rodrigo Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Hope you all enjoy. Sorry for some of the fuzzy pics.This post is aimed at those who would like to make a OEM looking gauge pod for the A-pillar on an 850. This is done by bonding the pod to the trim, and then smoothing and shaping putty, as used by autobody repair specialists, to hide all seams, joints, imperfections. In theory, this principle can be applied to a double or triple pod on the A-pillar as well, but with a little more patience. The pictures are from my P-base, so feel free to refer to it: www.pbase.com/854First remove the A-pillar from your car. Grab the B-pillar trim and pull it out, and undo the button that keeps the A-pillar trim tight by rotating it clockwise or counterclockwise (can't remember). Gently bend the trim so as to make it possible to pop the B-pillar trim back on. Continue removint the apillar trim by applying pressure towards the inside of the car and it should pop off. As it is popping off, it will have to slide up towards the roof to come out. I chose to go to a junkyard and purchased another piece of trim for $15, and painted it. This served two purposes: test of interior color, and spare pillar in case I messed up. Now that you have the A-pillar, lay it flat on a bench and, after removing the double stick tape that comes on the IPD pod, place it on the a-pillar trim. Note how the IPD pod (from hereon referred to as 'pod') fits. Get your 80G sandpaper and scuff the entire A-pillar trim, and to the same on the contact area ot the pod. Place the pod on the A-pillar trim and decide where you would like to mount it...I chose to mount mine a bit higher so as to avoid rubbing on the dash and making creaking/rubbing noises...set it about 3/4 - 1" above the lowest possible location where it would fit properly. Use a pencil to mark this position.Now you have a scuffed up trim with pencil marks. Take a drill/dremmel and proceed to make a hole on the trim, after removing the foam on the backside, to pass all of your wiring, and tubing, and to be able to tighten the gauge from the backside of the trim once the pod is permanently fixed on the trim. Do this with patience, and constant test fitting so as not to cut too big of a whole. Once you have the whole cut out, sand it down so its smooth and rounded and will not damage the wiring or the plastic tubing.At this point, you are ready to bond the pod onto the pillar trim. Make sure all contact surfaces are clean, dust free before bonding. Read the instructions on the bonding agent container to assure best results. Test fit the pod onto the trim to assure proper location, mark it with a pencil again to make no mistake of its location. Practice grabbing the pod and pillar combination so as to assure proper pressure when bonding agent is applied. Lay trim piece flat on the bench. Take the pod in your hand, and apply the bonding agent, set pod onto trim and press firmly for bond to strengthen. This should take about 30 seconds or less. Remember, you have to work quickly and exactly so the bonding agent does not dry before application of pod to trim piece. If you cannot get a proper bond the first time around, use the accelerator after you are ready to bond again....make sure all of the previouly unsuccessful bonding material that remains is removed (use a razor blade) and sanded.Inspect all contact areas for proper bonding, and if you have any doubt about the bond, try and remove it to bond again. If the pod is not bonded properly, you run the risk of developing cracks from the road vibration, or shock from closing your door in cold or hot weather. Just make sure it is bonded well.Now you are ready to start the longest stage of this modification (embelishment, if I may) to your A-pillar trim: the putty and smoothing phase. The objective of this it to hide the joint of where the A-pillar pod is joined to the A-pillar. The way to do this is to build it up with putty over the trim's long surface area so the buldge is not so noticeable. Begin by sanding the entire thing with 80G sandpaper to remove any excess dried bonding agent, and then run 100G on the base of the pod and the trim piece. Begin applying putty.see next post for continuation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted August 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Wait until the first coat is dry and sand it lightly with the 80G to remove any ridges, then hit it with the 100G to smooth it out a bit. Apply more putty and repeat this process about 8 or more times, each time trying to cover more of the trim so as to gradually 'ramp' up to the joint...you are really trying to make an illusion.see next post for continuation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted August 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Be sure to make all the putty smooth around the pod, and be sure to try and follow the trim's lines as you are sanding....try and shape it to look factory...even the curl at the side of the trim that faces the windshield (where you will have to replace that cork strip that you removed when you took off the trim).This process is by far the longest lasting out of the whole thing, but patience is what makes the difference. There is not fast way to do this...just be sure to apply thin coats, sand evenly, keep everything clean and dust free as possible...eventually you will get something like this:This step's focus is to fill in the microscopic holes the you cannot eliminate by just sanding. The procedure is simple: spray the primer, let it dry for about 30 min, sand with the 180 and the 220G. If you find that some putty is scaling off, just clean the surface, reapply the putty, let dry and use the 80/100/120G to knock it down, then the primer and the 180/220G to smooth it. When all of the surface is smooth, apply another 3-4 coats of primer, let dry in between sanding, and sand with 220 for a smooth and even finish. When the priming is complete, it should look like thissee next post for continuation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted August 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted August 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Very impressive! Good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted August 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 Now all you have to do is follow the instructions on volvospeed on installation of the boost gauge, and run your wiring and tubing. Make sure that the paint is completely dry before putting the trim onto the car. In the beginning, during the putty phase, test fit the boost gauge...it should be a tight fit. You should have to press it in well for it to fit properly. On my gauge, I did not use the clamps privided with the gauge because the gauge fit so tight. When you do the cutout on the pillar to pass through the wiring and tubing, remove that foam on the backside. Be extra careful when you put the trim under the B-pillar so as not to scratch it. When you have the trim piece removed, there is a little piece of cork where the trim meets the dash, be sure to replace that or else squeaking may arise. Look through the Gallery (www.pbase.com/854) to see how i routed the boost tubing. Note that my car is a GLT, and does not have a factory boost dial on the instrument cluster, so I had to go to the vacuum tree, as shown on the volvospeed instructions.Please feel free to ask me any questions, by PM, or email@ rodrigo@silva.asGood luck!!END*********************************************************************** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesoam Posted August 14, 2005 Report Share Posted August 14, 2005 great work man! some one put this in the resouces thread "how to mold your gauge pod into the A-pillar" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exexpat Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Good work, puts tears of pride in my eye, compared to the standard visible screw + seam work we normally see around here...I wanted to reply earlier, but I didn't want to cut off the running posts like another certain electronics junkie I know. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volvoson Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 That is an awesome setup! Very clean, looks 100% factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 muito bom hapaize!!! (i hope I am spelling correctly)you really do good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DougK Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 Looks very very good!If you did it again I think it'd be wise to cut it so the gauge is angled a bit more towards the driver. Thats my BIGGEST oh yeah! about the lotek setup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodrigo Posted August 15, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 great work man! some one put this in the resouces thread "how to mold your gauge pod into the A-pillar"←By all means...this site is a resource. Good work, puts tears of pride in my eye, compared to the standard visible screw + seam work we normally see around here...←...Thanks!!muito bom hapaize!!! smile.gif (i hope I am spelling correctly←You are not far off..."muito bom, rapaz" are you from brazil??If you did it again I think it'd be wise to cut it so the gauge is angled a bit more towards the driver. Thats my BIGGEST bitch about the lotek setup←I have actually thought about that, and I am also in the mindset that the gauge is kind of out of the way and in the periphery in way that to see it accurately, you really have to move your eyes off the road. I wish i had installed it on the steering column, but this looks factory which is what i was trying to acheive. I do feel your pain, however.PS: what you mean by lotek setup...like low-tech? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxx Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 my father is, I can speak better than I read and write...lotek has a 3gauge pod, just goes right over the stock stuff... maybe you could look into it... gaugepods.com ifIrc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the underlørd Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 anyone pin this in the resource page yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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