Creating a Custom Pillar Pod

I have been hit up many times by forum users wondering how I created the boost gauge pod on my pillar. I have had to turn down several requests to make them for others. Recently there was a need to create another pod so I took this opportunity to document the process for those who want to do it.

I will list the items I used, your welcome to alter the list any way you want.

Materials:
Tomtom GPS window mount
Resin and Hardener
Bondo
Sand paper
T-shirt or grill cloth
Color matched paint
Primer (don’t use Krylon)
Misc part found around the home
Time

Here is a before picture:





To start, I used a TomTom window mount because it’s a good size for the gauge and round. Plus it actually can mount to the pillar.




Next take the ring off the mount



The ring is then mounted with its own screws to the pillar. Notice in the picture I ground around the mount point so I could move the plastic to get the ring in just the right place. I used a heat gun to do this



Then I ground away the paint and roughed up the surface for the resin to stick. But, continuing with the shape, I used a Krylon paint cap that is tapered and cut the bottom of it off so it sat on the pillar. This will be the final shape of the pod. Its held on with hot glue.





Next, stretch grill cloth or a cotton t shirt over the ring and cap until you get your shape. I used a zip tie and some wire to hold it in place.



Then apply a coat of resin



In my case I had some fiberglass matt and was able to continue on at this point applying another coat of fiberglass for strength. You can again use another coat of grill cloth for this. . The next picture is after it has dried and a rough sanding



After the sanding, begin to add bondo to smooth out the surface and work your final shape.







Now add primer to get all those imperfections out.



More sanding



After sanding the entire pillar it was ready for priming



Here comes a very delicate time consuming process. Getting the texture back on the pod. Doing this takes some tricky feathering of the paint can. You want to paint your pod with the spray can spitting. You barely hold it down so it spits out paint in blobs not a mist. Here are a couple pictures of the process. Do this over and over and over and over to get your texture. Let it dry between spittings.






When your done, let it dry then paint your final color, install and enjoy….







If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Boxpin (John)

 

While I have no intentions to do this to my car, props for doing and providing a how-to guide... nicely done and the final result looks pro!

 

So impressed, i'm looking for a place to mount a boost gauge for my S40, but i have a cloth A-Pil so doing this wouldn't really work. But it looks great!

 

I just bought a used XC and I'm disappointed at the lack of information available on the dash. This was my thought but I wondered if they were available.

What an excellent example of innovation and talent!

 

Really nice job and greatly explained, too!

keep aup the good work

 

Important question, did you deactivate your side airbags before that?

 

Sem makes a spray texture available at most good upholstery shops

 

Dude... that's cool!