Stock gauges Vs. After market gauges

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myasylum

myasylum

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Are the stock gauges really that bad? I always see pictures of people that have the stock gauges disconnected and use aftermarket ones.

Just today though I found a set of gauges for pretty cheap, so I guess I'll be doing the same thing. All I really needed was an oil pressure gauge. It just made me wonder how untrustworthy the stock gauges are? I guess they are 30+ years old???

It just seems to suck to have stock gauges sitting there that aren't going to be functional anymore. I guess it becomes a nice place for a tach??
 
stock dash,with after market gauges,,is popular now,,,i did this back in 1996...may of been one of the first,,all the others were doing the sheet metal dash,,i hated that look so i made after market gauges fit the stock dash,,

fstfish66 digitial oct 2007 040.jpg
 
I'd love to do that! I'm thinking too... since I no longer need the stock gauges maybe I can somehow get a tach to fit in the stock dash in place of the gauges. I have a 73 though, so it's a bit different than yours.
 
I am going to go with aftermarket because I like them more and they seem to be more reliable
 
fstfish66 said:
stock dash,with after market gauges,,is popular now,,,i did this back in 1996...may of been one of the first,,all the others were doing the sheet metal dash,,i hated that look so i made after market gauges fit the stock dash,,
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man fish! I love your tach and where you put your shift light! Dash looks great 8)
 
hemizach said:
man fish! I love your tach and where you put your shift light! Dash looks great 8)
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thanks,,the shift lite is mounted on a bracket that slides under the dash pad,,so i didnt have to drill holes,,and use to have a fuzz buster there also,,lol

as for the other dash,,is it the rally dash ? round gauges?? if they are 5 inches,,or less,, there are companies that make round clusters,,with more then one gauge in the same round pod,,get a street rodding magazine,,and you will see what im talking about,, you could have on round pod with 4 gauges in one hole and a tach in the other,,,
 
Im with zach,fst fish,awesome dash there!
Awesome car too !

;)
 
I like the dash as well, very cool. I never went that direction in dash, but had alot of aftermarket gauges around steering wheel and below dash. A few years ago I purchased a new factory tach and vacumn plated my original cluster and got all the factory gauges working, and I really like the factory look (more nostalgic), but I also don't race it as much any more, So having a new oil pressure gauge is not as crucial as it use to be. It's all good, you just got to do what you like.
 
So I ready alot of aftermarket gauges with aftermarket wiring harness...tell me the aftermarket gauges WILL work with the factory wiring harness?
 
After I saw fstfish66's dash I decided to do the same thing to the 66 Barracuda dash going in my 65 Dart wagon. I am using VDO gauges as the style I'm using is similar to the face of the OEMs (black background, white markings and red pointer. The VDO's (and most likely all aftermarket gauges) use a 12 volt source, which should be much more accurate than using the 12 to 5 volt limiter. I am in the process of constructing a harness for power, sending unit feed and lighting all the gauges and connecting it to the stock dash harness where needed. No pictures (yet) as my instrument bezel is out to VAE (on this forum) for chroming and detailing.
 
65 Dartman said:
After I saw fstfish66's dash I decided to do the same thing to the 66 Barracuda dash going in my 65 Dart wagon. I am using VDO gauges as the style I'm using is similar to the face of the OEMs (black background, white markings and red pointer. The VDO's (and most likely all aftermarket gauges) use a 12 volt source, which should be much more accurate than using the 12 to 5 volt limiter. I am in the process of constructing a harness for power, sending unit feed and lighting all the gauges and connecting it to the stock dash harness where needed. No pictures (yet) as my instrument bezel is out to VAE (on this forum) for chroming and detailing.
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thanks all,,when i got to the dash part i was in a hurry my house had sold and i was moving from ill back to pa,,,so thats why the dash bezel didnt get replated,,i have another bezel modified ready to go,,but im going to try the re chrome my self,,if it doesnt turn out nice it will also go to VAE,,, from what ive seen his work is really nice,,and a lot less then the others charge,,then when i do it,,or for any one else i suggest you make a harness with a master plug going to all the gauges,, so removal is simple if you ever have to,,,
 
nemesis said:
Have you raced the car yet fst fish!!???
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naa i street drive it,,cruise nites and car shows,,if you race you need to be prepared to break some thing,,and my work hours dont leave me time to race and repair,,,but it should get down the quarter in a high 10 or 11 flat thru the mufflers,,,its just a fun street car
 
fstfish66 said:
stock dash,with after market gauges,,is popular now,,,i did this back in 1996...may of been one of the first,,all the others were doing the sheet metal dash,,i hated that look so i made after market gauges fit the stock dash,,
Click to expand...

Fast Fish, those are the same gauges I am going to put in my 66 dash, who makes them and what model are they? Its a stock 65 Signet, what type of fuel gauge to I use I have seen two different types of ohmic values.

Thanks,
 
64_Barracuda said:
Fast Fish, those are the same gauges I am going to put in my 66 dash, who makes them and what model are they? Its a stock 65 Signet, what type of fuel gauge to I use I have seen two different types of ohmic values.

Thanks,
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a 65 valiant has only 2 round holes,,,my gauges are auto meter,,ultralits,, you can buy gauges that have like 4 different gauges in one round pod,,around 4 or 5 inche holes wil be required,,,lots of dirrerent gauge companies,,im not sure if auto meter makes gauge pods or not,,pick up a street rodding magazine or do a search,,but a complete set of gauges these days is between 4 - 500 bucks
 
No I am putting the 66 dash in the 65 Signet, I like the oil gauge and I don't want a pod thats what I have now, I already have the dash just getting ready to pull the gauges out. there are plenty of companies out there that sell a 6 piece kit, just curious as to which ones you had, I checked your car out at Carlisle it was then that I saw your dash and liked them. Just couldnt remember who made them. Thanks.... I just have to figure out the ohmic readings for the fuel sender, there are a few different types out there.
 
64_Barracuda said:
No I am putting the 66 dash in the 65 Signet, I like the oil gauge and I don't want a pod thats what I have now, I already have the dash just getting ready to pull the gauges out. there are plenty of companies out there that sell a 6 piece kit, just curious as to which ones you had, I checked your car out at Carlisle it was then that I saw your dash and liked them. Just couldnt remember who made them. Thanks.... I just have to figure out the ohmic readings for the fuel sender, there are a few different types out there.
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thanks i have a 90 ohm fuel gauge,,but i have a fuel cell,,if you call auto meter they can tell you what ohm gauge u wil need,,summit may have that info as welll,,,90 is standard GM and all fuel cells,,
 
The VDO gas gauge I bought is the 73-10 variety, which according the the salesman at Summit would work for both Chrysler and Ford. Local dealer did some research for me and said close enough.
 
65 Dartman said:
The VDO gas gauge I bought is the 73-10 variety, which according the the salesman at Summit would work for both Chrysler and Ford. Local dealer did some research for me and said close enough.
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ok great lets see some pics of the gauges you selected,, and did you first do the trimming and fiting of the dash bezel before you sent it out to be plated????
 
fstfish66 said:
ok great lets see some pics of the gauges you selected,, and did you first do the trimming and fiting of the dash bezel before you sent it out to be plated????
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I needed to slightly enlarge the holes in the bezel for the gas, temp, oil pressure and ammeter and am doing some fabrication for the speedometer and tach. Did this before sending to VAE. I'm just trying to decide if I want my oil pressure & oil temp gauge and ammeter & voltmeter side by side or set it up same as the factory 66 dash and put the voltmeter & oil temp down where the radio & ash tray used to reside. I'll see if I can't get some pictures of all the gauges tomorrow.
 
65 Dartman said:
I needed to slightly enlarge the holes in the bezel for the gas, temp, oil pressure and ammeter and am doing some fabrication for the speedometer and tach. Did this before sending to VAE. I'm just trying to decide if I want my oil pressure & oil temp gauge and ammeter & voltmeter side by side or set it up same as the factory 66 dash and put the voltmeter & oil temp down where the radio & ash tray used to reside. I'll see if I can't get some pictures of all the gauges tomorrow.
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well its pretty much a done deal isnt it?? the ddash bezel already has 6 guage holes,,if you dont out the gauges there what wil you do with the holes???,,,u should of sanded out the fit before plating,,,
 
fstfish66 said:
well its pretty much a done deal isnt it?? the ddash bezel already has 6 guage holes,,if you dont out the gauges there what wil you do with the holes???,,,u should of sanded out the fit before plating,,,
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Yep did the sanding thing to make sure the gauges would fit the bezel. Since the original dash had the gas and temp on the left side, I'll be doing the same thing. Just not sure on the right side - oil press & temp or ammeter & voltmeter. If I go with the factory dash then it will be the oil press & ammeter. The rest of the aux gauges (voltmeter, oil temp, vacuum & clock) will go in the panel I added to the radio & ash tray area.
 
fstfish66~ looks good! Looks like you had change left over too... stuck in your ashtray? Ha!

Aloha!

65Dartman~ It sounds like your dash should be sweet!
 
65 Dartman said:
Yep did the sanding thing to make sure the gauges would fit the bezel. Since the original dash had the gas and temp on the left side, I'll be doing the same thing. Just not sure on the right side - oil press & temp or ammeter & voltmeter. If I go with the factory dash then it will be the oil press & ammeter. The rest of the aux gauges (voltmeter, oil temp, vacuum & clock) will go in the panel I added to the radio & ash tray area.
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never any money left over,,,lol

ide scratch the ammeter,,no need,,go with a volt meter in the dash bezel,,and time and EGT or compass, vacuum,, in the radio delete

where are you putting the radio ?? and are you rewiring the complete car ? if not delete the ameter,,tie those wires together,,pic of the gauges yet?
 
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