'A' Pillar Gauge Mounting Provisions

[Archive]

Has anyone came out with a two or three gauge pod for mounting at the 'A' pillar that also includes provisions for the tweeter speaker? I would prefer to have a complete replacement piece in the matching Dodge color which was being worked on by someone but still have not heard of its out yet. Anyone heard anything?

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'98. 5 Forest Green 2500HD, QC, LB, Cummins ISB, Auto Trans, SLT, Aux. Rear
Suspension, Trailer Tow package, 4. 10 w/ LSD, HD Transfer Case, Keyless
entry, Camel Leather, ICI Stainless steel Nerf Bars, Bed rail caps, fender
trims and rocker panels, Twin Firestik Firefly antennas & Cobra 29LTD
Classic CB.

Junction City, Oregon

 

[Archive]

I have nearly the same truck as you (including exterior and interior colors). I just installed a boost and pyro gauges in an a pillar mount today. I purchased mine through TST. The mount comes in black and you have to paint it yourself. I ordered the paint through my local Dodge dealer and it didn't match at all (WWWAAAYYYYY lighter)! If I find a solution I'll let you know. According to dodge there is only 1 color in our interiors and I can count at least 3 different tans in there! It doesn't look too bad using the factory paint code though so I don't feel too terrible - but I'd like it to be perfect or as close to possible!

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-Steve St. Laurent
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed, 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter,
boost & pyro gauges, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars

 

[Archive]

A guy by the name of Craig Scholl was supposed to be working on a 'replacement' 'A' Pillar piece that would match exactly, color, texture and everything but he was having a problem with his plastic supplier. Seems they kept putting him off. I believe that he had/has all the molds/forms needed just cant get the material. I would imagine he was using vacuum forming but just quessing. Rob have you heard from Craig? I may have to go with something else before too long. I should be able to match the paint color pretty close where I work, we use lots of Sikens paint.

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'98. 5 Forest Green 2500HD, QC, LB, Cummins ISB, Auto Trans, SLT, Aux. Rear
Suspension, Trailer Tow package, 4. 10 w/ LSD, HD Transfer Case, Keyless
entry, Camel Leather, ICI Stainless steel Nerf Bars, Bed rail caps, fender
trims and rocker panels, Twin Firestik Firefly antennas & Cobra 29LTD
Classic CB.

Junction City, Oregon

 

[Archive]

Steve;
In regards to the needle of your boost gauge sticking. I would get ahold of TST. I bought my gauges from Geno's Garage through TDR.
Mine are Westach gauges and my pyro would stick at 800 degrees and not break loose until 1200 degrees unless I slapped it first. I contacted Geno's Garage and they appoliged and Express Mailed me a new one the same day
with return postage and label included.
In regards to the paint not matching the A-pillar and the interior in general I agree. I painted my gauge thing (could not come up with the correct word) and when I held it up to the A-pillar it was way off. Also the plastic rivets did hold it on worth a damn. I fastened mine on with aluminum pop rivets Masked off the tweeter grill and painted the whole thing. It came out great. Looks like it grew there.
Arlan
Reposted from TST list

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1998. 5 QC 3500 4X4 3. 54 Auto ISB with all options. TST PowerMax1 BD/TC and Valve Body. RV Injectors, 9000 LB Warn Winch, Ultra Board Running Boards, Westach Combo Boost/EGT and Transmission Temperature gauges, GPS etc. etc.
1946 Mercury Coupe Street Rod
1955 Willys Station Wagon
1995 Lexus SC400

 

[Archive]

I was about to mention Craig Scholl's name too, Terry. Craig, are you out there? We all appreciated your knowledge and expertise on the old board. Even though I have a 5-speed, I've learned a lot about the automatics from your posts.
My 2 cents about the gauges, I have VDO "Cockpit Series" gauges and they work great. You can order them at most hot rod shops. I added green boots to the light bulbs so they match the factory gauges.
Andy

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'97 CC 4X4 5-Speed, on cover & page 91 of TDR issue 24.
Be sure to visit Northwest Custom

 

[Archive]

I went with the VDO Vision series gauges. These gauges match (exactly) the OE gauges in the '98/'99 Rams (black face, backlit graduation marks and letters/numerals, fiber-optic style orange/red needle etc. ... with the supplied green bulb boots, they match the OE green back-lighting very well).

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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4, (black) SLT Sport, ISB, LWB, 3. 54 LSD, auto. , 275 hp. injectors, Glasstite Vision II "canopy", 285 BFG A/Ts on 16x8 M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares, front and rear NW Custom stainless steel/rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover and trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, VDO Vision gauges, BD exhaust brake and TorqLoc.

 

[Archive]

That was an excellent idea Arlan!(of painting the entire OE A-pillar along with the Gauge Pod mount). I played hell trying to match the OE "Agate" interior color, even with the Mopar interior paint. Through trial and error, I discovered that by using the Mopar interior paint along with a top coat of SEM (brand) clear (gloss) sprayed at a distance to reduce the glossy effect, I was able to match the OE "Agate" color quite closely. I gave up waiting for Craig Scholl to release the one piece (dual gauge) A-pillar replacement for the tweeter equipped '98/'99 Rams. After numerous unanswered e-mails to Craig regarding this I invoked plan B as I have had all the components required for the installation since January... I just recently completed the A-pillar portion of the installation.

Arlan, out of curiosity, are you the same person who lives in CA. ('98. 5 24v CA. Ram) that was posting on the H/Campers BB about a year ago with unusually low mileage figures? After reading about your bout with Dr. Performance and your new PowerMax1, it all seemed to come back to me (or not).

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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4, (black) SLT Sport, ISB, LWB, 3. 54 LSD, auto. , 275 hp. injectors, Glasstite Vision II "canopy", 285 BFG A/Ts on 16x8 M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares, front and rear NW Custom stainless steel/rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover and trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, VDO Vision gauges, BD exhaust brake and TorqLoc.

 

[Archive]

I have installed several of these A pillar mounts, and have painted them to match the color of the interior by obtaining the paint code located on the "Info List" that is under the hood mounted just behind the grill.

I then go to the Auto paint store and have the paint mixed and put in a small spray can.
the cost is around $13. 00. So far the paint has matched very close on all of them.

I use the Isspro gauges.


Wayne
amsoilman

 

[Archive]

I forgot to mention in my last post that after careful and lengthy preparation of the Auto Meter Gauge Works gauge Pod, I was able to fit the mount to the A-pillar EXACTLY, therefore allowing me to join the two components with two different epoxy adhesives. No hardware... makes for a very clean installation.

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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4, (black) SLT Sport, ISB, LWB, 3. 54 LSD, auto. , 275 hp. injectors, Glasstite Vision II "canopy", 285 BFG A/Ts on 16x8 M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares, front and rear NW Custom stainless steel/rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover and trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, VDO Vision gauges, BD exhaust brake and TorqLoc.

 

[Archive]

John;
Yes, I am that Happy Camper that was unhappy with his truck mileage. I've come to believe that the large frontal area of my camper has allot to do with it. Also my driving habits. I drive 65 to 75 mph where aloud and try to hold that speed even in on the steep grades. I am leaving in two days and going from Southern California up to Banff Canada and across to Maine and down through New England. I am very curious in what my mileage will be now with the PowerMax1 computer.
Arlan

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1998. 5 QC 3500 4X4 3. 54 Auto ISB with all options. TST PowerMax1 BD/TC and Valve Body. RV Injectors, 9000 LB Warn Winch, Ultra Board Running Boards, Westach Combo Boost/EGT and Transmission Temperature gauges, GPS etc. etc.
1946 Mercury Coupe Street Rod
1955 Willys Station Wagon
1995 Lexus SC400

 

[Archive]

Thanks for letting me know I still have something of a memory left, Arlan. Please keep us informed as to your experiences (power, mileage etc. ) with the PowerMax1 computer. I e-mailed TST early yesterday morning and made a subsequent call later to request information on the PowerMax1. I could hardly sleep a wink, thinking about the additional power. I was told the $200. price increase (to $799. ) was due to design changes to the original design (modular adaptation, function modes etc. ), which were not present when the advertisement and TDrelease information was submitted to the TDR three months prior to the printing of issue 25.

Have a safe and pleasant journey Arlan!

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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4, (black) SLT Sport, ISB, LWB, 3. 54 LSD, auto. , 275 hp. injectors, Glasstite Vision II "canopy", 285 BFG A/Ts on 16x8 M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares, front and rear NW Custom stainless steel/rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover and trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, VDO Vision gauges, BD exhaust brake and TorqLoc.

 

[Archive]

Just a quick update on my sticking boost gauge. I called TST yesterday and they shipped a new one out to me yesterday - I should receive it tomorrow. They billed my card $40 that they will credit once they receive my gauge back. Now that's customer service! No questions asked!


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-Steve St. Laurent
'98 Quad Cab Long Bed, 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, Prime-loc remote fuel filter,
boost & pyro gauges, Permatech spray in liner, Grizzly stainless nerf bars

 

[Archive]

Not bad, but Geno's garage trusted me, sent it express mail and included return postage and lable. I love TST's products and can see why any business could want insurance. I was just so impressed with how Geno's handled mine I had to mention it this one last time.
Arlan


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1998. 5 QC 3500 4X4 3. 54 Auto ISB with all options. TST PowerMax1 BD/TC and Valve Body. RV Injectors, 9000 LB Warn Winch, Ultra Board Running Boards, Westach Combo Boost/EGT and Transmission Temperature gauges, GPS etc. etc.
1946 Mercury Coupe Street Rod
1955 Willys Station Wagon
1995 Lexus SC400