Just thought I'd share my latest project.   I cobbled together a number of ideas into an instrument panel that gives me plenty of information without having to take my eyes of the road. Here's the laundry list of everything  I've got jammed into a 7x5x3 enclosure:

-Digital Speedometer & Trip Odometer (Sigma 1106 Mod )
-Digital Tach & Engine Hour meter (ENM mod)
-Voltage Gauge (From my old boat)
-Oil Pressure Gage (0-40 Psi also from old boat)
-Idiot Lights for turn signal
-Power Accessory Socket for GPS
-Motion sensor/anti-theft device (Not detailed for obvious reasons)

Here's a picture of the current setup. I drove around with it today and everything checks out fine. Just have a few final tweaks to square up the gauges, make sure the oil lines do not leak, etc. I may add another light for the neutral indicator. I'm also thinking of putting a Suzuki logo in the center , something like the little one on the triple tree.

Anyhow, just thought I'd post this in case anyone finds it interesting. I like knowing my battery is charging, oil pressure is normal, my speed is on target and that I'm not driving down the road with my turn signal flashing for a few miles.

What does it look like from the front?

I sure would hope so for $350!   Looks like a nice plug and play solution, however I get a kick out of converting a pile of spare parts into something useful, even if it looks like Frankenstein  

I saw the Dakota dash unit, but it does not provide a tach, the oil indicator is only an idiot light for low pressure, no avg speed/max speed indicator, no voltage, just a check engine light.  And the power accessory socket lets me charge my cell phone or gps while I drive,

Being the frugal type, I laid out $28 for the Sigma, $25 for the Tach, $6 for the Radio shack enclosure, about $18 for the metric thread adapter, another $7 for the power accessory socket and $3 for the turn signal lights. By reusing some gauges from my old boat I kept the parts cost below $100.  

Anyway, it sure suits my purposes. As I use it more I'll probably think of other things I can make it do. I always find it more satisfying to do it myself, even if I spend more money when I include my own labor.  

forrest wrote on 09/13/08 at 14:17:15:


It's fully enclosed and the wiring harness enters from the bottom. along with the oil line. It is protected by my windshield and entire enclosure will be sealed against water intrusion.

Here's the front view.

Very interesting, and impressive creativity, but I'll stick with my Vapor
Has many of the things you have, lacks some, has some others.

Ess:  thanks for sharing your mod!  Very cool idea and very creative, I would like to try something with a chrome or aluminum look.  Hmmm, there's an idea bruing.  

Here's a pic with the original prototype and my GPS unit.  

forrest wrote on 09/14/08 at 05:36:03:

I was thinking exactly the same thing...