Gauge Pod

[jarvo]

Has anyone considered putting a gauge pod where the centre speaker grill is?

Cheers
Jarvo

[fingers]

This is how i have mounted mine .....Tacho will be mounted on the steering column

[Blacky]

My old EK had one made out of exhaust pipe - there was 4 pieces of pipe welded to a flat plate that screwed to the stock holes and the ends were expanded to accept the guages.
Dont have any pics sorry but if you watch Running on Empty just before they crash the car you can see them.

[jarvo]

Looks good Fingers...

WIll see if I can find "running on empty" Blacky and have a look...

I was thinking something like the pods you find in the latest Clubsport's and Monaro's. Originally I was thinking in carbon fibre or even fibre glass then coated, now I am thinking it would look great in chrome or stainless steel.

[Harv]

I like the EH accessory gauges - not NASCO as far as I know, but period correct:


The "eyeball vernier" says they would be a near-fit to FB/EK, though given the dash is flat for the FB/EK speaker the gauges would tilt up probably too far.

Cheers,
Harv.

[jarvo]

Hey Harv,

Thats exactly what i was looking for... I wonder if a bit of a modification or customising one could make it fit on the EK?

[Harv]

The dimensions look to be pretty similar to FB/EK, a couple of dramas to work through though:

a) the FB/EK dash top is flat (for resting brown bottles on whilst working on it.... genuine GMH design feature ). The EJ/EH is slanted up. If you put he EJ/EH gauge pod onto the FB/EK, the gauges will almost point up to the roof. Might be OK, but might not - needs a dummy fit to see. Not much meat there on the EJ/EH pod to trim to get it to sit flat - would need to weld a strip to the bottom.
b) the EJ/EH dash top/instrument binnacle is square with "sharp edges", whilst the FB/EK is very smooth and rounded. The EJ/EH gauge pod might look a little angular. Making a rounded gauge pod may need Harko-esque metal shaping skills. I wonder if you went to a homewares store, and got an deep aluminium baking dish the right width, then cut it in half diagonally (like a little jump ramp) so you got the two rounded corners and the guage mounting face... dammit... gotta stop... must resist temptation to start another mini-project... must finish EK... concentrate Harv !

I'd pull the EJ/EH one and sit it onto my FB for photos, but the old boy gets a little suspicous every time I go near his Prem (for damn good reason )

Cheers,
Harv.

[jarvo]

Thanks Harv....

I know a guy thats a metal worker/fabricator, I wonder if he would be able to knock one up similar and just angle the base so the gauges aren't pointing to the roof?

Would be good to get the dimensions or schematics of the EH one and then mod the plans to the EK dash angle

[Harv]

Jarvo,

No giggling at my Dodgy Brothers drawing, or I'm sending my four young kids around with crayons and textas (and those special scissors that make little scraps of paper all over the floor) to redecorate your house :

A = 10" at the front edge, and 12" at the back near the windscreen (this thing is wedge shaped),
B = 6 5/8",
C = 3 1/4",
D = 2".

Need to double check the dimensions of an FB/EK speaker grille... could be a little different to the EH one (sure aint wedge shaped ).

Cheers,
Harv.

[jarvo]

Love your work Harv!

[Harv]

No drama.

For the curious (including me ) I ran a tape over the FB speaker grille this morning:
A = 9 1/2"-9 5/8" (the front edges are curved) - about 1/2" - 2 1/2" smaller than the EJ/EH one (and not wedge shaped),
B = 6 3/4" to 7" (the side edges are also curved) - about 1/8" - 3/8" smaller than the EJ/EH one.
Given the width B is similar, you could damn near get away with cutting an EH one (provided the gauge tilt issue is OK).

I also raided the baking trays... this one just happens to have A = 9 5/8", C = 2 3/4", some lovely rounded corners and three "fins" in the back:

Wonder if the better-half will notice it missing come Sunday lunchtime ?

Cheers,
Harv.

[fingers]

Mate believe me .....your wife will be over joyed with pride and understanding when she sees the job you have done on her baking dish .......and I would like to say at this point it will look cool especially with those 3 mouldings down the back ......mate this is the great aussie ingenuity and compromise at its best ...she will be so proud ....yes mate trust me .... Fingers

********************************************************************************************************************************************************

No drama.

For the curious (including me ) I ran a tape over the FB speaker grille this morning:
A = 9 1/2"-9 5/8" (the front edges are curved) - about 1/2" - 2 1/2" smaller than the EJ/EH one (and not wedge shaped),
B = 6 3/4" to 7" (the side edges are also curved) - about 1/8" - 3/8" smaller than the EJ/EH
Given the width B is similar, you could damn near get away with cutting an EH one (provided the gauge tilt issue is OK).

I also raided the baking trays... this one just happens to have A = 9 5/8", C = 2 3/4", some lovely rounded corners and three "fins" in the back:

Wonder if the better-half will notice it missing come Sunday lunchtime ?

Cheers,
Harv.

[artyfartymarty]

i need to see that baking tin cluster finished!!!
are you going to section it?

[Bluehaze]

I've been pondering a way of making up a gauge cluster which will match the existing decor on my FB project. I'm only concerned about two things: oil pressure and coolant temperature, so a two gauge solution will do. I came across this one which is for a BA Falcon. I plan to copy this design in either metal or fibreglass (probably fiberglass, as my sheetmetal skills aren't that good. I hope to copy the bssic shape, but put those gentle curves into the top and the returns like the main dash.

[jarvo]

bugger... there was a pod going on eBay, i put a few bids ion on it but missed out in the end

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160674802094 ... 500wt_1202