Rear view dash cams?

[Tim_]

Has anyone managed to fit a rear view dashcam to their convertible and if so, how have you done it? I’ve yet to see anyone manage it in a vert and there’s no immediately obvious practical solution.

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[Lightning]

This might help, US spec car though.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/how-to-hardwire-thinkware-f750-dashcam-in-gt-vert.31560/

 

[MX5Racer]

I don't have pics, and its in winter storage right now, but I have the A4 wind blocker and I mounted it to that. Not much good when the top is up, but how often is that?

 

[Johnnybee]

I have the same question, and have googled it nearly to death without much result. I posed the question over at the Ecoboost forum and one responder uses an "Uber" version of the camera he has. While it doesn't do much while the top is up, it works reasonably well when down. The only other thing I have thought of is making a mount which comes up, over and towards the front of the car from the centre of the rear seat. It would have to be forward a bit so as to not interfere with the top going into the well. I understand that there are now cameras designed to be mounted externally on the rear of the car as well. To be honest, I'm surprised that the car makers haven't come up with an option to add a front camera and utilize the rear camera as a "safety" package that is built in.

 

[Tim_]

I don't have pics, and its in winter storage right now, but I have the A4 wind blocker and I mounted it to that. Not much good when the top is up, but how often is that?

In the UK I think we have had less than 30 rain free (but not dry) days since September, so no vert action over here!

 

[Copperhead73]

In the UK I think we have had less than 30 rain free (but not dry) days since September, so no vert action over here!

Sounds like Tennessee!

 

[martinjlm]

Not a Mustang, obviously, but here is my setup. I started off with a Thinkware F750, then upgraded this past summer to a Thinkware Q800 Pro, front and rear. When I had the F750 installed, I had a local pro audio shop install a mounting platform between my rear seats. There are a couple others on Camaro 6 that have even more aggressive bracketing and get a better rear view than mine.

Here are a couple screen captures from the rear camera top up and top down. Both were taken when the F750 was in place. The Q800 Pro has even better image resolution.

 

[ORRadtech]

martinjlm, thanks for posting the rear view images.
I've been on the fence about getting a camera system and those pics have gone a long way in making a decision.
One the one hand I feel like I've got people aiming for the Mustang and a little bit of video backup would be nice.
One the other hand is the whole self incrimination thing...
Anyway, even with that nice mount, it doesn't look like the rear view camera gets high enough to give real useful information.
Maybe if there's ever a camera that could be mounted like the add on rear view cameras that mount to the tag, maybe then.

 

[martinjlm]

martinjlm, thanks for posting the rear view images.
I've been on the fence about getting a camera system and those pics have gone a long way in making a decision.
One the one hand I feel like I've got people aiming for the Mustang and a little bit of video backup would be nice.
One the other hand is the whole self incrimination thing...
Anyway, even with that nice mount, it doesn't look like the rear view camera gets high enough to give real useful information.
Maybe if there's ever a camera that could be mounted like the add on rear view cameras that mount to the tag, maybe then.

Yeah, the best use for the rear camera (for me) is in parking mode. If it gets bumped from the rear or vandalized I can run it back and see what, if anything may have been going on behind the car.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

I like the perspective and the mount, but there's no way I'd leave a camera out in the open like that - which is my conundrum with a convertible, there's not an easy mounting location that also provides a little theft deterrence.

 

[martinjlm]

I like the perspective and the mount, but there's no way I'd leave a camera out in the open like that - which is my conundrum with a convertible, there's not an easy mounting location that also provides a little theft deterrence.

I don’t leave mine in the open top down. If I can’t see it, the top is up. I don’t care if I’m at Mack & Bewick or Bloomfield Hills (Detroiters will get that ) the top is up. My rear camera will give me waist up view of anybody who f^@k$ with my car from behind. Like trying to get in the trunk (what trunk?) or something. I won’t get license plate of the car that rear ends me, but in Michigan we don’t have front plates. I would be able to make it clear to my insurance if damage came from getting rear ended if it isn’t my fault.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

I don’t leave mine in the open top down. If I can’t see it, the top is up. I don’t care if I’m at Mack & Bewick or Bloomfield Hills (Detroiters will get that ) the top is up. My rear camera will give me waist up view of anybody who f^@k$ with my car from behind. Like trying to get in the trunk (what trunk?) or something. I won’t get license plate of the car that rear ends me, but in Michigan we don’t have front plates. I would be able to make it clear to my insurance if damage came from getting rear ended if it isn’t my fault.

Ahh, I was wondering! Yeah, I leave my top down, I mean, if I drive with it down, it's down when I park it (er, not like overnight or anything). It's been the same thing with a radar detector, just to easy to lean in a grab (though some of those 3rd party brackets would require some effort).

I mean, even with the top up, a convertible soft top is so easy to get into, but that's at least a little extra deterrent, and you figure, a thief might be concerned about alarms or someone catching them if it takes more than a minute or two.

Argh, I really want both a camera and RD, maybe I'll finally buy, and just start putting my top up when I park, then it sort of gets hidden vs. screaming "steal me!!"

 

[martinjlm]

Ahh, I was wondering! Yeah, I leave my top down, I mean, if I drive with it down, it's down when I park it (er, not like overnight or anything). It's been the same thing with a radar detector, just to easy to lean in a grab (though some of those 3rd party brackets would require some effort).

I mean, even with the top up, a convertible soft top is so easy to get into, but that's at least a little extra deterrent, and you figure, a thief might be concerned about alarms or someone catching them if it takes more than a minute or two.

Argh, I really want both a camera and RD, maybe I'll finally buy, and just start putting my top up when I park, then it sort of gets hidden vs. screaming "steal me!!"

Even my front camera is barely visible. The only time people notice it is at car shows when they’re taking a lot of time to look the car over. Then it’s like “Whoa! Is that a camera?” I’ve had passengers not know it was there until I hit a bump big enough to trigger the impact alert and they ask what the beep was for.

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