Duster - Modified dash

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rumblefish360

rumblefish360

I have escaped the EVIL Empire State!
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When it comes to replacing the instiment cluster on the Duster, what did you guys use for the trun signal lights?

Also, I asked a few guys with the Redline or Something Fast Lane West or something like that, dash replacement inserts if the larger 2-5/8 gauges fit OK. I know one of them, Fastlane I beileve has the holes precut @ 2-1/16.

(No pictures yet guys! )

Did anybody wonder about enlargeing the holes? If it can be done.

Today, I figured out most of the OE connector wires and what there for. On the circular plug.
 
The fastlane is 2 1/16.

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The centers on the holes aren't right to be expanded to 2 5/8". You'd also have issues with the headlight switch as I had to mod mine slightly anyway to get the stock one to fit with the 2 1/16" gauges.

You'll probably find that you'll be "ditching" a lot of wires in the circular plug...I know I did.

As far as the turn signal indicators...I don't know...they came with the fast lane west setup.
 
Thanks dude! I wa wanting to use a pair of guages I allready have. The old MP guages that look like the Autometer Z series. They say "Mopar Performance on them, all black, white numbers and red pointer. But there 2-5/8 sized. Also stick with the "AMP" guage.
 
I don't think I'd want to keep running an amp gauge. I have the MAD type amp gauge bypass in my car and the electrical system has never worked this good. That's just me though.

Either way, using 2 5/8" in the dash is going to be super tight if its even possible....well at least if you're using 4 of them combined with a tach and speedometer.
 
I'm not getting into a AMP vs Volts gauge thing.

I'm not sure what route I'm gonna take now. The Z series doesn't come in 2-5/8, only 2-1/16.
 
Ahhhhhh, cooooooooooool

Thanks man!
 
Myself I used the stock cluster housing like the one shown and had a piece of billet alum cut (shaped) to fit the area where the stock guages are. Once I decided the lay-out of the guages I want the frame will be painted and Billet piece drilled and attached.

Cheaper then buying the one shown above. I did consider going Rocky Mountain but they have dissolved.
 
VERY COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to look into this!!

Anyone have a template for me? :)
 
I used the original dash - same everything - used the die cast alu framework on the back along with the circuit board - had to do some serious modifying to mount the big gauges in the dash - but I think it turned out pretty nice - Reindeer
 

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LOL & WOW!!!! Thanks for posting the dash. Nice work.
5 inch speedo/tach?
I also have to say, wow! On digging up one very old thread first posted in '09! WOW!
You sure went looking. I guess winter will do that.

So little winter, so many threads! Ha ha ha ha
 
Believe it or not I just clicked on most recent posts and yours popped up - didn't even look at the date - Oh Well ...
 
Not to high jack the thread, but if you are using all aftermarket gauges, is the circuit board the was originally installed even need? I assumed that once all the gauges were hooked up, the original wires and circuit board were trashed??
 
When I did VDO gauges in my 67 barracuda, I clipped the round connector on the dash and terminated them with molex-style pin connectors.. I used a 12-hole connector from Radio Shack and crimpers to create my own dash harness plug.. If you go my route, buy extras-- they never give you enough barrel and pin connectors to screw up in any way :)

I used the original factory wiring for the sensors (seemed easier than running my own wire), as well as a painless dash wiring harness.. It wasn't painless, and it certainly wasn't clean.. The next time I do a dash (soon enough-- the slantillac needs good gauges and I happen to have these VDOs laying around after a kid wrecked my parked barracuda..!) I'm going to do my own dash wiring.. The Painless set-up wasn't worth writing home about.. AND, tons of extra ground wires I didn't use.. Maybe its because I used a 4-in-1 marine gauge.. all 4 gauges grounded commonly..) In

Long answer to a short question-- nah, put the circuitboards on a shelf somewhere so when someone with a factory dash breaks a pin, they'll be able to just pop yours in instead of doing the fool's errand of trying to repair 40 year old circuit boards.. :)

Raj


1jstrong said:
Not to high jack the thread, but if you are using all aftermarket gauges, is the circuit board the was originally installed even need? I assumed that once all the gauges were hooked up, the original wires and circuit board were trashed??
Click to expand...
 
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