Am I The Only Person Who Likes The Elgin Dash?

[Ty]

I like the look of the lower dash as well, but the tach (the most critical information should be centered) covers the upper end of the speedometer and the engine hours window is kinda small. Also more than four additional gauges are needed, what with vacuum/boost, coolant temp, oil temp, trans/differential temp, cabin temp, date temp, oil pressure, fuel, amps, volts, SPL and blinker fluid level to name a few critical items, one can see that four is not sufficient.

Except for the most part, the teach isn't used. Most people are happy enough to just let the car make the decisions. Why force everyone to have some huge teach front and center? Everyone needs the speedometer. Not everyone needs the teach or boost gauge or vacuum gauge...

 

[Ty]

I don't want to start a whole design debate. I just thought that if Paul took his beloved dash and simply put a sweep needle on each boob, it would make the gauges have more mass appeal while still maintaining the original design.

Plus, it would make "someone" extra happy that I used "boob" again.

 

[Ocean9000]

You put a 5" tach on a pillar, you won't won't see out that side of the windshield.
And I knew you were kidding earlier than the Blinker Fluid Level when you had Engine hours near the beginning of the list.
The "spiel" I gave you on the workable area was a copy and paste from something I typed out a couple of months ago.
Makes "soapboxing" that much faster.

I was thinking the bottom of the pillar, tight to the top of the dash, but what the he##, put it at eye level - it would only block half as much as a pair of fuzzy dice - or about as many square inches as a rear view mirror.
It snows where I live, so half the year I can only see out of part of the windshield/windows anyway...

 

[NSTG8R]

I was thinking the bottom of the pillar, tight to the top of the dash, but what the he##, put it at eye level - it would only block half as much as a pair of fuzzy dice - or about as many square inches as a rear view mirror.
It snows where I live, so half the year I can only see out of part of the windshield/windows anyway...

Who needs a stinkin' dash anyway! Just give me a gas gauge [gas tank dipstick would do fine]. I'm going to be too busy watching out for gawkers, phone-talkers, and the other general idiots going down the road to worry about if I'm doing 60 mph...or is it 65 mph , looking at the Elgin.

 

[Elio Amazed]

Honestly I thought the inclusion of "date temp" would have been enough to let everyone know I was kidding - but to be absolutely sure I added "blinker fluid level" !!!
I know the available dash area is not much larger than half of a sheet of graph paper. I would love to have aircraft level instrumentation and have it large and legible. But to quote The Duke, "it just ain't gonna happen..." That's why I was poking fun.
I know you have most likely made yourself half crazy designing and redesigning a replacement largely because a few wailed so loudly. Unfortunately, even fewer will understand how truly difficult something like that is unless they have done fabrication, controls and instrumentation in particular.
Personally, I will probably (maybe) find somewhere to mount an Autometer or similar oil pressure gauge and if the steel boobs tach really pi$$es me off that much, I will bolt a 5" Sun tach with programmable shift light onto the A pillar.
I don't know - I might like the steel boobs, I really don't know - no one here has driven an Elio so no one knows --- I do know I am looking forward to driving mine!

Dead giveaway was that that "lower dash" set that you referenced already has a water temp gauge.

 

[Frim]

Dead giveaway was that that "lower dash" set that you referenced already has a water temp gauge.

I might take the 9" x 4" piece of cardboard and just tape it over the Elgin with masking tape. Looking at the Elgin would just remind me of all the discussion in this thread. I just want to drive the Elio.

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Who needs a stinkin' dash anyway! Just give me a gas gauge [gas tank dipstick would do fine]. I'm going to be too busy watching out for gawkers, phone-talkers, and the other general idiots going down the road to worry about if I'm doing 60 mph...or is it 65 mph , looking at the Elgin.

Flew a Piper Cub with a cork and a wire as a fuel gauge.
When the wire sank below the top of the fuel cap, you had 15 minutes until you turned into a glider.

 

[Ian442]

Well Crimson it sure as hell beats turning into a rock .

 

[Rob Croson]

Lol. I think this is where his ego gets in the way of sound marketing advise. Sorta like Ford and naming a car after his son, Edsel. lol.

Ford didn't name a car after "his son". Ford Motor Company named the vehicle after henry Ford's son, ignoring the objections of the Ford family, and, in particular, Edsel ford's son.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel

"Ford Motor Company eventually decided on the name "Edsel", in honor of Edsel B. Ford, son of the company's founder, Henry Ford (despite objections from Henry Ford II[6])."

"Naming the vehicle after Edsel Ford was proposed early in its development. However, the Ford family strongly opposed its use. Henry Ford II declared that he did not want his father's good name spinning around on thousands of hubcaps. "

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Well Crimson it sure as hell beats turning into a rock .

So, helicopter pilot?

(yeah yeah... autorotation... so... slightly guided rock)