very true
heck i'll try to describe the plan the way it sets now (since you posted an i value your opinion)
i'm going to be re-bracketing my rear bucket seat conversion. It will be built such that underneath the seat is actually a welded steel box that is bolted to the floor. the seat will actually be bolted or welded onto the top lid of one of the rear seats (probably passenger side). This top lid will be hinged and will lock down with a hood latch type mechanism that can only be released from a secret point elsewhere in the car. that way no unauthorized person would ever know there was a compartment there. I will place my polished 5 lb bottle in there (sadly there really isn't room for a 10 lb anywhere in my truck with the stereo the way it is now) along with the 2 5/8 size nos nitrous pressure gauge, and possibly a fuel pressure gauge (i'm not sure just which gauges are most important, or if i need a fuel pressure gauge- since if it goes won't i already be screwed? even if i can see the reason). i will also have remote bottle opener, bottle heater etc. inside the box.
i will then run one of the small eigervision pedastal mount cameras inside that box with back lighting such that it will pick up the gauges and as much of the polished bottle as possible. I've played with the cameras enough to know that this will definitely work.
what this will mean in my truck is that i will be able to flip a single switch to arm the system, switch my flip-chip to nitrous mode, and turn the lights on inside the "nitrous box" under the seat. the cameras image can then be displayed on any one of my screens through the use of my video switcher. so my gauges will essentially be my 11" lcd in dash.
this will allow me to use the cheaper non-electrical gauge, keep the system extremely hidden unless i want to show it off (and i will) etc. etc.
also, talk about ultimately owning someone when i 1. beat them in a 5500 lb truck 2. that truck has 5 screens and a 150 db stereo 3. the rear 23" lcd screen shows an image of a nitrous bottle, my gauges, and the word OWNED scrawled behind them on the wall of the box... or maybe an image of a nitrous bottle in the jungle with a rubber cobra snake... lol- i'm just kidding. but still just imagine the confusion that kind of set-up will cause people, and the impression it will make.