The ultra cheap in-car iPod dock

The dock only needed to have a few basic things:

• Connection to the stereo's input
• Ability to charge iPod
• Smooth insertion/removal of iPod
• Easy access while driving
• and... Cost almost nothing :)

The project started with a very old car stereo adaptor kit and a sharply tuned sense of irony:

Once we find a faceplate that looks nice, we just need a way to fit the iPod behind it. In this case, the iPod plug fit nicely between two tabs.

Now we need a way to mount another faceplate on the back. This triangle-shaped thing worked well - note the (barely visible) screwholes on the bottom.

Wires were soldered to the Line-Out pins and Firewire Power pins of the iPod plug, and the bottom section was heavily glued for stability.

Then, some long pieces of plastic were cut to 90-degree angles and glued to the front faceplate as rails. So the iPod rests nicely without scratches, the rails were covered in material from a pair of black jeans. Also in this pic are the rear plate and rear rails.

This flexible arm came from a lamp which was thrown away near my school.

Both faceplates were glued together, and rear rails attached. You can see the jeans fabric in this pic. To hide the mess, flat plastic pieces were glued on the sides and underneath the front faceplate.

The flexible arm was zip-tied to the rear plate and covered with its original plastic tubing from the lamp. These red wires run to the remains of a cheap car charger bought on eBay, which is now hard-wired under the dash.

Now finished with an easily accessible, adjustable, charging dock for my shiny new investment. Like everything Apple-related it could use a coat of shiny paint - a step I skipped for now. Because the flexible arm ended up being too weak to keep a heavy iPod positioned just right, I had to use a thin piece of black wire to hang it. (car interior is B/W for emphasis)