fordpower

Hey guys. Does anyone have any suggestions where to put some aftermarket guages in the cockpit? I have looked at the pod for the dash but install has you removing part of dash and center consol. No thanks. looking for something easier.
thanks in advance.
MB

fin1

How about this:
http://egauges.com/vdo_acce.asp?Subgroup=F..._2003-05&Cart=1

sodaman

Well maybe one of these aftermarket companies will offer an a-pillar guage holder. Good luck tho, havent seen one yet, only the pods.

O5GT

autometer has stuff out, i have a 2 guage piller at work, complete with boost guage, and aem wideband, just waiting on the blowa

MTAS

I'll be picking up an Autometer dual gauge pillar pod this Friday. I have the Autometer electric oil pressure gauge, and will hopefully have the electric water temp gauge by Friday. I hope to have the water temp gauge in on Sunday. The OP gauge will have to wait until next oil change I already have all the wires run and dressed and hidden I'll post pics for sure.

fordpower

Thanks for the links and thoughts guys. i might look into apillar pod
there just is not a lot of options for locations in this design
Mike

FordRacing

I just installed my A-piller. I like the design and it fits really nice but Easy is not a word I would use to install it. I installed a water temp, oil pressure, and fuel pressure gauges. So far I only have the water temp hooked up. I had to order the 12ft tubing for the oil pressure because I was about 1 foot short (just my luck). And the fuel pressure gauge you have to weld in a bung on the fuel rail. That is going to happen this weekend.
Let me just say that trying to find a good location for routing the lines through the firewall was a big pain. I ended up taking the inner fenderwell off the driver side to drill a couple holes to get my sensors through. Ford sure didn't make this easy.
Picking up the dimmer circut was pretty easy (for the gauge lights). You will need to use the black and white wire off the dimmer switch.

I also have a shift light that is going to be mounted on this but still trying to find a good location.

Here is a couple pictures of the piller installed. I will post some picture of the holes through the firewall next time I have everything a part (sometime this weekend)



[attachmentid=18665]

[attachmentid=18666]

MTAS

Looks great Gordon! I picked up the dual-pod pillar today, and here are some shots of it mocked up. I won't be officially installing it until this Sunday. I'm putting in electric water temp and oil pressure gauges.

MTAS

Gordon, I do have a question for you - how did you secure the gauge pillar to the stock pillar? I don't see the little plastic doohickeys that it comes with, in your pic. I thought about using double sided tape so I don't have to drill the stock piece, but that stuff is dern near permenant! Thanks for any info

FordRacing

I used double sided 3m tape. I didn't think I would like looking at those plastic doohickeys


But you are going to have to drill the stock A-piller, You have to get your wires through it to route them under the dash. I'm going to buy a replacement A-piller in case I ever sell the car or want to remove the gauges.

FordRacing

For anyone going to install a Mechanical water temp gauge you will need to get an Autometer part number 2275 it's a metic adapter (5/8"-18 UNF to M16x1.5). There is a plug below the driver side freeze plug, you put this adapter in then put the probe into that. It works out pretty good. I was able to use a couple hose clamps and kept the coolant loss to a min.

For the oil pressure I'm going to install a 1/4 NPT tee that way I can keep my stock sensor and have my autometer gauge as well.

FordRacing

05GT I was going to get a AEM but the only way to do that right is to have one installed on each exhaust bank. How are you going to mount yours?

hawgman

Anyone considered putting the gauges on the dash like with these kits?
http://mrt-direct.com/2005/Pages/gauges.php

MTAS

oh contraire mon frere Maybe with mechanical gauges you might have to, but I'm using electric gauges. I did mechanical gauges in my 96GT - never again!!! In fact I have yet to drill a hole for anything having to do with the installation of these gauges (I will have more detailed pics of the step-by-step tomorrow or Sunday). Here is where my wires are going to enter the pillar pod. I did a test fit and the pod fits right over them and completely hides them. And I think I'll be following your lead and using the 3M tape

fordpower

HAWGMAN

i considered but after calling them . You had to remove part of dash and center consol to install plus there was no instructions to boot... for us green horns.

davids2toys

when I spoke with them it was two sided tape vfor attachment, and a guy in a show I was at said he put his on with the tape

ex-Galaxie500

I personally like the pillar guage pods and not the one that sits on top of the dash- just my $0.02

Especially, if they light up at night (anyone have pictures at night per chance?)

mr_speedvision

What is the actual cut-out diameter of a 2-1/16" gauge?