Learn me/help me find gauges for my buggy.

Turbo Dodge powered "sand rail".. Really more of a woods buggy but you get the idea.

Dodge engine is running on SBEC dodge electronics.

My first idea is to use the dodge gauge cluster, but space on the buggy is VERY tight.. So the cluster would have to get cut apart, undergo major surgery.. new bezel ect..

The second thought is some kind of motorcycle dash.. But I have no idea what might give me what I want..

Need:

Speedo

Tack

Water temp

fuel

Oil pressure

volts.

Boost.

Maybe later a wideband/egt

I prefer analog looking gauges.. Needles seem easier to understand while bouncing around.. but open to digital...

Thought about a speedhut revolution series setup.. Lots of options to customize...... but with a matching tack... (the speedo/tack combo leaves a TINY tack) still in the 800 price range..

LOVE the Dakota digital VHX-1019 gauge.. but 900 steers me tight back to a GRM solution. and the motorcycle lineup they have doesn't seem to have water temp..

So.. help me out here... There must be something b/t making a mess of a stock daytona cluster and ending up with ugly back lighting.. making a very custom bezel.... and the 900 dollar solution..

Is there a GRM advertiser I should hit up?

Something like this: http://m.ebay.com/itm/360506891020?nav=SEARCH

plus a boost gauge and some clear tubing for a sight glass on the beer leg tank. Use phone GPS for Speedo.

Or just find a free boat and take its gauges.

In reply to oldopelguy:

Do they have a matching speedo with fuel gauge?

Speedo is required by law for inspection.. going to be street legal and driven, and I already have a sending unit installed in gas tank..

The GRM solution is a do it yourself salvage yard. Many choices. I am thinking something BMW as they have some of the best looking gauge clusters. Right now there are a couple older Jaguars and Porsches with separate gauges (they come apart) you could fashion a cluster from. In my yard.........$18 for the whole assembly.

+1 for cheap combination gauges, there are plenty like that $900 model in the $70-150 range.

Autometer makes rhe quad gauges for about 500 for the pair. Youll still have to add a taxh. Additionally you can find marine gauges similar on ebay.

Stay away from imega gauges at all costs.

I also question just how necessary all the gauges are. Tach gan just be a shift light. Water could just bea warning light. And I just about never look at my volt gauge unless I ssuspect a proble.

Check this one out:

http://www.amazon.com/Omix-Ada-17206-04-Speedometer-Assembly/dp/B0030VBF00/

Edit: Here's another:

http://www.amazon.com/KOSO-Koso-D64-Speedometer-BB641B34/dp/B0068EUI2M/

And there's the HUD option (this one is for individual sensor wiring):

http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Cluster-Display-Speedometer-speed/dp/B005HZHH6S/

http://www.autotrucktoys.com/jeep/Omix-Ada-Jeep-Wrangler-Speedometer-Assembly---CJ-PRD34551.aspx

classic

Is your ecm OBDII? If so run a tablet for gauges, then add a separate fuel gauge and oil pressure gauges. Everything else should be able to be displayed on the tablet.

That's my plan for the Midlana.

Fueled by Caffeine wrote: http://www.autotrucktoys.com/jeep/Omix-Ada-Jeep-Wrangler-Speedometer-Assembly---CJ-PRD34551.aspx classic

Great. Now I don't have to find a picture to show the same thing! Jeep CJ dash.

I like that jeep speedo... But is it cable driven, or electronic...

I have noticed some of the more expensive speedo's have wide ranges of adjustment allowing for tire diameter changes to be re-calibrated.. ect...

and the speedhut ones use GPS... automatically calibrating.

In reply to bgkast:

Not ODBII.. I wish... 1990 dodge SBEC.

Ok... So is there a cheap junky speedo to match this thing... preferably with built in fuel gauge?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-4-IN-1-LED-11K-RPM-TACHOMETER-OIL-WATER-PRESSURE-TEMP-GAUGE-SHIFT-LIGHT-BLACK/150847068865?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222008%26algo%3DSIC.MOTORS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107083349%26meid%3D5111585128647919027%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140107083349%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D250812794477

ronholm wrote: Is there a GRM advertiser I should hit up?

Yes, you can find junkyard stuff that may work, but your accuracy would also vary. If you are going new, try these guys:

www.autometer.com

www.stackltd.com

www.prosportgauges.com

www.Zietronix.com ( they have warnings/ safeguards for boost level / AFR / etc. )

www.innovatemotorsports.com

www.traqmate.com

And thanks!

Look in the pick and pull for high trim 80s VWs (IIRC, many cabrios had a electrical VDO volts/oil/water gauge set and all the senders are easy to pull), some front engine Porsches(turbos for sure, not sure on others) have a few VDO gauges in the center stack(boost, volts and a clock).

We've got Dakotas in a couple of cars. I can't say they've overwhelmed me with legibility.

Boost gauges are more for setup than for useful information. So I usually just plug one in when I need it and let it hang off the vacuum line. Taking boost of your must-have list will open up your options.

I'd be tempted by a Vapor. They're ruggedized and have graphical representations where you need them (tach) and digital where you need them (speedo). I've always preferred graphical representations where you have rapidly changing info and digital where you need absolute precision. Warning lights for readings that don't change much. They even have some with built-in GPS.

http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/voyager-moto-gps

http://www.trailtech.net/digital-gauges/vapor

914/Early 944/924 gauges would work, you'd need to grab a speedometer from an 84+ 911 to get an electronic speedometer though. They are all VDO and should be fairly easy to adapt since they are three large round gauges.

914 gauges:

924 gauges:

911 speedometer:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=5400&hl=speedo

You might even be able to reuse the housing they mount in to make it easy to retrofit.

There's also a vendor that will convert the left most gauge to a quad gauge:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/lofiversion/index.php?t66564.html

ronholm wrote: LOVE the Dakota digital VHX-1019 gauge.. but 900 steers me tight back to a GRM solution. and the motorcycle lineup they have doesn't seem to have water temp..

Damn... I want - no, NEED - one of those for my Mini.

http://www.amazon.com/Koso-North-America-Temperature-BA024B11/dp/B0041QMS0E/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1EBYF9XWY9NTWP54YG85

http://www.amazon.com/Koso-America-Temperature-Sensor-Adapter/dp/B002LGXWZG/ref=pd_bxgy_auto_img_y

when i had my land cruiser alot of guys swore by this gauge for water temp, couple people tested them and they were around +/- 2-3 degrees from being spot on. they are small, compact, and easy to read, its hard to beat that

Follow turboswede's lead. Definitely 914/924/944 gauges. VDO, high quality, accurate and cheap used. I've run them in everything from an MGA, a 356, and onto a VW dragster. Putting together another set right now for another MGA project using the 914 speedo and combination with the smaller 924 tach.

They can't be beat ! ! !

Luck–

Has anyone used GPS speedsensor senders?

Thinking about the intellitronix or Veethree unit

( Also considering these gauges.. http://www.egaugesplus.com/veethree-gps-speedometer-sets.html)

The issue I have is the cable on a VW front end is direct drive to the speedo.. and will give the 5300 something pulses per mile with the dodge speed sensor, and the Dodge electronics are expecting 8000...

So I either do a mechanical or electronic gear ratio adapter.. Or. GPS

Anyone have any experience with GPS as the vehicle speed sensor?

(Oh... and I got a little wild, went all GRM last night, and hacked up the stock dodge gauge setup... I'll post pictures once I figure out a bezel..)

So I'd use the gauge setup from the 914/924 as they use the VW style drive setup, add the appropriate gauge temp sensor and you're good. The oil pressure sender switch should be the same or similar. You can use one of the warning lights for the check engine light so you can still check codes.

For the Dodge electronics, you can eliminate the speed sensor and raise the idle speed a little bit. Since the speed sensor alters the radiator fan on/off point, the idle speed and speed limiter off of the speed sensor, it isn't really necessary for a buggy.

If you're worried about not having one, them maybe drive a magnetic sensor off the rear driveshaft output, which is basically what the chrysler setup does and it wouldn't be too difficult to do the calculations to get that solution configured to output 8000 revs per mile. With a VW style bolt on CV, you even have a convenient place to mount a toothed wheel (like an ABS wheel) and the pickup can be a VR from an ABS solution.

turboswede wrote: So I'd use the gauge setup from the 914/924 as they use the VW style drive setup, add the appropriate gauge temp sensor and you're good. The oil pressure sender switch should be the same or similar. You can use one of the warning lights for the check engine light so you can still check codes. For the Dodge electronics, you can eliminate the speed sensor and raise the idle speed a little bit. Since the speed sensor alters the radiator fan on/off point, the idle speed and speed limiter off of the speed sensor, it isn't really necessary for a buggy.

Boost by speed, staging limiter... (turbonator).... Ect..

Which is why I am worried about just using GPS for speedo signal... the turbonator staging limiter would create problems if the GPS signal went blank... I think..

So what is the best source for cheap 924/914 gauges?

GPS varies by unit...I have a couple of BT GPS receivers that I used with an old PDA, those were both slow and took forever to get a lock. The one built into my phone is worse. But the one on my car's data logger is amazing.

The big difference you have to remember with a GPS speedometer is that it won't be affected by wheelspin - which could be a good or bad thing - and most units don't take altitude into account, so the steeper the grade you're driving on the further downward your reading will be skewed.

Ok... So I started messing around in the shop... and turned this...

With some plastic welding and cutting.... into this...

Still not sure on how I want to build the bezel.. Whatever happens the enclosure will be built in such a way to house more traditional gauges later down the road.. And I might just spring for the VeeThree gauges anyway... I like the Veethree GPS speedo sender as it is the easiest (and cheapest) way to get the correct reading to the speedo... Another 270 bucks on top of that just gets me the guages.. So I dunno.. going to go dig through the couch to see if I can't keep this thing from nickel and dime'n me to death..