If you hate “pasting” garbage all over your BMW 2002’s cosmetically clean dash, and have decided that you need at least one more gauge, such as oil pressure, ammeter, etc., consider that nice clock housing.

The VDO “Set.Cockpit” style gauges will fit these holes nicely, if you care to take the time to do the job right.

You’ll require someone whose arm is small enough to reach behind the panel to the clock mount through a small access hole in the left side of the glove box.

Unscrew the clock mounting plastic nuts, which are the same type that holds your instrument cluster and grill on.

After you remove the clock, carefully pry off the face plate and remove the clock mechanism from the housing.

Holes will have to be cut in the housing for the gauge sensor wires and to bolt the gauge into the housing. You may also have to use some sort of packing to center the gauge in the housing.

Once the instrument is mounted, carefully reinstall the face plate. The entire assembly can now be mounted back in the dash.

The job is more tedious than it sounds, but the results are very professional looking. VDO “Set Cockpit” gauges use the same pointers and lettering as standard BMW gauges and look right at home on your panel.

A good place to mount a CB is on the passenger side of your center console. If you use a quick mount, you can mount the radio case directly to it so that the radio will be flush with the console and not in competition with your passenger’s knees. Mount the unit low enough so that it does not interfere with the glove box and angle the face of the radio up so you can see it.

Also, if you hate the sound of those built-in CB speakers, pick up an AFS KRICKET Mobile CB Speaker. The case is black Naugahyde and matches the dash. It’s just the right size to snap-fit the tray of the dash in later model 2002.

Drill a small hole for the speaker wire through the tray, or route it through the hole for the clock housing. This installation both looks and sounds good.

If you can’t do without a clock, think how nice an electronic digital car clock would look in place of your seat belt light.

Author: Randy Kelly