The Digital Dash Project

FuryriderX · 05-08-2008, 01:27 PM

Shamelessly copied from my e30tech thread, LINK

Picked up one of these. Mostly because i was fascinated with it. I like the digital displays, and i figured, for the price of 4 or 5 good gauges, i could get this thing, thats pretty much universal, and a hell of a cool looking thing too.

Plus, it connects directly to megasquirt, and means i dont have to cart my laptop around to see what its up to.

Here it is, at my house.

I got to thinking, where will i mount this? Originally i thought, id replace the check panel with it. Very cool, bling effect, but id have to rebuild the check panel and put it elsewhere, and the space was a bit small

So, im driving, and i get an epiphany. Why dont i put it into the cluster??? It can be used as a speedometer and oil pressure gauge, via auxillary inputs.

So, i grabbed a cluster i had hangin around, and started checking things.

Plenty of depth!

So, the gauges came out

I hacked it up a bit (the plastic cuts/breaks real easy)

Voila! It fits!!!

All i lost, was the high beam indicator, and the 'CHECK' light. Not excessively dramatic.

Now, i just have to make some sort of bracket to hold it in place, and figure out the circuits for the speedo. Oil pressure isnt critical, and can be added later.

I plan to add a sheet of either stainless or brushed aluminum on top of the plastic, with cutouts for the gauges, turn signal lights, and the LCDash. Should look pImp!

everlast · 05-08-2008, 01:45 PM

Great idea and it going to look awesome! No odometer tho? I guess you can just swap in the old cluster if you need a safety check or something eh?

FuryriderX · 05-08-2008, 02:35 PM

yep. totally plug'n'play. the odometer workings are too big to fit elsewhere in the cluster, otherwise id try to remote mount them somewhere. like a fancy hour meter, haha.

actually......thats not a terribly bad idea. i may look into this. it only takes 5 connections from the PCB on the cluster.....

bmwm5lover · 05-08-2008, 06:32 PM

Interesting concept. I liek the idea of it, but I would need to see the final product before I give my irrelevant "Yay" or "Nay".

Kudos for keeping busy though.

andicanada · 05-08-2008, 07:09 PM

take a look at the stuck(company name is stuck) cluster a friend off mine bought that unit, it is awsome and you have many functions i was reading up on the megasquirt display it is nice but i think not the right thing to replace your cluster completly

andicanada · 05-08-2008, 07:11 PM

and second i have to add the megasquirt display is a touch screen or can you run the functions with a switch system ??? to go from menu to menu

FuryriderX · 05-08-2008, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andicanada

take a look at the stuck(company name is stuck) cluster a friend off mine bought that unit, it is awsome and you have many functions i was reading up on the megasquirt display it is nice but i think not the right thing to replace your cluster completly

Googled that, couldn't find anything. Maybe you could post a link?

The LCDash is a touchscreen, yes. And im only replacing the tach and speedo, the gas and temp gauges are staying. And, ill be gaining an AFR/MAP/oil pressure/intake temp/etc etc gauge.

andicanada · 05-08-2008, 09:24 PM

http://cgi.ebay.de/STACK-8100-0-8000...QQcmdZViewItem

and by the way i was thinking to do the megasquirt
do you have the setup running on a m20 or m50

Jamil · 05-08-2008, 09:28 PM

Can't wait to see the finished product

. Good luck.

Not sure about this though:

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuryriderX

Oil pressure isnt critical, and can be added later.

Some of the old-school guys would say it's the most critical...

FuryriderX · 05-08-2008, 11:10 PM

andi - its an m20.

yes, i definitely agree, it is very important, BUT, its not critical, as im not boosted (yet) and still have the oil pressure idiot light.

also, sourcing a sender isnt easy either. the only place ive found that will ship to canada is summit racing on ebay, and they charge exorbitant handling fees.

if you have a source on a VDO 0-100psi oil pressure sender, let me know!

andicanada · 05-09-2008, 12:10 PM

i have a source i get always parts shipped from germany pm me

FuryriderX · 05-16-2008, 09:26 PM

okay, time for updates

laid out where to cut

this is what it looks like in the cluster. i know, i screwed up one of the cuts. thats what i get for having too many cut lines on the metal. i think the cutout is a hair small too, ill have to see when i hook it up/turn it on.

any ideas on covering up that stupid cut? i was thinking of some kind of border to the screen, but i think it looks good just semi-flush with the stainless.

i thought the screen would look tiny in there, but somehow it doesn't. seems to have alright proportions too, no funk-tasticness.

InfiniteDice · 05-17-2008, 02:36 AM

Get some carbon fiber adhesive stuff... and make it all look carbon fiber. Look for stainless or chrome rings for the gauge cutouts.

You might be able to fill the cut with silver solder or jb weld then paint the whole thing, or make another cut on the other side so people think that's the way it's supposed to be. lol

Neat idea though, lots of extra space... what about a few other aftermarket gauges? just a thought.

Good Luck,

Mike.

FuryriderX · 05-17-2008, 09:38 AM

the point of the project is to replace any aftermarket gauges i would get, with that one display. thats how i justified the price, to myself, anyways.

even if i have to make another cutout, i have a pattern now.

BmW1819 · 05-19-2008, 08:00 PM

can't wait to see it up and running