Help with '68 Coronet 'semi custom' standard dash ideas

[rmchrgr]

I am in the process of buttoning up my interior after a complete re-wire and switch to Holley Sniper EFI. During that process, I added Holley digital EFI gauges in place of the stock parts. The Holley gauges run off the Sniper ECU which renders the orignal mechanical gauges kind of useless. So it it is what it is now, no going back. That said, I am sort of stuck on how to finish.

So here's what I am trying to resolve. I need to have an instrument panel lens with the speedometer numbers on it because on the standard dash lens, they are part of the lens and not printed on the face of the speedo. Unfortunately, the '68-70 standard-dash lens has all the gauge lettering engraved into the back of the lens which naturally obscures the new gauges I installed behind it. There's no way of removing the lettering without destroying the lens. I tried and wound up destroying it. If there's anyone out there who thinks you can cut 2" circles out of a 52-year old instrument panel lens with a hole bit in a drill press, I'm here to tell you you can't.

I considered leaving the lens off entirely but doing so leaves a large gap between the gauges and the lower dash pad which I'm not happy with. The next consideration was to get a piece of Lexan or acrylic plastic, cut it to fit and just kind of fasten it down over the gauges but then I still don't have the speedo numbers. I even went so far as to call a gauge restoration place in Canada that makes the speedo lines for the gauge face but they said they do not the numbers. Grrrrr...

I have thought about removing the stock sweep speedometer and replacing it with an Autometer type speedo but the opening is really too short to fit anything other than the original rectangular piece. AM makes a 3 1/8" diameter speedo but that's the smallest one I could find, everything else is 3 3/8" or larger. Basically this means no off-the-shelf aftermarket gauges will fit without fabricating some sort of panel that sticks out over the lower dash pad to accommodate the height.

Earlier this year I actually started to make a flat panel but stopped short of completion because it was proving to be kind of difficult and time consuming. Plus, cutting the rectangular opening defeated the purpose of adding an aftermarket round gauge. Perhaps I could put another panel in front and hide any fasteners behind the trim but I'm not sure I want to get involved with something like that again.

PG Classic out of Canada carries new standard dash lenses. I called them at one point and asked how the letters were printed onto the back of the lens. The guy on the phone said they were not engraved but merely screened on. If that's the case, that would work great because theoretically one could scrape off the lettering leaving the speedo numbers in place. I have no way to know for sure if the guy on the phone understood what I was talkinbg about so if I buy one and it's engraved like the original, I own it. Can anyone verify whether the gauge lettering is engraved or not?

I even called Dakota Digital to see if they would sell me one of the bezels they use for their instrument panels (which I really don't like at all) but it wouldn't work because it's an LCD screen.

I've looked until I am blue in the face - no company out there makes any sort of custom panel for the standard dashes or I would have bought it. Right now I am thinking that I will just buy the lens and if I can remove the original gauge lettering then I win but if not, I will just have to live with it and move on.

So based on all that, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions to finish this up to have it look OK and function like it's supposed to?

Thanks for any input!

- Greg

 

[gkent]

Why do you need numbers at all ??? Most of the time I drive at a comfortable speed OR I move with the flow. I rarely have to actually look at my speed. The fact that we're metric is neither here nor there. About the only time I look at the speedo is to set the cruise, which is always over the actual speed limit anyway but I don't want it in "ticket range" and I really don't need numbers on the speedo to figure that out.

 

[rmchrgr]

I tend to agree that the speedo numbers aren't 100% necessary and like you I can regulate my driving speed without them, it's more about the dash feeling complete. Guess it just seems like there "should" be some kind of lens there.

There are cars with similar layouts that have the numbers on the actual gauge, thought about trying to get one that's close enough and make it fit but that's probably too much effort. Besides, even if I went through the trouble to do that, I'd still have no lens.

 

[RGAZ]

I have not seen one that was not engraved. If I was a betting man, its probably engraved.

So I am clear, you want a fully clear plastic cover but keep the numbers for the speedo.

If I am off base say so.

Take the stock plastic cover and buy a headlight restoration kit. (stay with me) the kind used to return headlights from yellow to clear that includes a bunch of sandpaper. You might want to buy two kits. Follow the instructions and remove the lettering and the engraving. Take your time and follow the directions. It will take a long time but will eventually work. Do a final polish with Autosol.

I have only done this once on a non-mopar and I had to get more of the rougher sandpaper than the kit had and it took forever, but in the end you could not see the lettering.

RGAZ

 

[gkent]

Just trim the lens off with a hot knife - the kind that goes on or in a soldering iron. File all the edges smooth. You could also dtim it off with a dremel. Then us a piece of 1/16 acrylic for your lense. You can put the slight curve in it with a heat gun. Use Letraset to apply your numbers