C3 dash design and parts.

[SRountree]

I paid a guy $1,500 ($3,000 balance) to make me a custom dash but after a year and a half I ask him for my parts back. He said he would send them to me by mail but NO GO!!! I am left trying to do this on my own but man oh man the replacements parts are expensive. I found a set of custom gauges "Revolution - by SpeedHut" GPS, etc. Do you guys know if they are good? It will cost about $900.00 just for the gauges and I will have to make the dash out of fiberglass. I want to put in a 7 or 8" touch screen radio, GPS, Back up camera system replacing where the middle gauges were. SpeedHut has a duel Speed-tach gauge that looks nice and a 4-combo gauge (oil, temp, volts, gas) that will make the dash a little more streamline. Right now I was thinking about the 6 gauge set up having three gauges on the top of the dash like the Nissan 370z...
Any ideas or thoughts will be appreciated.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

[phantomjock]

Have you considered and eliminated an A-Pillar mod? Cleans off the top of the dash:



If you feel the urge for more:


Cheers - Jim

[SRountree]

Jim,
I did think about the pillar post gauges but I don't think there is enough room and it still look right. If I want a clean look without a bunch of gauges, "Clean set" are the ones I will replace in the factory position. Keep in mind I still have to make a dash to house them but it will really clean up the dash. The other set of gauges called "gauge set" will be similar except I would place them on the top of the dash. Maybe 1/2 above and 1/2 into the dash top. What do you think?
-Steve

[phantomjock]

I like the dual set - then all gauges in one spot (factory original position of tacho and speedo. Leaves a lot of real estate for the biggest touch screen possible. BTW - there are some android apps that you could maybe use for a dash - but require an ECU - something a mostly stock C3 electrical system won't have. But if you've made the leap - can't recall -- makes for more options. Mount the touch screen in Portrait mode and maybe fit a 10.1?

Cheers - Jim

[denpo]

To me there is not more beautiful setup than the C2's.
Just sayin'

[SRountree]

I think I am leaning towards the dual gauges because it will make the dash cleaner and yes, a 10" screen would be awesome.

Denpo, I agree, the C2 dash is awesome and one of my favorites but it would cost me a lot to buy it unless someone on VetteMOD has one they will sell at a reasonable price... :O)

[Richard454]

Hey Steve-

I feel your pain....I was looking at getting repo stuff- but the cheap plastic from China that really doesn't fit is $1500.

I decided to just take the stock gauges and make a new dash- fiberglassing parts is really not rocket science....lot of work - but I probably will have less than $500 in material.

Here's my inspiration- late 60's Lamborghini Miura-


Fiberglass gauge pods-Stock gauges. Used some 6" PVC to set it up



Panel surround front windshield- used some central vacuum PVC pipe I had laying around and a heat gun for the mold-



Got some defroster ducts from the junkyard for like $5-



Here's the gauge cluster and center console





Just took the stock bezel and cut it up-then hit it w/ a belt sander and cleared it- Console glovebox door is from a Cadillac Escalade. Also kept the fiberoptics



A mock-up....layed some vinyl to see if I liked the look-




A big plus- storage in a Vette!! Have a 12v cigarette outlet -USB port and a port for the Megasquirt ECU.



Here's the cupholder cover- from a Volvo for like $40...Power window-electric parking brake switch and the rear fiberoptics-



Heated AND cooled elctric cupholder from a Cadillac Escalade- also the heated seat switches

[SRountree]

Wow thats nice.... i think ill go ahead and get the dual gages and start mocking up something out of cardboard to see what I can come up with. What do you gus think about the GPS gauges vs electronic ones?

[mrvette]

Steve, my speedo just blew up on me, cable and needle are gawn, so I have a sending unit on the car for engine control computer.....

wonder what those gauge sets cost and where to get them.....GPS speedo would be nice trick.....

unless it runs a fortune.....

[SRountree]

I found custom speedo gauge 3 3/8", 4", 4 1/2", and I believe 5" and they are about $260.00

I am looking to but the ones I had on my post but for some reason Vette Mod is asking me to register... I thought I was already!

Anyways, the link is SpeedHut.com. They have several different styles and MPH options.