place for gauges

Post by **zippy500** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:37 am

Hi,

I want to fit some gauges where the open glove box behind the steering wheel. Can anyone suggest what to use as a 'plate' I dint want to use wood as i want it look right.

I have seen pics where people use a glove box lid which looks good. where do i get a lid for the drivers side.

Cheers

Post by **Cam** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:40 am

Yep, 3mm aluminium. I made mine out of that:

Post by **Onne** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:22 am

I used a glovebox lid, but I have a series II, thu symmetrical dash. Got my lids from ESM btw

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:02 pm

I used the normal glove box front, brazed in a section in the middle to fill it in (having completely stripped it), smoothed it out with a lot of filler (because apparently I need to practice my metal work a lot) and ended up with this:

Which looks like this when fitted:

Post by **grahamt7** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:24 pm

Ohhh...drools! and there's me with just a nice empty brand new glovebox. I wan't those dials - and someone to make the plate and fit all of them? Any offers?

Post by **grahamt7** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:27 pm

Cam,

Talk me through all those dials...i reckon you're short of an artificial horizon and an altimeter.

Post by **paulk** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:33 pm

Could I suggest a couple of extras

1) A Passenger Attitudmeter (Especially useful to determine state of your significant other at your driving)

2) A large dial (like a centre point Ammeter) to show from which Direction the next idiot will pull out in front of you

Ps Kate your guage set up looks fantastic

Post by **zippy500** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:34 pm

Thats looks great , just the look id like is the drivers lid easily available.

Post by **Cam** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:43 pm

Ok, top left is the temp gauge (from a Mini 1000).

To the right of that is an oil pressure gauge (also from a Mini 1000).

Under the temp gauge is a voltmeter (from a Jag XJ6 / XJS - I think - I can't really remember).

Under the oil pressure gauge is a Vacuum gauge from ADO (needle flicks about and looks cool when you are driving about!

).

Then we have the big dial in the centre which is a rev counter (Jag XJ6 / XJS) - Original numbers removed & new ones letrasetted on in the right place for a four cylinder, which means that the redline on the gauge now reads at 7500 RPM!!!

To the right of the rev counter is a clock from a Princess or early Cortina - I think - I can't really remember.

Lastly on the far right is an ammeter which I never connected up as I don't like the idea of ALL the electrics coming behind the dash and through a gauge.

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 6:02 pm

Ps Kate your guage set up looks fantastic

Cheers

Took me a while, it's not perfect - I didn't spend enough time on the peak above the temperature gauge - and it's slightly off centre, which gently bugs me; and having actually built it I could have had more space around the gauges (I wasn't sure how the iPaq'd look once it was in) - which'd look a touch nicer.

It'll have to come out at some point, 'cos the rev-counter's developed a fault (it's now a bit random as to where it points) - and as is traditional for a car belonging to me the clock doesn't work.

Incidentally, all the gauges ('cept the rev counter) came out of a Reliant Scimtar, the only niggly thing is that the temp gauge has it's 'normal' mark somewhat lower than my engine's meant to run.

Thats looks great , just the look id like is the drivers lid easily available.

Mine came from a scrap yard - it was even the right colour. I still stripped it back to bare metal anyway

Of course, if you can lay your hands on an LHD car's passenger side lid... that'd be easier. But then I may have to kill you because Rebecca's meant to be going LHD in a few years and I want all the LHD bits I can lay my grubby* little hands on.

* Actually, they're quite clean

Post by **grahamt7** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:59 pm

Now searching around for guages.....anyone used / heard of these / got an opinion?

http://www.gbdriver.co.uk/acatalog/Onli ... fg_80.html

Post by **Cam** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:21 pm

Pyoor_Kate wrote:the rev-counter's developed a fault (it's now a bit random as to where it points)

Does it seem to bounce around when it feels like or read OK and then suddenly jump and then settle a bit. If so then that's common fault and is usually a vibration induced dry joint in either the connections to the gauge or the soldering inside. Should be an easy job to someone of your electronic skill level.

If you get time of course which is an entirely different matter.

my grubby* little hands on.

* Actually, they're quite clean

Yeah right.

Post by **Shawn** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:59 pm

I've recessed mine on a bent 2" strip, so the glovebox can still be closed. The gauges are set in MDF covered with Vinyl to match the rest of the car.

Post by **chrisd87** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:08 pm

Now searching around for guages.....anyone used / heard of these / got an opinion?

http://www.gbdriver.co.uk/acatalog/Onli ... fg_80.html

They look a bit too 'go-faster blue lights' for a moggy, imo.

You might be best getting some second-hand ones from ebay as they don't look that expensive. If you must have new ones then 'Holden' do the nice smiths ones:

http://www.holden.co.uk/analysisGroups. ... ame=Guages

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 10:28 pm

Cam wrote:
Pyoor_Kate wrote:the rev-counter's developed a fault (it's now a bit random as to where it points)
Does it seem to bounce around when it feels like or read OK and then suddenly jump and then settle a bit.

It seems to point wherever it wants. If you increase engine speed it slowly meanders in the general direction of up; then stops at about 4k. Anywhere beyond 4k is no longer really indicated, and it does just wave about - slowly - in the general vicinity of the revs below 4k - but you'll just find it dropping like a stone and then going back up when the engine speed is constant.

I keep meaning to take it out and look at it, but... it's quite hard now.

my grubby* little hands on.

* Actually, they're quite clean
Yeah right.

They *are*. Remember what my day-job is, I have to have clean hands, 's why I'm often wearing gloves in the videos.

Post by **Cam** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:14 am

OK, I believe you.

Actually I keep tearing those latex gloves and get the ends caught in screws/bolts. I find them useful for painting but a pain in the bum for mechanical work.

Post by **grahamt7** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:20 am

You might be best getting some second-hand ones from ebay as they don't look that expensive. If you must have new ones then 'Holden' do the nice smiths ones

Problem there is the nice Smith ones are very expensive...

Post by **grahamt7** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:39 am

And the next question....do I buy electrical or mechanical gauges?

Post by **Pyoor_Kate** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:52 am

And the next question....do I buy electrical or mechanical gauges?

That's kind of personal choice

The oil pressure gauge is mechanical, the rest are electrical in my set up. Incidentally, one bit of advice, I'd not buy SunPro gauges - I had one, and it was fine, but trying to get hold of any more turned out to be impossible. Apparently the parts are still on order from... errr.... before I built my dash (2 years ago). The local autofactor that sells them just has the last delivery they ever got on discount in the store.

Actually I keep tearing those latex gloves and get the ends caught in screws/bolts.

(Un)Fortuately I'm allergic to the accelerants they use to make latex gloves; so I wear the ultra-expensive vinyl-nitrile - which I've found are a bit tougher than the normal gloves. Hell, some of them get used multiple times. On the other hand, they're about 22 quid a box.

Post by **zippy500** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 10:40 am

so.... is the drivers glove lid still available new ?