Ever since I saw the Lexus LFA and the Tesla model S, I always wondered what it would be like to have a completely electronic LCD instead of the gauge cluster.

Only thing on the market that I can see is the Haltech and that is $1600!

Has anyone already done this to their Z?

I was thinking of getting rid of the cluster, fabbing my own dash "hood" and using an ipad mini to display my info. Palm performance has software for the ipad.

Is it worth it? And if anyone has already done it I would love to hear how it turned out, trying not to reinvent the wheel here.

 

Link to more info on the Palm software?

 

http://www.palmerperformance.com

 

Could be amazing, but could also be terrible. I'd be worried about how bright the display would be at night and whether or not the gauges reacted without any lag.

But getting the app and playing with it a while before fabbing up your dash could answer that.

To answer your first question, I have never seen a custom LCD dash done in a Z.

 

You can't be serious OP, this will be retardedly expensive!

 

LCD dash won't help the car look or sound any more exotic...

use money elsewhere

cool idea

 

I agree with waizzz, not only have you got to remove the old dash and fabricate something that looks at least as good as the original but preferably better or else what is the point? Then unless you're brilliant with car electrics you've gotta pretty much wire up yourself a new loom. Great if you're gutting a car for the track but not so easy when you've got to consider all of the ancilliaries that a road going car will require by law. I'd love to be proved wrong but i reckon its a case of biting off more than you can chew.

 

Yea as I do more research I learn more and see that it will be very difficult. However, I still would like to tackle this project. For me it will be a boost knowing that my interior will have something totally unique. I think the best way to start this is to get everything working independent of the car so that if it does not then I wont have to change the dash again.

With a custom hood as the dash and an lcd display, I can place any other gauges I will need later on like maybe boost gauge

 

Wouldnt be that hard at all - software in your link + OBDII to 30 pin cable + iPad or mini, molded into the dash.
Hell you could just use an iPod touch and a pico projector and rock a heads up display.

Doesnt have to be pricey either.

Nothing is impossible.

 

Well heres the update guys. My dad donated his blackberry playbook to see if I could actually get this idea to reality. I dont think as of now that app works for blackberry RIM... I emailed the guys to see if they will be releasing it or not. We will see.

 

Good luck... you're gonna need it.

It's a very difficult undertaking that will require a lot of time, dedication, and compatibility.

 

You could always get a mid-80's 300ZX. They had an electronic dash option and there are still lots of them around.