Gauge Art

[Bill K.]

Gauges are back from North Hollywood Speedometer. I'm very happy with how they turned out.

http://www.kanz.org/vw/Gauge_share/Cluster_mock.jpg

http://www.kanz.org/vw/Gauge_share/Tach_back.jpg

This is a mock up with the 914 panel painted silver. They'll be installed in a billet aluminum panel under development. A Raptor shift light will go between the tach and speedo and the trip reset will go below the dash. The new housings have stud mounts on the back for clips to hold the gauges from behind the panel. They are lit by blue LED's like the new Jetta. These started off as $30 e-bay junkers. Truely amazing work by NHSpeedo. :bowdown:

The quad gauge is a NHSpeedo special. The idiot lights are for generator (alternator), oil pressure, master cylinder, and cylinder head temperature. The CHT light is driven by a dual SPA temp-temp gauge connected to cylinders 1 & 3. The SPA will be mounted under the dash in a pod. Other idiot lights are standard setup.

I'll post again when they're installed.

[zen]

SSSAAAA-WWWWEEETTT!!!!!

very nice. i like the direction you went with the combo gauge. :agree:

[NO_H2O]

Very Nice. I would liove to know what LED's they used, I have wanted blue LED backlighting for mine for a while.

[yetibone]

That's sick dude! Very impressive guage cluster. I'm green man!

I must say, the combo guage looks like close kin to a pre-'85 924 or 944 combo guage. Regardless, it's well suited to a Bugs limited dash space.

They're simple, yet they're tricked out just enuff to be unique. Very well done :agree:

[thomas_niji]

very beautiful indeed!! i wish i have the dough to do the same thing man!

how much did the whole thing costed you?

[Mikey 1972GL]

I'm not much for white faced gauges, that being said...

:eek: Those look awesome!! I hope they didn't break the bank, I would like to have a similar set for myself. I like the way they're layed out. I really like the combination gauge; oil preasure, tempature, fuel, and voltage. Looks better than Gauges just hanging out all over the dash.

Also, If you don't mind me asking. How much did the whole thing cost? :)

Mike

[starmember]

like we say in holland "super gaaf". :agree:

[Bill K.]

I spent a lot of time researching the different options and in doing so I became a gauge lover. I looked into VDO, Autometer, Westach, SPA, Stack, and Porsche 914. The 914 stuff beat out the other options because:
* Biggest tach diameter available
* OEM/GL look -- clean, simple cluster
* All gauges from same maker

Then I found the Quad (http://www.nhspeedometer.com/914/1.htm) guage by NHSpeedometer. I was hooked on the integration of fuel/volt/OP/OT with idiot lights. The blue LED/white face combo was the closer. I just had to.

Here's the bill:
Speedo rebuild and calibrated for wheel size - 130
Speedo trip reset cable - 45
Tach rebuild with board for optical distributor - 135
Quad calibrated to OP/OT senders - 500
LED lighting/white faces - 300
Custom screen print art (VW logo & idiot labels) - 75
Bezels with glass faces - 45
VDO OP/OT senders - 40
Total nut - 1270

It still sounds crazy to me that I spent that much, but I'll forget about it soon and enjoy the gauges for a long time. This is a special project for me, so I'm emphasizing a high-end driver interface (gauges, steering wheel, seats, shifter).

NO_H20 -- I don't know the blue LED's used. They look sweet (http://www.nhspeedometer.com/911/custom_coloring/1.htm) though. The tech said they were soldered to the stock bulb holders. I imagine its a trick install on the inside. He said the blue VW logo gets ghosted when the lights are on and it's dark. I'll try to get a picture when I install them.

For the custom panel, I'm going with a clear anodized, lightly bead blasted aluminum for a matte silver finish. The dash is smoothed and painted Porsche Lapis Blue.

Thanks for the :agree:

[starmember]

it looks sweet but 1270 that is too much. ^^^----- brain death :laugh: (just kidding)

[Soul]

I love the way they turned out for you. I'd have to do it the low budget, section 8, ghetto way! $1270.00 is waaaay out of my leauge! Damn they look sweet though!

[starmember]

how about this one $625.00

[Soul]

I'm not into the Star Trek/Night Rider look, it's a decent enough price IMO.

[samcat]

http://www.nhspeedometer.com/914/914clusteriluminated.jpg

YUM!

I like those lots!

Cya,
sam C

[SuperRSi]

Wow the white faces on those gauges look great. I would not have thought so without seeing them.

I also went with North Hollywood and waited for months and months and months. Did not ask how much it was going to be and did not open the invoice when they came in. Holy She-ite when the credit card bill came and my fiance was curious and told me the total. We were both shocked. But I agree, I will enjoy looking at them for years hopefully. I am working on installing them in my Kerscher 911 dash on my 79 convert. I went more classic black with the silver bezels.

Thanks,

Randy

[Supa Ninja]

Bill those guages look tough. I've seen the LED's on ebay and i'm going to buy 20 of then, and use my soldering skills and some original bulbs and make my own. I know 1200+ is way out of my budget, so I'm going to settle with my early 944 guages, with the $20 price tag. Can't wait to see how your bug turns out.

Nick

[Soul]

Wow they look even more impressive lit up! :righton:

[boygenius]

SWEET... I was just thinking about some lighting ideas for my dash and I now know have a idea to aim for. Next totaled wrecked bike with an LED tailight that comes to the shop is going to have the tailight go missing before the wrecker comes for it. :eek:

[Bill K.]

Update the web site with pictures of the guages installed. www.vwbughead.com Check out the nite shots of the blue LED's :D
http://www.vwbughead.com/interior/Gauge_all_day.jpg

I'm working on pricing for the gauge panel if anyone is interested. You have to cut the dash to use it... It's held in with "c-brackets" over studs in the back like gauges are, so you get a clean, no fastener install. It's made of .25" aluminum plate. I've brushed this one, but will try a soft sandblast with clear anodization. I can get them anodized in several colors or have them covered with carbon fiber to suit your taste. It's layed out for 914 gauges, but others could be fit as well. The blue dot between the tach and speedo is a shift light that can be used or not.

[Kataplun]

DUDE!!!!!!!! they look so awesome, where can i get a set of thoes ;)

[zen]

DUDE!!!!!!!! they look so awesome, where can i get a set of thoes ;)

see page 1 of this thread and bring your wallet. :eek:

they look amazing though Bill, especially at night.

[boygenius]

WOW great job Bill... :bowdown: :bowdown:

[super vw]

Me like! :agree:

[NO_H2O]

Looks great, nice job. :agree:

[Kataplun]

i cant find the price list in the web site, hows much do the 3 gauges individually cost ? in us dollars that is

[Bill K.]

i cant find the price list in the web site, hows much do the 3 gauges individually cost ? in us dollars that is
Post #8 shows the cost I was charged for the project. It was quoted as a package. Call them to get a quote for what you're interested in...

[SilverBullet]

It would be great if the center of the steering is inline with the tach centerline. :)

[Bill K.]

It would be great if the center of the steering is inline with the tach centerline. :)
I agree. To have it perfectly centered would require moving the stereo all the way to the glove box door and bunching the gauges right next to each other leaving a big gap on the left. I wanted to have the stereo in the dash so I went with the easier route which puts the tach off-center by about 1.5". The picture is taken from the left, so it looks more off than it is. At first I noticed the off-set, but now I don't as much. Another issue with centering the tach is that > 90 mph would have been blocked by the steering wheel. Those are the speeds I'm especally interested in :D
Leaning Left,
Bill

[CompuDJ]

woooowwwww very nice deserve the 1275 !!!

[8v fury]

Do you have link to there website.

[Scotts73SB]

:agree: Beautifull site and car...its great to see beginning to end photos like that!!!
:agree: :agree:

[Bill K.]

Do you have link to there website.
http://www.google.com/search?q=north+hollywood+speedometer :rolleyes:

[Bill K.]

:agree: Beautifull site and car...its great to see beginning to end photos like that!!!
:agree: :agree:
Thanks. End is near, but so far. I'm working some kuhl gauge enhancements -- fun stuff.