Of all the features the new...
Of all the features the new Challenger offers, easy to read engine gauges isn’t one of them. This month we’ll show you a couple of instrument options from Razor’s Edge Motorsports for your new Mopar, whether you want to monitor critical functions or simply need a place to mount a boost gauge.
There’s no denying that the new Dodge Challenger is a marvel of electronic technology when compared to a Mopar of the classic vintage, offering wizardry such as satellite radio and navigation, remote engine starting, and digital tire pressure readout, but one area where it is lacking is engine instrumentation. Sure the car monitors all of that for you, giving you a warning chime and light on the dash if a parameter exceeds a limit, and shows coolant temperature through an electronic gauge, but the car just doesn’t show the driver real-time engine oil pressure information unless you scroll through a screen on the dash, a practice we deem unsafe during aggressive driving.
So if you’re old school like us and prefer to have mechanical instruments to monitor oil pressure and coolant temperature, or simply need to add additional instruments to monitor functions such as boost or fuel pressure, you have to add these gauges yourself. And while adding instruments may not seem like much of a dilemma, deciding where to mount them can be. Knowing the owners of these new Mopar muscle cars would be hesitant to screw an aftermarket instrument panel to the dash of a car they’re likely still making payments on, Razors Edge Motorsports has designed two instrument pods that fit right in your new Challenger, looking like they came from the factory.
1 Razors Edge Motorsports...
1 Razors Edge Motorsports offers two factory appearing options for mounting instruments in your late-model Mopar, including a sunglass-holder replacement panel...
Having previously added a ProCharger intercooled supercharger system to our ’09 Challenger project car, we wanted to be able to monitor boost and fuel pressure with aftermarket gauges. At the time we did the installation, nobody offered an A-pillar pod, or any other type, so we simply zip-tied the instruments under the dash and waited. Fortunately, our wait paid off as Razors Edge not only offers an A- pillar gauge pod, but also a two-gauge pod that replaces the sunglass holder in the Challenger’s overhead console. We only needed to mount two gauges, so we chose the A-pillar pod for our car and had it installed with the instruments ProCharger provided in just a few minutes. The overhead pod is also easy to install, but requires a little more disassembly to route the wiring or appropriate sending unit hardware.
Razors Edge covers either pod to match the interior of your car, and once installed it’s difficult to tell whether the instrument pod came from the factory or the aftermarket. We found the A-pillar pod places our gauges within easy eyesight, making them easy to read even while aggressively cornering or accelerating. Best of all, we can monitor critical engine functions, and either part is easy to install in an afternoon.
... an A-pillar gauge pod...
... an A-pillar gauge pod.
2 We already had instruments...
2 We already had instruments from the ProCharger supercharger kit we installed in an earlier issue, but at the time nobody made a suitable mounting pod. Now that Razors Edge solved that issue, we’ll mount our gauges in their A-pillar pod.
3 The factory A-pillar cover...
3 The factory A-pillar cover is held in place by clips, and simply snaps off. The Razors Edge replacement is a direct replacement, snapping into the factory provisions.
4 The Razors Edge instrument...
4 The Razors Edge instrument pods accommodate standard 2-1⁄16-inch gauges, which simply slide in from the front. We installed our wiring and plumbing, then wired the instrument lights prior to installing the new A-pillar pod. The sunglass-holder pod is slightly more complex to install, but nothing the average mechanic couldn’t do in an afternoon with basic hand tools.
5 With the instruments installed...
5 With the instruments installed and indexed and the wiring and plumbing routed, the A-pillar pod simply snaps in place of the stock piece, giving a factory appearance. This is a nice alternative to mounting instruments under the dash where they are difficult to read and in the way of your knees while driving.
6 From the driving position,...
6 From the driving position, the Razors Edge pod puts the instruments where they are easy to view, even while driving aggressively. This is a nice touch, adding instrumentation and looking like a factory installation, while only taking a couple of hours to install (with gauges).