# The Rabbit TDI Project Part 11: the dash



## MrDave (Jul 26, 2002)

The Rabbit TDI Project 
Part 11: the dash 
Or: big round peg, small square hole 

The IMMO system in the ECU required that I use the A4 cluster with the 
IMMO system built in. 

The upside is that I get to use those cool backlit blue gauges, 
the downside is that the cluster is huge and there is no reasonable way 
to fit that into a Westmoreland dash. 

As a bit of pre-history, I don't like US built cars. I don't understand 
the 70's and 80's thing of putting the switch for the headlights on a 
pull type switch. One of the first things I did when I bought the truck 
was to remove the pull type switch, and in it's place I put the flip switch 
like in the A1 Jetta and Scirocco II. Worked quite well. 



But then when it came to fitting the A4 cluster into the westmoreland dash, 
there wasn't enough room for the headlight switch. I moved it to a blank section 
below the cluster opening. 










There isn't much left of the dash, most of the plastic in the opening was 
cut away so the cluster would fit. I tried many times to fit the full cluster, 
front plastic and all, but there was no way I could make it work. Too high, 
too low, can't see the gauges, looks aweful. Hmmm.... 

Think outside the box, be the spoon. 

Hmmm... these A4 gauges are in the same layout as the gauges in an Audi TT. 
Probably just a different front plate. What if I made my own front plate? 
Hmmm... 

Pulled the front cover off the gauges, sat with a caliper and my CAD program, 
and drew the layout of the gauges. Printed 1:1 on the big plotter at work, 
and played around. 









I ended up taking my CAD drawings to a custom metal shop, they programmed their 
machine, and punched out some 1/4" plate for me. A great number of hours later, 
I had a workable solution for my instrument cluster. 

The dashplate as delivered: 









Preliminary fitting: 

























The cluster setup is made of 5 layers. The cluster itself, 
two 1/4" clusterplates/spacers, a 1/4" piece of plexi, and finally 
the top dashplate. 

While I had the dash out of the truck, I dyed the vinyl black. 

For the first few weeks of having the truck running, I didn't have the full dashplate 
done, so made a quick one out of plexiglass. Sorry, no pictures. 

I also installed a whack of VDO gauges. What's the point of a fancy engine if you don't 
know what's going on? 

EGT, boost, tranny oil temp, voltage, oil pressure, engine oil temp. 









So, when it all comes togeather, it doesn't look too bad: 


















Summary: cluster, dash and gauges 

Stay tuned... 


-Dave 










Part 1: Introduction 
Part 2: Installing the Engine 
Part 3: Transmission 
Part 4: Wiring 1 
Part 5: Speedometer and Cluster 
Part 6: ImmobilizerIII 
Part 7: Drive By Wire 
Part 8: Intercooler 
Part 9: Intake and Exhaust 
part 10: MFA and Cruise Control 
Part 11: The Dash 
Part 12: The Little Things 
Part 13: The End (for now) 
Part 14: 6spd transmission and brake upgrades 
One Year Later 
Dyno results 
Who Needs a VR6 
TDI Rabbit


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## Trevahhhh (Jun 5, 2002)

that is awesome man .... personally i would have covered it in leather or painted it black to give it a factory look but that is a really god idea .. keep up the good work


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## BlauSlc92 (Nov 9, 2000)

*Re: (Trevahhhh)*

Great Job and awesome write ups! Guys like you keep the old bunnys going http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## VEExDUB (Dec 20, 2001)

*Re: (BlauSlc92)*

good stuff man. food for though for sure.
i love where you mount yer Vag-com.


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## blinkinbanana (Jul 14, 2000)

Just curious if you ran lights in that sucka and if you put in some sort of plastic to cover the gauges. Looks awesome though. Good job on the cut out.


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## MrDave (Jul 26, 2002)

*Re: (blinkinbanana)*


_Quote, originally posted by *blinkinbanana* »_Just curious if you ran lights in that sucka and if you put in some sort of plastic to cover the gauges. Looks awesome though. Good job on the cut out.

There's 1/4" plexiglass covering the gauges.
The gauges are backlit in blue, like the A4 cars.
-Dave


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## gtifly (Jun 3, 2002)

*Re: (MrDave)*

Excellent write up......I was wondering how visible the speedo and tach are, since their a bit farther apart than on other clusters. What diameter is your steering wheel too?


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## MrDave (Jul 26, 2002)

*Re: (gtifly)*


_Quote, originally posted by *gtifly* »_I was wondering how visible the speedo and tach are, since their a bit farther apart than on other clusters. What diameter is your steering wheel too? 

The steering wheel is the stock diameter, but the grip is huge.
Oddly enough, it came from a Hyundai...
As for the gauges, from where I sit, the steering wheel blocks
the upper outer limits. So typically: 15-2500 rpm.
This shot is with the camera at chest level:








-Dave


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## Peter Tong (Jun 17, 1999)

*Re: (MrDave)*

Very nice! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Mike1 (Feb 22, 1999)

*Re: (Peter Tong)*

Loos great to me! Good work!! I personally love the aluminum!


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## G60ING (Jun 27, 2000)

*Re: (Mike)*

Does your fuel gauge read correctly? If so what sending unit are you using? Did you have to use any resistors?


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## RedDevil (Sep 21, 2001)

*Re: (MrDave)*

Very original, and nicely done.


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## slobuny (Sep 20, 2007)

way to **** all this **** up vwvortex rubes. cant even use the archives anymore. :thumbdown:


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