I also have no problem with adding a important feedback gauge in extra, and have thought about the pillar pods, but what about the steering column pod? Here is one for a vw . . . maybe one could be modified?
http://www.sfxperformance.com/parts/AUM20020.htm

Of course only one or two gauges at most could be put in, if your short you may have trouble seeing the factory gauges . . .

That is a good thought - but unlike the VW, our cars don't have a big, square enclosure around the steering column. Ours are pretty slim and round. I just can't see how you get a dual pod to fit on our column and have the gauges still be visible...

__________________
1984 300 Coupe TurboDiesel
Silver blue paint over navy blue interior
2nd owner & 2nd engine in an otherwise
99% original unmolested car
~210k miles on the clock

1986 Ford F250 4x4 Supercab
Charcoal & blue two tone paint over burgundy interior
Banks turbo, DRW, ZF-5 & SMF conversion
152k on the clock - actual mileage unknown

Yeah, I know there is not much room there . . . they do make them for more than vw . . . another Idea is an overhead consule, like above the mirror . . . but maybe hard to run wires . . . I like stuff up there in my big trucks . . . just another option

It would nice to see marybeth's set up . . .

JC Whitney, Auto Meter and a few others have 1.5" gauges but a rather limited choice. Temperature, oil pressure, and volts are backlit but unfortunatly, all of the lower pressure 1.5" gauges suitable for fuel pressure or boost that I have found are not backlit.

__________________
Ron Schroeder
'85 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
'83 300 Turbo Diesel 2 tank WVO
Some former WVO vehicles since ~1980:
'83 Mercedes 240D
'80 Audi 4000D
'83 ISUZU Pup
'70 SAAB 99 with Kubota diesel
'76 Honda Civic with Kubota diesel
'86 Golf
Several diesel generators
All with 2 tank WVO conversion
LI NY

I'm in the process of deciding where to mount the 3 gauges I have in my car. I'm EXTREMELY picky about all of the design aspects of a vehicle having a correct appearance but I also try to make sure performance or function is not compromized to a great degree by appearance.

I've pretty much summed it up with a few personal opinions:

When building a race car or a race car replica for the street, appearance be damned! Mount the gauges for best function and viewing.

If you're building a high performance street vehicle that's appearance has obviously been modified (body kit, wheels, etc...), I think a pillar or dash pod is A-OK. Trucks also fall into this catagory because they generally look OK with some extra accessories bolted on and they naturally have a utilitarian look to them. For examples, look at some factory tuner cars like Lingenfelter, Rousch or Saleen. A dash pod looks very nice in this application.

For my Mercedes, I'm trying to retain the original class of the car. At first I had considered a dash pod but decided that the mounting would prove to be too difficult to have a clean execution so I had to give that up. In addition, I would have had to spend hours researching the modification of an existing pod or spend a good amoung of money having one custom made.

I finally have settled on a custom plate in the ash tray area. Granted, it's not the best for viewing but I feel like once I get used to how the car bahaves, I will have a feel for how often I have to check them. I've figured out with my truck how fast EGT's climb and I know when to back off.

Here's shot of forum member "Bodhibenz1987"s excellent console gauge installation. The difference between her's and mine is that mine will have 3 gauges and I will also retain the cover which can be closed to cover the gauges when not needed.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

time to quit, anyways...........

the only smoke should be coming from the tailpipe......

__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

does anyone have their gauges on the a pillar? i think thats where i want to put them. i believe a diesel vehicle is more of a machine than a gas motor and gauges look good in the old benz. if it were a gasser i wouldnt be adding gauges to it but since its a diesel and it has a turbo and im expamenting with different boost levels and going to be adjusting fuel levels i think the gauges are a good thing to have, if i cant use a pillar of some sort then im going to just keep them on top of the dash so i can see them. if i cant see them when driving theres no point in having them.

__________________
1985 mercedes benz 300D turbo diesel
1998 VW GTI VR6
1996 VW GTI 2.0
1999 saab 9-3 turbo
1987 300sdl (sold)

X2 on not smoking cigs! back in 07 my grandpa died of a blood clot, right after having a lung removed because of 35 yrs of smoking, but he thought that he wouldn't have Lung cancer because he quit 20+ years before

Off topic. We smokers all know we should quit. Easier said than done though, and not what this thread is about.

__________________
1984 300 Coupe TurboDiesel
Silver blue paint over navy blue interior
2nd owner & 2nd engine in an otherwise
99% original unmolested car
~210k miles on the clock

1986 Ford F250 4x4 Supercab
Charcoal & blue two tone paint over burgundy interior
Banks turbo, DRW, ZF-5 & SMF conversion
152k on the clock - actual mileage unknown

x2

__________________
1985 mercedes benz 300D turbo diesel
1998 VW GTI VR6
1996 VW GTI 2.0
1999 saab 9-3 turbo
1987 300sdl (sold)

No luck with getting some long distance pics of my pillar guages. Soon as I get back to the states I will post a few pics

Where are you?

__________________
1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

The above is a very clean looking install. Very nice!
Cecily also has a very clean looking setup in Bodhi from what I remember.....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I think she has said that her finish job didn't hold up. It is clean, but I understand not wanting to look down there when driving is a spirited fashion.

__________________
1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

So, when we are driving in a "spirited fashion" in these cars, exactly what gauge is going to give you any pertinent info that you will really need/use????
Come on now.......

Her top coat cracked, but her wood work was amazing and the placement of her accessory items was super clean. She is just gonna have to redo the top coat situation.......

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John