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I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:42 am
by Johnny_E
One of my favourite things about my Audi coupe is that row of 3 VDO gauges. Oil temp, oil pressure and volts. So, I'd like the same in my GTII Scirocco project car.
A search here found a neat panel (
http://www.gakmotorsports.com/gaugepanels.htm ) but now, I need to source the gauges. I can get the trio of Audi gauges easy enough. Are these compatible? What extras are needed to make it work?
Would love to see some pics of your gauges in place.
Johnny.
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:27 am
by Funky Diver
http://www.speedhut.com/
US based and you can specify guage font, face and backlight colour, numeral colour, etc.
They're universal programmable guages but I haven't used them... YET

Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:07 am
by Johnny_E
WAY over budget for me - despite being very cool indeed. I was thinking more of a second hand trio of Audi vdo's.
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:53 am
by eefy
I've had my eye on these for awhile, cheep, dont look bad and come with virtually everything you need, (second one down) all for £60
http://shop1.actinicexpress.co.uk/shops ... 4e5e0496d1
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:06 am
by PeteGLi
VDO gauges come up on ebay quite frequently, or if you want new ones, you could try
http://www.etbinstruments.com
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:20 am
by Nate
i got a set of tim gauges from the bay for much cheapness. you could also go have a wander round you local scrappy and see what you can find. old jags are good for robbing smiths gauges from...
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:16 pm
by Johnny_E
For oil temp and pressure, is if best to go for a capilliary tube gauge, or can an electric gauge with sender unit go in ok? If so, what kind of sender and where's best to fit it??
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:34 pm
by Nate
i personally favour the electronic oil gauge. the sender should be supplied with it
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:39 pm
by PeteGLi
The sender must match the gauge, so same brand for both is best.
With VDO, the sender and gauge are sold separately.
Thread pitch on the sender should be 10Mx1 for the VW engine.
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:45 pm
by Birdy
This is how i fit my gauges
Managed to pick them up from an Audi 80 in my local scrap yard. The water temp one was either from parts for sale or ebay - cant remember which one

Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:09 pm
by GTXTRA
lose the ashtray -
mix and match second hand vdo gauges with new sender units ( C and R sell them last time i checked).
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:38 pm
by Johnny_E
EXCELLENT! This is just what I was hoping to see... and for me, its out with the ashtray. There's a set of audi coupe VDO's for sale locally so I'll try and pick those up cheapish.
Having had the oil pressure & temp on my audi coupe - I cant do without them. I always think of the pressure gauge as a health indicator - for early warning signs. And its surprising just how long an engine takes for its oil to fully warm up before a thrashing is in order.
Thanks very much... the wallet is for a battering. This Cat D repair job of mine is turning into something quite different! Took the rocco for a short blast (complete with its battered nose) and once again drove like a crazed teenager

Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:20 pm
by go-for-it1
Hi Johnny, Can you do some pics and list where the wiring connects to on the car if you fit the Audi gauges as I have got the complete set of 3 and senders waiting to be fitted and would appreciate your knowledge.
Rob
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 7:15 pm
by Nate
i knew i had a pic somewhere... this is what i was going to do in the scala, but then chickened out of having the ammeter there (didn't like the way the very large power cables attached) and never got round to doing any more with it. the plan was to make an mdf panel (they're just sat in a card template in the pic) and spray it with black wrinkle finish pain so it kinda matched the dash
gauges installed are current, volts, oil pressure, oil temp, water temp and inlet vacuum
Re: I need more gauges! Which brand works best?
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 7:43 pm
by big nick
GTXTRA wrote:lose the ashtray -
mix and match second hand vdo gauges with new sender units ( C and R sell them last time i checked).
Does anyone know about the Doorcards in the picture?? I'm interested in getting some new speakers and they look jus the job to house something a lil bit bigger than the 6x4s I have in there at the moment...
cheers,