Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Hey all. As some of you might remember, I made a thread awhile back about my 87 LS1 swap TA and my custom dash. I said that I was going to do something new...and I started tonight. Its in its experimental stages, but I figured I would share my idea with everyone, and let you all see it as it progresses. Here is a picture of what it looked like previously..

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...y25/larger.jpg

I had an aeroforce scan gauge mounted next to the cig lighter in the 4th gen console. Well..thats too far down and away to be of any use. So I wanted it higher...up in the cluster. I also hated my warning lights. So they had to go.

On this new cluster, I have the aeroforce gauge mounted. I also have the new programmable fuel level gauge installed...because Im tired of having NO idea how much gas I have. Then...for the "NEW" part. Im playing with this new idea for the warning lights. Ill let the pics speak for themselves, and get into more in depth when I do the final install. Tonight was just playing around to see if I was going to like it. The final design will be much cleaner, and much more stealth...

Pics...

Backside...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000697.jpg

Front face. Upper right...little rectange is the "service engine soon" light...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000700.jpg

Now...this is with just a maglight behind the cluster...to show how the light works...so the illumination is really inconsistant.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000705.jpg

Close up. This little "window" will be much cleaner when Im done with it. I just roughed it in to see how it would work...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000708.jpg

Close up with it off. I have a way of making this not as obvious that Im going to try out.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000711.jpg


Any comments are welcome. Let me know what you think! Im pretty excited. and like I said, its just in the "prototyping" phase. Hopefully Ill have something more substantial in a few days.

Justin

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Looks really nice Justin! I did something similar with my 3rd gen road race car, same scheme with the tach and speedo, a few less gauges on the right, when you are road racing you only care about Oil temp, oil pressure and water temp besides the tach. :) For a street car though these are really fine. I also used the white-faced autometers.

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Thanks for the compliment! Yeah I cant see the volt gauge from my seating position due to the steering wheel. Thats why I put it there. Figured the others were more important. So as my eyes drop down to check gauges, from the tach, the next gauge I see is oil press, the next one is temp, and finally fuel....because no one likes to be towed home :) Not in the pics for those wondering I have a pillar pod with fuel pressure, vaccuum, and air/fuel....which will be wideband once I save up enough for the gauge.

Justin

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

I'll be following the progress of this. That stock-ish SES light looks great!

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

That stock-ish SES light IS the stock light basically. I had a spare 3rd gen dash laying around so I stole the little "card" with the print and color on it. Looks like its going to do exactly what I wanted it to do.

I might not have any updates for alittle bit...Im waiting on some materials that I had to order to finish it up. But as soon as I get something done on it Ill be whoring the pics dont worry :)

J.

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Ok guys/gals... I spent some time on the dash panel, and I think I have it where I want it. I have lots of pictures, so Im going to let them do most of the talking. Just a few things first... The camera flash brings out some spots that look like imperfections. Such as the tint line around the warning light openings. You cant see it in person...and you definetly wont see it once its in the dash with the bezel around it.

Also, the pics with the lights lit up, is just two flashlights ghetto rigged to shine through. Once the flash light reflectors are in place, they will be plenty bright and more uniform in illumination. Went with new LEDs for the low oil and low coolant lights as well. These are smaller and look cleaner.

On to the pics. Any questions...just ask!

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000746.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000747.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000749.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000751.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000753.jpg

Those were sort of the "pre assembly pics".

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Now for the construction....

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000754.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000755.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000756.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000757.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000759.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000761.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000762.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000767.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000771.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000773.jpg

Comments? Opinions? If its not raining tomorrow, I might work on installing it back into the car. I need to run the harness for the new fuel gauge, and tinker with the warning light wiring.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

oh my god that looks great!

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Thanks man! I cant wait to see how it looks once its in the car. That laminate I got is great stuff. I love the texture, and it sticks like crazy. I had my doubts as I was doing it...but once the lights and gauges were in, I was sold on it...

J.

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Well designed and executed! :thumbsup:

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Looks great! Have any more info on where to get some of that laminate?

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Yeah...actually I ordered it through amazon.com. The part number is VL218-BT. I got it for $10 because I had some money on a gift card left over... but its still only $18 for a 2'x18' roll...which is a lot of material.

Thanks for the compliments!

Justin

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

looking good! What's the scan guage for anyway?

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Looks great, cant wait to see it in the car!

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Ok folks... More pics. Its done, installed, and working great!

The little cards glued and sealed into place...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000774.jpg

My housing for the dash....old stock 3rd gen dash..
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000777.jpg

Reflectors (light boxs) glued into place and sealed...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000780.jpg

Back of the panel ready to install...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000783.jpg

Panel in place...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000785.jpg

All back together...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000787.jpg

SES light..
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000791.jpg

Brake Light...
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000792.jpg

AND finally an overall shot.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...r/S6000796.jpg

It could have been better...but looks good in person. And it functions great. So Im happy for now. I still have some finish work to do on that bezel that goes around the panel and houses the speedo and tach. But thats for another day. The lights are bright and visible when on, and are blacked out when off.

Oh and for 3.1EyeCandy...The scan gauge is an aeroforce tech scan gauge. It shows pretty much any output that the PCM offers. Fuel trims, knock counts, total timing, O2 activity, MAF freq....and a lot more. It also shows DTC codes, clears the codes, functions as a shift light if you want, and some ofther stuff. Its a great little gauge.

Justin

Re: Firebird gauge cluster revisited...something new? Lots of pics.
 

Old thread, I know, but stumbled across it while searching....way cool set up!