critique custom dashboard setup, all new gauges Options

[Crazy Canuck]

Hi,

I'm ripping the whole dashboard and putting a custom made one...
Here is what I'm thinking... please critique anything you want on it. (sorry for white edge thing around each gauge... not an graphic artist)
 dash.png ( 630.04K ) Number of downloads: 63


Here are some information on why the given setup on the dash.

• Note that all gauges are upto scale (large = 4", small = 2-1/16")
• background will be black metal... only light will be a red light in the middle = check engine
• speedo is in km/h... not mph
• put the water temp right in the middle for fast access
• oil pressure also closest to tach for fast eye access (imho, oil-pressure + water-temp = 2 most critical ones to keep a close eye)
• the rest just followed based by grouping
• least important ones, but practical are in the a-pillar 3-pod
• the A/F is actually a wide-band.

QUESTIONS:

1. Would you place them any differently ?
2. if so, where/why (ie what changes) ?
3. given that it's a turbo setup (in case the boost gauge didn't give it away), which is more practical to have out of these 2 gauges:
   • oil temperature
   • intake temperature

Thanks for your feedback.

[bubba353z]

I think if it was my car, I'd switch the water temp and oil pressure gauge positions first. Then I'd switch the volt and fuel pressure gauges. I'd like to be able to see both of the fuel functions at one glance and I like watching oil pressure more than temp (although like you said they are both important).

Is there room to move the tach / speedo outward and put three gauges in between them in an inverted triangle? Then you could have oil press / water temp / oil temp smack in the middle with fuel level and volts in the corners.

Just my $0.02

This post has been edited by bubba353z: Feb 7 2014, 11:25 PM

[Crazy Canuck]

I like the inverted triangle idea... I'll try it

[Crazy Canuck]

based on the idea provided, here is a 2nd rendering of the dash.

Please critique dash1 vs dash2

Dash1:
 dash.png ( 630.04K ) Number of downloads: 26


Dash2:
 dash2.png ( 658.2K ) Number of downloads: 35


Thanks,

[trackbird]

based on the idea provided, here is a 2nd rendering of the dash.

Please critique dash1 vs dash2

Dash1:
 dash.png ( 630.04K ) Number of downloads: 26


Dash2:
 dash2.png ( 658.2K ) Number of downloads: 35


Thanks,

I think I like dash 1 but I'd flip the water temp and oil pressure gauges. They will run a lot longer with high coolant temps than they will with low/no oil pressure.

[Crazy Canuck]

I agree with the oil pressure being more critical...
As for question 3, I'm thinking more towards intake temperature over oil temperature since I already have water temp...

[CrashTestDummy]

Intake temp would be more important for tuning, I'd think. I'd log it, but not have a gauge for it.

I think I'd also replace that 'check engine' light with something more like a shift light. Big honkin' yellow light staring you in the face will be more obvious than that dinky red light, especially if it's connected to things like oil pressure.

[zmaro]

With the first design you could probably fit two more gauges on the sides if you want, it may be a little cluttered though.

[StanIROCZ]

Id put the tach on the right and speedo on the left, since you are more often looking down the center of the car than the side. Close to the tach id put oil press, AF, and boost pressure since those are the guages youll want to 'try' to monitor when you have your foot into it. The rest of the gauges you can glance at when your not saying oh mercy so they can be placed in areas out of your primary line of sight.

[Crazy Canuck]

After better measurements from what I could gather, here is a better rendering... now need to validate if 4" tach fits inside bezel (hope it fits).
Why the update ?

• less clustered
• enough spacing between gauges
• most important in center towards sides in circular motion (easy on the eye)

I based my dash size on a overlay picture I found and mapped it, using custom work i found w/ known sized gauges...
hopefully I'm not too off and things can fit.
I really like this one... pretty sure it's close to final setup if fits (think it's better than the original 2 (tach + speedo on their own side)

What you think ?
I'm showing both metric and standard gauges so you know what the readings are... I'm a metric guy... lol
1 bar = 14.5 psi (easy to remember is 15psi)
0'C = freezing point =32'F (every 1'C = 1.8'F from there)

 dash_final.png ( 727.65K ) Number of downloads: 16
 dash_final_metric.png ( 706.71K ) Number of downloads: 11