New gauges installed.

[colonel mustard]

I’m not really sure on where to put this thread...so sorry. Maybe it should have been in electrical??

Moving on. After much debate on ripping out my good and intact dash for a DIY4X dash, y’all have convinced me not too. And I’m pretty glad with my decision.

I used jegs gauges. It was Important to me to do something a little different and to try and keep the gauges recessed into the bezel. I think it turned out well.

this is what I was starting with. FYI...these were not a direct fit. I had to make spacers for the 2 bigger ones. I had some UHMW at work that was 1/2" thick. I used 2 different sized hole saws to make my spacers. they pressed in perfectly with a little sanding around the rough edges of the homemade spacers

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heres what I was talking about. I wanted the gauges to fit inside the bezel and point at the driver

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I peeled off the shiny stuff on the bezel. looking good at this point I think

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im not a master electrician by any means. but heat shrink tubing and a some time can make anyone look decent

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you will have to hack up this plastic bracket to make room for the new gauges. and yes you HAVE to use the bracket. it what is going to hole the bezel and gauge cluster in place. a Dremel will make short, clean work of this

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all installed

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for the firt time since I owned this truck..i know my temp, how much gas I have, how fast im going, voltage and oil.....its a strange and welcoming feeling

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the back lighting on these is amazing.

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last step: drive the old truck and turn heads.

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[QBuff02]

Turned out very nice!

 

[MikeB]

Nice job, man! Thought about doing something similar with my 82 when I re-wired it earlier this year, but didn't want to spend the $$$. What I did do was use #168LL bulbs instead of #194, and added some aluminum tape inside the blue plastic housing which makes the instrument panel lighting much better. Also have some Autometer gauges at bottom of dash under the ash tray.

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[82sbshortbed]

Nice job!

 

[colonel mustard]

Turned out very nice!

Thank you

Nice job, man! Thought about doing something similar with my 82 when I re-wired it earlier this year, but didn't want to spend the $$$. What I did do was use #168LL bulbs instead of #194, and added some aluminum tape inside the blue plastic housing which makes the instrument panel lighting much better. Also have some Autometer gauges at bottom of dash under the ash tray.

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I had done the LED bulb and painted the bracket white...it does look good. in my case NONE of my gauges worked. I tried getting them to with little to no success. your tach and gas gauge are sweet btw. I haven't seen that configuration yet.

Nice job!

thank you

 

[MikeB]

Your tach and gas gauge are sweet btw. I haven't seen that configuration yet.

Bought the tach from GMSport.com a few years ago, but they no longer sell it. Their supplier was a one-man shop, and I dealt directly with him when I had a major problem with the fit. (However, I have to say that GMSport did offer to give me a refund.) Their supplier sent me another one but it had issues, too. I ended up using components from both to get one installed and working, but the needle sometimes won't drop all the way down when RPMs are below 1,000. And the circuit board and wiring on the back is very fragile. Hard to believe it still works! Gas gauge reads low at empty and full, but I'm used to it.

 

[dvdswan]

last step: drive the old truck and turn heads.

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I have to say I'm a little disappointed. How do you take a job well done and drive it to show it off at only 20 MPH.

Nice work done for sure.

 

[Memaloose]

I'm impressed! It looks very nice. I've done a few over the years and I found it tedious to do a good job like that. The end result makes it worth it though.
I'm doing gauges in a '72 Olds 98 coupe right now. I'm used to looking at gauges and don't like driving anything without them

 

[Jrgunn5150]

That looks great! Good job!

 

[MikeB]

I'm used to looking at gauges and don't like driving anything without them

Build 'em right and you don't need no stinkin' gauges.

That said, I do have gauges under the dash, but rarely look at them. Kinda wish I had my oil pressure and coolant temp idiot lights hooked up to senders, because they get your attention right away.

 

[Craig 85]

Great looking set up.

@MikeB you have the correct/easy dash to add gauges to. I had an '80 3+3 with idiot lights. With a little modification the the idiot light openings in the cluster backing and the back of the bezel, I added Auto Meter 2 1/16" gauges to the light pods in the cluster backing. It looked very similar to the VDO's shown below.

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[colonel mustard]

I have to say I'm a little disappointed. How do you take a job well done and drive it to show it off at only 20 MPH.

Nice work done for sure.

lmao....its hard to shift and take a pic on a cell phone...It felt like 20 was fast lol. and thanks

I'm impressed! It looks very nice. I've done a few over the years and I found it tedious to do a good job like that. The end result makes it worth it though.
I'm doing gauges in a '72 Olds 98 coupe right now. I'm used to looking at gauges and don't like driving anything without them

tedious indeed. and your right. it was absolutely worth it.

That looks great! Good job!

thank you

Build 'em right and you don't need no stinkin' gauges.

That said, I do have gauges under the dash, but rarely look at them. Kinda wish I had my oil pressure and coolant temp idiot lights hooked up to senders, because they get your attention right away.

that's the problem....I cant build them right lol.

 

[eskimomann209]

I’m not really sure on where to put this thread...so sorry. Maybe it should have been in electrical??

Moving on. After much debate on ripping out my good and intact dash for a DIY4X dash, y’all have convinced me not too. And I’m pretty glad with my decision.

I used jegs gauges. It was Important to me to do something a little different and to try and keep the gauges recessed into the bezel. I think it turned out well.

this is what I was starting with. FYI...these were not a direct fit. I had to make spacers for the 2 bigger ones. I had some UHMW at work that was 1/2" thick. I used 2 different sized hole saws to make my spacers. they pressed in perfectly with a little sanding around the rough edges of the homemade spacers

You must be registered for see images attach

heres what I was talking about. I wanted the gauges to fit inside the bezel and point at the driver

You must be registered for see images attach

I peeled off the shiny stuff on the bezel. looking good at this point I think

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

im not a master electrician by any means. but heat shrink tubing and a some time can make anyone look decent

You must be registered for see images attach

you will have to hack up this plastic bracket to make room for the new gauges. and yes you HAVE to use the bracket. it what is going to hole the bezel and gauge cluster in place. a Dremel will make short, clean work of this

You must be registered for see images attach

all installed

You must be registered for see images attach

for the firt time since I owned this truck..i know my temp, how much gas I have, how fast im going, voltage and oil.....its a strange and welcoming feeling

You must be registered for see images attach

the back lighting on these is amazing.

You must be registered for see images attach

last step: drive the old truck and turn heads.

You must be registered for see images attach

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well!!!
What sizes were the gauges and
What were the two hole saws used

 

[KilgoreTrout]

I have to say I'm a little disappointed. How do you take a job well done and drive it to show it off at only 20 MPH.

Nice work done for sure.

No, man. You gotta drive slow so people have time to admire it.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Looks great, btw!