Alrighty guys, I've searched on this topic for a long time, and I can't come up with a definitive answer. (a few ideas, but nothing conclusive)

I need a boost guage (among other things), but I think that a lot of the aftermarket guages look like a~~. Therefore, I'm looking for the most Stock-looking boost guage out there (will be mounted on A-pillar). I've heard a lot of people say Defi, Blitz and Autometer.

I checked out the defi's, the look really nice (a bit expensive), but they look really hard to read. There is a vacum reading and the boost goes up to 35 (who the hell needs that??). So the actual range that I'd be working in is a tiny little strip in the middle of the guage that looks hard as hell to read.

Second, the autometer. Looks somewhat decent, but a little more chinsy than the defi. Also, doesn't look as stock-like as the defi. However, they do have a full sweep boost guage that is obviously quite easy to read. Not too sure about the accuracy, tho?

I've also heard Blitz is somewhat decent. However, it is in metric right? I'm too dumb to figure out metric, so that probably won't do.

Anyway, I'd really like some people to post their experiences with these guages, or any others, that look very similar to the stock guages. Please post some pictures of the interior of your car with guages (especially night shots). It would be very appreciated!!

Thanks in advance,
Rob

P.S. How hard is it to hook up an EGT guage?

 

What about VDO? Anyone use these?? They actually are just a hair cheaper than autometer, but they look a lot better quality.

I really like those Defi's. Too bad they're so hard to read.

 

IMO the best set of guages out there are GReddy. When I get my FD (not if , when) I'm getting GR's boost, egt, and a/f guages right away. The silver background on them looks hot.

 

This thing is sooooo coooooooooooool. It's backlit orange i think.

 

I've made a custom guage that looks great, ill try to get a pic as soon as the car is back from the paint shop. I took a PFS/SPI guage, had the outer lip machined off, and polished the remaining bezel. (FYI easy off oven spray removes anodizing easily). Then i took a black bezel from an autometer guage, and mounted it over the SPI and installed in a RE Amemiya column pod. VERY factory looking. My original intention had been to make a custom guage face as well and have a window for the LED gut of a cyberdine water temp guage installed in the bottom; until i figured out that cyberdyne guages are so inacurate, they might as well be christmass lights. What i do have looks VERY factory though.

 

I use the PFS boost gauge and it looks stock at night its the same amber color, everybody that has seen it has asked is it stock!

 

I think the best looking gauges that look like stock are the Omori gagues. You can order them with white numbers and a red needle and even have it light up in red, and if you want to get REALLY ****, I'm sure the bezels are even chromable.



http://www.omorimeter.com

 

VDO doens't make a 2 5/8 inch boost gauge... well they do but it measures up to 30 psi and takes no vacuum readings.

it should look like this one...



I wanted a 60 mm (2 5/8 inch) boost gauge... i was going to get the 4801 autometer carbonfibre face ultralight gauges... but every single person i talked to says the autometer gauges are inaccurate since they do not recalibrate to compensate for the atmoshphereic pressure that day.

here is the autometer one...



DEFI are hard to read... i noticed that too and they are 2 1/16 inch = 52 mm... so its too small...

i'm thinking of the VDO 2 1/16 inch that goes up to 15 psi and measures vac... its the VDO cockpit line...

 

actually i may be mistaken.... i don' think the vdo gauges measure vacuum

 

I like the Blitz ones. They have a shiny chromish outer rim like the stock guages.

R115

 

Personally, I don't believe you should care for looks over functionality.

I would recommend the Autometer gauge. It's easy to read, inexpensive, has ranges for vacuum and boost, measures in PSI so you don't have to do the BAR to PSI coversions.

May not be the best looking gauge around, but it works.

 

I know this might be dumnass ???,, what color is amber???

 

Awesome guys. Thanks for the input and the pictures. I really like those Omori and Blitz ones, but they are in metric, and I'm too dumb to learn metric, so that won't do.

Mahjik: Yes, I definately agree with you pertaining to functionality over looks. HOWEVER, I am planning on keeping my FD very stock looking. I plan on spending a majority of my time in the cockpit, so I feel that I should enjoy that, and not have to look at an ugly guage that doesn't go with the interior, or an ugly blue light that doesn't go with the stock amber. Thats why I was looking for a guage that had both looks AND functionality.

93redFD: Amber is sort of a reddish orange (somewhere inbetween)

Does anyone else have that PFS boost guage that 1slick7 has? If so, please post a pic of it. Is the guage somewhat accurate?


A question though: (sorry if it's dumb). I've had turbo cars before, and none of the boost guages that I've had measure boost AND vacuum. I've seen that a lot of companies make a combination guage with both, and they also make a full sweep boost guage (no vacuum measurement). Why would I need the vacuum measurement as well?

 

PFS used to get their guages made by SPI before they were bought out. That is the guage that Both Dont Be A Rikki and I use. His are the stock black and illuminate perfectly to the Red. I have NR white guage faces on mine and the white face SPI/PFS guage accordingly. Mine lights up Amber to match the NR lighting.
The only thing that is not stock looking is the outer bezel is not Metal.

 

I have the autometer guage, and it really matches the interior well. Also as far as I can tell it is very accurate.

 

Actually, the Autometer boost gauge is one of the closest stock matching gauges you'll find.

As far as why you need one that measures vacuum as well? Go into the 3rd Gen specific forum and do a search for "vacuum leak". Then you'll see why you need it.

 

The autometer guage is close to stock until it's lit . Then it looks like a tuna can with a flash light shinning on it.
Autometer is a rednecks guage...
Sorry had to call it like i see it.

 

Yep, opinions are like *ssholes... Everyones got one...

 

I'm not going to get started on the whole Autometer debate again as there are plenty of threads here around about it.

You don't like them, fine, don't use them. Just because you personally had a bad experience with them doesn't mean that happens for everyone. They are still in business for a reason...

Sorry for jumping on your boyfriend Rikki, but it's nice (predictable) for you to stick up for him....

Yes, I was waiting for you to reply...

 

Here's mine: It's a Mitchell. (bet 'ya never heard of that one before!)

 

I just completed a 2 Autometer gauge install on the A-Pillar. I really like the way they look, and the boost gauge seems very accurate (I find it comical that the 0 pressure area is so large, and it seems to be reading a little high under boost, but as long as I know that, I'm fine).

I think they look very similar to stock in terms of their silver rim and their face/needle colors.

Below are two images. Sorry about the image quality, all I have is a DV videocamera, no where near the quality of a decent digital camera.

The first is in the light. I have cropped a close up of the boost guage so it's easier to see the details.

The 2nd is in the dark with the gauge lights on. I have cropped close ups of the boost and part of the tach so you can compare colors. I used the red light condom that came with the gauges, and it's not far off from the stock color. The guages aren't as bright (I have them hooked up to dim and it works great), but considering where I have them mounted I actually appreciate that. They are very easy to read in the dark, and I like the boost being in lbs (although that didn't impact my decision, $$$ made my decision for me).

As well, I really like the A-Pillar mount quality. It was an easy, uneventful install.

 

I have the Autometer 2401 guage, comes with a chrome benzel. I get quite a few comments on the likeness. check em out at autometer website, go to index and choose the 2401- series.

 

Okay, I saw a picture of an SPI guage. Looks very much like stock. Even lights up almost perfectly. However, I checked them out online, and I can't find a lot of info. They didn't really have a listing for any of their own guages, just a link to all sorts of other ones (greddy, blitz, etc.)

My question is: Does anyone know where to find these SPI guages??? (phone number of vendor, website of vendor, part numbers???) I know that the guage that 1slick7 told me about from PFS is made by SPI. Problem is, PFS only sells the boost guage. At some point, I will also need to get some more guages and I'm looking for a place to find them. Please help, I think these are exactly what I was looking for, now I just cant find them.

 

Okay, so by doing a little searching (heh heh, guess I should have done that before I asked that last question), I finally figured out why I can't find any SPI guages for sale: apparently they don't produce guages anymore, they just sell Defi's and others.

So, with that being said, the quest continues...

Anyone have any SPI guages for sale????