A customer brought us his 2015 Polaris Slingshot with a specific list of wants, the kind of project most shops turn away. He wanted an iPad Mini built into the dash as the centerpiece, recessed deep enough to fight sun glare, locked down so it could not walk off when the Slingshot sat unattended, and finished so cleanly it looked like Polaris built it that way. This is exactly the work we specialize in, so we got to designing.
The Challenge: An iPad That Is Both Usable and Secure
An open-air vehicle like the Slingshot makes a flush-mounted tablet an easy target, and a bright screen needs shade to stay readable in direct sun. Those two goals usually fight each other, so we engineered a solution that handles both at once.
A Custom Slide-and-Lock Mount
We built a custom slide mechanism that seats the iPad Mini back into the dash for glare protection and ties it to the factory glove box for security. With the glove box locked, the iPad slides only partway out and cannot be removed. Unlock and lower the glove box and the screen releases for full access. The owner gets a display that is easy to use every day and genuinely secure the moment he walks away.
Clean, Tunable Audio
He also wanted to charge the iPad and run a clean audio source he could still tune by ear. We recommended a Pioneer DEH-8700BH head unit and hid it in a custom ABS enclosure behind the iPad. A hardwired connection feeds the best possible signal, and we added an external infrared steering wheel control so he can adjust volume without taking his hands off the wheel. He keeps full equalizer control while the source stays completely out of sight.
A Finish That Looks Factory
When it was finished, the customer said it looked like it came that way from Polaris. We will take that as the highest compliment, because OEM-level integration with true fit and finish is the standard we hold every build to. One-off fabrication, custom mounting, and clean hidden wiring are exactly what an engineer-led shop is built for.
Watch the build in action: