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    #1

    Hidden gauges

    Lets have a chat about hidden gauges in a panther, or very unnoticable.
    lets say a tach,water temp, oil pressure,fuel pressure, boost, and a wideband

    I was thinking something motorized that you could push a button and something would slowly appear haha.

    Anyway opinions, thoughts, and good hiding place suggestions.


    '90 LX 5.0 mustang
    Big plans
    Tags: None
    #2
    No where where they will be any use lol. You might be able to fit one gauge where the ash tray goes. I don't think there are really any places to hide them. I think it's basically plain sight or nothing on a newer box panther. The '90 '91 police crown vic speedometer has gauges I think, at least water temperature.

    Comment

      #3
      I've been thinking black faced guages that go below the ashtray. Maybe put them on some sort of slider so that you could just push them towards the firewall and out of site when not in use.

      Edit: I forgot you had a 91. I don't know if there's enough space below/behind the ashtray to do what I'm talking about on those.

      85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
      160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
      waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

      06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

      Comment

        #4
        I don't know about anyone else but personally there's no time where I'd NOT be wanting to monitor how my car runs, so hidden gauges seem kind of pointless personally. Why even have them at that point? Seems like a lot of work for nothing.

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by 86VickyLX View Post
          No where where they will be any use lol. You might be able to fit one gauge where the ash tray goes. I don't think there are really any places to hide them. I think it's basically plain sight or nothing on a newer box panther. The '90 '91 police crown vic speedometer has gauges I think, at least water temperature.
          Box 90-91 CV and GM have water temp gauges, police speedo or not.
          Originally posted by gadget73
          There is nothing more permanent than a temporary fix.
          91 Mercury CP, Lopo 302, AOD, 3.08LSD. 3g upgrade, Moog wagon coils up front, cc819s in the back. KYB GR-2 police shocks. Energy suspension control arm bushings. Smog deleted.
          93 F-150 XLT, 302, ZF 5-spd from 1-ton, 4wd.
          Daily--07 Civic Coupe. Bone stock with 25k miles
          Wife--14 Subaru Outback. 6-speed.
          95 Subaru Legacy Wagon--red--STOLEN 1/6/13

          Comment

            #6
            If you have the time and money, you could mount the gauges in a panel and have them motorize out of the top of the dash. Ideally, you would get gauges that feature an alarm, or light, that goes off at some critical level, which you could use the output for to automatically raise the gauges. It would be badass, as the gauges would automatically rise when the car is started, and would self-conceal once everything is up to temp. Very doable on an older box due to the dash top design. Not so sure about yours, however...

            Comment

              #7
              I was thinking about building a holding box of sorts like your talking about to come out of the top of the dash, but instead mount it to the ashtray up in the dash and have the ash tray motorized and drop out to the tranny tunnel with all my guages in there. Also the factory water temp gauge is a dummy gauge that just reads normal on it and sits somewhere in the middle of normal. I would like to actually know what my temp is haha.


              '90 LX 5.0 mustang
              Big plans

              Comment

                #8
                I got a hidden idea. Something like an HUD system. Only you can see it, and you can turn it off whenever. It'll probably cost a lot of money though.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Originally posted by CheeseSteakJim View Post
                  I don't know about anyone else but personally there's no time where I'd NOT be wanting to monitor how my car runs, so hidden gauges seem kind of pointless personally. Why even have them at that point? Seems like a lot of work for nothing.
                  I think the hidden part is so that it looks stock. having a custom gauge pack hanging off the dash kind of takes away from the luxury-barge feel.

                  85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                  160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                  waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                  06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                  Comment

                    #10
                    I think it's not bad just having small, visually-unobtrusive gauges. The AutoMeter mini gauge panel isn't bad, though the colored scales are a little much if you want invisible. The 2-1/16" VDO Cockpit Series in black is what I have in mind for next time I buy a tach. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/VD...8/?image=large

                    Or, you could consider one of those phantzy digital multi-gauges that can monitor a variety of inputs and you just click through to the one you want.
                    2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

                    Comment

                      #11
                      I have been seriously considering getting rid of the factory cluster and putting a flat piece of plastic with a racepak were all my gauges used to be. Florida 5.0 sells what I'm talking about but it's for a mustang. I could also do the same thing except instead of a racepak just have regular black gauges, and tint the factory plastic piece that covers the gauges so they would be nearly unnoticable until the lights were turned on.


                      '90 LX 5.0 mustang
                      Big plans

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by 1987cp View Post
                        I think it's not bad just having small, visually-unobtrusive gauges. The AutoMeter mini gauge panel isn't bad, though the colored scales are a little much if you want invisible. The 2-1/16" VDO Cockpit Series in black is what I have in mind for next time I buy a tach. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/VD...8/?image=large
                        That's exactly the line that I plan on using for my under-ashtray gauges. Tach, Oil pressure, Water temp.

                        85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                        160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                        waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                        06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                        Comment

                          #13
                          The VDO Cockpit Series? Or the AutoMeter mini panel?
                          2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Dear Panthers,
                            How about an overhead cluster?

                            Donald McCaig
                            1989 CP Scottified steering, suspension and big brakes, 16 in wheels, A-pillar oil & temp gauges, remote entry, backup sensor, tailgate wiper, custom console & trash, tranny & ps coolers, 3 cell radiator, electric fan, dual exhausts, battery isolator, hellas headlights,deer pusher,wads of dog hair.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Good idea Donald! It can be done with a simple 3-gauge plastic pod, paint to match the headliner and bolt it up and call it good - visible for the driver all the time, mostly hidden for anyone outside the car

                              Comment

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