Anybody done any wild dash/instrument customization?

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64DartGTinAZ

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Getting ready (finally) to start the build on my '64 Dart Wagon.
It's not going to be a restoration, so I'm looking at it as pretty close to a blank sheet (except for the primary gauges - speedo/blinker/oil pressure light and gas/temp/charge gauges...kinda want to keep that look the same).

Sitting in the driver's seat trying to figure out where to put the tach, etc.

Since it's a manual transmission car, I've got the area where the pushbutton tranny controls go that could house a 2 1/2" or 3" gauge. Seems like a radio-delete panel could house a trio of smaller gauges.

Anybody done anything cool/unique/different you want to share?
If so, please put some pics up.

Thanks!
 
www.mimodhp.com is what I'm doing, couple to www.isispower.com

this is the initial design for the 2 lcd displays, but we are reworking them some to more resemble the new Viper layout as much as possible. I designed a bezel that is being machined out of aluminum to overlay the displays. Also have a 10" LCD touchscreen that will handle ALL switching duties (nothing will be on my dash), as well as GPS, back-up camera, HD radio, video, etc, etc... Those screens are still being designed.

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I was thinking on my 65 to get a combo tach speedo for the center where the speedo goes. Going to keep kinda a stock look but with trick gauges. Hopefully soon when I start I'll shoot you some pics
 
look at speed hut. they have a speedo/tach combo and quad combos as well as other single display units. They seem to be reasonably priced. I plan on using the speed/tach and quad units in my 65 cuda, also coupled with ISSIS
 
I'm replacing the radio/ac panel with lexan. It will have a radio, tach, oil pressure and water temp gauges. I'll post some pics later today.
 
I have been looking at doing something close to what you folks are talking about for my '65 Valiant. I thought about a couple of 5" Gauges, one being a quad style, but that seemed to be a bit crowded up on mock-up. I finally settled on using a 3 3/8" Autometer speed-o and 4-2 1/8 gauges simular to a '64 dash but with the extra gauge. This allows all the switches to remain in the stock location. Doc's Custom Gauges (www.docscustom.com) has 4 3/4" Gauges that use a smaller 4 3/8" hole that might work but I think that is only a speed-o/tach. combination.
Bob
 
My 63 Valiant Covert. is gettting a 66 Barracuda dash. Have just about everything needed except a couple swithes. Then the fun begins
 
I was looking into a pair of double gauges for my 65 valiant. A 7000 tach with fuel gauge at bottom and a 120 speedo with a coolant temp gauge at bottom. You can also get them with turn signal, high beam, and oil pressure indicators built in. Haven't dealt with them yet, but heard some good about newvintageusa.com custom built nice looking usa made gauges.
 
Not too wild just differant and I have a Mechanical in dash tach
 

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I've contemplated doing a custom instrument console by mocking something up in 3D cad software (like Solidworks) and having it "printed" out with a 3D rapid proto typing service like this one; http://www.3dprototype.com/index.html

I do this a lot for my business to verify mechanical specs on electronics enclosures before moving on to production. Some of the material they use for rapid protos is actually pretty durable. Check out the nylon for instance. You could sand it and even spray it and it would probably be even tougher than the original plastic dash piece. The really cool thing is that once you have the design in you CAD software you could place your instrument cut-outs wherever you wanted and at the size you need and play around with the layout. 3D rapid protos aren't too expensive either. They typically charge by the mm and based on the material you choose.
 
Not a wild mod, sister-in-laws one owner 64 Barracuda. new vintage 4 3/8 inch tach, SW vacuum gauge in place of ammeter.
 

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I'm replacing the radio/ac panel with lexan. It will have a radio, tach, oil pressure and water temp gauges. I'll post some pics later today.

Not finished, but here is what I have so far. I painted the original gauge needles white to match the new autometer gauges which will be recessed in the panel just like the ac controls.

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Not wild at all but here's mine.
 

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Here's mine, based on a 66 cuda, drawn in Solidworks and CNC machined out of 1/4" aluminum. I wanted the 5" gauges.
 

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