Hidden gauges

[87gtVIC]

That is a really good idea..Something like this may work and look really nice. And it would actually be hidden because who really looks up at headliners while peaking into a car window??

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CMDE18

[1987cp]

I agree, that could be rather neat. My mom's old Escort had a little overhead console with the clock up there, and that was rather handy. Looked neat, too.

Actually, one could make a similar enclosure to mount a mini 1-1/2" gauge console. Maybe camoflage it with real headliner material and paint the panel to match? Huh....

[hav24wheel]

Most mechanical gauges won't reach all the way up to the headliner, and electric ones are not the most accurate. Something to think about.

[1987cp]

electric ones are not the most accurate. Something to think about.

How so?


I can see where a mechanical temperature gauge could be a problem. Are the probes always permanently affixed?

[hav24wheel]

On an electric gauge, u have to deal with a sender, connectors, wire, grounds. And the gauge itself. If any of the connectors become loose the gauge will read inaccurate, also the senders and gauges themselves are not always within spec. A lot of people say its personal preference, and yes I guess that's true. I rather have a mechanical gauge so I know its right.

And yes the temp probe on a mechanical temp gauge is not removable. I don't know if u could order one with a longer probe or not...

[Archangel]

I'd rather have electric tho - fuck that hot and pressurized coolant and oil in my cab, this shit needs to stay where it belongs, in the engine bay.

[hav24wheel]

Its just the oil in the cab.....

[Archangel]

Still tho, that's some good 40 psi in that thin plastic line.

[87gtVIC]

true but i had the rpms pretty high on the scale when my tranny line blew and no catastrophic failure happened in my interior. But it does worry, my interior is such a light color it would be such a freakng mess.

[Blaze86Vic]

Still tho, that's some good 40 psi in that thin plastic line.

That is why you always use the copper line.

I have to agree that hiding the gauges out of site is kind of problematic as it negates the reason for having gauges. If you just want it to look stock in style and not like an afterthought, then mount them in the gauge cluster behind the plastic lens. You will need to delete the idiot lights, or re-locate them (which wouldn't be hard at all, and could easily be discretely located somewhere else). That's two gauges covered. Here is a what it looks like in my car (though I didn't use the most OEM styled gauges in the world).



I've wanted to add more gauges for some time now, and the only way I can think to make it look anything like it was originaly intended to be that way, is to make a second instrument cluster. Delete the vent/clock to the right of the speedo, and make a complete housing with a clear lense and everything, and mount the rest of the gauges in that. It's room for a 3-5/8" tac, and two or three other 2" gauges, and some lights. At least that's what I wanted to do.

[1987cp]

I hadn't thought about it, but that (already awesome) setup would be more awesomer with the VDO Cockpit Series gauges in black.

[P72Ford]

I am not a fane of the nylon, or copper oil pressure gauge lines. But I like mechanical oil pressure gauges.

The best way is to have a high pressure hose made. I may do that for my truck soon. Maybe when I finally get the Aeroforce gauge working right.

[351m]

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.

Who told you that? The one in my Vic works as a normal temp guage, as the engine moves towards overheating so does the guage. (Alt belt broke, so I know they work). I know Ford does that with oil pressure guages in the pickups though.

As for hidden guages, as long as they are only hidden when the car is off, whats the problem. I do like the headliner idea or maybe a console under the dash with them.

[1980c10]

Who told you that? The one in my Vic works as a normal temp guage, as the engine moves towards overheating so does the guage. (Alt belt broke, so I know they work). I know Ford does that with oil pressure guages in the pickups though.

As for hidden gauges, as long as they are only hidden when the car is off, whats the problem. I do like the headliner idea or maybe a console under the dash with them.

By dummy gauge I mean it doesnt say the actual temp on it, like a gauge that reads from 100-250 degrees or whatever, it just has the word NORMAL on it and raises across the word NORMAL as it gets hotter.

Blaze86Vic - I was thinking about something like that with black face gauges, except tinting the plastic cover with dark tint so you could only see the gauges when the lights were on.

[johnunit]

That is a really good idea..Something like this may work and look really nice. And it would actually be hidden because who really looks up at headliners while peaking into a car window??

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CMDE18

That gauge pod and the gauges that 1987CP posted, mounted on a slider under the ashtray. That'd be perfect, assuming the width was right.

Edit: checked again, mounted the way I'm thinking the gauges would be angled away from the driver, so you'd need the same with the angling reversed.