"Smart" Gauge Project Status

Okay, I’ll bite. What is the purpose of the Blow-viator?

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Probably as good a explanation as any here:

https://www.autoanything.com/resources/how-to-shop-for-convertible-wind-deflectors/

Next two questions: Does it work on an E-Type, and does it require drilling or modification?

Here’s the closest thing to a Blow-Viator I made. A Deflect-i-Ator. Good for rock chips and bugs. Requires the Amco bars, of course.

Hi, Ray,
Sorry but I haven’t been following the project, so I’m not really sure what you’re working on; Though I am intrigued.

Digital innards to Smiths analog gauges!!!

going to give you applause on this one. I don’t understand why new cars have a TV built into the dash that will allow you to customise your views and info, e.g. friction circle and g readings, but won’t give you a setting that represents the standard gauges that they refuse to put in the dash boards any more. Are you listening BMW? And Ford

Here is my version of a Blowviator. Definitely not as refined as Ray’s but it does the job with no drilling or permanent modifications. It is held in place by two Velcro straps that go around the head rests of my series II. I was a little nervous at first that the Velcro would not hold it in place so I added a couple of shoe laces that tie it to the head rest bar. These weren’t really necessary. I also have a couple small angles that rest in the top edge of the seat back so the lexan will stay in place. The pictures show the piece in place with the paper backing still on the lexan. It helps you see the shape. I find it works great and I can even put the top up without removing it.

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“10LIZY:” Model T fan?

:smirk:

tin Lizzy…

:hugs:

Saw a bunch of 'em on You tube the other day…

I have some T bits around here…

Congratulations, Paul. You are the only person to ever catch this. I no longer have that plate on the car, as it was a reference to both the Model T and to my ex-wife, who, in better days, was a “10” and her name was “Liz.” Get it?

Yes, I know how fortunate I am to have been able to keep the car through an extremely acrimonious and costly divorce.

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Just a quick update:

New PCBs for the gauges and “controller” now working nicely - only a few minor changes needed, mostly for ease of assembly. The whole system is working wonderfully. Adding the micro-stepping driver chips for the stepper motors has done wonders for the motion - it’s now smooth, fast, quiet, and with well-defined acceleration/deceleration profiles, which provide an excellent emulation of an old-fashioned analog gauge movement.

The firmware is also doing nicely, with just a few very minor features yet to be fine-tuned, and a few UI improvements, for ease of use, to be added.

Here is my “development system”:

In the next few days, I’ll try to do a video “demo” of the systems capabilities.

You can see the three “smart” gauges along the right edge of the system, with Coolant Temp at the top, Oil Pressure below that, and Fuel at the bottom. Each has a 9-LED strip to it’s left, which are the LEDs that go in that gauge. The two long, 25-LED strips on the left are for the Speedo and Tach, while the short one at the bottom right is for the “Legend Strip” under the row of switches (the real strip will obviously be much longer).

The the ammeter or voltmeter are NOT converted to a stepper movement, I have already added a battery voltage monitor, which will watch battery voltage, and alert you, just as the temp, oil fuel and tach gauges can alert you to problems in their monitored parameters, provided the optional “AutoColor”, and/or “Visible Alert” and/or “Audible Alert” features are enabled.

I will also be adding the option for a tach conversion, which will replace the entire “guts” of the stock tach (S1, S2, or S3) with a stepper motor movement. This will have the added advantage of allowing the oil pressure “alert” function to operate based on both oil pressure, and engine RPM. So, for example, the alert can be generated if oil pressure is below 10PSI at idle, or below 30PSI at 4000 RPM.

The small rectangular PCB at the bottom of the photo is the “system controller” which controls all the lights and gauges, and provides the WiFi network for system configuration and monitoring. To the left is my tablet, connected to the system controller via WiFi, with a page of the gauge configuration UI displayed in a browser window.

I have also decided to buy a small SLA 3D printer to make the gauge needles. Amazingly, several pretty darned good machines are available for under $250 that will produce quality MORE than adequate for this application.

With luck, the first pre-production system should go to beta test sometime next month.

Regards,
Ray L.

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Amazing work Ray! We’ve all been watching your progress and looking forward to the final product!

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Love it Ray!
Will you incorporate an audible alarm that will sound if I turn off ignition and leave headlights on?
I did left them on once and next morning battery was zero. But it charged up ok.
That as a lesson well learned!!
Dennis 69 OTS

That’s a good one!

Best regards,
Larry Trom
804-677-5090

I’m gonna have to install a panel gauge in Margaret’s unoccupied radio slot, just so I can have this spiffy setup!

This is just flat amazing. I continue to be blown away by the extreme talent on this forum!

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Ray…

While you are at it…

Fuel pressure
Fan belt tension (breakage)!!

Dennis

…TPMS? Buzzer for when we old farts leave our left turn signal on, for 6 miles? “Door is ajar?”

:crazy_face:

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Fixed it for you (but couldn’t line-through the “not”)

S3! S3? I am sooo happy I can implement a Livingston improvement of my SIII!

Sign me up. I’d volunteer to beta test but my SIII hasn’t run under its own power since 1992-93. [But that is gonna change this summer and next (or next) – Craig

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