Gauges - the final decision!

Well, I did say I was prone to changing my mind, so to not disappoint
 
I've done it again. This time though it's the final decision and money has changed hands.

Keeping with my intention to maintain the classic instrument look but introduce a little modern tech to proceedings I kept looking about for an alternative to the speed hut offerings. Whereas it would have been nice to have unique logos on the gauges I was concerned at spending so much on gauges not sourced in the UK.

My targets were:

1)  White on black gauge design
2) Through the dial LED illumination.
3) All electric senders.
4) Minor gauges 270° sweep

Enter the Smiths Flight range.

In the end I went for

Speedometer
Tachometer
Fuel gauge
Water Temperature gauge
Oil Temperature gauge
Oil Pressure gauge
Voltmeter

Here's a brief video of the little dance they do at power on.

So that's one decision properly made - no going back!

Still planning!

Well you know I said that I could change my mind on things rather a lot, well I think I might have done it again!

Back to dash layout and gauges.

After Simon very kindly sent me a Turin shroud dash, I was able to transfer the layout onto a bit of MDF.

I then set about making some rather fetching gauges, indicator lights and switches using Autometer pictures and powerpoint drawing tool! End result a life size dash and hardware that I can fiddle around with as I like.

Now Autometer sell two sizes of speedo and tach, one at 127mm and one at 85ish. Anyway one is smaller than normal UK sourced gauges and one bigger.

Heres the small ones.


And the large ones.


Upshot, don't think I like either! And I need to paint the floor again!!

So the hunt continues for full sweep electrical gauges that I like with decent through the dial lighting.

Enter Kirkham http://www.thomaskirkham.com/gauges.html

Now these I like, classic design, full electric transducers and good through dial lighting, oh and °C temperature measurements. Just need to find out if its possible to change the bezel to something a little more IVA (note the change there from SVA) friendly.

Mind Change on Gauges.

Well I knew it wouldnt last, me sticking with an idea, not a regular occurrence round here!

It all started when I was stuck in traffic the other day and a Golf pulled up with bright blue illumination from the stereo and dash. I looked over and thought thats a bit "chav", then I realised that was what I was going to do to my GD. Further to that I have recently become aware that I struggle to read text with bright blue illumination so choosing gauges with bright blue text is not such a hot idea.

I still wanted to use autometer as I like their style and reputation for reliability, I also realised I liked gauges with through dial illumination in white, just like my 2008MY CRV. So after hunting through the range I identified Sport Comp II.

And illuminated.

Same gauge line up as before:

Full Sweep.

Half Sweep.

So lets see how long I stick with these!!

New Gauge & dash direction.

As always I change my mind on a frequent basis so keeping up is not easy! Ive moved away from the classic look back to a more modern feel. I'm back looking at Autometer gauges and I like the look of the Cobalt range.

And illuminated.


I hear the purists shuddering but care not I!

For the Speedo, Tacho, Fuel gauge and oil pressure gauge I will use the full sweep units. The fuel gauge is programmable so it can be set to match any quirks of the sender caused by the tank design.

And for the water temp, oil temp and voltmeter the half sweep units will do. This is worth doing as the half sweep are nearly 50% the cost of the full sweep but they are the same size.


The blue illumination will match the push button switches Ive chosen, again a much more modern take.


The warning lights will be those as supplied by ETB.

With a couple of standard Lucas flick switches for the lights and fan controls that completes the dash items.