43 replies to this topic

[Keith Novak]

Beats me. Really I was just subtly pointing out that flaming someone over "if it doesn't say you can", "this has always been allowed even if it doesn't say you can", and then again over "it says you can but really you can't" is rather contradictory, and probably not as useful as just helping someone do what they want to do properly. I did play the antagonist and poke at it a few extra times for fun.

[Tom Hampton]

Damn, that's nice work!

[George Munson]

I'm not sure about "Banter". I'm just one of those guys that once in a while sees a better way to build a mouse trap and wants to. So I asked the question.

[Bench Racer]

Keith, when I read posts where people are massaging the Spec Miata rules my mind wanders to how the production car folks have migrated their rules to suite their presumed needs.

George, my point was IMHJ, here is a way to build a better mouse trap.

Nothing more, nothing less guys.

Enjoy the Holidays

[Qik Nip]

I know I'm the minority but I'll ask the question anyway. Why would anyone want to install gauges (that the driver wants to read while racing) in the area of the HVAC adjusters or below the adjusters where the radio once lived. If people put the gauges in a useful place (where the gauges may be read while racing) we would not have all this banter about the HVAC adjuster re-position/changing rules.

Amen David
Mine (water temp-oil pres) are mounted on top of the dash beside the guage hood. I can't imaging anyone actually monotoring eyeball vent installed gages well enough to catch a real failure in time to prevent a disater. I have a tough enough time watching the two that are pretty much directly in my line of sight!
Rick

[Jim Drago]

Mine (water temp-oil pres) are mounted on top of the dash beside the guage hood. I can't imaging anyone actually monotoring eyeball vent installed gages well enough to catch a real failure in time to prevent a disater. I have a tough enough time watching the two that are pretty much directly in my line of sight!
Rick

I put warning lights in gauge cluster and oil and water gauges in eyeball vents. I don't look at gauges unless on a straight, the warning light would catch my eye if it gets close to where I need to look at the gauges. I have never been that busy in the car that I couldn't look at a gauge in an eyeball vent and check them consistently? Its not like I am turning my head? I either glance my eyes down and away from the track or down and right? I can't see my eyes being off the track .0001 second more in either scenario? Maybe we need a heads up display, even that, your taking your eyes off the road?

I like the NASCAR gauges that are out now that the entire gauge starts blinking when it gets close to warning areas, pretty neat.

Jim

[Glenn]

I put warning lights in gauge cluster and oil and water gauges in eyeball vents. I don't look at gauges unless on a straight, the warning light would catch my eye if it gets close to where I need to look at the gauges. I have never been that busy in the car that I couldn't look at a gauge in an eyeball vent and check them consistently? Its not like I am turning my head? I either glance my eyes down and away from the track or down and right? I can't see my eyes being off the track .0001 second more in either scenario? Maybe we need a heads up display, even that, your taking your eyes off the road?

I like the NASCAR gauges that are out now that the entire gauge starts blinking when it gets close to warning areas, pretty neat.

Jim

Its just a habbit you have to train yourself to do. CHECK GAUGES on straights, and tighten belts........

[LarryKing]

Its just a habbit you have to train yourself to do. CHECK GAUGES on straights, and tighten belts........

...watch flags...

[Adax]

I put warning lights in gauge cluster and oil and water gauges in eyeball vents. I don't look at gauges unless on a straight, the warning light would catch my eye if it gets close to where I need to look at the gauges. I have never been that busy in the car that I couldn't look at a gauge in an eyeball vent and check them consistently? Its not like I am turning my head? I either glance my eyes down and away from the track or down and right? I can't see my eyes being off the track .0001 second more in either scenario? Maybe we need a heads up display, even that, your taking your eyes off the road?

I like the NASCAR gauges that are out now that the entire gauge starts blinking when it gets close to warning areas, pretty neat.

Jim

I installed these in my car last summer (oil pressure and water temp) and they are awesome. You can program a color change at two different points so for instance, my water temp gauge is blue until 160, green until 210, red from 210 to 230, and flashing red beyond 230. You have a choice of 5 LED colors and the STACK factor is very cool as well. Worth every penny. The gauge is its own warning light and it's easy to see a color change in your peripheral vision.

http://www.stackltd....ro_control.html

Car is currently at OPM but I'll take a picture of the gauges at some point and start a new thread.

[HoneyBadger - BrianW]

I installed these in my car last summer (oil pressure and water temp) and they are awesome. You can program a color change at two different points so for instance, my water temp gauge is blue until 160, green until 210, red from 210 to 230, and flashing red beyond 230. You have a choice of 5 LED colors and the STACK factor is very cool as well. Worth every penny. The gauge is its own warning light and it's easy to see a color change in your peripheral vision.

http://www.stackltd....ro_control.html

Car is currently at OPM but I'll take a picture of the gauges at some point and start a new thread.

Those look pretty cool!

[Jim Drago]

Very nice!

[Tom Hampton]

Those look pretty cool!

From their site:


The Pro-Control series has all of the features of the Professional Analogue Gauges plus:

• Peak “tell-tale” Memory - Max temps, Min pressures
• Configurable max and min full dial alarm warnings
• Configurable Pro-Control output for activating accessories eg. fans, pumps, etc (requires relay)
• Temperature gauges with built-in “fan controller”
• Pressure gauges with built-in “pump controller”
• 0-5 Volt analogue output for data logger or ECU (except EGT and Fuel Level gauges)
• Configurable backlight colour
• Black dialface when powered off

Agreed.

Jegs has them: http://www.jegs.com/...354614/10002/-1

$190 - $240

Factoring in all the features, that's pretty reasonable versus the cost of a 270* gauge, two programmable warning lights, and a separate sender for datalogging.

[Jeff Wasilko]

Those look like the Auto Meter Elite gauges:

http://www.autometer...eop.aspx?sid=76

I've got them, and the water temp gauge saved me when I lost the water pump drive belt. Pretty hard to ignore the entire gauge turning red!

[dtfastbear]

Saw these in NASCAR in-car but didn't know what type of gauge. DEFINITELY going in my new build! Thanks for the pointer.

Cheers,

Dean

[jaje]

Thanks guys. I'm almost done gutting the interior for cage install but I'm keeping everything to replace (I will be prepping it for the cage in January - will have local shop do it so I can be fitted in it). I do plan on a useable heater core so I can use it as a defogger option (I had 6 rain races this year and a little blower fan that didn't do much - and the Rain-x Defog doesn't do that great a job anyway).

I do love those LED backlight gauges. May go on my wish list.

I do have another question. I have a '94 Miata that will be my SM and bought a '96 Miata that the chassis was over modified so could only run PT (and has a terrible cage) but the engine is stock basically. Is it ok to swap in the '96 motor as it was recently rebuilt (stock parts were used) in my '94?

[Jim Drago]

yes, not a problem at all, same engines
Jim

[dstevens]

Drago, nice work on the tunnel piece. Bead roller and all. Thanks for the idea. I had done the first version of mine similar (though not nearly as cleanly) with flat pieces of 22 ga. Always love to see clecos in a pic as well....

Meat, as for the dash support being a structural member I'll defer to you vastly greater experience in SM but it's not thick. the welds on mine look like a grade school kid picked his nose and wiped it on the joint and the bend seems more like a crumple zone than an impact brace. I see it as a mountuing piece more than a structural member.

[Jim Drago]

Drago, nice work on the tunnel piece. Bead roller and all. Thanks for the idea. I had done the first version of mine similar (though not nearly as cleanly) with flat pieces of 22 ga. Always love to see clecos in a pic as well....

Thanks here is a better picture with "show" clecos

[jaje]

Thanks here is a better picture with "show" clecos

So if this is available all I would need to buy is the smaller prefabbed piece (not the entire model), cut out the hold likely using a template of some kind, then weld in the piece? I would like the option for more headroom as I'm 6'4" and would like the idea of being able to put the seat on sliders so others can drive my car (i.e. if I plan on doing enduros).

[Jim Drago]

This piece will not give you anymore headroom, but will definitely help with seat sliders. I sent you a PM
Jim