For the 3D printed tablet mount, you can find plenty of free STL models online that are customizable for different tablet sizes and dashboard shapes. Popular sites like Printables.com and Thingiverse have options that attach via clips, suction cups, or adhesive without damaging your 1996 vehicle’s dash. For example:
- A fully printable universal tablet holder for car headrests or dashboards, adjustable for 7-11 inch tablets. It uses no hardware beyond filament and can be scaled in your slicer software.
- An ABS-based mount designed for seamless integration with car interiors (like BMW dashboards, but adaptable). Print in ABS or PETG for heat resistance in a vehicle.
- A simple non-invasive iPad/tablet mount that clips to vents or flat surfaces, ideal for adding CarPlay-like functionality without mods.
Search on Printables or Yeggi for “tablet car mount” to filter by your tablet’s dimensions and print one that fits your dashboard curve—many are parametric for easy tweaks in FreeCAD or Tinkercad.
For the software build, postmarketOS stands out as a lightweight, open-source Linux distribution specifically designed for repurposing phones and tablets with long-term support (aiming for 10+ years on devices). It’s based on Alpine Linux, highly configurable via GitHub repos, and has a dedicated wiki page for car interface setups that mimic infotainment systems. This makes it ideal for your use case: mount the tablet and run apps for offline maps/navigation (e.g., Pure Maps or FoxtrotGPS with OSM data), music playback (e.g., Elisa or Rhythmbox with local files or Bluetooth streaming), and general browsing (e.g., Firefox or Angelfish for touch-optimized web access). It supports touch interfaces like Plasma Mobile or GNOME for a dashboard-friendly UI, and you can connect to your vehicle’s OBD-II port (standard on 1996+ US models) for real-time data like speed or diagnostics if you add an ELM327 adapter.
To set it up:
- Check if your tablet model is supported (e.g., older Samsung Galaxy Tabs or Nexus devices are common). The project maintains device ports on GitHub.
- Use the pmbootstrap tool from their main repo (https://github.com/postmarketOS/pmbootstrap) to build and flash a custom image—it’s all command-line configurable with options for interfaces, packages, and kernels.
- Install via USB on a unlocked bootloader tablet. Add packages like pure-maps for turn-by-turn navigation, rhythmbox for music, and firefox for browsing. For car-specific tweaks, follow their car interface wiki for app recommendations and fullscreen/touch optimizations.
- Configs and ports are on GitHub (e.g., postmarketOS · GitHub), with community forks for specific tablets if needed.
If your tablet isn’t supported or you prefer a more dedicated SBC setup (e.g., Raspberry Pi 4 with a 7-10" touchscreen acting as a “tablet”), consider PILOT Drive from GitHub (GitHub - lamemakes/pilot-drive: An open source vehicle headunit built in Python). It’s a Python-based open-source headunit for Linux, with built-in music playback via Bluetooth, OBD-II vehicle data display, and notifications—extend it for maps (via add-ons like Navit) and browsing (web views possible in Vue UI). Setup is straightforward: clone the repo, install dependencies, and run on Raspbian. It’s hackable and privacy-focused, perfect for an older vehicle.
Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) is another solid GitHub-backed option (main code at Automotive Grade Linux · GitHub) if you go the Raspberry Pi route—it’s built for car infotainment with modular apps for media, navigation, and more, and runs well on Pi 4. Download images from their site and customize via Gerrit/GitHub configs.
Start with postmarketOS if sticking to a true tablet; it’s the closest match to your Linux/GitHub preference. Test in a VM first if possible.