Let's see your gauge cluster! Looking for ideas.. (1 Viewer)

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Apr 17, 2005
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Location
Tucson, AZ
I'm looking for something I can do with a junkyard not $1,000 custom stuff. Anybody out there do any mods to their cluster they really like? Anything swap in fairly easy with a more modern yet classy look still?

I was thinking about doing mine with all new gauges and lights for the blinkers and switches and everything else. Even putting an Keyless Ignition in there.

Last question, the old Heep gauges look pretty nice although I hate saying it, anybody ever put one in their cruiser?
 
I did a long search and open about 50 threads on Gauges. Nobody really talked about easy swaps or anything but stock clusters.
 
I did one by filling the hole and added aftermarket guages Looks great (dont have any pics ) It wasn't 1000 but more expensive than stock . Depending on the engine sometimes easier.
 
the only change I'm going to make to my stock guage cluster is to modify the ammeter for an external shunt (mounted in the engine bay at the alternator) with a 60 amp capacity vs the stock 30 amp.

The long run of the factory charge wire through multiple connections hurts the efficiency and potency of the alternator. It also means that anything wired to draw amperage directly from the battery causes the ammeter to read as though the alternator is charging the battery. The ammeter *should* always read 0 except when charging the battery after an engine start.

Some may say I should just run a voltmeter. I probably will add one at some point. Aside from their inherent problems, I feel like an ammeter gives one a better picture of what the charging system is doing than a voltmeter does.
 
Last edited:
CruisinGA said:
Some may say I should just run a voltmeter. I probably will add one at some point, but aside from their inherent problems....



Please elaborate on this.....
 
Poser said:
Please elaborate on this.....


Poor punctuation.


Aside from the inherent problems of in-cab ammeters, not voltmeters.


Where would I be without you to keep me straight, Steve. :flipoff2:
 
I hooked up my stock gauges to my ZZ4 crate motor with the OEM senders. It's a little extra work but it's clean. BTW thanks Too Tall for the help on the clutch install @ CM05.
Jerry
 
this isn't finished yet, but here's my rough-in. the cheap metal has to go. i think i'm going to weld fill in metal and then bondo it and paint it all to match. not sure yet. but the gauge configuration i think is set. i especially like my little clock that matches my tachometer.
 
here is mine
IMG_2273.JPG
 
paranoid56, I like that a lot, very clean and that's the type of look I'm going for. Did you just cover up the dash and what's holding up your windshield? Anyway that gives me some ideas as I just want lights, switches and gauges.

Thanks a bunch and more pictures would be great!

Oh yeah, what's the steering out of a gm?
 
I keep oil temp and a "high performance" clock down in the radio hole (no cutting, just put an aluminum face on it). All the regular guages are in the main cluster.
cluster-2.jpg
 
Well, I just drilled out all the rivets of the old dash, as the PO cut it all up. There was no saving it, so I figured I would just make something custom. I tried to follow the similar lines.
After I finished it and painted it, I realized that I forgot to put something that will hold the windshield :D so, I am working on that part :D
Shane


sonoranfun said:
paranoid56, I like that a lot, very clean and that's the type of look I'm going for. Did you just cover up the dash and what's holding up your windshield? Anyway that gives me some ideas as I just want lights, switches and gauges.

Thanks a bunch and more pictures would be great!

Oh yeah, what's the steering out of a gm?
 
Here is what I did for guages. I put an extra fuel guage in next to the stock for a aux tank. Plan to put switches on the other side for fog and offroad lights.
 
I realized that I forgot to put something that will hold the windshield so, I am working on that part

Don't they make solid front hinges? I'm almost 100% sure they do and that's what I'm planning to look for. Otherwise it's time to put the welder to use:)
 
Here's mine. 1/8" aluminum painted with hammerite. Autometer ultralight gauges. I had to cut and move the stock mounting brackets to get the Speedo and Tach to fit. I love it!
Small Gauge cluster pic.JPG
 

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