TheSamba.com :: View topic - Gauges

Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:35 pm

Aaaah , Which one moniters the tire pressure??? :lol:

Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:55 pm

For Dan & Jared...

That cover pulls STRAIGHT rearward.
It slides on plastic rails and there is a catch when it's full forward.

I pulled until I thought it was going to break...
...then closed my eyes and pulled even more!!
It came off without damage.

Just be sure to pull it straight back.

james

Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:49 pm

I got this set of vanagon gauges from DragonFly in Seattle. This is a prototype set and ive been really stoked on the placement, Quality and ease of install. They look very clean, like a factory part. Ive recieved many compliments from other van owners. I need to post up some night shots cause they look really f*&kin cool all lit up...

Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:41 pm

24inchstance wrote: I got this set of vanagon gauges from DragonFly
in Seattle. This is a prototype set and ive been really stoked on the placement, Quality and ease of install. They look very clean, like a factory part. Ive recieved many compliments from other van owners. I need to post up some night shots cause they look really f*&kin cool all lit up...

Are those 45 degree PVC bends? That would certainly make for viewing a lot easier. Have you had any interference issues? (i.e. dropping stuff on them, bumping them, etc.) Pretty creative set up, good work.

Lundy

Wed Oct 18, 2006 4:07 pm

He has another set that bends up further but these have worked really good so far..Ive had no issues with anything bumping into them, I thought shifting into 3rd would but it has plenty of clearance. Ive taken them up gnarly dirt roads with no issues either. Im really diggin the placement cause they are more low key and still easy to glance at. Same place youd find em in older GTi. He has them installed in two of his syncros and they stay put in there too... Heres a shot of his camper at Syncro de Mayo this year...

Wed Oct 18, 2006 4:16 pm

How well do they work with an auto?
How much are they/will they be?

I want more gauges!

Matt

Wed Oct 18, 2006 4:58 pm

24inchstance wrote: I got this set of vanagon gauges from DragonFly in Seattle. This is a prototype set and ive been really stoked on the placement, Quality and ease of install. They look very clean, like a factory part. Ive recieved many compliments from other van owners. I need to post up some night shots cause they look really f*&kin cool all lit up...

I can totally see the vwrx 3-gage pod mounted in the location you've shown there. The angle wouldn't quite be as much, but it would look pretty sweet, and would indeed be in a nice spot like you have.

-Damon

Wed Oct 18, 2006 7:30 pm

If your are interested in the gauge pods that are seen on 24 inchstances' van, drop a line to

[email protected].

I currently have three kits made. They are prototypes. There is a "core" involved. I build them from the lower skirt. kit is complete, gauges, vdo only, red green or natural lighting, senders, ( varies depending on your motor,) available for suby, Tiico, 5 cyl, or waterboxer. single "gang" plug for quick and easy removal of lower skirt. Very "traditional" VW/Audi feel to them. in black or brown.

let me know.

Cheers
Mellow Cat

Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:17 pm

I stuck my new gauges here, had a spare cluster cover. Any input?
Very few vanagons had the green eject button in the lower right hand corner, however this one tends to malfuntion............. when I push it , the girlfriend wacks me on the back of the head.

Sat May 19, 2007 11:34 am

Just getting around to posting my "updated" gauge position!

Sat May 19, 2007 7:19 pm

I know many feel that parallax is a problem. I spent literally thousands of hours behind banks of instruments. You don't read them all, and they can't all be right in front of you. You look for relative changes, not absolute numbers, besides these gauges are not that accurate. The Brits, god bless them, modify all their cockpits. The rotate all guages so they point straight up in cruise. That way if one is not pointing up, something is wrong, pay attention to me! It does make their instrument panels look as if a half wit put the instruments in on the ground.

One other felt that cutting holes in the panel would somehow weaken it. On the late model Vans, the AC controls are mounted in a large square cut-out to the right of the radio. Squares do weaken structure, round holes do not. We cut all kinds of round holes in the ribs and spars of aircraft to lighten them. It does not affect their strength a whit. I just thought this was much cleaner, without projections in the dash, which do cause problems in crashes, especially when your head hits them, or they hit you when the come off. Which is probably what my GPS will do when I center a tree or such.

Now the latest in my 16 year old, this is cool, change, I did this to the display on the radio:

Sun May 20, 2007 8:21 am

Just when I think Dogpilot can't get any cooler, he shows up with Syncro and a VW emblem on the face of his radio. :roll:

You allready get to play in the dirt for a living and drive a Syncro Westy. 8) Dogpilot is my Idol!

Sun May 20, 2007 10:36 am

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Oh-my-GOD! How on earth did you do that? :wink: That's awesome!

Sun May 20, 2007 12:26 pm

I am balding and not exactly a chick magnet anymore. If I'm an idol, then it is the chubby smiling Budda style. I suppose that is why people put coins in my cup and rub my belly. So I fiddle when bored. The Panasonic 8xxx series has software you can download and create images to display on the radio as the wall paper. It will also do moving images if your into that sort of thing. I did rip off other talented people's images and used them in Photoshop to make the graphic.
http://panasonic.co.jp/pas/en/software/customize/color06/index.html

Mon May 21, 2007 10:39 am

Here's mine. I like the white faces but I do not recommend this mod for the faint of heart or the shakey of hand. Getting the two needles off the speedo and tach is a high-stress operation. The pod was $9 from ePay. Gauges are VDO from eGauges. Ran the 12V for the gauge lights through the dash dimmer. Mounted the whole shebang on top of the cover because the covers are cheap enough to replace if you don't like the mod. I am 6 ft and this arrangement suits my height very well. Looks to me like the steering wheel would be in the way for shorter folks with this setup. There is a slight amount of reflection from the gauge lights at night onto the windshield which I could solve by either changing the angle of the pod or attaching small hoods to each gauge. Not a big deal so I've done neither yet.

Jeff / 87 Syncro Westy 2.2 Subie

Mon May 21, 2007 12:01 pm

Izzy - Can you provide more detail for me on removing the needles? What was your technique, or do you have some advice? Also, did you you photoshop the white faces for the speedo and tach or buy them? Thx

Mon May 21, 2007 1:58 pm

Gritty,

I got the files from Brent Weide, a member of the Subaru/Vanagon list. The file belongs to him so contact him and send him a few bucks for doing all the initial work---that's what I did. I PhotoShopped his file into a simpler version for my own use. I printed mine out on Tyvek paper---a plastic paper that will not tear or deteriorate. I used a color laser printer that I have at my office. A good inkjet will give you better color than color lasers. I got a pack of 25 sheets at Office Depot. Here's Brent's site: http://www.weidefamily.net/vanagon/

Getting the needles off is a pain. One of them---can't remember which---was really easy and the other was really hard. You have to try and pry the needle straight up or you'll start bending/breaking things. A fork works well but do not use it as a lever against the instrument face or you'll put a ding in it. Put the fork on there and pull straight up. I thought I was going to break mine---I had to pull it that hard.

I attached my new faces with a coat of spray glue on both surfaces. Its tricky to get them lined up properly and you only get one chance because the glue is so sticky. I used two of the screw holes for the instrument faces to line up where to drop the new faces on the old face plates. The Tyvek is really great because if you screw it up, you can just pull it off and start over---you can't tear Tyvek so any mistakes come off in one piece.

After you stick down the new faces, you'll need a #11 Exacto blade and knife to cut out the little odometer windows. I did mine by slicing tiny pilot holes in each little window and carefully cutting each one out from the front side, not the back side. The Exacto is also handy for cutting out the tiny screw holes for the screws that hold down the face plates. Remember, if you botch it up somehow, you be looking at your mistake every time you look at your gauges. You also don't want to be yanking the instrument needles off more than once in my humble opinion.

The whole operation requires a fairly steady hand, patience and some teeny screwdrivers and pliers. Lots of stuff has to come apart to get to the two faces. Lots of tiny screws and bits that can get lost easily. Not hard---just tedious. Good luck!

Jeff

Mon May 21, 2007 3:34 pm

That's the same Tyvek material that Dupont created to use as a Vapor Barrier or House/Stucco Wrap? Too cool. With 3m spray Adhesive?

Mon May 21, 2007 4:11 pm

Same Tyvek but slightly better grade for office use. It has a bit of "tooth" to it to hold type and images to it. It has a matte finish so it isn't reflective, either. Looks just like paper, too. I've seen field manuals made out of this stuff where you can literally just hose them off when they get dirty. Wish the Bently was made of Tyvek.

Yes, 3M Super77 adhesive. Comes out in a spray vs. a stream like their other spray adhesives (Super74 and Super90) The Super76 High Tack is also excellent but not available in CA. = (

jeff

Mon May 21, 2007 5:04 pm

izzydog wrote: Gritty,
I printed mine out on Tyvek paper---a plastic paper that will not tear or deteriorate. I used a color laser printer that I have at my office. A good inkjet will give you better color than color lasers. I got a pack of 25 sheets at Office Depot.
Jeff

Hey izzydog nice work :wink: Does that Tyvek paper have gloss or mat finish? I have yet to find a mat surface that wont bleed. I had to use assitate.