Car people know better than to challenge the Honda with a laptop in the passenger seat. Odds are, that thing is faster than you—no matter how beat it looks. But what about a 1987 Nissan 300ZX with a Steam Deck on the dash? If you’re like me, that’s a new one.
Jake Symonds runs such a setup on his Z31, and he told me all about how it works. He effectively uses the handheld Valve gaming device as a Linux computer. With it, he controls the car’s standalone MicroSquirt ECU through the TunerStudio program. In layman’s terms, Symonds can adjust fuel, timing, boost, and more on the fly with the Steam Deck.
All that you see here was pretty simple to accomplish. Neither the MicroSquirt ECU nor the Steam Deck required any alterations to talk to each other; only an adapter to go from USB-C to a serial connector. “So far, the biggest obstacle has been learning how to use Linux, but that hasn’t been too bad. I can also just bring it inside, hook it up to my setup, and use it as a desktop. That makes looking at datalogs and stuff easier.”
The device uses a 3D-printed holder that Symonds worked up himself. A makeshift GoPro suction mount then allows it to fit easily on the windshield. “The mount helps a lot, being basically eye level and in close view when driving,” he said. “You can customize the gauges however you want, so I can see whatever info I need when driving. I have it connected to a wireless keyboard with a trackpad, so I don’t have to use the controls on the Deck. It’s super portable, and I just have to plug it into the cable going to the ECU when I get in the car.”
That’s important because Symonds still uses the Steam Deck as intended, mainly “playing Fallout and Terraria lately.”
It’s quite the modern solution for a 40-year-old car, but it’s not the only upgrade. Symonds’ Z runs a VSRacing 6762 turbo with 550cc injectors, so it’s a good bit quicker than stock. He also installed Powertrix coilovers to improve the handling, and those wheels are from a Z32. A handful of tasteful mods make this red Japanese sports coupe just right.
I’m adding this to our list of “gaming-turned-tuning devices,” right alongside the Game Boy Advance boost controller. It’s the type of innovation that any car nerd can get behind. Who knows what these resourceful DIY’ers will come up with next?
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