Custom guage panels: Let's see 'em
- Thread starter 2K1TJ
- Start date
2K1TJ
Still Scramblin'
- City
- Rockmart
- State
- GA
Pretty sweet Randy!
I really like the VDO's. I forgot that JP made dash panels. I might have to look into that. I would like to have my speedo and tach above the steering wheel like most vehicles. That's one of the few things that I don't like about CJ's.
Is this possible without using a tiny speedo and tach? Anybody done/tried it? I haven't even measured for it, just brain-stormin'.
I really like the VDO's. I forgot that JP made dash panels. I might have to look into that. I would like to have my speedo and tach above the steering wheel like most vehicles. That's one of the few things that I don't like about CJ's.
Is this possible without using a tiny speedo and tach? Anybody done/tried it? I haven't even measured for it, just brain-stormin'.
- City
- Redmond
- State
- OR
Ok, why did that post twice???
I was looking into putting the gauges above the wheel, but with the cowl lip and the steering column bracket, there's just no room. You'd have to build a box to put them in...
I was looking into putting the gauges above the wheel, but with the cowl lip and the steering column bracket, there's just no room. You'd have to build a box to put them in...
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
Here's a photo of my new dash, still being assembled on my workbench.
Basic dash plate is stainless steel, made by a guy who sells stainless dashes on ebay.
I sent him a drawing for a custom design, he made it to my specs.
Differences from standard dash:
- Spaces for five 2 1/8 gauges, will be filled with temp, oil pres., fuel, volt, clock. Note I didn't put in the stock clock hole. I did put in the stock tach hole. I've put "idiot lights" in for several of the gauges, which will be driven by an Autometer "Tri-Alert"
- DIN radio hole
- Two cigarette lighter outlets where the stock clock would be
- Above the stock light switch, I put a second hole for a wiper switch, and a rectangular dash light. This will be for a rear wiper. I'm restoring an Alaskan Postal hardtop, and I'm putting a wiper in the rear door window.
- Above the steering column I put another rectangular dash light hole, this will be for a "Check Engine" light when I install EFI. (When I did the design, I didn't realize the steering column bracket would be behind here, so I'll need to cut a hole in the bracket. Oops.)
Other than that everything is stock.
I am making custom dash lights for the "Rear Wiper" and "Check Engine" lights. You can disassemble the stock lights and remove the lettering. I'm replacing these with custom lettering done on my computer and a blue piece of filter material. These work out very cool, look totally stock but I can make the lettering/graphics be whatever I want.
Basic dash plate is stainless steel, made by a guy who sells stainless dashes on ebay.
I sent him a drawing for a custom design, he made it to my specs.
Differences from standard dash:
- Spaces for five 2 1/8 gauges, will be filled with temp, oil pres., fuel, volt, clock. Note I didn't put in the stock clock hole. I did put in the stock tach hole. I've put "idiot lights" in for several of the gauges, which will be driven by an Autometer "Tri-Alert"
- DIN radio hole
- Two cigarette lighter outlets where the stock clock would be
- Above the stock light switch, I put a second hole for a wiper switch, and a rectangular dash light. This will be for a rear wiper. I'm restoring an Alaskan Postal hardtop, and I'm putting a wiper in the rear door window.
- Above the steering column I put another rectangular dash light hole, this will be for a "Check Engine" light when I install EFI. (When I did the design, I didn't realize the steering column bracket would be behind here, so I'll need to cut a hole in the bracket. Oops.)
Other than that everything is stock.
I am making custom dash lights for the "Rear Wiper" and "Check Engine" lights. You can disassemble the stock lights and remove the lettering. I'm replacing these with custom lettering done on my computer and a blue piece of filter material. These work out very cool, look totally stock but I can make the lettering/graphics be whatever I want.
1x1_Speed_Craig
Simplify...
- City
- Greeneville
- State
- TN
Wow jscherb, that dash does look GREAT! Good job, man.
Craig
Craig
Very nice!!
I'd be interested in the info on relabeling the gauges as well.
Randy, what's the '411' on those front cage brackets? I'd like to redo the front cage on my CJ-7 like that (mostly street driven, occassional mild wheeler) to get back my leg room and put my Mod Pods where they belong (had to mount them further back, so the sound is basically going right into the seats...all I can hear on the road is my back speakers). It's got a semi-custom dash...Nordskog digital gauges, SS gauge overlay without radio cut-out, glovebox net in place of the door.
I'd be interested in the info on relabeling the gauges as well.
Randy, what's the '411' on those front cage brackets? I'd like to redo the front cage on my CJ-7 like that (mostly street driven, occassional mild wheeler) to get back my leg room and put my Mod Pods where they belong (had to mount them further back, so the sound is basically going right into the seats...all I can hear on the road is my back speakers). It's got a semi-custom dash...Nordskog digital gauges, SS gauge overlay without radio cut-out, glovebox net in place of the door.
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
More info on relabeling the dash lights:
The stock label can be removed by carefully bending up two of the tabs on the chrome bezel of the light.
I made my new labels by getting a negative transparency of the attached file made at a print shop. Note the transparency I got made isn't a printout on a laser printer, it is a film transparency - laser printouts on transparency film aren't black enough.
I then cut a piece of blue semi-translucent plastic, and put the new negative label in the bezel, followed by the blue plastic behind the negative, and then reinstall the bezel, bending the tabs back over.
In the attached file, you'll see I redid all the stock labels also, because the blue plastic I found (a plastic "report cover" at Staples) isn't quite the same color as the stock labels when lit, and I wanted my custom ones and the stock ones all to be the same.
Pretty simple.
The attached file has the stock labels, the ones I added (Rear Wiper, Check Engine), and a bunch more I thought up for possible future use. Note this file is a negative of the actual lablels, when the negative transparency is made they reverse to have the lettering be clear.
Jeff
The stock label can be removed by carefully bending up two of the tabs on the chrome bezel of the light.
I made my new labels by getting a negative transparency of the attached file made at a print shop. Note the transparency I got made isn't a printout on a laser printer, it is a film transparency - laser printouts on transparency film aren't black enough.
I then cut a piece of blue semi-translucent plastic, and put the new negative label in the bezel, followed by the blue plastic behind the negative, and then reinstall the bezel, bending the tabs back over.
In the attached file, you'll see I redid all the stock labels also, because the blue plastic I found (a plastic "report cover" at Staples) isn't quite the same color as the stock labels when lit, and I wanted my custom ones and the stock ones all to be the same.
Pretty simple.
The attached file has the stock labels, the ones I added (Rear Wiper, Check Engine), and a bunch more I thought up for possible future use. Note this file is a negative of the actual lablels, when the negative transparency is made they reverse to have the lettering be clear.
Jeff
Good stuff. Thanks jscherb.
Tri Alert: http://hp.autometer.com/products/accessories/trialert/trialert.html
Tri Alert: http://hp.autometer.com/products/accessories/trialert/trialert.html
jscherb
CJ-8 Member
- City
- Elmira
- State
- NY
See this page:
http://hp.autometer.com/products/accessories/trialert/trialert.html
TriAlert is a gauge warning system for 3 gauges. You can set either upper limits for a gauge (like temp) or lower limits (like oil pressure) and if the value passes that threshold, a light or alarm will go off.
Think "idiot lights"
http://hp.autometer.com/products/accessories/trialert/trialert.html
TriAlert is a gauge warning system for 3 gauges. You can set either upper limits for a gauge (like temp) or lower limits (like oil pressure) and if the value passes that threshold, a light or alarm will go off.
Think "idiot lights"
- City
- Redmond
- State
- OR
Jeepskate- those are some brackets I built myself, pre plasma and bender days. I am going to redo the whole thing sometime. But...I basically copied the Rockhard design- http://www.rockhard4x4parts.com/
I ran the windshield hoop into some brackets on 3/16 plate (that's as thick as I could go and still close the hard doors, behind the dash is a matching plate sandwiching the dash plate and cowl lip, and a tube going down to a floor plate. Eventually the floor plate will bolt into my rocker guards, tying the whole thing together. And, the JP dash is 3/16 thick, so if you used a stock dash the plates could be 1/4 and still fit.
I ran the windshield hoop into some brackets on 3/16 plate (that's as thick as I could go and still close the hard doors, behind the dash is a matching plate sandwiching the dash plate and cowl lip, and a tube going down to a floor plate. Eventually the floor plate will bolt into my rocker guards, tying the whole thing together. And, the JP dash is 3/16 thick, so if you used a stock dash the plates could be 1/4 and still fit.
Marine-OpLaw
'ANTIQUATED' PackRat
- City
- Fredericksburg
- State
- VA