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KICKSTART R-Sport Gauges Replica Mass Production

Linm126 said:
A full set of gauges from VDO which build for construction vehicle, boat and RV is well below 800.
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Last I checked VDO wasn't making much for the automotive aftermarket anymore. It has become tricky to find their cockpit series (black bezel, face, and orange needle) in a full set of six. I found an 8k tach in an 80mm size but it's 200+ euros for just the tach.
 
spock345 said:
Last I checked VDO wasn't making much for the automotive aftermarket anymore. It has become tricky to find their cockpit series (black bezel, face, and orange needle) in a full set of six. I found an 8k tach in an 80mm size but it's 200+ euros for just the tach.
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A SingleViu series 80mm 8k tach is 150usd. And it's a digital one.
 
Jack said:
Ok how will you make a whole cluster for less than 600?
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I don't know yet.
I don't have a firm design yet.
Just want know how likely you guys would buy a set if I put it in mass production.
If the market is large and I can make a lot of them, I can make it for a lower price.
All depends on market size.
The upfront investment is huge tho.
 
If the gauges are just analog signal, they will be cheap but not very accurate. It also won't be able to interchangeable with other sensors.
The digital one will be accurate and programmable, but expensive.
 
Based on communication with manufacturers, they no longer produce many analog gauges.
The digital one that uses a step motor is the current most common model. They can make it have similar functions as Speedhut.

What kind of look do you want for the gauges?
Do you want a screen showing trip and odometer for the speedometer?
 
I think people want their "replica" to look like the original.

Random digital gauges laid out like an r sport cluster probably won't get anyone excited.
 
Nagrom said:
I think people want their "replica" to look like the original.

Random digital gauges laid out like an r sport cluster probably won't get anyone excited.
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I've been unable to find a shop willing to manufacture the old-style rolling number odometer anymore. They no longer manufacture the analog gauges.
 
Linm126 said:
I've been unable to find a shop willing to manufacture the old-style rolling number odometer anymore. They no longer manufacture the analog gauges.
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Bingo. Same with any old-fashioned analog device -- and I get that! After all, since controlling so often depends on timings, why would any circuit designer mess with RC time constants to create interactive "if/then" conditions, when it's 100x faster to just program a microcontroller? A phone isn't a phone. A radio isn't a radio. All the devices we carry are just little tiny computers, running apps that simulate things like phones and radios. With operating systems that need to be booted/rebooted.

Linm126 said:
If the gauges are just analog signal, they will be cheap but not very accurate. It also won't be able to interchangeable with other sensors.
The digital one will be accurate and programmable, but expensive.
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How much precision do you need, when examining your dashboard with peripheral vision to determine with the gauge needles look "about right"? In a scientific laboratory, it might help you to know... but in a vehicle, what earthly good is it to learn your oil pressure is 43.7821 psi?

The mfrs tried to deliver that in the 1980s with fancy digital readouts (which still didn't offer that much precision anyway) and it failed a spectacular, welcome death. They completely forgot that the average driver DGAF what the numbers are, and wouldn't know if 164°F is good or bad, anyway. Most drivers can barely read a gauge to see if the needle is approximately in the center.

Frankly, there's no excuse for digital, programmable items to be more expensive than analog, considering the incredible time savings in the design stages. The extra money certainly isn't covering education of personnel -- it's pretty obvious the avg programmer has such a limited understanding of how cars / engines / boilers work, anyway.

Nagrom said:
I think people want their "replica" to look like the original.
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More than just "look like."

A co-worker (decades ago) noticed the popularity for a certain John Deere tractor / lawn mower / whatever. "People are buying those things for a huge amount of money. If I could make a new one that looks just like it, I could make a good profit. Make it with thinner metal, maybe a little simpler, it'll look just like the old stuff that everyone loves."

He 100% failed to notice why people appreciate the older stuff.

Linm126 said:
What kind of look do you want for the gauges?
Do you want a screen showing trip and odometer for the speedometer?
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Since you ask...... I shudder to see any car with a tiny screen that tries to impersonate an old analog gauge. There's a lot of philosophy that could be (and probably has been) discussed ad infinitum -- probably don't need to add any of that here. I understand the possibility of cheap development, but I have never found the actual end result of simulated analog needles to be even 1% as satisfying.

Someday we'll be in a world where no one remembers analog anything, so there will be no point of reference in how bulletproof and solidly our devices used to be designed. Lots of folks are there already. But among a bunch of crazy car nuts who enjoy 30-60 yo specimens, I'm not sure you're gonna find much attraction...
 
I think the blank layout that accepts aftermarket gauges is my favorite idea, IF a car will be rewired anyway.
On the philosophy of gauges commentary above: i see race cars with tablet displays everywhere, even in a budget series. And that’s fine. You can make a tablet display almost anything you want. But some of the cars using a tablet also use the factory gauge set, with the factory harness, because it’s reliable.
My favorite custom displays have tach and speedo center, then two rows of staggered gauges, with oil and coolant temp closest to tach, then volts and any others. Switches hidden low, and warning lights above their respective gauges.
All gauge faces matte black, and they all don’t need to perfectly match.
An analog clock 52mm is a nice touch.
52mm tach is a no-go, but a homemade bar tach, LED or other, is cool.

On the subject of a kickstarter: it has to be a VERY well laid-out plan with a working prototype to get my money.
And a more “save the world” worthy endeavor is the only thing i ever donated to. That is what kickstarters are. Donations. Not pre-order sales.
 
I would make something like this:
Im sure there's some people that would be interested. There definitely is a whole new crowd of 240 fans that DO NOT care about originality. (Although this was in an original btcc rally car i think)
574080112_1226076209567507_6829084198240487129_n.jpg

You should also join the volvo LS swap facebook group and see what those guys like for custom gauges
 
Toybox said:
Since you ask...... I shudder to see any car with a tiny screen that tries to impersonate an old analog gauge. There's a lot of philosophy that could be (and probably has been) discussed ad infinitum -- probably don't need to add any of that here. I understand the possibility of cheap development, but I have never found the actual end result of simulated analog needles to be even 1% as satisfying.
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The needle is run by a step motor and shows the reading. It will look like a Speedhut gauge but in Volvo style. That's what I'm planning right now.

The only thing thats a digital screen is the Odometer and trip distance, since they no longer produce the rolling numbers. Or remove the screen and no longer show any odometer and trip reading, which I don't think is proper.
 
rearwheelpeel said:
I would make something like this:
Im sure there's some people that would be interested. There definitely is a whole new crowd of 240 fans that DO NOT care about originality. (Although this was in an original btcc rally car i think)
View attachment 35799

You should also join the volvo LS swap facebook group and see what those guys like for custom gauges
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This is cool. However, this takes up space for radio and ac vent. I believe most people still want to keep their AC vent blowing cold air.
So, my plan is to have 52mm gauges as standalone units that can be put in the factory gauge pod.
 
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