Re-engineering the Grand California 680 – from OEM compromise to a coherent, integrated system

[MarioRS]

Dear Razvan,

 

definitely amazing! Congratulation to the reconstruction and the documentation! Looking forward to the next episode 🙂 

 

Best regards, Mario

[Bizzaru]

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Hey,

thank you, I appreciate that!

That’s actually a very fair question — and to be honest, I asked myself the same thing after your post 😄
I already checked with the guys who helped during the installation, and unfortunately no one took dedicated photos of the exact Starlink mounting position.

The project started purely out of passion and curiosity, not with the intention of documenting every single step in detail. Many of the photos I posted are more “work-in-progress” shots, taken to validate specific technical aspects rather than for full documentation.

Regarding the installation itself:

• it’s a Starlink Mini
• it’s mounted inside the vehicle
• the exact position is at the joint between the two textile ceiling panels
• the fiberglass roof does not noticeably affect reception in real-world use

I’ll dig a bit deeper and see if I can find any usable photos, but I can’t promise anything. If I do, I’ll post them.

 

Best regards,
Razvan

[Bizzaru]

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Hi Mario,

thank you very much, I really appreciate the kind words 🙂

And please don’t hesitate to challenge the project with questions, that’s actually what makes this interesting for me. I’m much more motivated by good questions and discussions than by simply posting updates.

If there’s any part you’d like to see explained in more detail or something you’d approach differently, I’d be very curious to hear your thoughts.

Best regards,
Razvan

[Bizzaru]

I managed to find one photo of the step controller.

 

The controller is custom-made by us and is designed to fully simulate the original Thule step behavior.
From the vehicle’s perspective, the system behaves exactly like the OEM step — no errors, no altered logic, no compromises in usability.

 

The controller is housed in a custom 3D-printed, sealed enclosure and is mounted inside the vehicle’s B-pillar.
This location keeps it protected, discreet and close to the original wiring paths.

 

This allowed the new step to integrate seamlessly with the existing controls and KFG logic, while keeping everything transparent for the vehicle.

 

I’ll add more details later if there’s interest.

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