JTbo goes rice

Post by **jtbo** » 24 Jul 2006 11:18 pm

Well, uhm, yes, you see, I was interested to get few gauges, so I did place order from Volt meter and Vacuum gauge, was 18€ total.

Of course my priority is to get car running but after that I will install these (See I have no limit of self confidence at all, I WILL make car running

):

I'm hoping to get them installed to instrument cluster, but it may be that I need to install them same way as Chris has installed volt meter, then I would need to learn some fiberglass(or carbonfibre which is basically same) moulding and making holes and all, it still is unknown area to me so naturally I'm interested to learn

But really I need to check if I can get it installed to instrument panel as there is two empty places too

What do you think about this?

Post by **Chris_C** » 25 Jul 2006 01:12 am

Jani, I bought the panel mine are mounted in for peanuts of fleabay...

As for mounting them in the gauge panel, I'd go for that, wouldn't be difficult, just mount the black blanking plate between the dial and the mechanism!

Post by **jtbo** » 25 Jul 2006 01:26 am

Yes, it should be not too difficult indeed, must examine a bit how to make it fit, looks like temp gauge is 56mm wide so those blanks are somewhere 54-56mm and gauge needs 52mm hole so at least it is correct size, of course it is easier if I can make that blank to fit between dial and mechanics, depends how thick it is.

Just need to wait day or two until they arrive, so plenty of time to get that car running

Post by **NasoNex** » 25 Jul 2006 08:25 pm

I have the exact same two gauges installed in my 360

I also bought a water temperature gauge, which i havent installed yet.

Post by **jtbo** » 25 Jul 2006 11:16 pm

NasoNex wrote:I have the exact same two gauges installed in my 360
I also bought a water temperature gauge, which i havent installed yet.

Nice, I guess those are not most precise but if they work that is perhaps most important. Do you have pics from your installation?

When I had megasquirt installed I had no water temp gauge in use at all, maybe a bit risky but I had display on laptop quite often open and I could see temp from there.

Well, tomorrow I pickup those gauges, also take out instrument panel and change white dials back to blacks, also trying to install gauges

Post by **redline** » 26 Jul 2006 07:35 am

why do you not have water temp gauge ? they are standard in our cars

Post by **jtbo** » 26 Jul 2006 11:34 am

redline wrote:why do you not have water temp gauge ? they are standard in our cars

Well my water temp sensor was used for megasquirt and I did not get around to get other one to that Efi temp sensor place

But I don't know what is NasoNex's excuse

Post by **jtbo** » 26 Jul 2006 05:40 pm

Hmm, it is not quite easy as I was hoping to be, there is not enough space in instrument panel in depth direction to fit anything to top left slot, to top right slot it might be possible.

Also it looks like that it is not possible to disassemble these new gauges so that you can put them back together afterwards.

Therefore I must plan to install them to center of dash into place of radio.

I do have only one question, how to make perfect hole to fiberglass? Should I make it to mold or should I drill afterwards?
My guess is that it is better to make hole to mold (some tube that is removed) or perhaps to fiber mat that are layered to surface?

Post by **Chris_C** » 27 Jul 2006 12:33 pm

What panel are you trying to make Jani? Same as mine? By an ABS one from ebay, it's cheaper than buying in fibreglass! It fits straight into the facia plate.

If you are really keen on doing the fibreglass on, then put a 52mm cylinder on the mould, you'll get a better hole that way. It doesn't matter too much though, the gauges have a fair lip, and hide lots of sins

Post by **jtbo** » 27 Jul 2006 03:09 pm

I could not find anything similar from ebay and also I think posting will be quite big expense.

My idea was to use sheet of plastic to cover that hole that has been made by previous owner to radio panel, to make it good I would need to put some fiberglass to that, should not be too hard actually as I need to make only straight surfaces

Well, I need to fix that original panel too, there is that big clip missing from left, at right there is one left and I think I have part that broke off somewhere so need to repair that too.

Post by **jtbo** » 27 Jul 2006 03:21 pm

Here is pic, bit wires, but try to ignore those, I have already took 120 meters of wires out from it

Anyway you can see how that panel has this huge hole and there is tape applied to keep it on place...

Post by **jtbo** » 02 Aug 2006 07:25 pm

Oh yes, extra gauge panel will be something special, it is done by Hackman (company that does sink tables, knives, really good pots and pans etc.).

They have got just new kind of stainless steel that will be used in some coming products so naturally I picked that, oh yes it is bit secret what kind stainless steel it is but I think I can tell you this much, you can't see fingerprints on it

You are not allowed to ask costs, it is special deal, Amanda is part of it

Post by **jtbo** » 03 Aug 2006 09:27 pm

Ok, as I'm bit crippled I could not access to my ftp as user-id is on that other computer which need gfx card, well I think you can see picture from link, send message if it does not work.

Anyway, here is bad photo taken in hurry from first prototype, tomorrow I should get new versions, there is one other model currently here too, but I have not taken photos from that.

http://www.janiervast.com/yabbse/index. ... html#msg88

So at middle there will be Air/fuel ratio leds, I will replace now rest of leds too, then those two gauges with green lights.

I find job quality being really super, this is just test version to check if needed to change some measures and tomorrow I will get final version. Also I will paint this with not shining black colour.

What do you think?

Post by **Chris_C** » 03 Aug 2006 09:35 pm

Thats amazing!!!!! What you doing with the proto type

Post by **jtbo** » 03 Aug 2006 09:43 pm

Chris_C wrote:Thats amazing!!!!! What you doing with the proto type

I really have not thought about it yet, it has little scar, but other side is of course usable and I have that 2nd prototype with different surface too. In both panels backside is smooth without any pattern