Ideas for a custom gauge cluster?

[101101]

After Ted's post here (and after the gauges which came in won't work because I can't find an adapter to make a 1/2" NPT sensor go into my coolant line anywhere) I've started rethinking my gauge idea.

I feel like I don't really need to know exactly the oil pressure or water temp (or even the exact engine speed) while I'm on track, I only need to know either that it's in usable range or it's not. I started thinking about what I would like in my ideal gauge cluster and came to an idea of how to do it, but it requires quite a bit of electrical work and programming - it's been a couple years since I did something similar but I know I can pull this off. It may take a while, but this will likely be a winter project.

That said, I've been trying to think of what I want this cluster to look like; what information I want available to me on track so I know what parameters I'll need to measure. My thought is this:
- use about 7 LEDs for the tachometer function (lowest one does not light up at 0 rpm, rather they only light up when in the usable power band so I can quickly know where in my power band I am)
- Digital readout for speed - I don't want to have to look down and try to decipher in my mind what the needle pointing at a certain point translates into when I'm going into a turn
- stock fuel gauge - I don't want to deal with installing an aftermarket fuel level sender unit
- Warning lights for oil pressure and water temp that come on solid when in the "might want to watch it" level, flash when in the "DANGER" mode

Layout would probably be something like the "tachometer" at the top, centered, with the "speedometer" centered in the cluster directly below that. The stock fuel gauge would go bottom left corner (where it is now) and warning lights would go across the bottom of the cluster.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Theodore]

You will get a lot of ideas to sift through I'm sure... here's mine! <S>

When driving in a race, your eyes are scanning left to right to left catching the rear mirror every other pass or so. Side mirrors as needed to validate rear view and forward view traffic... when it gets tight. EVERY input you get should be reduced to simplest, easiest to recognize with peripheral without eye contact and focus required (hence the warning lights concept versus "peachy neato" expensive gauges.) In the old days, we used to turn the gauges sideways so without focus, a glance could tell us how close we were to horizon line ... 9 o'clock was top rev for shifting, 9 o'clock was normal water temp, 9 o'clock was oil pressure normal. This was in the dark ages when the Law of Torque meant "tighten it until the bolt breaks and then back off a quarter turn."

If lights involving all these input are stacked together they require more focus to differentiate... that's why I suggested water left - oil right, shift light in the middle high on dash and a white stripe TDC of steering wheel for horizon. It's not "cool" to have just a few inputs...but I think it's smart. I talked with arguably THE best Spec Miata driver in the South... he said he has a mental checklist. 20 lap race, he checks fuel start of lap one, four, eight, twelve, sixteen and twenty. All the rest of the inputs are lights so he can focus on lines and traffic. I really like this simplistic approach and it obviously yields success. I'll go out on a limb and get slammed for this but... I'm not a fan of speedometer in a race car. Let me explain that before I get stoned. IF your goal is to race with other cars, your education in racing better be about getting feel of track and adhesion. If your focus is to see how fast you can get around the track, you will be checking to see you are getting THIS speed at end of straight and THIS speed coming out of curve. Well, when there are other cars on the track, THAT won't help much. You will be constantly changing your line and THAT is where your FEEL is so important. Knowing what speed you can reach on an empty straight will help you in qualifying... but the course line we all work so hard to "get" in a race becomes ever changing with slower cars and competitors becoming moving obstacles. Yes...eventually, when you get to the front and have clean air, it will help...until you get to the slowest car. If you are leading, it's always easier. Focusing on "feel at speed" to me is more important that speedo numbers. It will get you to the front faster than knowing top speed at points on the course. Traqmate can give you speeds for you to analyze after the race for hours ... with no one else around.

Mark Twain said "the man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man that cannot read." Pervert it a bit and you get "The driver who has too many inputs is so distracted from job #1 that he has no advantage over the man who has no inputs."

[mdenz3]

Need a custom adapter made? I can do that

[B@lld33p]

i had a custom dash, that i made... i used all autometer carbon series... it costs way more money than it should have and i had issues with it all the time...

[101101]

Basically what I'm thinking would run off a Parallax chip and (if I drop the speedo) would only require me to buy wiring, LEDs, the Parallax chip (and it's required stuff), and whatever sensors I wanted (oil pressure, water temp). I think I could pull off this project for $100-200.

The tach would operate like an F1 car's tach and I could easily put the warning lights on either side like Ted suggested. Since the entire system would be run off the Parallax chip I could easily change the range of the tach or warning light activation levels. If I wanted to add in a very accurate speedometer I could toss in a GPS chip and display for maybe another $60. So, how bad of an idea is this?

[Theodore]

Rob ... that sounds awesome man. Make two and we'll be guinea pigs for ya!

For temp and oil pressure lights... I would say go with two, yellow and red. Too many lights, more info than you need... you are going to get a lot of vibration and banging around out there. Don't want to have to replace bulbs all the time. If possible...wire them so they all light up on ignition switch so you know bulbs are working when you start the car.

Design wise... go for it man. Use your creativity and electrical knowledge... that's great. Love to see it when finished.

[straight four]

I think the speedo is a silly idea. Ever looked at a digital speedo? If your on the track and you hit the brakes your only going to get a general idea of what speed in the tens. i.e. you'll know your somewhere in the 20's or 60's... the single digit will be moving too fast for you to know how fast you are going.... A sweeping analog gives you a much better general idea of where your speed is at... YOu dont need to translate it into mph only know that the needle is pointed straight up etc is the right speed or was too fast...

Ted, Dads 911's tach and speedo are to the right 90. He got the idea after seeing an old Yellow Bird ruf. Makes it much eaiser to see the speed/tach through the tiny momo steering wheel.

[kbrew8991]

I would look at the Dash type systems if I were you - digital dash + datalogger = win

ex:
http://www.roadraceautox.com/showthread.php?t=31030

[zps2004]

I actually remember seeing a show about the gages they use in NASCAR's now a days. They are normal analog gages, but the faces change colors so it is easy to tell is fomething is wrong. I think they went from blue or green to yellow for warning and red for bad. Seems like a good idea to me.

[evilevo11]

AIM MXL PRO is what I use.

Not cheap but amazing power and capabilities.

Sam

[Theodore]

TRUTH