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Aftermarket Gauge Location

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Hello TMO,

Wanted to start a thread on locations for aftermarket gauges. Wanting to put oil temp, oil pressure, and water temp gauges into my car. I have been mulling over a couple different options for gauge location:

1. Ford racing LS gauge pod
- Dont want to drill a hole in my dash
- Dont like how the gauges are not turned towards the driver

2. Pillar gauge pod, something along the lines of the speed of sound ones
- Not really a fan of how pillar gauge pods look, seem a little bit tacked on in my mind, no disrespect to the guys who do run this setup

3. Gauge pod in the center air vent location near the top center of the dash
- In my mind, this seems like it would be the cleanest install of them all
- Have the ability to build an angle into the gauges towards the driver
- Does anyone know if something like this exists already? If not, anyone have a donor center vent section from a racecar build that they would be willing to part ways with for development purposes?

Thanks,
Taylor
 
I used the Rouse vent gauge pod and it worked well.
 

TMSBOSS

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I went with the Ford pod. No, the gauges do not face you. Still, they are very easy to read and in my opinion the best place to put three gauges.
I thought about using the vent gauge location but did not like the limitation of a single gauge. Yes, you can have a multipurpose gauge but have to toggle through functions making it a single gauge in track.
Pillar pod seemed too cluttered for me.
The Ford pod looks like it should have come with the car. Add in whatever gauge from any manufacturer and you are set. I went with Auto Meter, same manufacturer Ford uses. With back light warnings built in, the gauge tells ne when I have something to look at.
Good luck with your search.
 
I went with the Ford pod. No, the gauges do not face you. Still, they are very easy to read and in my opinion the best place to put three gauges.
I thought about using the vent gauge location but did not like the limitation of a single gauge. Yes, you can have a multipurpose gauge but have to toggle through functions making it a single gauge in track.
Pillar pod seemed too cluttered for me.
The Ford pod looks like it should have come with the car. Add in whatever gauge from any manufacturer and you are set. I went with Auto Meter, same manufacturer Ford uses. With back light warnings built in, the gauge tells ne when I have something to look at.
Good luck with your search.

TMSBOSS, thanks for the input! Always good to hear others perspectives. I'm glad to hear that they are easy to read in the center, maybe I'll revisit that option. I'll have to figure out a way to get them to stay in place on the dash, since I definitely am not going to drill a hole. Also will have to determine wire routing if I end up going that direction... Was thinking maybe through the defroster vent at the front of the windshield.
 
I'll have to figure out a way to get them to stay in place on the dash, since I definitely am not going to drill a hole. Also will have to determine wire routing if I end up going that direction... Was thinking maybe through the defroster vent at the front of the windshield.[/QUOTE]

If you are that set against drilling a hole then don't or get a new dash pad to drill and install. If you want 3 gauges this is the best on the market as others have said. I understand drilling into the body but not the dash. I also installed the LS gauge pod and wonder about drilling a hole. Its something that can be replaced if needed. You also have to say to yourself. Its my car and what do I really want out of it. If your worrying about resale value then just park it in a garage. It sounds like you want to enjoy your boss. Going with the LS pod is the best option and you will be very happy with it. I went thru the same deal and I can say it was the right move....If you want 3 gauges to see at all times.

Drilling a hole will only hurt until the pod is mounted and filled with your gauges and they come to life!!
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
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This might be a bit of a 90* turn from what you're planning, but if you really want to monitor things at the track, a full-on AiM/Motec/Racepak dash would be indispensable.
You really don't have time to be looking at gauges on the track, but these dashes have alarm functions that will put them easily within your range of vision when driving, plus data-logging capability for analysis when you come off the track.
Only real downside is expense (~$2K new)
 
Thanks for the thoughts everyone!

@superhero can definitely agree with what you said, probably would not be that hard to replace the dash pad later on down the road if I ever want to go back to stock.

@ArizonaBOSS Definitely agree with the full data analysis/racepak approach, however not sure I'm looking to spend that kind of money at the moment. Car will only be occasionally tracked for the time being. Now if I get the bug and go deeper down the rabbit hole, I can definitely see that becoming a valid option down the road.
 

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