[ze_german]

Here a little story about a recent upgrade I did to my car (sorry if my english is a little sucky to you natives).

I always wanted a nice boost gauge in my 335i but never liked the available options like the P3 gauge or the analog vent mounted gauge. I wanted something sleek, analog and cool.

Since our A pillars have airbags and I didn't want the boost gauge between steering wheel and normal gauges I was looking for options for a while.
I'm also a big Porsche fan and I always liked the look of the Sport Chrono Package which is a molded smooth piece in the middle of the dash. My car has the iDrive and the simple sound system which meant I don’t have the center speaker in the trim between the hump and the windscreen.



Perfect, I found the place. I know what I wanted it to look like, now to find the right gauge.

I have an N55 meaning my car has no vacuum so first I wanted a gauge that only showed 0-20psi. Searching forever I realized there is no such thing out there. I found 0-15psi, 0-30psi or gauges that showed vacuum to 25psi or even higher.
Since the N55 turbo runs out of steam at a max 17-18psi I didn't want something that shows 30inHG to 25psi because that would mean my currently running max 10psi (Cobb Stg1) would result in a tiny needle movement and not really fun at all. Also I wanted it to look good and as close to the stock gauges as possible!



In comes the Defi Advance CR 60mm boost gauge (DF08702). I settled for this because the font, red needle, reddish backlight, black face and silver ring looks almost identical to the stock gauges in my dash. Also, since this a metric gauge it shows a usable range from 0-1.2bar which is right in the ball park for my N55. I would get 66% max needle movement and that is exactly what I wanted. Looking online I found this gauge new for a cool $130 and the controller for $171. Granted, not the cheapest gauge but exactly what I wanted and that totally justified my spending. Also Defi has the same 60mm gauge but to 2.0bar so if I would feel the crazy urge to upgrade my turbo it's a simpler matter of swapping the gauge.

Now for the hard part, the pod itself. Of course, nobody made this gauge pod so it was up to me to make it myself using currently availably technologies. Cue my 20+ years of experience in professional 3D modeling and the dropping prices of 3D printing.



I measured the available space behind the hump and windscreen and modeled this pod to the Defi gauges specs. It’s a little hard to see but I twisted the top where the pod sits in 8 degrees to the left so it faces me a little more.

There are basically 2 usable ways of 3D printing nowadays. Laser sintering which is the really nice one (laser melts a powder) and the layered molten plastic printing we see in the cheaper 3D printers. For this example I used a layered abs plastic print from a local 3D printer ($85).



You can clearly see the rough finish of the abs plastic and the 0.3mm layers. For my next pod version I would definitely use laser sintering since that is perfectly smooth and basically ready to be painted. This abs print needed a LOT of work but right from the start the gauge fitted like a glove.



Enter the endless cycle of Bondo and sanding it down to get a nice and smooth finish. Also right at the end the abs plastic delaminated at one section so I will need to get a new pod that’s laser sintered (and twice the price) but waaay nicer. After hours of Bondo, sanding, and shaping I was ready for primer.



Good and now the satin black paint.



As it turned out the printed pod was exactly big enough, even when painted, meaning the gauge fitted snuggly in there with maybe 0.1mm of space all around. There was almost no movement whatsoever.



Above, a quick gauge test with the latest Defi controller. Fiddling with the functions, record and peak. I like it!

Next I ordered the piece of body trim behind the hump at the dealer since I didn’t want to mess with the original part ($44). I positioned the pod and used a Dremel to cut the hole for the wiring in the trim.



Last but not least I used some double sided tape to mount the pod on the trim and snapped it back into place in the car. The controller was mounted and the wiring connected.



Night view:



All I can say is that I’m extremely pleased with the result and the gauge works like a charm. Looks cool too and because of my nav hump it barely takes any road visibility away.

If you have a question about this build, the gauge or the pod, comment or shoot me a PM (a holder for the Cobb AP V2 is next on my list).

[stevers314]

Excellent work, looks great!

[atinybug]

Very nice fabrication, definitely something to be proud of. However, that thing sticking out right in the middle of the dash just looks out of place to me.

[gds52]

excellent job, looks great

[Gizm0]

Good job! It would have been easier to read if it was angled toward the driver instead of straight.

[bartles]

Great use of dead space! Ive always wanted a boost gauge but didnt want to sacrifice a vent or do a pillar/steering wheel application.

[ze_german]

Originally Posted by Gizm0

Good job! It would have been easier to read if it was angled toward the driver instead of straight.

Thanks. No trust me, it's the camera / photo. It is actually very readable and angled towards the driver.

[chronos6]

What craftsmanship!!!!! Exquisite, and no I'm not gay. Just sounded like the right word to use.

[tmdals0213]

this is pretty awesome

[07lilredwagon]

way to go!.. it really fits the car....very thorough execution.


JP

[MrPig]

That's freaking awesome. I need to build myself a 3D printer and make some guage pods for my STI.

[JesseJames]

Clever man

[e90coast]

You can put a small lens in the back and now you have a dash cam!

[hockeyplayer]

Excellent work, sir.

[AughtOcho335]

Originally Posted by chronos6

What craftsmanship!!!!! Exquisite, and no I'm not gay. Just sounded like the right word to use.

Don't be so self conscious man. I haven't the slightest clue how using the word exquisite would hint at you being gay. A well rounded vocabulary is something anyone should be proud of having.

Great work on the gauge OP. You could have just got the JB4 and saved alot of time. The giant gauge is going to immediately make tech's think you've got a tune of some kind anyways I would think. Maybe not. Either way. Looks professional.

[Mikey B]

See, i'd choose something home grown like this than any other one you can buy, i appreciate the craftmanship, top work!

[Dark_Knight_335]

Wow, I wish I had a fraction of your ingenuity and talent. Well done sir...well done!

You know you could create several of those and sell them for a handsome profit- you just might be sitting on a gold mine there!

[JesseJames]

Clever man

[Dark_Knight_335]

Originally Posted by bartles

Great use of dead space! Ive always wanted a boost gauge but didnt want to sacrifice a vent or do a pillar/steering wheel application.

The P3 gauge allows air to flow through with the optional vent customization. I have a P3 gauge and I love it- and it also allows air conditioning and heat to flow through via the still functional right half of the vent where it is mounted by the driver's side door.

That said, Ze's gauge is nothing short of a functional work of art!

[mashimarho]

Looks at that fab work...

[ze_german]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind words.

I'm already working on an enhancement. The next version will be laser sintered for a much smoother finish and I will utilize the empty space I have underneath the gauge to sink it down into the trim by 1 inch. That way it sticks out less and is even more flush with the dash while maintaining readability.

[mir-ali604]

wow that is some solid craftmanship and way better than something you can find on the market. Solid work dude!!!