How to make a custom gauge housing

[nizfiz]

As in title. I'm looking for a housing to use as a basis for a mould for a new housing

[thorn14]

I've got a nice cracked housing for a 620. What kind of mold are you thinking? Because I was considering a similar effort.

[nizfiz]

I have no experience making custom parts, but I have played with fiberglass a few times. What I was thinking of doing is taking a piece of foam and start cutting and sanding it to desired shape, while taking a few measurements of the circuit board etc inside mine. Once the foam is the desired shape, make a mould out of fiberglass. I have to do a bit of reading on the process again, but I'm not obsessed with a perfect finish where the carbon fibre weave is gorgeous. I'd be making mine out of fiberglass and sanding and hell even bondo until it was smooth for a repaint. I'd probably use the stock faceplate to keep things extra simple. I just want it to be thinner. I might even get new dial faces printed on plastic of some sort to make it custom.

Check this out

[nizfiz]

Maybe at this point this should be moved Accessories and Mods, but here's another idea I was thinking of.

1) Keep the original gauge circuit board

2) Make the slim backing out of foam, then lay up fiberglass. Cut holes for connector and screw.

3) Replace the front bezel/faceplate with a dremel cut sheet of lexan with standoff posts on the back of the lexan to keep it off the needles etc

5) Mask off the holes for the dials on the back of the lexan faceplate. Sand everywhere on the back of the lexan to make it opaque and promote adhesion. Paint the back of the lexan sheet black. The goal is to get a black glass look (think the back of an iPhone)

6) Peel off masking to reveal the still transparent circles for the dials. The rest looks like "black glass".

7) Mark off where the indicator lights will be on the lexan faceplate based on the circuit board (top between the dials). Get a fiberglass spot sanding pen and remove the paint so those LEDs can shine through the opaque lexan. I still haven't figured out how to get the engine, fuel pump... symbols on there. Thinking maybe of applying them on the front of the lexan faceplate somehow.

Mount the lexan faceplate to the circuit board and dials (I want to make custom dial faces, but I'm not sure how yet). I'm thinking glue with the standoff's to maintain separation between the inside of the lexan and the needs but not sure.

9) Slide the lexan faceplate and circuit board into the slim fiberglass back.

I know a million things could present problems here, but that's the idea. I'm thinking a slim gauge cluster with a completely smooth front surface and no edge (or bezel). The look is kind of glass cockpit, but with analog gauges.

It would use the stock gauges, so save the ECU reflashing trouble. Also, it would be pretty unique.

[thorn14]

Damn, keep me posted then. This was my EXACT same thinking.

Aside from the masking and painting. I figured I'd do lexan covers only over the gauge faces and drill holes for the lights and seal with some thin glass/plastic. Your way is likely better.

[nizfiz]

Check this out. Would make way more sense to use liquid mask.



It also proves how good painting the inside of lexan can look, no sanding req'd I guess.

[thorn14]

The mounts were the hardest part for me to think of. But for me, it's because the two sets of gauges I have are cracked in at least one mount.

How I had planned on solving it was extra material in the body, and mounting metal brackets to the body and powdercoating black.

[nizfiz]

Not a bad idea, maybe metal tabs an 1/8" or 1/16" thick built into the lay-up. Then they could be bent, shaped and drilled as required.

Personnally, I'm going to mount below the top triple.

[Novelo]

Where did you track down that picture of those slim clocks if thats what your going for  shiz is awesome.