The Dashtop box: Interim measures...

Dashcam installed, cable management improved

Right, progress :)

I have:

1. Removed the spaghetti junction of cabling in the front dash and centre console area.
2. Installed the dash cam on the Unimount set, attached to the rear view mirror stalk.
3. Replaced the haphazard mess that was accessory cabling into a more tidy and safer temporary installation, pending the installation of a properly (not a bodge job) Dash Top Box.

All in all, not a bad afternoons' work.

The camera installation. Look for the white thing centre top of the windscreen (that's my Payage auto toll dongle thingamibob for use on toll motorways in France). Look slightly left of that and a smidge lower. yep, that's the camera, hanging below the line of the rear view mirror.

Side view of the camera and mounting system. I'd have hung it higher, but the articulation of the Unimount accessory mount just wouldn't let me. That's something to work on later :)

The view out the front. Not perfect, but good enough for the moment.

Vastly (trust me on this) improved cable and accessory management. Note the liberal use of cable ties and self-adhesive mounting platforms. This is a temporary measure, while I work, 'slowtime', on the dash box. Also, I'll add a shout out for a bloody helpful tool, called a "Cable Tie Gun". It does the job of two hands, freeing up one of yours to hold things in place. Normally with cable ties, you tend to find yourself needing three or more arms and hands. Since the Human body does not readily accept such additional accessorises, mechanical tools have to suffice - this one's a doozy. You loosely attach the cable tie where you want it, then stick the free end in the teeth of the cable tie gun, and squeeze the trigger a few times. This tensions the tie, and then cuts it off neatly. My one came from Amazon. It's been an essential tool since I got it.

The plan is to have all the cables coming up into the dash top box via the venting behind the coin tray, over which the box will mount and be secured in place. I'm still working on how that'll be anchored in place.