Custom Gauge Pod

[Chewievette]

I've got a few composite projects coming up soon and I wanted to start with something simple. Since I already have two of the gauges for this pod and its a fairly easy shape I thought it would be a good project to get things going. I wont be cutting glass for a few weeks but I'm starting on the molds soon so I thought it would be a good time to start a thread.

I dont have a factory message center so it looks a bit plain. But gathering inspiration from the Viper and other sports cars I decided to jam a few gauges in there. The scariest part of this mod is going to be slicing a huge hole in the dash but I'm sure it will be for the good. I plan to detail my process in this thread so if you want to attempt a composite project you will have some kind of guide ...since they arent too common online. If any of you guys have a serious interest I might be willing to pop a few more. but I wont know for sure until the mold is done.

The pic below is a quick chop of the gauge locations to give you an idea what I'm going for. Closest to the wheel is boost, then oil pressure, and lastly transmission temperature.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/chewievette/Cars/My%20Car/guagemock1.jpg

[TCPMeta]

That will look so sweet.

[MurderM]

Sweet idea!

[trepman]

I think it'll look good.
How long before the boost pressure is accurate ?

[Chewievette]

since its a boost/vac gauge, technically its always accurate. But boost is on the way ...much slower than I'd like but I'm not working as much as I'd like either. There is a very specific order of things that need to be done before I'm comfortable putting boost to my car. Gauges are one of the biggies, I want to be able to monitor whats going on.

[trepman]

since its a boost/vac gauge, technically its always accurate. But boost is on the way ...much slower than I'd like but I'm not working as much as I'd like either. There is a very specific order of things that need to be done before I'm comfortable putting boost to my car. Gauges are one of the biggies, I want to be able to monitor whats going on.
Agreed, but running only vac. at the moment "technically" tells me the thing sucks !!
KIDDING of course. Trying to make a joke. :cheers2::cheers2:
Don't be mad, I'm just playin'.
You got more going on than I care to/can afford anymore. My hat's off (my balding head no less) to you and your effort.
You get the real pod built, I'm sure others will be interested.

[95trep3.3]

Looks good. I have been thinking about putting gauges there for awhile but haven't for the guts to cut into my dash, so I have been looking at putting them in an A piller pod.

[TCPMeta]

I would go buy a dash from the yard and tinker with it instead.

Heres a guide I found to make custom gauge pods for the A pillar.
http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=276948

[Chewievette]

I'll be pulling a dash in the yard so I can see whats underneath because that is a big factor in how this it built. Depending on how much they charge me I'll probably drag it home. I'd really like to get a straight airbag cover too. hmm, I wonder if I could pull it off in composite... Truthfully, I'd love to make a whole new upper dash with the gauge pod built in and no passenger airbag, but thats a BIG project! and if this pod works out it will be much more marketable.

I like a-pillar pods because they are cheap and easy but I just dont like the look of them. Sure having gauges near your line of sight is a good thing, but thats just too ricey for me.

[I275westcoastflorida]

That is a good layout, nice!

[DrDodge]

do the air bag covers come out with the airbag on first gens?? or do you have to yank the dash with it?

reason im asking i know of a really nice black? dark slate? one at the local pull a part, and i know they usually curl up, and I was thinking maybe somebody would be interested,,

[Chewievette]

I'm not sure but I'll let you know when I get a better look at it. I know the airbag cover and the rest of the dash are separate but I dont know if the cover is separate from the airbag unit.

[trepman]

Yeah, those convers are hard to find in any color without looking like a 'tater chip.
If they come off easily (I've never tried), that might be another thing to build.
Thinking on the attachment, it seems like attached to the bag would be a no-no since it would smack a person on deployment.
I'd guess attached to dash somehow by the front edge (sort of a hinge type thing maybe)
allowing the bag to blow out from under.
I've seen a couple in the yards with the bag out, but never really paid much attention to if the cover was still there or not .
Interesting...................

[wb6vpm]

if it was replaced with the new "door" then yes it is separable (the airbag mounts to the door, and door mounts to frame)

ref:

http://allworldauto.com/tsbs/NHTSA__EAGLE_VISION_technical_service_bulletin_218 670.html

[Veeb0rg]

yes, the bag cover is seperate from the airbag itself.

Also, its a big void behind the area you want to put the gauges..

[Chewievette]

I figured it was a big void behind there ...or at least a small one because the factory jammed the message center in there somehow.

I mentioned replacing the airbag cover with a composite piece as in replacing the entire thing. aka, no passenger airbag.

[trepman]

I just looked at a blown one at the yard, and it is attached to the dash on the front edge with metal and rivets on both.
The bottom looks to be held normally with the attaching metal piece at the front.
When the bag blows, it pushes up and out, bending the attachment along the way.
This cover was up at about a 45 degree angle.
Guess they hope the bag keeps you away from it.

[SilverSpecial6.1]

That would look really cool!

[TCPMeta]

I just looked at a blown one at the yard, and it is attached to the dash on the front edge with metal and rivets on both.
The bottom looks to be held normally with the attaching metal piece at the front.
When the bag blows, it pushes up and out, bending the attachment along the way.
This cover was up at about a 45 degree angle.
Guess they hope the bag keeps you away from it.

Thats why you should wear a seat belt.

[Gaze]

I hear you on cutting the dash...

When I installed my monitor, I test fit everything on the parts car I had. I'd definitely suggest another dash for "practice"

[Chewievette]

Well I found an Intrepid at the yard that already had serious damage to the dash so I hacked a chunk out of that to see whats under it. I was very surprised to learn that under the layer of vinyl and foam there is hard plastic! Hopefully I can devise a way to anchor the pod directly to that plastic which should give me a nice strong foundation. Accessing the bottom side is going to be very tricky with the air ducts in place but I think it can be done without removing the dash. I probably will just so I can see what I'm doing, but I dont think I'll have to pull it if I need to do additional work.