Techno
01-08-2004, 10:39 PM
My decision to use (better) non standard sized and configured gauges led to the problem of mounting them and also making them look good and not stuck in place.
The GPS particularly looked ugly if surface mounted on the dash or even sunk into it.
The engine instrument needed to fit a curved dash although it's flat and rectangular, also looks out of place.
I was going to cast them from aluminum but certain problems came up. Since the process is almost the same, casting wax models for lost wax casting or casting plastic not all is lost.
I made patterns that fit the gauges and the dash curvature on the back. The fronts were made to be consistant with the others and as long as this is custom made to kind of nest to one another.
The special things the EIS and GPS do sold me on them. The cost was also reasonable.
Cost to make the bezels should be fairly low and compared to an entire new 'standard' layout matching bezels and gauges set is probably less. This isn't really a 1:1 comparision since these 2 gauges are far superior to the standards. The dash is a completely one of a kind custom installation. The locations of the gauge/bezels fit the locations and can't be used elsewhere. May not be for all but the method allows any tastes to be met.
Any way this thing can also be done for other problem items. It requires little skill other than the style idea.
This picture is the EIS bezel with the front being molded. Modeling clay was used to make the container as small as possible to minimize waste. There are many ways to do this. The bottom still needs to be molded. The clay is reattached to the rubber already poured for that.
Also the clay made indentations for alignment and buttons for holding it to the shell.
The GPS particularly looked ugly if surface mounted on the dash or even sunk into it.
The engine instrument needed to fit a curved dash although it's flat and rectangular, also looks out of place.
I was going to cast them from aluminum but certain problems came up. Since the process is almost the same, casting wax models for lost wax casting or casting plastic not all is lost.
I made patterns that fit the gauges and the dash curvature on the back. The fronts were made to be consistant with the others and as long as this is custom made to kind of nest to one another.
The special things the EIS and GPS do sold me on them. The cost was also reasonable.
Cost to make the bezels should be fairly low and compared to an entire new 'standard' layout matching bezels and gauges set is probably less. This isn't really a 1:1 comparision since these 2 gauges are far superior to the standards. The dash is a completely one of a kind custom installation. The locations of the gauge/bezels fit the locations and can't be used elsewhere. May not be for all but the method allows any tastes to be met.
Any way this thing can also be done for other problem items. It requires little skill other than the style idea.
This picture is the EIS bezel with the front being molded. Modeling clay was used to make the container as small as possible to minimize waste. There are many ways to do this. The bottom still needs to be molded. The clay is reattached to the rubber already poured for that.
Also the clay made indentations for alignment and buttons for holding it to the shell.