With my AV8 build having a 471 blower on the flattie and an original dash (which I'd like to leave alone) I've been looking at the option of mounting some gauges on a nice machined aluminum panel right on the back end of the blower. My windshield is directly in-line with the *** end of the blower case, or slightly above it...anyway, I've seen old-school gauge panels mounted on stand-offs right on the blower using the top cover bolts. I'm probably going to have to make something custom as I'm having a hard time finding what I'm looking for... Anyone ever seen it done this way? Perhaps some of you hoarders have an old gauge panel tucked away that might work for me?
no replies...I guess if I do it, it's going to be super-rare. Sometimes it's nice to think outside the box.
People have definitely done it, it's just that a thread like this gets dropped quickly now. I think the Purple People Eater had some blower mounted gauges. BTTT so hopefully some people see this.
Wish there was a standing little book, or Hot Rod mag archive in its entirety......besides this place of course. A lot of guys had engine mounted gauges, yes. You can probably make something cool, yes yes yes. Do it, and post a pic.....this thread will light up shortly after, I'll bet. I like the firewall gauges too, which helps not at all, from the ****pit side.
Big als toy box, makes panels for blower mounted gauges, but they are billet and modern looking. I have been thinking of doing gauges on my 471 for a year now but have not worked it out yet. My car , in avatar is raced, but I dont want to mess up the nice 40 dash!
I see many guys stick a boost gauge in the dash...using that ****py plastic tubing to connect it to the manifold without thinking about the fact that the tube carries HOT air and FUEL into the drivers face....I know...THATS NEVER HAPPENED....yet every week or so we see a thread here about car fires...I was just thinking that keeping pressurized fuel outside the car might be a good thing.
mikey, I have looked at Big Al's....thats kinda the idea....but I don't care for the bling....maybe some aluminum soda-blasted for a cast finish....hmmmm
I may make a panel from a section of a old finned oil pan I have. I dont like the look of the big al panels either.
Can you engine turn them, maybe? That would look awesome on your bad *** coupe. That thing is sick. EDIT- never mind.....yeah for 309 frekn' bucks with gauges...make your own. Your car deserves it. Guess chrome bolts with sleeves and flat sheet costs a ton, with them Al's plastic gauges. Geez......
there's nothing wrong with using plain aluminum sheet maybe 1/8" thick to make your own gauge panel. Doesn't need to be fancy to look "right". I made a little flat aluminum panel for the dash of my Chevy II to put the oil pressure, water temp, and manifold pressure gauges (plumbed with metal tubes, not plastic). there's a place where the radio went that I mounted it. But with a car like yours, the back of the engine would probably work good. make something from cardboard first to get a feel for how it might look.
You should go walk around a nostalgia drag race and look at the blown cars. You might find some good ideas. This was the only picture I could find at the moment, but there are some nicer looking ones for sure Never finished
There are pro and cons for this, the cons I think of are:- heat sink; exposure to environment; and vibration. These will impact on gauge longevity in a street driven car. Just a thought.
I'm thinking liquid-filled gauges will be a MUST. not too concerned about the environment as I have no roof...and really, the vibration of a flathead carries all the way to the brake lights...
Try non-liquid filled gauges first, just to see how they work. Good looking old gauges don't have liquid in them, you know.
Not traditional gauges or blower, but you get the idea of what I did on my 671. Cups mounted directly to the case.
I can't add much to the discussion other than I have seen fuel pressure gauges mounted to the cowl or the back of a blower. For obvious safety concerns, I don't think NHRA allows them inside the ****pit.
I vividly remember drag cars in the early to late '50s, 3 gallon Moon tank and pressure pump right next to the driver, mounted on p***enger side floor... 'Strictly for Drags'... How far we've come.
after some careful consideration and many measurements I've realized that mounting gauges on TOP of the blower rear cover makes them too high to see ( I have a radical chop AND frame drop) so, Now I'm looking at mounting them on the side of the rear cover. This should work...pics to follow soon.
well, I roughed out a 2 holer...I'll finish it up in the morning. This will go on the drivers side of the rear cover.
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