Gauges and the sleeper effect?

[Dave]

Mmm... yah, the van is butt-@ss ugly.. let's begin there. I like it like that, because I'm shootin' for low 13's.

With that said I got about 4 (2 1/4" gauges) and a 5" tach with a shift light (van didn't come with a tach) and I don't want to pull up next to somebody and have them see a big 5" tach and then chicken out. lol not my idea of fun.

So the only options Im seeing is to put the tach on the right hand corner of the dash instead of the top, as seen here:

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/2144000-2144999/2144423_8_full.jpg

Or I could tint the windows, which sounds gay.

Any tips here? About the gauges or any other sleeper tricks? I want to hide the intercooler better, but that's just not possible, we probally wont even be able to use the dang grill. It's too big to hide - http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/2197000-2197999/2197063_2_full.jpg

hehe this may sound nuts but the only part of the van that wont be obviously slow is the back, I'm banking on that being the part seen most often, I'll probally end up just slapping a turbo-intercooled badge over top of the soccer ball sticker. ;)

Soooo any ideas?? I'm not worried when at the tree watching the tach for consistency because the turbo has different pitches when it's spooling up and I can listen to that.

[TylerEss]

I hate to sound so stupid, but... get a smaller tach? I know in my convertible, the plan is to integrate the gauges into the existing dash so they almost look like they came there.

[dwh4784]

You could go grab a 125mph cluster with a tach in it, and sell the 5"er to a ricer.

[deuce dodge]

ditch the shift light........get smaller tach.and install toggle switch for lights on guages

if you absolutely can't live without shift light get a small bulb lower on dash that you will see but not them.untill its toooooo late :)

all my guages can be dimmed.......period.

deuce

[turbovanman²]

Why don't you get a cluster with the Tach in it, there accurate enough for street/strip duty. I have one for sale, :thumb:

As for tinting windows, why is that gay? I have all my windows from the shoulders back Limo tint, looks friggin awesome and keeps the interior cooler on sunny days and hides my guages in my custom a-pillar pod.

Its an auto, so you don't really need a shift light. I don't even watch my tach when racing, just my boost, air/fuel and egt guages.

[GLHNSLHT2]

+1 get a cluster with a tach in it.

[86Shelby]

Cluster with a tach is my first choice. Or you could go witth this tach placement or a shift light; something like this. yeah, I'm a total newb with photoshop.
http://www.geocities.com/glhs420/vangaugescopy.jpg

[Mario]

Put your aftermarket instruments where they aren't clearly visible to people next to you.

Intercooler: Pick up some flat black paint for $3 and paint it. Done.

[Dave]

Cluster with a tach is my first choice. Or you could go witth this tach placement or a shift light; something like this. yeah, I'm a total newb with photoshop.
http://www.geocities.com/glhs420/vangaugescopy.jpg

You are like a god, that's a good idea. I don't really NEED the shift light since it's an auto, but I HAVE TO see where I'm launching and shifting (being a RMVB). The tach cluster is out of the question, we're trying to keep everything original on this van but still make it go fast. We're not concerned with the stock look, just keeping everything it came with stay.

[Mario]

Cluster with a tach is my first choice. Or you could go witth this tach placement or a shift light; something like this. yeah, I'm a total newb with photoshop.


Looks a lot like Russ Jerome's new van's set-up there in the center. :lol:


Cluster: It's a quick swap and you can always put the old one back in when you go to sell it.

[cordes]

I would not worry about anyone backing down from a race with a minivan due to a tach on the dash. They will probably be laughing to hard to notice.:thumb:

[Aries_Turbo]

yeah just put excessive rice crap on the van. that gets more races than the stock look. no one races me hardly at all. all ive killed with the k car is a 300c hemi, a 14 sec neon and a riced out accord. i get smiles and laughs but few races. oh well.

Brian

[86Shelby]

The gauges in the cupholders are directly from a pic Russ Jerome posted of his van; you can thank him for the idea. The tach placement is about where I had the tach in my '82 Chevy truck. I used an L bracket to mount it there YMMV. May want to try the other side so the shifter doesn't get in the way of viewing it.

So, you're keeping everyting the van came with...including the engine??? ;)

[Clay]

ever think about mounting the tach right on top of the steering column? This way you will have it right in front of you, but hidden from the view of others. Kinda like the prowler:

http://www.magictouchdesigns.com/prowlerimages2/tach2.jpg

[8valves]

I swear that's Autometer's 3 5/8" tach, not the 5". Just to let you know. Bust out the tape measure on that one!

Aaron Miller

[cordes]

I swear that's Autometer's 3 5/8" tach, not the 5". Just to let you know. Bust out the tape measure on that one!

Aaron Miller

I think those are just sample pics he is using to mock up a setup.

[Dave]

Yah it is a sample pic. He's right about that too, it is 3 5/8". Anyways I suppose I'll just say screw it and put the tach on the right hand side of the dash, still in good view and not THAT obvious as if sitting on top the dash. I like the gauges in the cup holder, I'll definately slap my boost and EGT gauges in there, whereas the water temp. and oil psi can sit below the cup holders.

The pistons should be here in a few short days and then I can start puting this beast together. This weekend Im running out to storage and pulling the top half off our 13 second Caravan to use. So quickly and surely this thing is coming together.

[deuce dodge]

now i want to tear my dash out and install guages.i love TURBO-MOPARS..

:)

my plan to make a few mods this winter has exceeded my budget again this year .arghhhhhhhh!

deuce

[fleckster]

The tach cluster is out of the question, we're trying to keep everything original on this van but still make it go fast.

Seems kind of strange but you have your reasons and it's your van so like Burger King: Have it your way!

The question I guess I have is who would even know that your van didn't come with the 125speedo and tach cluster? The junk turbo van I have had one in it and I sold it with a bunch of other parts from it to a Turbo Van guy from Ft. Wayne, IN who had about the most non-optioned van I had even seen. It didn't even have the factory A/C vehicle tint on the windows! The beauty is that it's a direct bolt in and no one would ever know. You just have to find a cluster from a van that has it, whether it's from a turbo van or not. :thumb:

[dwh4784]

I was thinking the same thing, it's a direct bolt in and the only difference is you have a tach instead of a giant fuel gauge. If he's shooting for 13's it's obviously getting modded so changing gauge clusters doesn't seem like a big deal. But that's just my opinion.

[Tony Fields]

I would not worry about anyone backing down from a race with a minivan due to a tach on the dash. They will probably be laughing to hard to notice.:thumb:

You are so right. I have a 5" tach and boost gauge on top of my dash and all I get is laughs. It's fun to watch people and their reactions when I hit the gas. They have no idea of what lurks within. You don't have to be stealthy with a Turbo Mini. They don't know what they are looking at anyway!

They just think I'm a wannabe and can't afford a real car.

Long Live Family Trucksters :thumb:

[Turbodave]

Here's what I did in my sleeper Minivan.

Before:
http://www.boostbarn.com/van_dash_b4.jpg

After:
http://www.boostbarn.com/van_dash_after.jpg

It wasn't hard to swap the tach and boost gauge over from a 90 Daytona cluster. Repainted all the needles and installed a dawes devices air/fuel gauge in the little spot where the prndl would go on an automatic van.

[Tony Fields]

Here's what I did in my sleeper Minivan.

Before:
http://www.boostbarn.com/van_dash_b4.jpg

After:
http://www.boostbarn.com/van_dash_after.jpg

It wasn't hard to swap the tach and boost gauge over from a 90 Daytona cluster. Repainted all the needles and installed a dawes devices air/fuel gauge in the little spot where the prndl would go on an automatic van.


Dave, what did you use to repaint your needles on the instruments and did the extra weight of the paint affect accuracy?

Thanks,
Tony

[turbovanman²]

Nice job Dave, :thumb:

Where did you get the speedo?

[Lee'sdaytona]

Alright Dave, I have a question for you. And by the way, I love what you have done with the tach/boost gauge setup. BUT, why/how is it that in your picture your boost gauge is reading a good vacuum reading and the tach is almost at zero?
-Lee

[turbovanman²]

Alright Dave, I have a question for you. And by the way, I love what you have done with the tach/boost gauge setup. BUT, why/how is it that in your picture your boost gauge is reading a good vacuum reading and the tach is almost at zero?
-Lee

It looks like its running, the volt guage is where it should be, the dawes is solid-cold engine and his temp guage shows cold, his oil pressure is high also, but yeah, the tack reads low?

[Turbodave]

Dave, what did you use to repaint your needles on the instruments and did the extra weight of the paint affect accuracy?

I used Testor's model master paint. It's meant for model cars but works great in this application. I painted the front side of the needles with a thin coat, I don't think it has affected the accuracy of my gauges. I don't think the factory gauges are that precise.


Where did you get the speedo?

It came from a 90 Voyager LE turbo in the junkyard. I've seen the 125mph speedo in a bunch of other vans also.


why/how is it that in your picture your boost gauge is reading a good vacuum reading and the tach is almost at zero?

I took the picture right after I installed the cluster. Despite my best efforts to get the tach needle back on the shaft without loosing the setting I managed to bungle it up. I grabbed my scan tool the next day and calibrated the tach to the scan tool to get an accurate RPM reading again.

[Lee'sdaytona]

Well that explains it :thumb:
-Lee

[t3rse]

i have guages all over the damn place in my glh. you can see my egt, tach, and a/f from outside the car. if anything it just looks more rice, but i do like the super huge tach, makes it a lot easier to know where you are when the car is sliding sideways.

[Lee'sdaytona]

Hey everyone, I just went to my local hobby shop and picked up a can of paint the size of a stack of 10 quarters (14ml can) of FLORESCENT orange paint, and IMO, look more close to the factory color than the paint Tony used (no offence, I really like what you've done with your cluster though)
the brand is HUMBROL Super Enamel, Gloss, 209
-Lee

[Whorse]

Hmm, something like this?

[cordes]

Wow, very nice.

[Lee'sdaytona]

Hmm, something like this?
photoshop?
-Lee

[Whorse]

Yeah. I did my best to keep the sizes proportional. Someone on the site sent me the original image with the gauges written in, so I made that as a suggestion. I think if I was going to actually build it up like that, I'd keep the A/F, EGT, and Boost close together on the right side.

[Lee'sdaytona]

I think if I was going to actually build it up like that, I'd keep the A/F, EGT, and Boost close together on the right side.

I was thinking the exact same thing:nod:
-Lee

[TurboMinivan]

I know you said this:


The tach cluster is out of the question, we're trying to keep everything original on this van but still make it go fast.

but I just don't see how swapping to a different yet factory instrument cluster is any worse than drilling holes all over your dash and mounting a dozen aftermarket gauges. Even hardcore turbo Mopar guys wouldn't know the former wasn't stock for your specific vehicle... but the latter would be the equivalent of a 3-ft tall neon sign on your roof that says "not stock!" and even my grandmother could correctly identify it as such (and she's dead).

Seriously, I'd suggest you consider swapping to the upgraded cluster. That will singlehandedly eliminate the need for three of your aftermarket gauges (saving complexity and weight, which will make you faster). After that, mount one or two 2 1/16" gauges to your steering column and call it good. The top of the column is a great place for a gauge, in fact:

http://www.turbominivan.com/----pit.jpg

BTW: my Dawes air/fuel gauge is velcroed to the EGT gauge.

-Dempsey