Love the Digital Speedo - Must have for my BA

[BAWagonWheels]

I still remember the days when I had my old EA and I fitted the digital cluster from the ghia model. Once in, was loving it always. My favourite was the digital speedo (very large digit display). Now I miss it so bad.

I'm embarking on a new project. Just recently obtained a EA digital cluster, and have already started breaking it down to pieces.

My project will be to have the LCD digital speedo display from a EA digital cluster integrated into my BA cluster.

This is the bare LCD from the EA digital cluster which I got to operate without it being in the car.


This is what I hope to achieve.


At this stage I'm testing the speedo compatibility between EA & BA clusters. I tapped into my BA vehicle speed sensor and took my car for a drive with the EA cluster connected.

So far works well, the EA cluster is picking up the speedo signal from my BA however there's a difference of 10-12km/h under for the EA cluster.

Now figured I may need to get a speedo corrector unit maybe from Jaycar $50 or if anyone on the forums have a spare working unit for me that I get buy for cheaper. PM me, thanks.

I'm also awaiting on a better photo of an EA digital speedo display so I can photoshop into the BA cluster more accurately.

I will make this thread a log for my project, so watch this space.

[Falcon Freak]

I wish they still built cars with digital instruments. Loved the display on my EA Fairmont Ghia.

FF

[chief]

That is going to look great when done.

[wodahs]

i am one that wants to go down this path for my project car ( prefer mor guages thou and a digitle tacho ) but am very interested

[HLC]

i just went into diagnostics mode to get the digital speedo on my AU lol

[LUXO_8]

as i was reading the text, i was thinking...hmm, i dont know, i reckon it'd look a bit dodgy.....then i saw your photochop and take back every word....... that looks awesome, way better than the ea cluster the speedo came from

good luck with it, hope it works out for you

[wodahs]

i wonder if you could even use an xf/zl digitel dash in any way

[wodahs]

any updates ???

[BAWagonWheels]

currently extending the ribbons leads from the LCD as its too short and want the EA PCB behind the BA cluster. Also hoping to shop around for a spare BA cluster for cheap or even an XR for backup just in case the dash gets ruined. and still haven't allocated funds for the speedo corrector, so hope xmas givings would be nice this year.

[Luke Plaizier]

Well, I've got the RHS LCD running as a digital speedo. It's available from the factory and can be enabled by your local service agent.

It's called 'Police Mode'. We've even figured out how to enable it with a cheap ELM327 based scantool.

I probably won't be monitoring this thread, so if more info is needed you'll need to PM me.


Lukeyson

[swanee]

What happens when you go into triple digits?

you have to guess when you get to 110?

[BAWagonWheels]

the LCD can do triple digits.

["Interceptor"]

How hard is it to intergrate the digital speedo as in wiring perspective, I was thinking about doing it a while back for my AU, if anyone has any diagrams or what to connect to where

[mcflux]

LCD goes up to 199 ;)

Maybe you could do something with the incremental arc as well so it's more than just a backing light? For example, if the digi speedo is reading 60, the 60kph point along the arc is highlighted more than the rest of the backing lights (if it's possible to have an arc of weak LEDs under the cluster). If the digi speedo is reading 100, the 100kph point along the arc is highlighted above the std backing lights. I'm sure LEDs could be wired up in an incremental fashion (to the closest 10kph or 5kph depending on spacing available)

Love your idea so far

[DBourne]

^ way to raise the anty!

[EA 290]

well done, were you able to change the back lit colour?

[BAWagonWheels]

hooray, finally have the EA speedo in sync with my BA speedo and now i'm getting around to deciding where the EA speedo will go, design permitting.

first thought would be on top the dash as a head up display (HUD) reflected onto windscreen. need to make backlighting bright enough to also cater for daytime use.

second thought is to integrate into BA cluster which may need alot more work, see how i go with the concept. waiting for supplies of different colours of LEDs to see which colours looks best for the EA speedo.

[LUXO_8]

integrate it into the cluster,

for HUD wont it have to be mirrored so it reflects back to you the right way around... IMO thats a lot more work

[chief]

Well done Pete, your persistence is paying off. Can not wait till this is finished. Why don't you match the colour of the speedo to the cluster.

[BAWagonWheels]

ok, it looks like its gonna be a HUD.... i found an absolute perfect backlighting (an old LCD backscreen), and mirroring wasn't a problem as i just flipped over the LCD to display backwards. shows great on the windscreen. now its time to hide the bulky unit.

[BAWagonWheels]

the lcd needed to be placed on a specific angle which is opposite to how the dash is where the windscreen vents are so i now had to place it above the icc where the gauge pods would sit. i now have to fabricate a housing for the display to suit where its positioned. had a drive around the block this arvo in broad daylight, it seems the display is faint most times and other times you can see it ok. although tonight hopefully will see how effective it is, should be nice & bright.

[BAWagonWheels]

ok, here are the photos at night. the EA speedo is projected as a HUD as you view forward in the drivers seat (top left corner within forward vision). its in its ideal position and not too distracting like if centred below. i just love the look of the LCD digital, cool font.

as you can see the display is mounted where a gauge pods would sit on top of the icc. now i need to start fabricating a proper housing for the display. the camera shots aren't that great but its something you'd need to check out in person. yeah, it looks great while driving at night.





hey, this ain't a chop, its the real deal.

[Campo81]

That's awesome mate!

[james22]

Looks great, your persistence paid off. Well done!

[DBourne]

nice work mate!

[Linz]

Originally Posted by wodahs

i wonder if you could even use an xf/zl digitel dash in any way

The 1983-1985 AR Telstar TX5 Ghia/Mazda 626 had a great digital display as well...cheers Linz.

[HLC]

that is damn awesome work pete!

[mcflux]

well done!

[chief]

Mate, that is fantastic work.

["Interceptor"]

could you post up a tutorial so others could do the same. It looks deadly the LCD screen. You should have kept on the speedo and left the speedo needle out. But either way it looks cool