but had the same thought, then it gets in the way of the radio.

So I haven't decided for sure where I'm going to put mine yet, it's movement is going to be part of my next large project on my camaro which is putting a carputer in it, so I'm going to move the 12v port, and also put some USB connections next to whereever I end up putting it.

Most likely looking to be inside the center console atm, unless I find another good spot before I do it. I'm thinking about putting a couple USB ports in place of the ashtray and maybe some toggle switches / buttons as well.

Then for the current cigarette lighter port, I can't help but imagine a nice big Push to start button there =P But would require so many other changes, among which would require a wireless key to enable the push to start button to work, and a steering wheel that doesn't lock. Hehe so I'll probably end up putting something else there, possible a small LCD read out screen with the time and temperature or something.

 

I have a toggle switch where the lighter port was to control the torque convertor lockup,as I have'nt got the computer anymore.

Alicat.