Just thought I would share a picture of the gauge mount I made to replace my ashtray in my 123. I'm using it to monitor my SVO system. I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

That's nice. I've been meaning to do something like that. Did you just use aluminum then spray paint it black?

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

that looks great, I'm gonna copy your idea and claim it as my own

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Cheers,
Robert

Thats the best place I have seen to put the VO guages and switch. I guess if someone is a smoker and they use ash try like they're supposed to it would work out so well.

Yours looks good.

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Yep, it's aluminum painted with black "wrinkle" paint. It looks better in person than the picture. The wrinkle paint almost matches the leather like pattern of the plastics in that area of the car. I made a cardboard template, then transferred the pattern on to some aluminum .

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

You can buy textured black plastic, that looks like leather. I've found it locally at our plastic store. Saves the paint scratching issue. Very nice job BG. One example here: http://www.rplastics.com/abssheet.html

That plastic looks good; I'd like to replace the gradually deterioriating wood around my shifter with that sort of stuff.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

That almost looks stock. Very clean install!

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Tip: You can tap into the switched positive and ground that used to power the cigar lighter to run the gauges, just use a pair of spade crimp on terminals. Also, be sure to use the most flexible wire you can find otherwise it is a HUGE Pain to cram all of the wiring in.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Here's what I plan to do, Feel free to copy me....

I'm gonna put the guages in the ashtray, but still have the ashtray pull out, and have various switches mounted where you'd put out your cigarettes...cool eh!

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RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

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FACEBOOK: PANZER450

I dont think the depth of the ashtray would allow for gauges like that... I thought about it too

The ashtray has a lip that would not allow 2 1/16 gauges to fit.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

What I was thinking is guages permanently mounted in the ashtray, then mount all the switches on the console between the seats. I have manual windows so I have a lot of space there

I would like to put the gauges in the ash tray if they fit so I still have access to the cigarette lighter jack for accessories. Otherwise I'm going to have to make a mount for that as well in the face plate.

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green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

I was trying to locate crinkle-finish paint to hide the delaminating wood in the console on one of my cars...can't seem to find it anywhere.

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2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics