I honestly got tired of waiting for all of these wonderful gauge install kits and items to be created. Although I do have one of those stainless steel single din and 3 52mm gauge inserts (which I bought on e-bay, but I am thinking it was from someone on the Forum). I searched and searched for options to mount 3 gauges under the stereo, but I never really liked the way they looked, fit, etc. So, I made them myself! These are one offs and hand made, so I do not have any way to reproduce them. I used actual stock pieces and molded aftermarket gauge pods to them. Filled them with a DuPont plastic filler (like Bondo, but not subject to cracking), sanded and painted. I decided to put three gauges on the A-pillar and three on a center mount gauge pod that was built using the stock idiot light surround and a "universal" 3 gauge pod unit. Since this is for my 20B conversion and I am using a modified Cosmo 20B computer, those lights are pretty much useless anyway. I had a mock-up of three gauges below the stereo (one for 52mm gauges and one for 60mm gauges), but opted to put my electronics down there. I went with the entire Defi Link-Sys in 52mm white face gauges. I have Boost, Oil Pressure (redundant from stock gauge), Fuel Pressure, EGT, Oil Temp, Water Temp. I also did a 89-91 NA Gauge Conversion (this is in a 88 TII) because I had a dead boost gauge and I liked the look of the round face gauges better. O.K. this explaination has been long enough - here are some pix.

 

Nice job. Can you tell me where you got the universal pod to mold into your idiot cluster? Or who makes it? Or if you wanna sell it?

 

This is where I bought the pod. From looking on e-bay, it looks as though APC now makes one. At any rate here is the person I bought it from...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33695

Nothing for sale - too much money and sweat equity in these

 

so, what did you use to join the two together then?

 

Very nice customization. I, too, have been waiting for a 3 gauge pod for my idiot cluster area. I may give this a try, but I'll have to open up the holes on the pod as my gauges are 60mm.

Thank you for the pics, your stereo surround looks very nice as well.

What is involved in swapping to the S5 gauge cluster?

 

Nice job on the custom pods!

 

I will try to answer as many of the questions as I can.

The "plastic" product is a line of epoxy products by duramix. I got mine at a local Body Shop Supply Store. They were very helpful as they not only cater to all of the local body shops, but to a lot of DIYers.

I actually used superglue to hold the piece in place while I filled the area with the plastic epoxy chich serves as an adhesive, as well.

The S4 to S5 swap is a bit more complicated. Because there is a pinning difference between the S4 and S5 gauge cluster /switches, it is a matter of pulling out the wiring manuals and re-pinning some of the connectors. I am a big cheater, though. I replaced my S4 dash harness with a S5 harness and then replaced the gauge cluster and cluster surround with S5 stuff. The reason I got away with this is that I have to integrate the dash harness with the Cosmo Dash and engine wiring harness anyway so now I have only one connection junction, not multiple ones.

 

MAN that looks cool....how about some pics of everything installed? I would love to do that for mine....

 

3rotor,
On the universal 3 guage pod, is there enough room to open up the holes to fit 60mm gauges? I contacted the seller of those pods to see if they make them in 60mm and they do not. I'm not sure if there's enough room around each gauge hole to allow for another 4mm on each side.

 

I used the Autometer brand. There is no way you could open them to 60mm - there just isn't enough room. Greddy sells a new 60mm universal gauge pod at their online store. www.greddy.com/onlineshop
I do not know if there would be enough room to stack them. But hey, that's why they invented the Dremel tool.

 

Sorry, I should've been more sprecific. I am talking about the 3 gauge center pod. Do you think there is enough room in the pod to open them up a bit?

I have my autometer dual a-pillar pod opened up to fit 60mm gauges, so I know they fit. I want to move my gauges off my a-pillar and into the border style pod that goes over the main gauge cluster. I don't like having my gauges there anymore, just too common for me.

 

It would be SUPER TIGHT! It would really depend on the gauge bezel - there is barely enough room. Not that one should throw around $20, but you would just have to buy one and see. At least you would know before you spent any more time and effort on integrating it into the idiot cluster trim.

 

My Apex'i EL II gauges have a pretty good sized bezel...

Would you mind measuring the width of the pod for me? The ad on eBay shows the pod as being 9.5" wide which is ~240mm, but I don't know if the measurement was taken at the bottom of the pod or the top. The top seems to be narrower than the bottom.

Is the idiot cluster even 9.5" wide?

 

Can you show some close up pics on that center console. or even better.. installed in the car? .. but that looks real sweet.