New gauges almost ready for install...

[BuiltPoly318]

New gauges almost ready for install...- installed! new pics

The latest project I've been working on for the past few days...


My original speedometer was not working (just worn out) and the underdash gauges wasn't cutting it for me.

I hope to have all this done by tomorrow so I can go to the Spring Fling in Van Nuys this weekend!


Oh yeah, I wanted to add: The company that makes these guages - LOUSY customer service, CHEAP plastic parts that break, POOR design on the bulb holders. There's a plastic cap on the back of the tach to access the bulb: broke trying to remove it. The plastic bulb holders for the gauges? Two of them broke just trying to install them, mostly because they're too close to the nut on the back that holds the electrical tab. I had to buy two more so I would have them by this weekend because they didn't feel that my needs (after spending money on their products) warranted a rush on the delivery of replacement bulbs.

I guess this is why these gauges are sold at Pep Boys, too!

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I really like it!!!!!!!!!Came out fantastic!:icon_syda:

 

[Satellite65]

The gauges themselves may be cheap but it's certainly no reflection on your work. That looks amazing - I never thought about doing that with my '65 Ply dash, and I have THREE instrument clusters to play with!!! Got a pic of the back?

 

[BuiltPoly318]

Thanks guys! Some people might cringe when they see what I did to make this work... but this is what I wanted and what had to be done...


I wanted to keep the bezel, but it had to be mounted to the housing. otherwise it wouldn't bolt to the dash panel. But the housing wasn't deep enough for the gauges, so I cut off the back section leaving just the circuit boards and factory gauges.

Then I had to cut away the original gauge face and made a template out of cardboard for the A-M gauges. I used 3/16" ABS and slowly trimmed it down with a Dremel until I got the fit I wanted. The wiring could be a little neater, but I'm not quite done with it yet so I'm trying to clean it up a bit. I didn't want to run one wire to all gauges for Ign Hot & one for Ground, so I basically doubled up the gauges and am utilizing the factory wiring harness for the Fuel, Oil and Temp Senders and a Painless Wiring Fuse Circuit for the power. By the way, the Fuel gauge is a 73 Ohm-10 Ohm guage, so it should work with the factory sender.

 

[Stumper]

Great job, it looks fantastic. I need to do something like that for my 62' one of these days.

 

[ChgrSteve67]

Looks great!

Will look even better in the car.
I would like to make it to spring fling. Maybe next year.

Let us know how it goes and how the new gauges work.

-Steve

 

[BuiltPoly318]

Close up of the wiring in back...

 

[Polara Pat]

That looks tight despite the apparent crappy quality of the guages. If you hadn't mentioned it we wouldn't be the wiser. I just finished doing my dash retro-fit as well but I'm not here to steal your thunder. Plus, your's looks better.

 

[BuiltPoly318]

That looks tight despite the apparent crappy quality of the guages. If you hadn't mentioned it we wouldn't be the wiser. I just finished doing my dash retro-fit as well but I'm not here to steal your thunder. Plus, your's looks better.

Thanks! yeah, it's a very tight fit. I laid it into the dash and of course there's plenty of room there, just the original housing is tight.

Whodathought Auto Meter would skimp on the details like they did? Plus, the retainer for the Speedometer was so tall that I had to cut the legs off because the 3/16 ABS wouldn't allow the nuts to fit. What did they think I was mounting it to... newspaper?? I almost bought VDO, and when I suggested that to the cust service supervisor I talked to he said, "very well then" and that was it. What a jerk.

By the way - I don't mind if you post a pic of your gauges... I like seeing what others have done... gives me ideas, as much as I hope I've given ideas to others as well.

 

[BuiltPoly318]

Looks great!

Will look even better in the car.
I would like to make it to spring fling. Maybe next year.

Let us know how it goes and how the new gauges work.

-Steve

Thanks! For the past few years I had to be a spectator at the Spring/Fall Flings, so earlier this year I set a goal to get the car to the Spring Fling. I try to go every year but don't always make it. One of these years I'll do the cruise night, too. Some day...

 

[SandDiesel]

Outstanding! I'll have a restored cluster coming soon but wanted to take another one I have and do something similar. Probably PM ya when I get down to wiring it. That came out very well. I'd like to make it up to Van Nuys too.

 

[BuiltPoly318]

Thanks! I typically enjoy wiring on my cars. I've done alarms, lighting, stereos, etc., for decades and always like to build my own circuits. For this task, I got a Painless wiring kit to add ignition-hot circuits.

If I could find a bulk plug that can handle 14 gauge wire I'd like to use that, but I can only find it for smaller gauge so each connection will be single wire.

 

[dartforforty]

very nice work

 

[Polara Pat]

Cool, it's an older post on my blog which is linked to at the bottom of this page. I ended up slicing off the whole back section of the pod cluster and making a plate that I hole sawed out for the guages. I hear you with the tight fit of the factory housing. I ended up having to die grind out notches in the steel dash surround where my backing plate tabs attached to the main pod housing for clearance. I'm happy with the final fit though.

 

[BuiltPoly318]

Oh.. I see what you had to do. It's tougher with yours since your faceplate started with four large round holes. Mine allowed for a little more customization without utilizing the existing gauge openings.

At first glance I couldn't tell that you replaced the guages... when I looked at the older posts then I saw it. Turned out nice!

 

[SirSixPack]

Nice work!

 

[BuiltPoly318]

Success! Interestingly... and I'll find out when I'm on Empty... but the factory gauge would only read 3/4 full when I filled up. I filled up this afternoon and the new fuel gauge went to Full. The speedometer is off by about 3 mph at 30 (reads 33) but everything else seems to be working fine.

Driver's point of view:

I'm ready for my trip this weekend!

 

[RUMBLON]

Success! Interestingly... and I'll find out when I'm on Empty... but the factory gauge would only read 3/4 full when I filled up. I filled up this afternoon and the new fuel gauge went to Full. The speedometer is off by about 3 mph at 30 (reads 33) but everything else seems to be working fine.

Driver's point of view:

I'm ready for my trip this weekend!

Hey great thread. I have the same set of gauges that I am throwing into my 70 Cuda vert as I HATE the ralley gauges. I actually like the ease of the lights in the read and the color change option but thats just me.

I love your work and now that I have a 63 Polara vert thats getting a 500 stroker, I plan on using some after market gauges and doing the same. However, with the type of dash thats in the 63 I will have some serious room and will need to sit down and figure out how and what to build.

GREAT JOB!

RUMBLON

 

[RH62]

can the speedometer be calibrated to correct it?

 

[black64]

I like the look, nice job.