I Just Can't Get Over It.

Try as I may, I just can't get all warm and fuzzy about my steel bar/sheet metal dash and console concept.

I spent all day yesterday building the support structure for the lower half of the thing, and got the mount brackets fabbed to hold the thing in place (all other pics were just of the thing sitting in there)

We are now about 30 hours wasted between the steel bars, and the sheet metal covers. There is still at least that much in the gauge pod that will sit on the top,....and who know how many hours that I'll have to spend trying to get it all finished to a level that will even be close to calling it done.

This is why I've been dragging my ass,...It just wont talk to me.

Probably the highest obstacle to jump when trying to make this decision is my choice of gauges. ( And believe me when I tell you that changing these are not part of my plan)


This was planned as one long tubular pod. With the two outboard gauges, I'll have Boost, oil press, water temp, MPH, l T/S, r T/S, High beam, Tach Volts, fuel, and AFR all in one tidy display.

But lately (and especially after dragging my ass out of the garage after 8 hours straight yesterday), I'm starting to consider "what if's".

What if I just say screw it, and junk the whole idea, and source a SN dash/console instead? I know it's already been done before, and w/ the windshield out it'll never be easier to do.

But,........

It's a damn Mustang dash, and I got those gauges to have to work in. I made them work in the red car, and these are exactly the same.

That middle housing fit perfectly between the confines of a post 87 gauge pod, and because of the rectangular shape, it worked. Whether you like them or not, They fit.
I'm especially over seeing this space filled w/ the typical autometer assortment. That is why I'm intent on using what I got. A SN dash is even more cramped, and I got two additional gauges to consider.

If there was a supplier that provided the pre 87 dash as a new replacement, I'd probably look at that also as that space dedicated to the gauges is huge, and I know it fits the car, and again I KNOW that I can make that work. On the flip side of that,.............the interior will fall back to "so what" status, and I really wanted to do something different there. At this point I'm willing to cut bait, and consider the entire project.

So,......you have pics. Should I dump the tubular dash or opt for something that fits, or can be made to fit.

89oem said:

Mike, I feel ya. I'm so Not doing the Florida 5.0 thing. I've looked at a ton of dashes and cant seem to find "it".

I do like the Fox setup you have there, was that your red car?

Perhaps do an overhang/pod above the cluster? the look is coming together.

Click to expand...

Well there you go. Two of us in a community of a thousand that doesn't like the Fla5.0 gauge cluster.
Admittedly, when you have one of these cars, and you are restricted to the stock gauge pod, there isn't many options for layout.

95BlueStallion said:

I like the look of the dash so far, although I feel you will need to mold the poles of the center section into the lower sheet metal of the dash. Those gauges are straight out of the 80's, or maybe even knight rider (fitting for a guy named Michael), and I hate them as much as I did in the red car. Now that that's out of the way, continue on with the project and see if it takes form in a way that starts talking to you. You wont be happy with a Mustang dash, everyone in the forum/world knows that. If anything, I would have the stock dash wrapped in leather/vinyl and put it back in for a unique, but subtle look.

And after looking at the above link, you absolutely HAVE to scrap those digitals and make a custom pod for gauges like those in the link. This car is going to be so bad ass with all your custom hand built touches, dont skimp in the area you will be looking at the most. That is unless you are the real Michael Knight that influenced that amazing series.

Click to expand...

I'll take note that you hate the digital gauges, and that you have always hated them.
But they're stayin. When you think about it, if they have an 80's kinda look, and I install them on a car made in the 70's..........................
FUTURE, BIT CH!

They were outta place in the red car, because I was after a 60's retro look. This car has no such restrictions. As for scrapping them, and installing something custom built from Classic instruments,.....Uhhh.....I would have to start making, and selling blue crystal meth to be able to afford that.

Bottom line......no. The Autometers that I put in the red car were like 1200.00. I can't even fathom how much one of those CI custom assortments would cost.

90lxwhite said:

Are you retired?

Click to expand...

So....you're thinkin' "how does this guy write about spending all day long in the garage during the week" and automatically deduce that I must not work at all?

I work for this guy that sells and installs home theater and whole house audio stuff. The dudes' been doing it soo long, that he has a pretty respectable client list, and he gets referred by other customers to the new ones. His typical job is profitable enough that once completed, the profit could generate enough income to last me for several weeks,...sometimes up to a month. Most of those jobs he sends me on typically take about 3-4 days to do, sometimes only a few hours.

Matter of fact I have to work the day after Christmas for a couple of hours, and that job will net 1500.00.

He's really a good guy to work for though, doesn't care when I start, or how long I stay at the job. He only cares about getting it done right, and making sure the customer is comfortable w/ it's operation. As long as I do that,...then I get to dick off in between jobs.

mikestang63 said:

Mike= I'm going through the same dilemna. I'm thinking of taking a stock dash cluster and cutting holes in it, fitting Autometer gauges in it. The Fl 5.0 doesn't have a CEL, brake, airbag lights in it. I did see this and am giving it consideration, as it does have the warning lights, but needs trimming for 90 and newer fox bodies

http://mc-machine.com/mcm_joom/content/view/13/27/

Click to expand...

That is the company Scott used to build his backer for his car. It is admittedly the top of the tier when it comes to building an aftermarket gauge assortment and maintaining a stock-like gauge layout.
Problem is,...it's still a stock-like appearing gauge assortment.

90lxwhite said:

Pretty much

Click to expand...

So now you know. I don't have a money tree in my back yard.

95BlueStallion said:

You do slightly resemble Walter with your lack of hair. But now I am seeing white hair and Deloreans in my head, so why not wire in a flux capacitor in there somewhere? On a serious note, what do you think of the vertical bar removal, and letting it be a cleaner two piece design?

Click to expand...

Well, that may be something that still remains to be done, but I still have other considerations to deal with.
Remember this?
View attachment 108043

Although this is only a rough variation of the intended look, I still have to find a way to integrate a door bar that just so happens to be part of those dash bars. Just placing a scrap bend against the horizontal bars opens up a whole new can-o-worms, as that bend radius is way lazier than the ones pictured. The bend as it is now that will allow the transition to become a door bar will intersect with dash bars so far in, there is little remaining space for the dash vents for the A/C. The bigger complication is the top and bottom arch(s) of the dash will have to blend on top/bottom of that door bar.
If anything, I'm gonna have to redo the area where the top sheet metal meets w/ the top bar to reveal more of the bar (like the bottom bar is now). Then when I build the door bar I can get a good fish-mouth notch that will "sit" on the dash bar when the door is closed to look like the bar is a continuous bend around from the dash onto the door.

Noobz347 said:

Click to expand...

If I had the stock 78 dash (which was a victim of the Southwestern summer) I could look at that option,......but really? Since we're talking about a dated look, that T/A dash looks like it stopped climbing the evolutionary ladder sometime in 1974.
Regardless of the fact that it has Autometer C/F gauges in it.

95BlueStallion said:

You do slightly resemble Walter with your lack of hair. But now I am seeing white hair and Deloreans in my head, so why not wire in a flux capacitor in there somewhere? On a serious note, what do you think of the vertical bar removal, and letting it be a cleaner two piece design?

Click to expand...

And on the WW comment........ck back w/ me here in about an hour.