Gen I Pillar Gauges?!?

[NoSloSHO]

Has anyone had experience with making a set? Is there anything that I should be careful of? Here is a pic of what I'm working on currently.

If you go to my pic site in my signature, there is more...CHECK IT OUT!

<small>[ August 12, 2002, 04:24 PM: Message edited by: NoSloSHO ]</small>

 

[NoSloSHO]

Here is what I bought from SPMotorsports.

And here is my progress so far.

What do you think?

 

[speedy91]

Looks good. thumbs_u I decided to purchase the 3 gauge DIN mount for my GEN I off e-bay instead of the pillar mount. Just ordered my Autometer gauges this morning.
Eric

 

[fredhurderjr]

I made my own. Cheesy, but cheap, and the radio face plate section was totally gone anyway.

 

[ghostrider]

Those look good Jeremy. Are you cutting and pasting? Looks neat. I'd be interested in getting a DIN for that space below the radio also, BUT I want to keep my radio. Do they make one that is small enough to fit so I can keep the tunes? I know you made your own Fred, so that is a little different. I just don't want anything on the A-pillar. To me it would be distracting and would attract to much attention by others.

<small>[ August 13, 2002, 07:23 PM: Message edited by: ghostrider ]</small>

 

[NoSloSHO]

Here is the finished product.

It will look even better with some Phantom Auto Meter gauges in and installed.

I plan on also relocating the Climate Control down below the radio in the coin tray spot. Someone else has already done this and it looked like a good idea...Couldn't be that hard!

 

[rendyx]

fredhurderjr:
I made my own. Cheesy, but cheap, and the radio face plate section was totally gone anyway.

Seeing your pic there made me think of this: I wonder if it's possible to replace the '89 clock with some sort of digital gauge? Most aftermarket head units have a clock, so who needs it? (even though it has that timer, hehe).

 

[91 SHOplus]

ghostrider:
Those look good Jeremy. Are you cutting and pasting? Looks neat. I'd be interested in getting a DIN for that space below the radio also, BUT I want to keep my radio. Do they make one that is small enough to fit so I can keep the tunes? I know you made your own Fred, so that is a little different. I just don't want anything on the A-pillar. To me it would be distracting and would attract to much attention by others.

Hey Rob, Do you mean like these....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1853132358

 

[SHO Mojo]

Jeremy,

Your 3-gauge A-pillar looks REALLY good! I have two single gauge cups and one double gauge cup for Gen I A-pillar, and your photo layout is a pretty decent "how-to."

But, I'd like to know some other details like (1) what kind of putty did you use? (2) Is the black paint standard interior paint? (3) Did you depend on the simple screw mounts to secure the cups, or did you reinforce the back of the A-pillar with some metal or something?

Again, good job, and thanks for any info!
thumbs_u

 

[NoSloSHO]

It takes some elbow grease but more patients than anything!

I started with just the pillar and one pod and got this.

After cutting and glueing it on...

At this point I was just using plastic welder from walmart and after applying it I would use clamps to secure it in place. The first one seemed to seat it self pretty well is the pod was designed for this area. I just got rid of the excess plastic and sanded the edges smooth.

On each pod, I would cut the edges and excess off so they would fit closer to each other.

But when I got to the second and third pods, they weren't designed to be put up that high on the pillar so they didn't fit well. The plastic welder wouldn't hold them either, so I went with rivits. I then went ahead a rivited all pods even though the first one didn't need it. It gave it a more uniform look.

After securing all pods to the pillar with plastic welder and then rivits. I used body filler found in tubes at the walmart automotive dept. I then sanded it first with 60 grit and then 320 so to get it smooth.

Believe it or not the paint is Hi-temp low gloss engine paint.(it just happened to be laying around and worked real well. It even matched up really well with the paint of the pillar.

I did find out to late that you want to apply the filler in small amounts and not all at one time. if you do try an goop it all on there at once, once it dries, it crackes and will never set right. So apply it in layers. Thin layers.

There are more pics if you go to my link in the signature.

<small>[ August 24, 2002, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: NoSloSHO ]</small>

 

[SHODWN]

Dont use anythng rigid at all to adhere it to the post, if your trying to make it (seemless or screwless) How are you attaching the pods to the pilla peice? I made one for a GEN 3 and its pretty much mint but I used BODY shop panel adhesive but stuff that was not made to flex and the very top pulled away about a 32nd of an inch. ****** me off.

 

[2tochoose]

Looks real nice please show pics after it's installed also do you have to make your own or are there places that sell them I am interested in them but not sure if I want to spend the time making them

 

[NoSloSHO]

Unfortunately being the Gen I crowd, there aren't a lot of places that of aftermarket cosmetics for our 89-91 cars. Their just to old! But you can't beat the look of a polished up black Gen I.

So to answer you question about buying or building, Yes, you will have to build unless the demand increases. Even SPMotorsports quit carrying the double and single pods. I bought 3 of the 5 left as far as I know. So Good Luck with uptaining a set.

If anyone has any questions, I will try an answer as best I can. Or if you don't want to spend the time your self, send me the stuff to do it and I'll do it for the fun of it.

 

[2tochoose]

If anyone knows of a place I could get some let me know I might try making my own

 

[SHODWN]

Ill make one, if someone want to send me the parts , IE.. a pilla and a 2 or 3 spot pod ill build one like mine.

it will never be like the IPT one but it will be pretty dam close.

I have no rivits, screws or anything external on mine. yes the top edge has lifted of a hair but it was my first one, and I think I have the flexibility problem fixed.

 

[Dave Ladely]

black marine epoxy paste works best, strong yet flexible.
Also, check out Greddy guages, the black ones match the SHO original gauages perfectly, and so does the backlighting, and they are great quality guages, much better than the "popular" ones and look better too.