Instrument Panels

[The Dark Side of Will]

The issue underlying this discussion is that The Mule's tach over-reads by 25%, even after my attempts to recalibrate it. In the course of installing new caps in the RC circuit, I lifted one of the traces. Bleh. In addition, the stock instrument panel puts the tach well out of the driver's sight line.

I've been wondering about whether I want to hack into the dash to put a tack just below the windshield, install a HUD, build my own instrument panel to put the tach at the top center position, etc. Since the Fiero instrument panel can be removed without touching the dash, I have been thinking about just making a box to replace it and building my own instrument panel.

I'd also like to go to better engine instrumentation... at a minimum installing three 2" gauges in the V6 "rally" gauge pod. In addition to voltage and oil pressure, I'd like a temp gauge hooked to a three position switch wired to be able to show engine water temp, engine oil temp and transmission oil temp.

Steven, did you ever get the GA instrument panel installed in your car? (Do you still own/drive a Fiero?)

http://www.fiero.com/forum/Archives/Arch ... 66671.html

The other Steven is hooked on Speed Hut gauges.

http://www.fiero.com/forum/Forum3/HTML/0 ... .html#p121
http://www.fiero.com/forum/Forum3/HTML/0 ... .html#p210
http://www.speedhut.com/custom_gauge_de ... er-896.htm

They look like good quality hardware, made in the USA, etc.

There are also the usual suspects such as VDO, Autometer, etc.

And of course MoTeC:

[befarrer]

I have this in my Fiero. Sunbird Turbo cluster. You will probably have the same tach issues with this though, the speedo is a 1 wire unit, all other gauges are compatible, and was plug and play on my Quad 4. I cant remember the wiring to the cluster though, but I figured it out by tracing the circuit board.



EDIT: Realized that you dont like the tach placement, and this is in the same spot, good thing is that the center gauges are not needed, and the speedo is easier to see.

[The Dark Side of Will]

How did the mechanical side of that swap work out? Does it just drop in and require rewiring?

[befarrer]

For my application, it dropped in, but I have a 4 cylinder, so the tach was already calibrated properly, and this dash uses a 1 wire speedo from the ECM, which my swap also uses, all the other sensors and stuff worked. There is no charge light on this dash, you have to add a resistor there, they instead use a check gauges light, which is controled by the gauge cluster (if one of the 4 smaller gauges goes out of range, or low (eg. oil pressure), the check gauges light lights up).

[Series8217]

Steven, did you ever get the GA instrument panel installed in your car? (Do you still own/drive a Fiero?)

http://www.fiero.com/forum/Archives/Arch ... 66671.html

That thread is as far as I got. (Yes/No)

And of course MoTeC:

I've installed one of those in a Fiero chassis. It was a kit car build with a Northstar swap. I don't remember having any issues. Nice display.. just very pricey.

[Series8217]

Speedhut gauges ordered! Here's my mockup:


The symmetry will be restored by clustering the missing idiot lights into the blank area on the right. The brake light, check engine light, ajar light, and alternator charging lamp (if it's not in the quad gauge, which I think it might be) will live there. The turn signal and high beam indicators are in the speedometer (not shown).

I intend to install these gauges on a custom instrument pod which replaces the entire Fiero unit. These gauges (and the lights mentioned above) completely replace the stock instrument panel with the exception of the headlight/parking light switch and panel dimmer, which I intend to replace with suitable modern components.

The gauges are completely programmable and will work in any car with any engine. That means I can transfer these to another project if I ever sell/wreck the Fiero, or just replicate the design and engineering.

A tach that includes my redline! A speedometer I won't peg out at the track, and can be adjusted for tire size! Oil temperature! Shift light!

[The Dark Side of Will]

Cool stuff!

When I connectorized my Autometer tach, I wired its shift light output to the original shift light.

I still need to figure out the best way to set up oil temp measurement/indication

[Series8217]

Got my gauges!

[Aaron]

Those are slick! Definitely following this thread.

[crzyone]

Need a like button, looks like a nice gauge cluster!

[Series8217]

Speedhut gauges ordered! Here's my mockup:

I printed out a 1:1 scale mockup of this layout and stuck it in the car. Looks like all the gauges will be visible within the steering wheel if I place them just an inch or two back from the stock gauges, or angle them back a bit.

I plan on making a part that replaces the "pod" and the gauges themselves are very shallow, so I should have a lot of room to work with if I need to move them back.

I still need to figure out what I want to do for the idiot lights and the headlight switch. Do any other cars with popup headlights have a cool switch?

[Aaron]

Move the stock switches to underneath the ash tray doors.

[Series8217]

Move the stock switches to underneath the ash tray doors.

Those might not be around for long, so I'd rather not try to relocate them very far (wiring..)

[eHoward]

The motec is sweet but there are less expensive "displays" out there with a similar look if you're not doing daq:


http://www.racedatasystems.com/race-tec ... splay.html

I'd personally have trouble putting in a dash that was worth more than the car.

[The Dark Side of Will]

A Fiero is a non-starter as far as investment goes, so I'm not expecting I'll sell the car. A piece of equipment like that panel could be moved to another car, though.

I work on mine to learn. I paid $700 for the car and have spent over $5k in the engine, but it would be WAY cheaper to do over again now that I know what to do.

[Series8217]

A piece of equipment like that panel could be moved to another car, though.

That's what I reasoned for the Speedhut gauges too. I can always move them to another car later.