Custom 7 Gauge Panel for 68 RR cluster

[Meep-Meep]

That's a nice looking and clever way around a factory gauge cluster restoration. A lot cheaper too! And it has a certain European flare to it. I used to have a 72 Porsche 911 and one thing I can say about the dash is it was strictly business. When you sat in the drivers seat the first thing you see front and center is the huge tach.

Here is an example http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/3413865278_044b6d0280.jpg

 

[Meep-Meep]

Oh, and it just occurred to me that if you wanted to give the panel some texture you can get some black vinyl with a similar grain to the dash pad and glue it on.

Or maybe pimp it out with leopard skin imp_daddy: Damn, I'm just full of good ideas tonight! Or just full of it!

 

[Budnicks]

Thanks

Oh, and it just occurred to me that if you wanted to give the panel some texture you can get some black vinyl with a similar grain to the dash pad and glue it on.

Or maybe pimp it out with leopard skin imp_daddy: Damn, I'm just full of good ideas tonight! Or just full of it!

It has a textured paint, it looks pretty good, I didn't want just plain gloss black, the vinyl idea sound cool...

 

[Budnicks]

Cool look

That's a nice looking and clever way around a factory gauge cluster restoration. A lot cheaper too! And it has a certain European flare to it. I used to have a 72 Porsche 911 and one thing I can say about the dash is it was strictly business. When you sat in the drivers seat the first thing you see front and center is the huge tach.

Here is an example http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/3413865278_044b6d0280.jpg

Thanks, I wish I could have done all large gauges like your link but no room to small of a space & I don't really want to cut the dash at all if I can help it, just in case I ever sell the car to a purist & they want to restore it back to stock... But I hope I never have to sell it... Funny story, I got rid of my last 68 HT (lots of hours & custom fabrication) a couple of summers ago for $28K, to a friend, to keep on top of my business funds, property taxes & bills... I don't want to do that again any time soon... I think it was kind of like loosing a member of the family (not really), but when it was driving away, my old dog Buddy even chased it for a couple of blocks down the street, it was kind of sad, it was his car to go for test rides in, I was just the driver, he would sit in the garage were the car use to be & just kind of mope around, until I finally took him for a ride in my current 68 HT, now he's fine again...

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

That is awesome

 

[Budnicks]

Thanks

That is awesome

Thank you, I still need to install at a latter date, hope all the planing & measurements are correct...

 

[moparnick51]

moparnick51:

I'm not a very good photographer , Pattern & gauge panel for a 68-69 RR, GTX, Belevedere, Satellite etc. Self made with Autometer Traditional Chrome Analog gauges w/ black back grounds white numbers & red sweeps... Custom 7 gauge instrument panel for a 68 RR, 1) 3-3/8" 160mph mech. speedo, 1) 3-3/8" 8000rpm tach, 5) 2-1/16" gauges in angled pods to aim towards the driver, 1) Voltmeter, 1) Fuel Gauge, 1) Water Temp, 1) Oil pressure, 1) Clock & 5) 5/16" LED lights w/chrome bezels, , 2) green for rt./lft blinkers, 1) Blue for High Beam Lights in the center, 1) Red for E-brake warning light on the left 1) yellow for low oil pressue light on far rt. ... Just wanted to share... Any thoughts..

is it possible to purchase this 7 gauge cluster ready to install with wiring diagram

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is it possible to purchase this 7 gauge cluster ready to install with wiring diagram and any other directions needed?

 

[Budnicks]

it's kind of pricey

is it possible to purchase this 7 gauge cluster ready to install with wiring diagram

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is it possible to purchase this 7 gauge cluster ready to install with wiring diagram and any other directions needed?

I have about $700, in material, wire terminal connectors, shrink tubing, 7 Autometer Classic Style Chrome bezel-ed gauges 5 @ 2-1/16" & 2 @ 3-3/8", a piece of 0.95" 6061 rough 5" wide x 24" long cut/bent & hole sawed to fit the space & gauges, {aluminum plate & bent 1/2" 90* lip for mounting on the top, bottom will be just under lower dash pad}, also the 5-pcs. 2-1/16' angled gauge pods & all appropriate sending units, 4 different colored 5/16" Chrome bezel-ed led lights {for high beams, oil warning, e-brake warning & turn indicators}, probably another 10-20 hrs of just wiring & fiddle farting' around & making the wire harness & painting... IMHFO it's probably way too costly, for me to make them & produce a final assembled product, for a reasonable price, most people don't/won't want to pay what it's actually worth, there's way too many price shopping cheapskates, in the MoPar crowd...LOL.... I still need to install it too... I hope to have it installed this spring or summer, make sure everything fits, with no cutting of the original dash {just in-case, I want to switch back to original equipment gauge cluster} & unfortunately I'm in no real hurry, kind of procrastinating, I need to do other stuff first, higher priority & I've been busy doing stuff on the house instead... I need an Intern... yeah like that will ever happen !!

 

[tallhair]

It has a textured paint, it looks pretty good, I didn't want just plain gloss black, the vinyl idea sound cool...

guage cluster looks really cool budnicks!

what brand / part # etc textured paint is it and does it look like the original finish for metal dashes? i've seem some "selling last of" whatever paint was used on Mopar dashes lately and wonder if i should get it or if there is readily available close sub to use.

 

[benno440]

looks really good bud.
i did similiar but used stock dash insert.
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...quot-magnumforce-k-member-4-link-rear-etc-etc

 

[Budnicks]

guage cluster looks really cool budnicks!

what brand / part # etc textured paint is it and does it look like the original finish for metal dashes? i've seem some "selling last of" whatever paint was used on Mopar dashes lately and wonder if i should get it or if there is readily available close sub to use.

Thanks... No it doesn't look exactly like the original dash paint it's a little more textured, I wanted a contrast... I used good old Krylon or VHT {I can't remember which one now} semi gloss black, crinkle finsh paint {like they use on valve covers}, with an epoxy primer under it... left it in the summer sun to bake...

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looks really good bud.
i did similiar but used stock dash insert.
http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopar...quot-magnumforce-k-member-4-link-rear-etc-etc

:iamwithstupid: benno440, Thank you & I love your 68 Charger & what you done with it, I like your gauge cluster too, I wish I/we/you could have that type in a 1968-69 RR also, but with-out highly modifying the original dash or just trying to put a complete 1968-69 Charger/Super Bee rally dash or a 70 RR dash & frame in the 1968-69 RR car, I couldn't do it like yours is, but it's very tastefully done...

 

[Jeremiah]

I have seen quite a few very crappy executions when it comes to non-factory gauge panels. You nailed this one, it looks great and firs like it should be there. Nice work!

 

[69rtse4spd]

Looks good, great idea, & to dress up the photo just have a lovely model hold it up.

 

[Budnicks]

Looks good, great idea, & to dress up the photo just have a lovely model hold it up.

yeah... maybe dress up the garage a little, with a lovely model too...LOL..

 

[GTX.JCW]

I am really interested in this idea so I took tape measure in hand and went to the garage to see how everything measured up. I can't make your panel size, at 24", fit my dash without modifying the radio side of the dash.

I measured 20" across the face of the of the instrument cluster from trim piece to trim piece. And the vertical was about 3 1/2. My tape would not go flat against the plexiglass. As I am writing this it occurred to me that the trim pieces are planned to go on top of the new panel. Is this the idea?

It appears from the photo that the bend at the top is toward the driver, to utilize the mounting screws for the trim at the top of the instrument cluster.

Any help in understanding the fit is appreciated..

And,like everyone else has said, Very nice job on this..


Jeff

 

[Budnicks]

I am really interested in this idea so I took tape measure in hand and went to the garage to see how everything measured up. I can't make your panel size, at 24", fit my dash without modifying the radio side of the dash.
I measured 20" across the face of the of the instrument cluster from trim piece to trim piece. And the vertical was about 3 1/2. My tape would not go flat against the plexiglass. As I am writing this it occurred to me that the trim pieces are planned to go on top of the new panel. Is this the idea?
It appears from the photo that the bend at the top is toward the driver, to utilize the mounting screws for the trim at the top of the instrument cluster.
Any help in understanding the fit is appreciated..
And,like everyone else has said, Very nice job on this..
Jeff

Thanks, but "No trim piece on top of the panel, nothing from the original will be used", It was 24" x 6"'s rough size to begin with, before bending drilling & trimming {actual size is 23-3/8" long with the 1" over hang on both ends, 4-1/4" for the area the gauges are in, then 1" beyond that that will be trimmed to fit the actual area I don't remember how much I trimmed of the bottom, the actual area that where the gauges are is less than 21", with about a 1/4" on each end at the outside edges of the gauges bezels 20-1/2", to be able to fit all 7 gauges, if you were to eliminate one of the small gauges it would fit even easier & you could move all the gauges to the right a little} yes 1/2" bend on top is toward the driver & yes it will use the original mounting holes, the lower dash pad will actually cover a very slight lower part of the 3-3/8"s, {the opening not the panel} it tappers down to about a little less than 3" on the far left where the lower dash pad ends, gauges the opening is actually a tapered getting thinner toward the outside left end of the panel, between the upper dash over hang & the lower dash pad, there is a section to cover the area to the far left of the original gauge section, to keep it uniform looking, add a switch section or just leave it blank, I did that mainly to cover a hole drilled in the dash, for some lame toggle switch, by the previous owner, the widest part vertically is just less than 3-1/2" between the upper dash over hang & the lower dash pad, I don't have any way of taking a photo of my drawing, my old digital camera isn't compatible with my new computers software, haven't got a new camera yet & it's hard to put into words all the specifics of what I had to do to get the fit... it's not installed yet either, I haven't got around to that part of the car yet, maybe this spring or summer... the old drawing is below maybe you could blow it up, I have altered the panel slightly from my original drawing too the 3 small gauges to the right were shifted down 1/8" to make it follow the lower dash pad, stay level, instead of the upper dash overhang {the gauges would have looked like they were going on an up hill angle to the right other wise}... probably just totally confused you... such is life...LOL...

 

[GTX.JCW]

Ok..

I think I get what all you did.. Probably best for me to do a drawing for my own application, using yours as a guide.. I tried to enlarge your photo, but it just went to giant pixels. Even tried a photo editor to fiddle it into becoming a bit sharper, but no luck..

On your drawing, is the outer ring of the gauges the trim ring? The speedo & tach appear to touch and the rest have some space. Your choice or design driven?

I will probably delete the clock from my dash, so I can spread them out just a bit.

Thanks again,

Jeff

 

[747mopar]

Sweet, I think you chose the right layout.

 

[Budnicks]

Ok..

I think I get what all you did.. Probably best for me to do a drawing for my own application, using yours as a guide.. I tried to enlarge your photo, but it just went to giant pixels. Even tried a photo editor to fiddle it into becoming a bit sharper, but no luck..

On your drawing, is the outer ring of the gauges the trim ring? The speedo & tach appear to touch and the rest have some space. Your choice or design driven?

I will probably delete the clock from my dash, so I can spread them out just a bit.

Thanks again,

Jeff

The dimensions were to the outside of the pods that are slightly larger than the outside of the chrome bezels on the gauges... Yes the 2 center gauges almost touch {they have a 1/4" between the bezels know, remember the holes are smaller than the bezels/trim rings} the drawing was be for I got the gauges, the dimensions, I was going to use some angled pods, like on the smaller ones I got from Autometer, they didn't have them for the 3-3/8" gauges, so I had made some from 3-1/2" ABS pipe for the 2 speedo & tach {the 2 center pods, would have touched each other}, but didn't end up using them, because of clearance between the upper dash over hang & the lower dash pad, they wouldn't fit with out trimming the lower pad or being highly modified & I wasn't going to do that ... yes eliminating the clock or one of the smaller gauges, will give you even more room, for sure...

 

[GTX.JCW]

Well, I did a drawing mock-up today and it doesn't look too good.

The speedo is 3 3/4 with the bezel and that goes way below the lower dash pad..

This is what it looks like with the cutout just stuck on the panel. The top of the cutout is just below the overhang if the upper pad assembly.

Comments?

Jeff