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dash layout opinions please
AndyW - 28/6/12 at 05:27 PM

Hi guys n gals,

I now have my new Acewell 3251 dash and need to think about the position on the dashboard. What are peoples opinions on the position, should I put it central on the dash or behind the steering wheel. I prefer central and just wanted to see what your thoughts are and any pro's and con's. Here is the dashboard at the moment.



Thanks

Andy

big-vee-twin - 28/6/12 at 05:36 PM

I'm just doing the same as you, although my gauges are traditional type, all my clocks are going in the middle with my warning lights behind the steering wheel.


[img] Steering Cowl trial fit
Steering Cowl trial fit [/img]


[img] Guages for Dash
Guages for Dash [/img]

AndyW - 28/6/12 at 05:38 PM

Nice clocks!!

MsD - 28/6/12 at 05:40 PM

Id personally go for the middle of the dash, just be careful of your radius projections for iva- I've recessed mine back and will be putting a thin piece of clear plastic I front of it (just so he can't get his radius sphere near it).

I wouldn't choose behind the steering wheel- if you changed the wheel in the future you might not be able to see the display...Hth, Mark.

steve m - 28/6/12 at 05:43 PM

I prefer the clocks!

lewis - 28/6/12 at 05:49 PM

I'm doing the same Acewell in the middle & shift lights behind the steering wheel,I'm already on the road though so you need to bear that in mind.

twybrow - 28/6/12 at 05:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MsD
Id personally go for the middle of the dash, just be careful of your radius projections for iva- I've recessed mine back and will be putting a thin piece of clear plastic I front of it (just so he can't get his radius sphere near it).

I wouldn't choose behind the steering wheel- if you changed the wheel in the future you might not be able to see the display...Hth, Mark.


That is the problem I have. It works really well with my current 12", but I am changing to a 10" wheel, and it obscures the dash meaning I have to make another CF dash to move the clocks to the centre... dammit.

Rod Ends - 28/6/12 at 06:05 PM

Blingy Bling Bling!

Description
Description

jacko - 28/6/12 at 06:53 PM

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/forum/30/viewthread.php?tid=64223
there you go fill your boots

austin man - 28/6/12 at 07:54 PM

Description
Description

steering cowl
steering cowl AGM motorsports do the sierra cowl to fit the acewell behing the wheel so if your cowl is no good worth a look

Stott - 28/6/12 at 08:17 PM

I've got a very similar dash to you with a centre console below with savage switches in, and a 3251

I put mine in the centre as I didn't feel I could see it through the 10" mountney wheel I've got. I made a bracket to hold it behind the dash slightly so the warning light surround protrudes by about 2-3mm, it looks good.

Edit: this is because the warning light surround fails radius tests

As a separate point, the way you have your savage switches mounted will fail IVA radius tests. You have to ditch the aluminium body/spacer and they mount flush in which will pass.

HTH
Stott

[Edited on 28/6/12 by Stott]

Slater - 29/6/12 at 07:03 AM

Best way for you to test this is to photocopy the gauges/switches and any other things you will have on the dash, cut them out, then use blutac to try out different positions. It's best if you sit in the the drivers seat to try them out. This is what I did.

loggyboy - 29/6/12 at 08:13 AM

I really want my rev gauge and possibly speedo right in front of me, however sometimes its just not possible on these cars due to the size of wheels and dash.
Its really down to personal preference, but I will definately be targeting getting mine behind my wheel.

Alan M - 29/6/12 at 08:50 AM

My car went through SVA with the Acewell unit mounted in the centre of the dash but when using the car it is not easy to see, so I moved mine to behind the steering wheel; much better

FuryRebuild - 29/6/12 at 11:51 AM



Things of interest are that the second gauge in from the left is a triumph multi-indicator dash dial, that shows indicators,
oil, headlights, etc. They’re very rare now, and I couldn’t even find a photo on ebay to show you what they look like up close.

I did try hard to get a good-looking layout, and the secret for me was symmetry. The difficulty was that the wiring harness was
designed to put all the gauges in a line, rather than where I wanted them (i.e. no gauge obscured by the steering wheel, etc). As
such, the harness had to be chopped and extended extensively behind the dash.

The tacho is behind the steering wheel and canted over so 7500PRM is vertical.

Finally, watch out for the electronic gauges. I found that the vibrations when racing eventually knacked most of the electrical
gauges such as oil pressure, so I replaced them with mechanical capillary gauges from VDO. Definitely worth the investment.

loggyboy - 29/6/12 at 12:07 PM

Similat to one of these?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item416716429b&item=280902386331

or

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/streets/7a_1_b.jpg

[Edited on 29/6/12 by loggyboy]

FuryRebuild - 29/6/12 at 12:09 PM

Not similar, exactly the same

I've owned a couple of triumphs in the past and loved the convienience and simplicity of these gauges.

AndyW - 29/6/12 at 04:51 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Stott
I've got a very similar dash to you with a centre console below with savage switches in, and a 3251

I put mine in the centre as I didn't feel I could see it through the 10" mountney wheel I've got. I made a bracket to hold it behind the dash slightly so the warning light surround protrudes by about 2-3mm, it looks good.

Edit: this is because the warning light surround fails radius tests

As a separate point, the way you have your savage switches mounted will fail IVA radius tests. You have to ditch the aluminium body/spacer and they mount flush in which will pass.

HTH
Stott

[Edited on 28/6/12 by Stott]



Thanks for the advice. Its amazing that the switches in that position will fail. I will change them to the correct way.!

ceebmoj - 3/7/12 at 08:35 AM

I prefer the instruments to be straight in-front of the driver because I find it far easer to glance at them there rather than looking to the centre of the car. if you cant fit the instruments in that position then see if you can get warning lights there at least.

FuryRebuild - 3/7/12 at 09:22 AM

ceebmoj - I agree with you.

there's been a lot of ergonomic study done about the time it takes to process this information, and how the brain works. My tacho (ETB, not the smiths one in this photo) is canted over to show the needle vertical at 7500 RPM - I can see this out of the lower periphery of my vision. I think this is why even electronic gauges offer some kind of analogue analogue - moving scales, etc.

Processing a number requires a different route through your brain (and takes longer) than processing a simple visual signal (hence shift-lights).

For me, the key gauge is right where i need to see it (right behind the wheel) and it was also as large as I could sensibly shove in there. As part of the rebuild I'm even tempted to craft a hump in the dash to raise it again.

Saying that, I'll also coat it in something flocked or alcantara rather than shiny black (which I painted matt black the day after i drove the car in the bright sun).