Mounting gauges in the center console.

[frankozz]

Well, since I am a noob here at tuners I am limited to posting this in the newbie section.
This is a copy paste from a thread I made on DSMtalk.com and I thought I'd share this with you guys so here it goes.
[You could still post in the right section of this forum. Moved.]

A while ago I decided that I definitely didn't want to put my gauges in the pillar because it's ricey and atracts too much attention and I am going for a sleeper look on my car.

First I went to the junkyard and got a spare center console to begin my little project. Then, little by little I've been buying stuff that I want to put in the center console, like the SAFC, shift light, gauges, turbo timer and now I finally decided to go baller and get an EBC when I find one for the right price and some pimp switches with a LED connected to them :rice:

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So right now I will show you what I did to mount my gauges in the place of the hvac controls since I don't have A/C in the car anymore.

I went to my friend's machine shop and asked him to make some custom holders for these gauges.

He took some measurements of the gauge and the size of the hole and came up with these little plastic rings that I will glue to the back of the console and the gauge just slides in and it's held in place by the snug fit of the ring.

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Here is how the gauge is fitted into the ring.

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Test fitting, only being held by pressure.

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My shift light

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Perfect fit

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[frankozz]

I will update this thread when I continue to do more stuff as I am in no hurry to complete this

I know it's been done before, but I didn't find anything about mounting gauges in the center console... JPTalon told me to dremel the hvac to fit the gauges in but I didn't want to mess too much with that.... Next up is the bezel for the SAFC, then I will install the stereo and on the space below the stereo I will put the turbo timer, the EBC and the switch with the light

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Boost gauge will go on the other hole, but right now I have it in the car just laying there because I needed it to set my mbc to 15psi for now

I will also make a custom bracket for my logger, will post pics of it when I make it. And this was just a test fit, I will spray paint the rings black so you can't see them

I ordered the SAFC bezel and radio bezel with a block off plate from bonehead performance on Ebay. They were $10 each plus $9 shipping, total of $29 for both . They are very well made and the fitment is awesome. Here are the pics of my cluster coming together. I just need to make the holes for my switch and for my turbo timer.

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[rbwtrans]

Very nice. I've done something very similar, and your friend is right - you'll have to dremel the plastic some behind where the stock a/c controls were to make space for upper part of the gauges. I like mine there, I'm sure you will too. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[frankozz]

Wow thats very clean...!!! Any pics of it installed..?

Not yet. I just received my plates 2 days ago. Pictures were taken this morning

Very nice. Where did he get those plastic rings? or did your friend actually make them?

He made them.

wow that is a nice set up. i love the look of a very clean looking set up. great job
what did those mounting rings run yoou if you dont mind me asking.
and great idea with the shift light

Free

Very nice. I've done something very similar, and your friend is right - you'll have to dremel the plastic some behind where the stock a/c controls were to make space for upper part of the gauges. I like mine there, I'm sure you will too. Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks, will do.

looks very good, but id say it would look even cleaner with the aluminum painted black to match.

It's in my plans to paint them black

 

[SpyderDSM]

looks great! the turbo timer can pop in easily, I'm sure it'll look sick!

 

[frankozz]

I'm going to make a hole in the block off plate and mount the turbo timer in there. Also, my fans are hardwired to a switch so the switch will be going in there.

Similar to k1tty's setup.

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[PIMking]

Must be nice living in Cali were you wont need the heat controls.

 

[booostedGSX]

Must be nice living in Cali were you wont need the heat controls.

Agreed. If I didn't need heat here in PA, I would definitely do that. Looks real clean.

 

[frankozz]

Thanks for the support guys... I had been toying with this idea for a while and now I finally did it... I think it looks cool as hell and it will look even better installed, with a nice stereo (nothing fancy) turbo timer and switch. Would you consider it ricey or tacky if I wire a light to my switch so when it's in the on position a little light turns on? or should I just put the switch by itself?
I was looking for something along the lines of this.

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Gone in 60 seconds anyone? Obviously I wouldn't put the nitrous decal on the switch, but I am seriously thinking about the light and the "ARMED" engraving... What do you think?

 

[Alexvance]

That's a pretty cool switch, where'd ya get it?


What exactly will it control?

 

[InfiniteGSX]

My center is ripped apart cause I was going to do this, But I like my HVAC Controls too much. Was going to convert to 3G Controls, even have them mounted... But forgot I'm supposed to reinstall my carputer soon so I can't do it.