205 Specific Gauge Pods

[miamistu 1]

Just looking back though old posts and found this one.

 

Did anything ever come of this?

[tom_m 0]

Just looking back though old posts and found this one.

 

Did anything ever come of this?

 

well this is how far mine got.

 

 

its currently sat in the garage awaiting a) gauges to go in it 2) a bit more work on it finish wise and c) clearance issues in the dash checking out.

 

if anyone wanted to try taking a mould from it i'd be happy to oblige (no idea how to sort that out myself ) but i think there could be more elegant solutions out there (with less dash butcherage involved)

Edited August 30, 2006 by tom_m

[miamistu 1]

That looks pretty cool but I was rather after something that accommodate a couple of guages without losing heater / heater controls or stereo

 

(I like my creature comforts! )

[Rik 0]

How was that made tom? I aint bothered about vents!

[sonofsam 5]

Its a shame no-one makes these.As there must be a real gap in the market for them.

Im not keen on those pillar pods and having to relocate the stereo is a bit of a bind.

 

Mines got no further either But that face plate is easy to manufacture with the right equipment (fly-press)

 

Guess all it would need is a nice housing to have it up top.

 

Could an existing pod not be modified to fit?

Edited August 30, 2006 by sonofsam

[TEKNOPUG 3]

I can't see whre you can mount a gauge without sacrifising something. Maybe where the ashtray is? I mounted my pressure guage temporarily where the stereo is - I'm not going to refit a standard HU. However, I think that I will mount it permantly where the right-hand upper vent is (in the middle of the dash). Tom's looks sweet but I'm not sure I want to lose all the vents. Saw an E30 M3 at the 'ring which had gauges in the vents but actually inlaid between the bars (if that makes sense). That's what I'm aiming for. Will fit inlet temp and voltmeter in the HU space.

[miamistu 1]

I can't see whre you can mount a gauge without sacrifising something. Maybe where the ashtray is?

 

That's where I was thinking - and where Biff suggested in his post. The right hand heater vent would also be a possibility I suppose for just one guage.

[timmsy19 3]

how about something like this in the ashtray space??

 

Clicky Clicky

 

only a quick drwing but hope you get the idea

[tom_m 0]

How was that made tom? I aint bothered about vents!

 

i used a spare center vent and choped all the guts out of it, and glued in a universal gauge plate from RGM, you can probablt get them from halfrauds, they're bigger than you need but i choped it down and the flash came in handy as you can see here:

 

 

the first attempt had the gauges pointing at the roof, you can see it here

 

a bit of filler, high build primer and some flexible vynal black later and its ready for gauges

 

how about something like this in the ashtray space??

 

Clicky Clicky

 

only a quick drwing but hope you get the idea

 

thats no the ash tray thats the coin tray. put ash in there and you'll end up with your dash on fire!

Edited August 30, 2006 by tom_m

[GLPoomobile 958]

I can't see whre you can mount a gauge without sacrifising something.

 

This is true, but there are a few things that most of us probably wouldn't give a toss about losing, namely the ashtray and pathetic clock, or the coin tray.

 

The coin tray isn't an ideal size or shape to fabricate a guage pod into, BUT, i have another idea.....

 

Substitute the top central vents into a guage holder as already shown (ideal size and shape for 3 guages, ideal location, looks good etc). If like me you wouldn't want to completely lose your central vents, then you have to look at a way of moving them. So, why not fabricate some mini vents into the old coin holder area? You would need to fabricate a housing that fits into the area and rises up slightly and then points forward. The coin tray sits right above the ducting for the original vents, so cutting down into the dash and redirecting the air upwards and out of the new vents would be easy enough. Might look a little odd (guess it comes down to how well they are designed and moulded though) and won't be anywhere near as big as the standard vents, but would be enough to channel a bit of air towards you.

[TEKNOPUG 3]

Another option is to remove the whole dash and get busy with the filler, sand paper and spray paint. If you have the time and teh patience. ANyone remember that Romanian guy that put a 15" lcd screen in the dash - that was a top job.

[tom_m 0]

Another option is to remove the whole dash and get busy with the filler, sand paper and spray paint. If you have the time and teh patience. ANyone remember that Romanian guy that put a 15" lcd screen in the dash - that was a top job.

 

wasn't it just! i wanna put an 8in touch screen in mine

[timmsy19 3]

thats no the ash tray thats the coin tray. put ash in there and you'll end up with your dash on fire!

 

thats what i meant. long day at work an all contributed to that post

[cybernck 400 1 Cars]

ANyone remember that Romanian guy that put a 15" lcd screen in the dash - that was a top job.

i can remember a serbian guy, but it was nothing like 15", that would be huge .

[TEKNOPUG 3]

You get my drift though.

[Hilgie 16 2 Cars]

Or maybe this is what you are looking for?

 

[Ben Allen 8]

Classy

[timmsy19 3]

Or maybe this is what you are looking for?

 

 

bit extreme. but would look ok in the right car

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Similar thoughts to Tom's here:

 

Other thoughts:

[TEKNOPUG 3]

Hmmm.perhaps that is the way forward after all? Can I live without the vents though?

[tom_m 0]

Hmmm.perhaps that is the way forward after all? Can I live without the vents though?

 

of course you can! mine are all shut all the time anyway. the only air coming into my car goes over the screen or on my feet. i don't really see the point of ones that blow right at me.

 

of course if you were really clever you could do a panel that didn't do away with the vents and still has gauges in. theres plenty of space for more holes around the gauges

[TEKNOPUG 3]

OK - I'm sold. Do you have a link where you got the 3-hole sheet from Tom?

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

I wonder if there is much demand for these, then we can maybe get some made up? I know of someone who does carbon fibre battery covers and other mouldings.

Thoughts?

[pugrallye 0]

Carbon fibre sheet is easily come by these days, surely a cheap and easy product to manufacture??

[sonofsam 5]

Real carbon fibre sheet isnt that cheap really