Gages in the Console - need some ideas and info.
 

Hey all!
I need to add some gages to the gray slant to see what's going on and do some tuning. Problem is the console has no provisions for them. There is this goofy locking system thingy at the top which leaves a 3.75" x 4" space/hole.
Question is what do you use to make a plate or cover to mount/secure gages in this spot? I did a custom mount in the red rocket a decade ago and can't for the life of me remember how I did it or where I got the plastic material that matched the console. It looked like it was factory so I must have been lucky to find the material.
Any help is appreciated and please post any custom console/gage mods you have done.

Does your car have this console? Look at all the space I have. I just made an aluminum plate and painted it with crinkle paint, looks great I think and will be adding a colt gauge and some toggle switches as well.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344537517.jpg

Matte finished sheet plastic looks pretty good in my car for block-offs.

Not much room and I wanted AFR and cyl head temp gauges in there.
I attached the oversized central locking switch thing to the bottom of the ashtray frame to have more room. It's easier to reach and looks good there too.

I used a piece of mahogony veneer 1/4" plywood because I still had a piece around from making a center console gauge panel for a BMW around 17 years ago... and I sprayed it satin black. If I had a piece of textured plastic I would have used that.

It looks alot better from driver position inside the car than straight on a foot away with a little pocket camera. The blue light at the bottom comes on with the AC compressor clutch so I know if it's engaged.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344539456.jpg

I just made a panel to mount my AFR gauge. I drew it up in CAD and then had it cut by a friend on a waterjet for $15.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344539926.jpg

Prrrrrreeeeettttty cool!

Nice stuff!
How are you securing the panel to the console?

If you look at the top of the design from flat 6, it has two tabs for two notches in the console. Mine snaps into the notches with those tabs and presses in with friction on the bottom. Mine is in the shape of an L from behind to secure it.

Once it was cut and sanded to fit snug in the console I glued pieces of the same plywood that would fit between the gauges at right angles to the back sides of the panel.
Used harbor freight 5 minute hardening clear epoxy built up in several layers each time it hardened in the corners so it's strong.
Then positioned it in there, drilled holes in the plastic sides of the console through the plywood side pieces for short self tapping screws, and screwed it in place.

Did the same for the AC control holder at the bottom and the plastic cover for the back of the console covers all the screws I used when it's back on.

I did something very similiar to "quatrorunner" Aluminum plate bent into an L, tabs at the top and L at the bottom. Tabs lock in and two sheet metal screws through the bottom plastic of the console and into the aluminum. Remove screws to service gauges. I put an Andial Intercooler temp on top, Cylinder head temp, then AFR on bottom.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344561908.jpg

here is mine with black marine starboardhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344562800.jpg

Nice looking installs!

This is what I had in the Red Rocket. I put the clock and AFR meter in the console and a boost gage where the clock was. The material I used for the console was really thick rough finish plastic. It looked like it belonged there. Where can I get that stuff?

I do remember how I mounted it now. I routered a piece of 1" plywood to form a square and glued it to the back side border of the plastic face. Glued felt around the wood so it would slide in and out easy to service the gage. It was an interference fit as the console hole decreased in size with depth. I then cut round holes in the wood/plastic.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344564076.jpg

I have a plastics company in town that carries all types, thicknesses, shapes, and finishes of plastics. That's where I got my matte black 1/8" stuff from.

Holy crap that's just like mine.

Installing extra gauges in a 965 is a little more challenging than in a 930. Console space is at a premium so it's possible to cleanly install only one gauge, IMO.
I had initially installed a boost gauge in the ashtray, much like many 930 installations. The sightline from the driver's seat made the gauge hard to read quickly and accurately; not a good thing when hurtling down the road under boost.
I decided to move my gauge to the cubby under the rocker switches at the top of the console. I sourced a C2 spoiler control panel to mount the gauge in and an angle ring kit from Summitt Racing to rotate the gauge into a better sightline. Here is the angled gauge in the panel: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344640010.jpg

All that was left was to hook up the gauge and snap it into the console:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344640073.jpg

Now I can glance at the gauge and get an accurate read of my boost.

My solution, albeit different console.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344645716.jpg

I just finished one for a friends Turbo

The 1st pic shows 2 different face plates

- one for my 930 that has Special Wishes unit as provide by AJR

- the other one is Lincoln's console above but with slightly diferent configuration> It previously had a set of cassette boxes. We closed the hole, re-drilled & recovered..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344892584.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344892953.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344893029.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344892878.jpg

Hmmm, I thought the title of the thread was;
"Gages in the Console - need some ideas and info" Not the lack thereof..

Somebody always misses the point!

That's OK it shows one more place you can mount stuff. I've got a controller mounted in that spot right now and the goofy alarm switches are mounted atop the console as well. All that alarm crap is going to be cut out which is why I am looking into the gage mounting options.

I made a plate but like Paul only have room for one gage with all the other stuff that is already there. So now I'm looking at custom gages for the dash as well. Can't rule anything out at this point but you have to be able to read the gages at a glance while on boost.

I took a little different approach on mine, as I wanted to always be able to return the console back to stock if needed.

My gauge mount slides into the hole in the center, and out, if access to the wire harnesses is needed or other service. then it secures to the console using the two existing screw holes from the plastic stopper that was at the back of the hole in the console from the cassette holder.

I used Koso, AFR and EGT gauges, along with an Andial Intercooler before and after cooler gauge. The dial is for the Andial fuel enrichment system. I laid it out in CAD and lasered out several prototypes and bent them up on the press brake until I was able to get the bracket somewhat perfected. If anyone is interested in going this route, I have a few spare brackets, or could laser and bend up some more, if there is interest. I had the bracket satin powdercoated, so it just blends in with the console. Keep in mind the Koso AFR gauge had to have the Main harness to the O2 extended, due to the length to the rear of the car..

I ve got a VDO boost gauge for the clock position.

Hope this gives you some other ideas too.

Ben
'79, 930

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344957876.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344957895.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1344957903.jpg

Nicely done!

That looks really nice!

I've been in contact with a few gage manufacturers in hopes of having a custom gage made for the dash as that is a better place for critical readings. Haven't had much luck. Who do you guys use for custom VDO style gages?

North Hollywood Speedo gets my vote.

Brian, IMO before you cut out the "old alarm crap" be sure you can reconnect back the "key" wires the right way. I tried to remove my UNGO box, and guess what? Could not figured out how to crank the car w/o it... had to put it back in, and it is still there.

Updated
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1358405304.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1358405335.jpg
I added the egt and boost control. Not sure the boost control is in a good spot but it looks o good I have to just leave it:)

Sorry about the crooked neck.

How were you able to hang the car from the ceiling?! :p

new updated pic of consolehttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360602801.jpg

I didn't want to cut my console and didn't want the hang-it-under-the-dash look like we had in the "olden" days (70s), so I opted, like many others, to put the boost gauge where the clock was and decided on the passenger's foot well carpeted kick-panel for the AFR gauge. It's actually easier to view than if was obscured by the shift lever/knob and steering wheel, and making a hole in the kick-panel carpeting disappear is pretty easy compared with one in the console.

[IMG]http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ps2641e477.jpg[/IMG]

I'm just finishing up my boost/AF gauge install, I took an AEM failsafe gauge and stuffed it into an OE gauge (Will replace my clock). I'll do a complete write up on it once I actually have everything wired and ready to go but you can get an idea of another way to incorporate a proper boost and AF gauge.

http://www.petertarach.com/wp-conten...porsche012.jpg

http://www.petertarach.com/wp-conten...porsche013.jpg

http://www.petertarach.com/wp-conten...porsche014.jpg

cool

Great idea. Please post on this thread when you open a new one describing the gauge change. Thanks.

Try Aimsports.com if you really want something readable for tuning. Nice product line.

Pete,
Sent you PM. Interested about your Failsafe installation.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1586798867.jpg

Pretty sure I have the same AJR center console as the one in the photo above. See my PIC with a cardboard mock up of the change I am planning and second photo with as it is now. Planning clock up top and 52mm AFR gauge below that. Open to ideas / suggestions on how to make this ideal. I plan to to recover the center portion with black vinyl to match the OEM gauge cluster look (where the black cardboard is). :-)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1586799239.jpg

Yes, your console as shown is AJR... while the burgundy one is a factory 930S console getting a face plate make-over due to someone cutting up the original.

The large face plate laying on the bench in the 1st picture is a refresh for an AJR console.

Do you do restorations of these? I'm having a new aluminum plate made at a local fabrication shop and am planning to cover it myself with 'Porsche' vinyl with my new cutouts. Is that 'proper' for an AJR installation? It will be just like the original... Can you post a pic of the AJR you worked on? Were these special wishes ordered only?

Here is a photo from a brochure I have from AJR... see pic. For some reason the forum keeps flipping this photo sideways. Its fine on my end...?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1586809896.jpg