Center Console Gauges

Ohmess

Ohmess

I wanna DRIVE!
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I was inspired by DeQuincey about two years ago (!) to undertake a four gauge project for the center console in my coupe. Over this period of time, when admiring an older car from the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s, I studied the layout and took pictures of the center dash looking for ideas I can steal and graft onto DeQuincey’s design. As expected, the Italians had a lot to offer. I have done dozens of drawings, and have accumulated a bunch of parts, including a center console I will be using as a breadboard.

And so, I am closing in on a mock up that I hope to use to determine if there exists sufficient depth to actually install these babies. The wiring for all of these gauges is already installed. Alas, VDO designed their gauges as if there is infinite space behind each gauge. Annabelle has factory air and depth is going to be a limiting factor. Indeed, it may make this installation impossible. Nonetheless, I am forging ahead, hoping I can make this work.

Truth be told, I don’t have a plan for the two Jaguar switches. But they looked so cool in DeQuincey’s design that I just had to have them. Here’s where we are today:

20161026_183613.jpg
 
I swapped my oil temp gauge for a water temp, the oil never got above 180 or so but the water temp is much more sensitive to change and should indicate a pending head failure sooner than the oil temp will. The stock gauge of dubious accuracy is now metering the outflow temp of the radiator so I can see the rad working via the in and out temp differential. I also have a temp switch to engage the a/c aux fan if the temp gets too high but I haven't bothered to wire that one yet as the new aluminum radiator is working nicely so far. My $.02.
 
Hope it works out. I'd swap the voltmeter and oil temperature gauge positions. In my M3 they are Oil Temp, Oil Pressure & Voltmeter.

Toggles could be for heated seats...or... battery cutoff switch...or...fog/driving lights...or...solenoid heater bypass valve...or...auxiliary fan...or fuel pump...any number of things. Make sure they aren't just there for looks.

Aux Gauges 02.JPG
 
Thanks guys. Tentative plan for the switches is aux fan override and fuel pump cut off.

Steve -- it sounds like you have two different senders in your cooling system monitoring coolant temp in different places, is that correct? Presuming you still have the stock sender on the tstat housing, where is the second sender mounted? Bottom of the radiator? And if so, what sender did you use?
 
Hey Drew -- What is the "HiFi" switch for? I might need one of those.
 
Ohmess said:
I was inspired by DeQuincey about two years ago (!) to undertake a four gauge project for the center console in my coupe. Over this period of time, when admiring an older car from the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s, I studied the layout and took pictures of the center dash looking for ideas I can steal and graft onto DeQuincey’s design. As expected, the Italians had a lot to offer. I have done dozens of drawings, and have accumulated a bunch of parts, including a center console I will be using as a breadboard.

And so, I am closing in on a mock up that I hope to use to determine if there exists sufficient depth to actually install these babies. The wiring for all of these gauges is already installed. Alas, VDO designed their gauges as if there is infinite space behind each gauge. Annabelle has factory air and depth is going to be a limiting factor. Indeed, it may make this installation impossible. Nonetheless, I am forging ahead, hoping I can make this work.

Truth be told, I don’t have a plan for the two Jaguar switches. But they looked so cool in DeQuincey’s design that I just had to have them. Here’s where we are today:
Click to expand...

Ohmess,

I'm a little confused with your mockup. I assume that you have an extra non-ac console and you are using it to do the work. I don't understand how you intend to integrate with the AC console. Keep in mind that the contour of the AC console is different (much less vertical) than the manual console. This matters for the angle of the gauges in particular. The width of the AC face plate is 266.7mm, so you are on the right track from a mockup perspective. Where will the gauges sit on the AC console. You could easily replace the radio and fit 3 gauges. The bottom of the AC face plate is 190.5mm. It may be possible to fit four gauges in the radio spot but I haven't checked.
 
Markos said:
Ohmess,

I'm a little confused with your mockup. I assume that you have an extra non-ac console and you are using it to do the work. I don't understand how you intend to integrate with the AC console. Keep in mind that the contour of the AC console is different (much less vertical) than the manual console. This matters for the angle of the gauges in particular. The width of the AC face plate is 266.7mm, so you are on the right track from a mockup perspective. Where will the gauges sit on the AC console. You could easily replace the radio and fit 3 gauges. The bottom of the AC face plate is 190.5mm. It may be possible to fit four gauges in the radio spot but I haven't checked.
Click to expand...

I intend to replace the AC console and delete my radio. As to the angles, the mockup is constructed for the AC console. That is why it sits funny and does not match the contour of the non-AC console sitting on the bench.

There is not enough room for four gauges in the space occupied by the radio. Depth is plentiful, but the space is too narrow.
 
Ohmess said:
I was inspired by DeQuincey about two years ago (!) to undertake a four gauge project for the center console in my coupe. Over this period of time, when admiring an older car from the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s, I studied the layout and took pictures of the center dash looking for ideas I can steal and graft onto DeQuincey’s design. As expected, the Italians had a lot to offer. I have done dozens of drawings, and have accumulated a bunch of parts, including a center console I will be using as a breadboard.

And so, I am closing in on a mock up that I hope to use to determine if there exists sufficient depth to actually install these babies. The wiring for all of these gauges is already installed. Alas, VDO designed their gauges as if there is infinite space behind each gauge. Annabelle has factory air and depth is going to be a limiting factor. Indeed, it may make this installation impossible. Nonetheless, I am forging ahead, hoping I can make this work.

Truth be told, I don’t have a plan for the two Jaguar switches. But they looked so cool in DeQuincey’s design that I just had to have them. Here’s where we are today:

View attachment 20925
Click to expand...

it looks like an interesting project, :)
 
Yes, the stock sender is now in the radiator by the lower hose (with a separate ground wire) and the thermostat housing location has the sender designed for the dash gauge. My aluminum radiator came with 2 threaded holes for senders.

Ohmess said:
Steve -- it sounds like you have two different senders in your cooling system monitoring coolant temp in different places, is that correct? Presuming you still have the stock sender on the tstat housing, where is the second sender mounted? Bottom of the radiator? And if so, what sender did you use?
Click to expand...
 
Steve -- thanks. I replaced the stock sender with a current VDO sender, and it works with the dash gauge. So, based on your setup, I am thinking I should be able to remove the temp sensor/switch for the aux fan, wire one of the dash switches so I can turn on the aux fan any time I like, and use the second stock VDO sender to get two temp output readings. That's cool. Of course, this would mean the air/fuel gauge would be removed (or relocated).

Oh, and one other Stevehose idea I may steal: I found a set of black angled gauge plates that tilt the gauges toward the driver. These are sort of like the Alfa plates you referenced a while back, but in black instead of chrome. This makes the face plate a little more complex, but I may try it primarily because it gives me more room behind the plate. (I remain on the fence as to whether I will change to a VDO gauge with a chrome ring, but having purchased black I am going to forge ahead with these for now).
 
If you are going to keep a/c and use a manual fan switch you'll need to install a diode in each circuit to prevent voltage back feed when one or the other circuit is activated.
 
Okay this all makes sense now. I'm guessing that there isn't a large body of members that have factory AC and don't want a factory radio. If there is interest - we could build upon my model of the AC face plate. Alternatively, if you don't want to hack into your OEM face plate you could print a plastic one. I know that we've talked of this already but I'm refreshing my memory.

As mentioned in the face plate thread, I have a newly printed nylon face plate coming in a few days...
 
Ohmess said:
Steve -- thanks. I replaced the stock sender with a current VDO sender, and it works with the dash gauge. So, based on your setup, I am thinking I should be able to remove the temp sensor/switch for the aux fan, wire one of the dash switches so I can turn on the aux fan any time I like, and use the second stock VDO sender to get two temp output readings. That's cool. Of course, this would mean the air/fuel gauge would be removed (or relocated).

Oh, and one other Stevehose idea I may steal: I found a set of black angled gauge plates that tilt the gauges toward the driver. These are sort of like the Alfa plates you referenced a while back, but in black instead of chrome. This makes the face plate a little more complex, but I may try it primarily because it gives me more room behind the plate. (I remain on the fence as to whether I will change to a VDO gauge with a chrome ring, but having purchased black I am going to forge ahead with these for now).
Click to expand...
I had a old set of Smiths which I wanted to use on a project. Wanted the chrome look also so checked at a inconspicuous spot, sure enough shiny chrome under the black paint. Somewhat tedious but doable. Might want to check.
 
Well, progress on this has moved somewhat slowly, but here is where I am now. I've decided (Thanks Drew) to go to the chrome ring gauges; they match the interior better. I am also going to try to implement the black angle gauge rings with little hoods over each gauge. I'm going to keep the plate itself relatively flat, as DeQuincey did with his and then use the gauge rings to angle the gauges upward toward the driver. I see where Mario angled the entire plate with Duane's car. This would be an alternative if I had enough depth, but I am pretty sure I don't.

I plan to use the wood piece that matches the dash from the non-A/C console pictured above to make a tray, like the one that came in the non-A/C cars, with a small light behind the dash plate shining down onto it. I may cut the plate itself rather thin, in part because the A/C control switches are made to go through a thin plate. I am working on a structural piece behind the plate that will hold the weight of the gauges, rests on the transmission tunnel, tie to the sides and provides a structure for both the bottom and back of the tray. Here is the latest on the face plate:

4 Guage Face Plate_1972 BMW 3.0 CS.jpg


While looking at the plate on a stand-alone basis, it may appear that the plate should be shortened, with bottom row of switches snugged up more tightly to the gauges. Unfortunately, the A/C fan speed switch is too big to allow this. http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/threads/wtb-a-c-blower-switch-64511356020.24244/#post-179891
 
Anybody given any thought to putting the gauges behind the speaker grill? I have seen gauges mounted at that location but always exposed. I have wondered about placing a few gauges there and fit the grill over it to make it look more original ... And maybe put a sub port there for connecting an I phone / iPad

Another thought about gauges at the radio delete or on a panel such as was drawn a few posts below. I get the discussion about the a/c switch being too deep ... But if you were doing a custom panel, give some thought to the e12 approach where there was a ring switch around the clock. It's a really cool approach
 
Just a discussion point, but these new guages are no where near the normal driving sight line, to have a meaningful look at the info being displayed would require diverting the eyes away from road ahead, for a considerable (possibly as much a ten seconds, depending on the time of day and tiredness of the driver) The process of diverting gaze, refocussing, perceiving, analayzing and then repeating the process to get back to the road ahead is, I suggest, not a good idea.
Having said that thay do look very nice indeed, but it is not a path I personally will be persuing!
 
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