I measured my friends and it seems like with a little modification you could make a plate to fit three 2 1/16" gauges in the center air vents that hang off the dash in the Camaro. Surely SOMEONE has done this by now and has pic. I did a search and only found someone asking the same question in 2000 and no pics. Anyone?

 

the vents are too small, as in they're not quite tall enough, i tried already. but this is what i came up with.

 

another view....

 

Hey, that looks nice and business-like.

 

Heres mine. 2 1/16" will fit just fine.

 

Or if you prefer digital gauges, I made a panel and hid four gauges under smoked plexi. Here's how it looks when the gauges are on.

 

And off:

 

"HUSTON We have lift off"

nice setup willie.

 

I love it, looks awesome. Was it hard to Fab up, or did u order the display, then just custom fit it?

 

It's all fabbed. Including the four 2-1/16" gauges (two are Dakota Digital, two are Nordskog), I used 1/16" sheet metal for the support, 1/8" smoked plexi for the cover, aluminum angle iron for the edges and assorted screws.

I've also installed three more digital gauges, replacing the stock ash tray.

Willie

 

How'd you wire that thing, and where did you get the sensors and such? are they just stock sensors? Or did you custom put them in?

 

How'd you wire that thing, and where did you get the sensors and such? are they just stock sensors? Or did you custom put them in?

You might want to go here:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=178430

I explain in more detail in this post. Please note my "under AC vent" panel has changed somewhat since that post.

For more specifics on my LED's and switches, click on "SC Z!!!" in my sig (in my original reply above), then down to Switches.

Willie

 

Beautiful man, just beautiful..... *drool

 

I have some questions for willie:

1. How hard is it to cut plexi glass?
2. What was the thickness of the plexi you used?
3. Have you tried to go digital on the rest of your gauges?
4. What do you think of Cyberdyne Digital Gauges?

The reason I'm asking is that I've been toying with the idea of going digital on the stock guages. By way of gutting the housing but still somehow use the printed circuit on the back to control the turn signals and high beam indicator. This is my daily driver, and I like the idea of all digital. Any insight you might have would be a big help.

Matthew

P.S. I also agree on Dakota washing out in sunlight. So they won't be an option for me.

 

Damn, willie. Thats awsome man. Nice and clean too. :hail:

 

1. How hard is it to cut plexi glass?

Scribe where you want it cut, then snap it. It's a little more difficult for rounded corners.


2. What was the thickness of the plexi you used?

The smoked plexi is 1/8" thick. The smoke comes in various densities. It's a trial and error process to get the right one for you. My first attempt was too dark. What you see is my second. I think it looks pretty good.


3. Have you tried to go digital on the rest of your gauges?

No, and I don't want to. On a digital gauge, if the values are increasing (or decreasing) at a rapid rate, it's hard to read. On an analog, it's much easier to see the needle sweeping across the face. A boost cause comes to mind.


4. What do you think of Cyberdyne Digital Gauges?

I like them, especially the red readout. My easiest gauge to read is the red voltmeter gauge. The green is not as bright but still readable.


The reason I'm asking is that I've been toying with the idea of going digital on the stock guages. By way of gutting the housing but still somehow use the printed circuit on the back to control the turn signals and high beam indicator.

Definitely possible. Two possibilities:

In both cases, use the existing cluster casing as your base.

1) then cover it with a piece of smoked plexi (or solid black, red, green, whatever color you like, then cut holes for the gauges, then install the gauges. Yes, they have plexiglas holesaws. Or

2) Determine locations for the digital gauges, then build a foundation (which will bolt somehow to the existing casing) out of thin sheet metal with holes for the gauges. Then cover the whole thing with smoked plexi. This is how I built my panel (under the AC vents).


P.S. I also agree on Dakota washing out in sunlight.

They are not as bright as the red Cyberdyne or Nordskog gauges and are comparable to the green Cyber... & Nords... gauges. In my car, both my Dakota Digital gauges can still be read in direct sunlight, even thru the smoked plexi. Not the brightest, but still readable.

I use a pair of Dakota gauges because no one else I know of makes a digtal exhaust gas temp (EGT) gauge. I could have used three Nordskog and the Dakota EGT gauge, but that would have looked funny. That's why I have a pair of each.

Willie

 

as far as cutting if you can get to a band saw they work really well.