DIY

IMAGING

IN-CAR CAMCORDER MOUNT

Rig an onboard camera like the cops and NASCAR, for 15 bucks. By Christophe Caron

Some time ago, the Audi club I belong to held a track day at Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway) in Sonoma, Calif. I wanted to document my fast laps with onboard videos from my HD camcorder. But I needed an in-car camera mount to enable hands-free recording — ideally positioned behind the driver’s seat, to show my view through the windshield.

I looked online and found many types of video camera mounts, some that mount on roll bar cages (for race cars) and others that attach to headrests (for everyday vehicles). But while shopping, I realized that I wouldn’t receive any suitable mount in time, even if I ordered it right away. So I built one myself. I can see some refinements for it, but it works nicely and the footage it captures is pretty stable. You can watch a sample video at makezine.com/go/infineon.

MATERIALS

You should be able to find all of these at a home or hardware store for less than $15 total.

Photography by Christophe Caron

¾" aluminum or steel square tube about 2' long

U-bolts ( 2) that will fit around your car’s headrest posts

Wing nuts ( 4) that match the U-bolts

¼"- 20 screw, 1" long This should be the standard diameter and thread for camera mounts.

TOOLS

Hacksaw
Metal file
Drill and drill bits
Tape measure or ruler

Make: 147