VDO gauges installed

[gearheadE30]

Just got done installing these, and figured I'd post a few pics. They're all done, but the senders aren't hooked up yet. Sorry the rest of the car is so filthy, and the seat isn't dyed yet; I got a bit excited haha. Now where should I put the boost gauge.... :)

[blocke]

Looks good. Does the vent beside it block view of the gauges from the drivers angel at all?
I think i would have put them in the closer vent.

[cbouchez]

it looks great man! What color do they lit up?

[gearheadE30]

blocke-no, they are actually dead on from where the driver is sitting. I thought about putting them in the closer one, but I wanted that vent, given that this car is a dd. This also seems to balance the cockpit a little better, if that makes any sense.

cbouchez-right now they light up red, but since my stock gauges light up white (I took the little amber caps off of the backlight bulbs) I will probably make them white when I have them out to route the vacuum line for the boost gauge.

[monty23psk]

Looks good and clean.

[Ray Smoodiver]

Looks pretty sweet!

[gearheadE30]

Thanks :). I'm not sure if there's any possible way I can make the boost gauge look as good as those, hah. Right now I'm thinking it will go either where the ashtray is (possibly channeling the astray so I can still use half for storage) or moving the fog switches to the center stack and putting it where that switch used to be. I want to keep the rest of the vents, and I'd really prefer that the boost gauge is hidden somehow, but I guess I still have some thinking to do, hah.

[castros]

Look's good man.

[Schnitzer318is]

Look's good man.

x2... I like that better than my current gauge setup. I'll be changing it soon though.

[MR 325]

Looks good. The gauges are really simple and clean looking too.

[accident]

measurements to replicate this? what material did you use?

[gearheadE30]

Sorry, I actually didn't write down the measurements. The panel itself is made of ABS plastic sheet that I bought at a local hobby shop (hobbytown USA) that has a texture to it. I used a 2 1/8" hole saw to cut out the holes for the gauges so that they sit a little deeper in the panel.

To remove the vents, pop out the vent aimer things, and then pull really freaking hard straight out on the housing. It will pop out. You have to cut out the on/off switch and the ducting on the side you want the gauges in, but leave the tabs that lock the vents into the dash. That entire panel is actually friction-fit where the vent used to be, and the spin-on clamps just barely fit in there together. My advice would be to cut about a sixteenth of an inch big on each side and slowly cut it down until it barely fits. Then drill the holes for the gauges. There is literally only one way to get it all to fit, hah.

I took switched +12 from the glovebox light (purple wire iirc) ground to a bolt near where my megasquirt adapter is. I guess near where the ECU would be. Power for the backlights come from the wiring for the ashtray light. Next time I have it apart (if I have it apart, heh) I'll try to get a pic of the back.

And I just finished up the boost gauge, which is in kind of an odd location-the front part of the rear center console. It's not a VDO gauge, but I'll probly replace it at some point. It's fairly nice, though-GlowShift gauge, aluminum casing, switchable LED backlight, lit needle...it just doesn't match hah. It came with some turbo bits I bought. Pics to come.

[FreedS4]

Here's an alternate option for installation. Just for comparisons sake...

[ZM Blue Devil]

Very nice, super clean. Im a big fan of the gauge angle mounts. Gives just a tilt towards driver...

[fiftytakedowns]

hey man, where did you put the sender for the oil pressure/Temp?