New autometer gauges installed in car - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

east_stingray · 06-22-2008, 07:34 AM

This is, after all, the CHATTERBOX! Talk about unrelated... this is as off the wall as it gets.

I just finished installing Autometer's phantom series water temp and oil pressure gauges. By far the most frustrating and time-consuming part was making the faceplate, since I did not want to mount them to the pillar.

Here's how it all came out. The shine from the metallic paint covers some of the imperfections in this picture, but you can see the scratch along the bottom. I got the piece perfect a number of times, and that scratch is the result of the panel brushing against my cotton T-shirt (no pressure, just brushing against) during install.

Install was a pain because I tried not to permanently mod anything. The plate is held on by wire staples with the nails bent at a 90 degree angle and fiberglassed into the back. Through these I threaded extra long zip ties. All hot sources were fuse tapped by the passenger footwell, and all wires entered the back of the panel through the top slits that are already there.

Here is what they look like when I turn on the parking or head lights:

The faceplate is made of poured fiberglass resin with a bondo topcoat. The gauges are mounted inside short pieces of 2" PVC pipe which was fiberglassed into the panel at the correct angle so that the gauges would face the driver.

Overall thoughts:

Installing the gauges themselves is not difficult. Making a custom panel is extremely frustrating, and I can't seem to find a paint which can withstand even a brush from a cotton shirt without scratching. Autometer is an awesome company to work with and I would recommend them to all the members here.

HTOWN stunna · 06-22-2008, 07:58 AM

sweet, i always wanted to do custom fiberglass moulds like that in my car but never had the patience. that looks awesome, i did a search and all the site said to use primer and laquer paint.
not mine but an example

livinloud5 · 06-22-2008, 10:34 AM

Yeah i had 5 in my 95' Cobra until i wrecked it in decwmber. They are great guages but they are a pain in the but.

Blake.

StereoGuy · 06-22-2008, 11:33 AM

Works best with automotive paint. I just get the parts ready and send it to my auto paint buddy. Here is my dash

**leper** · 06-22-2008, 11:38 AM

If you use a topcoat of clear, the shine will be higher and less likely to be scratched. If you really want to go all out, several coats with polishing after each one will make it nice.

**DanTheEldest** · 06-22-2008, 12:55 PM

Nice work, east. I'm formally trained and made a living fabricating parts for aircraft for a little while, and it's not easy. I'm a structures guy, so my first instinct was to make a wooden mold and then form aluminum into the shape you wanted, but that's only because most of my experience is in sheet metal.

Regardless, it's a nice-looking install.

east_stingray · 06-22-2008, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanTheEldest

Nice work, east. I'm formally trained and made a living fabricating parts for aircraft for a little while, and it's not easy. I'm a structures guy, so my first instinct was to make a wooden mold and then form aluminum into the shape you wanted, but that's only because most of my experience is in sheet metal.

Regardless, it's a nice-looking install.

I was trying to do it with a wood cutout and having no luck. I went to visit my parents and showed my dad what I was doing, and he smacked me and handed me a can of fiberglass resin.

The problem with wood is that the piece I'm replacing is not flat anywhere. It's one continuous curve from side to side and top to bottom, so a flat piece of wood never will sit in there quite right. If you router the edges so it'll sit flush with the edges (which I tried), the wood gets so thin it's like paper before it fits right.

Now that I have something working, I just poured another piece to try again with. This time I'll use auto paint and clear coat. I think I'm also going to cut the back out of the sunglass holder (space they're mounted in) so that I don't have to try to hook up the wires AND set the faceplate in place at the same time.

Pinedawg · 06-22-2008, 02:57 PM

Looks good to me.

try a 2 part polyeurethane ( sterling, imron, boat paints, etc......) sticks to fiberglass like white on rice. Vettes are painted with Imron, at least they used to be.

nice job on the panel overall. Autometer has always made good stuff.

east_stingray · 06-26-2008, 02:50 PM

Here's the new panel I made and painted with auto paint and clearcoat. I think it looks a lot better than the first attempt.

Carnivorous · 06-26-2008, 02:56 PM

That looks MUCH better! The first one looked a little plastic, but this one looks solid. Good job!

06-22-2008, 07:34 AM	#1
east_stingray XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,285	New autometer gauges installed in car This is, after all, the CHATTERBOX! Talk about unrelated... this is as off the wall as it gets. I just finished installing Autometer's phantom series water temp and oil pressure gauges. By far the most frustrating and time-consuming part was making the faceplate, since I did not want to mount them to the pillar. Here's how it all came out. The shine from the metallic paint covers some of the imperfections in this picture, but you can see the scratch along the bottom. I got the piece perfect a number of times, and that scratch is the result of the panel brushing against my cotton T-shirt (no pressure, just brushing against) during install. Install was a pain because I tried not to permanently mod anything. The plate is held on by wire staples with the nails bent at a 90 degree angle and fiberglassed into the back. Through these I threaded extra long zip ties. All hot sources were fuse tapped by the passenger footwell, and all wires entered the back of the panel through the top slits that are already there. Here is what they look like when I turn on the parking or head lights: The faceplate is made of poured fiberglass resin with a bondo topcoat. The gauges are mounted inside short pieces of 2" PVC pipe which was fiberglassed into the panel at the correct angle so that the gauges would face the driver. Overall thoughts: Installing the gauges themselves is not difficult. Making a custom panel is extremely frustrating, and I can't seem to find a paint which can withstand even a brush from a cotton shirt without scratching. Autometer is an awesome company to work with and I would recommend them to all the members here.

06-22-2008, 07:58 AM	#2
HTOWN stunna XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alpine Texas Posts: 1,570	sweet, i always wanted to do custom fiberglass moulds like that in my car but never had the patience. that looks awesome, i did a search and all the site said to use primer and laquer paint. not mine but an example __________________ The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist. - George Bernard Shaw Last edited by HTOWN stunna; 06-22-2008 at 08:04 AM.

06-22-2008, 12:55 PM	#6
DanTheEldest XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 6,528	Nice work, east. I'm formally trained and made a living fabricating parts for aircraft for a little while, and it's not easy. I'm a structures guy, so my first instinct was to make a wooden mold and then form aluminum into the shape you wanted, but that's only because most of my experience is in sheet metal. Regardless, it's a nice-looking install. __________________ The only things more disturbing than the base ideologies of the new President are the lengths to which his supporters and apologists will go to try to convince themselves and the rest of us that he's not exactly who he says he is. Innocent life is cheap--a few hundred bucks for an abortion. Guilty life is expensive--a couple million for appeals, incarceration, and execution. How bass-ackwards is our society?

06-22-2008, 02:57 PM	#8
Pinedawg XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lower Slower, DE Posts: 736	Looks good to me. try a 2 part polyeurethane ( sterling, imron, boat paints, etc......) sticks to fiberglass like white on rice. Vettes are painted with Imron, at least they used to be. nice job on the panel overall. Autometer has always made good stuff. __________________ "How'd you get the beans above the frank?" Yes I am a pirate, 200 Years too late, The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin to plunder, I'm an over 40 victim of fate, Arriving too late, Arriving too late... Jimmy Buffet

06-26-2008, 02:50 PM	#9
east_stingray XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,285	new panel Here's the new panel I made and painted with auto paint and clearcoat. I think it looks a lot better than the first attempt.

06-22-2008, 10:34 AM	#3
livinloud5 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 550	Yeah i had 5 in my 95' Cobra until i wrecked it in decwmber. They are great guages but they are a pain in the but. Blake.

06-22-2008, 11:33 AM	#4
StereoGuy XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 133	Works best with automotive paint. I just get the parts ready and send it to my auto paint buddy. Here is my dash

06-22-2008, 11:38 AM	#5
leper XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Tx Posts: 399	If you use a topcoat of clear, the shine will be higher and less likely to be scratched. If you really want to go all out, several coats with polishing after each one will make it nice.

06-26-2008, 02:56 PM	#10
Carnivorous XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Houston Posts: 1,079	That looks MUCH better! The first one looked a little plastic, but this one looks solid. Good job! __________________ Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." [Gen. 4:6-7] *Carnivorous' Monster Boudreau Joke Thread!*

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode