custom gauges help!

[mikemounlio]

I want to get rid of the stock dash and everything else. I want to throw out the old heater system. Get rid of all the crap under the dash and build my own. Im thinking about doing a flat panel that would stick out as far as the normal dash. It would have a simple flat top to it. I would build my own proper heater box. Wire it to have low mid and high. I want to have a small cutout for a head unit. I would make a simple round cover for the steering column. Make a slanted section come all the way down to join with a center console section. The goal is simple lightweight RACE CAR looking. I want it to be nicely done but custom and race car inspired.

I want to use simple stand alone gauges. temp, volt, oil, boost psi, RPM, MPH, afr all mounted in their own cutout.

How do i work around the stock gauges tho? Can i just not plug in the stock gauges and run my own to each item (run an aftermarket temp gauge in place of stock)? Im guessing ill have to work around each (tap into a non used temp port and still have the factory temp plugged in).

[Eaglefreek]

Yes you can just unplug the stock gauges. As far as I know they don't communicate with the computer, if that is your question. You'll just have to install the appropriate sending units to go with your new gauges.

[nonamekid]

The Festiva will run and drive just fine without a gauge cluster: I've done it before.

[mikemounlio]

Well ill be using a b6t with ecu from a capri in the festiva! Would that make a difference

[william]

Even less of a difference lol the b6t can be wired to run out of a car ,but when you lose your factory dash your vin will be gone too.

[red90festyonair]

Your vin plate can(and should be) removed from the original dash, by drilling out the pop rivets. Once you have the plate removed from the oe dash you simply pop rivet it back on to the new replacement...... There is a copy on the firewall in the engine bay so if it is ever a question you only have to pop the hood to show the questioning authority that they do in fact match each other.

[william]

That's very illegal, I would rather not have a vin plate there an drill one out. Those rivets arnt just regular rivets they are all special to the make . So people ant just go buying cars and swapping vins around.
I doubt you'll ever be asked about it on a car like ours but if you get stopped and the cop notices your "racecar" dash they may ask.

[red90festyonair]

I only typed that based on my own personal experience with my custom dash in my Festiva... And an incident that I had with a PA state trooper. He stopped me for speeding and during the stop, asked where my vin tag was. I replied on my firewall.... To which he replied that if I still had the tag I should put it where it goes on my dash. Otherwise the car would be impounded. I told him I still had the old dash with the tag then I asked him specifically about riveting it on with new rivets and his response was that would be the only way it would be acceptable with him. I received a fix-it ticket for the lack of a visible vin tag and was given 10days to return to the station to have the officer inspect and verify the plate was attached.... Just my experience.

[sketchman]

I think it'll be a very much YMMV deal with that. cops are all different.
I want to see this done, though. Great idea.

[mikemounlio]

Not sure when ill start the build. I need to buy lots of stuff still yet.

[nonamekid]

...... There is a copy on the firewall in the engine bay so if it is ever a question you only have to pop the hood to show the questioning authority that they do in fact match each other.

The VIN is also on a few other spots on the car. One easy one is on the top of the transmission. Most of the time you have to clean the gunk off, and it is only the last numbering sequence part of the VIN, but it is there on all Festiva trannies.

[bhazard]

The VIN is also on a few other spots on the car. One easy one is on the top of the transmission. Most of the time you have to clean the gunk off, and it is only the last numbering sequence part of the VIN, but it is there on all Festiva trannies.

Never realized thats what that was

[ryanprins13]

I would recommend an oil temperature gauge as well. Quite handy to tell when your oil gets hot enough to work the car hard and tells you when your cooking it. Also getting a nice big boost and vac gauge is handy for diagnosing problems. Its a lot harder on a teeny one.
Did you look at the custom dash another member made? Cant remember who it was but there is a thread about it here.


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[mikemounlio]

I saw a guy with a full on dash in here. But i want the car to look like a track car (kind of). I dont want to see the old style festiva dash. I want to see my racing seats on black carpet with a flat dash. Gauges around the driver. Pure simple sporty but with function.

Will have a custom heater(2.0) behind the dash. Will have a radio player in it. I might put 2 speakers in it (kinda gets away form the race look tho). I am putting a ton of money into this car. I want to feel like im driving something i made rather then just bolted together. The dash is the best way to do the. The dash is what i see most of the time.

[Gomez]