Dakota Digital Guages

[CobraJet351]

Hello,

Has anyone here installed the VFD gauges? If so, could a video please be posted up because I can’t find anything on YouTube with a demonstration on what they look like working. 



Cheers.

 

[1sostatic]

This statement is ironic, especially coming from me :whistling: ... a designer of digital and analogue technology for aerospace and automotive markets. Being a technologist at work, and yet becoming disenchanted with every new gadget that comes out. For example;  I began to hate having to repair my car with a  F*&K^*g stupid laptop.... getting that  F*&K^*g mind gurgling puerile code which points you to some electronic device that was put there because some new in the job 20 year old thought it was "cool"to add a sensor that no longer talks through software to the F*&K^*g engine ECU ...It made me desperate to dispense with the world's unnecessary overcomplexity - forging a strong and compelling yearning go back to hitting the float chamber with a bent spanner if it ever got stuck...so Sorry - I find it real difficult to comprehend seeing a 30 to 60 year old car with 2019 tech stuffed inside it....there isn't enough vomit on the planet for me to hurl :chin: .... I thought part of the love of having a classic/collector car is to, in a sense, travel back in time ...  :angel:

 

[CobraJet351]

I’m sorry, I appreciate your opinion but I didn’t ask if you thought it looked good.

On that note, Its not my first choice either but I’m looking into all options. This car is getting upgrades in almost all areas such as steering, brakes, electrical, and mechanical. Most, if not all parts I’m using were not around in 1972. It will drive much differently than its year suggests, but that’s how I want it. 99% of the car will look as stock as if it’s sitting in a Ford showroom

I do not want this car to drive the way it did when it was new. It’s not a BOSS or a HO. Just a Mach 1 that’s been repainted from Gold Glow to Grabber Blue and interior changed from ginger to black.

There have been too much advancements made over the years in replacement parts and upgrades to not seriously consider upgrading certain components.

Just be thankful that I saved this amazing car from becoming scrap metal!!

 

[wdills]

I don't have them in my car but I have seen a similar set in an few cars at local shows. I personally didn't like the look. Therefore I am planning on the VHX series when I build my car. It has all the nice bells and whistles of a modern piece but still has the analog gauge look.

I am planning a lot of similar mods to my 73, so I understand what your desire for an old car that drives like a new car. The VHX will keep your dash looking more like an old car should.

Goog luck with your project

Wayne

 

[CobraJet351]

I would of preferred the VHX series also. Problem is, I have 3 empty holes in the middle of the dash I have to fill. And I don’t want to use the standard dash centre with no gauges. I wonder if the Ford Racing gauges will fit easily enough ?

 

[1sostatic]

I’m sorry, I appreciate your opinion but I didn’t ask if you thought it looked good.

Hi

I'm not trying to offend or dissuade you in anyway - and you're right, you have a stang and doing things with it, which is great.  I'ts not that they don't look good, just might look a little out out place...like having NASA mission control inside a mullion windowed 17th century house. But when you have done it - I hope you share some pics  ::thumb::

 

[computercarguy]

It would be nice if somebody made them with the factory look but backlit so the values where illuminated. I could even live with a digital odometer readout or a complete digital dash the looked factory. Modern internals - classic look!

 

[1sostatic]

It would be nice if somebody made them with the factory look but backlit so the values where illuminated. I could even live with a digital odometer readout or a complete digital dash the looked factory. Modern internals - classic look!

You know what... time permitting, I could design and develop that out of Arduino technology using c# as the handler -- if circular high-res OLED displays exist.

 

[wdills]

I see your problem. I don't have the 3 center gauges in mine. Have you considered just replacing the center dash panel with one that doesn't have the gauge pod? Those 3 gauges are included in the VHX gauge cluster anyway.

 

[CobraJet351]

I find that it looks to messy with all the gauges in a small area. Also, the VHX series don’t have an amazing design also.

 

[1sostatic]

Guess what -- there ARE Circular OLED/TFT displays on the market that can be tweaked toward 71-73 Stang use .... hmmm ... 

This has got me thinking - 24 bit colour mapping ...4.2" display https://www.andersdx.com/display-products/4.2inch-circular-colour-tft-lcd-display/

one could have the classic or antique look (my favorite), or different colour schemes, steam-punked even



 - different fonts etc. ... or the  " I wear my baseball hat on backwards, have ears that you could fly the Atlantic with, bought a 71 mustang, but in my mind I'm dreaming I'm in a Suberu Impreza" look.....

...pardon me, at that last bit, I just hurled my lunch...

 

[CobraJet351]

I think you may be onto something. I think there is a market for something like that as these cars get more popular. I’m currently underwhelmed by the options available. Mostly catering to the models without the 3 centre gauges. Like I mentioned, I do not want a 3 in 1 tachometer.

 

[Don C]

Just a thought, because you would be using OLED graphical displays wouldn't you also be able to use rectangular displays? They would mount behind the 3-gauge bezels, might be easier to mount to a backing panel and keep aligned. I haven't tried out Arduino, so not knowledgeable about their capabilities. My younger son is a programmer and I know he's been playing around with it, but he's either at work or at his home working on a video game, so didn't want to get him sidetracked with car gauges.

 

[1sostatic]

I have been working 7" rectangular in my recent life in C# for test equipment in a Lab... I didn't know circular was on the market until this thread... with this idea one could do anything from Austin Healey gauges Cream with black roman numerals and a Victorian pointer... to Aston Martin gray background with silver characters to Smiths and Jaeger dials from ... now let me get the accent right ...*ahem*... JAGWWAAAR (sorry for being so English and taking the piss...it's actually  "Jag-you-ar"...Jaguar) You could even be real dumb and put  Pontiac 1978 Trans Am gauges into a Chevy Bel Air ... you could even do star trek  oke:

...Now that last one makes me wanna vomit uncontrollably  

Guys -- I'm going to give this some serious consideration ... Once my workload settles down , I may very well procure a 4.2" circular and code it for ME ...and you guys.