Custom gauges

Blish

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South Carolina, USA
This has probably been done before but I haven't seen it... the gauges are screwed up in my car. I broke all the pegs in the speedo pulling thr cluster and it already burnt up when it started jumping from 50 to 100 while driving at speed.

So I grabbed my SPEEDHUT 3 3/8 inch gauges and lined them up in the cluster... looks close but should fit. Heres what i have...

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I broke the pegs and high beam plastic pieces out intentionally. You'll see exactly why in this next photo...
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Thats the clearance behind the gauges. Too tight for the factory pegs.
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Fits like a charm!
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Better view of the fitment. Almost like it was meant to go in there
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Fitment on the other side
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With both gauges in!
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Back together as a functioning cluster. If it had a backing like the factory speedo it would look almost stock!
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Had the dash peice with me. Looks almost completely stock and thats kinda lucky hahaha.
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I need to either program the gauges with the dash apart or just take the clear plastic off with a drimmel, but seeing as to how stock it still looks and all im probably going to program the speedometer with it all apart and then put it back together after its all set up.
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Trimming a backdrop peice with a peice if paper. Ill probably use some plastic sheet or something thin and textured from the hardware store and cut it to shape.

Tell me what you guys think? A cool solution to a new problem?

-Paul
 
I should clarify... my dash lights quit and the speedometer was acting crazy. That was the reasoning for pulling the dash. Turns out a couple wires had shorted out coming from the gauge cluster voltage regulator... which explains why if I smacked the dash it all worked fine for a minute. Thats why I have the gauge cluster out to begin with. Then I broke the electronic board that bolts to the back. So just said screw it let's build a new cluster.
 
I Ike it! Are they back lit?
They sure are! Look up speedhut gauges. Theese are the revolution series, they're actually customizable gauges so you can go on their website and order whatever er you want. Different colors, needles, needle colors, different led light colors, different sizes... you get the idea. Theese are digital gauges though so you'll either have to run a GPS sensor or get a electronic sensor adapter. Most people use a GPS as its simpler and if you change transmissions or gears or tires you don't have to worry about the speed being off, but theese are programmable anyways so its more so you don't have to reprogram. Especially handy in alot of performance vehicles whete things like that are being changed alot.

Works with ECM engines and mechanical engines too. There isn't but 7 connections. 3 are for the high beam and turn signal (optional) and one is for aftermarket cruise control, then another is a connector with 2 wires for the lights, another connector with 2 wires for the speedometer, and then another connector with 3 wires which runs to your keyed ignition and runs the dash lights when the lights are turned on. For me im going a bit of a different route by wiring most of my stuff into the factory harness. Like the dimmer switch, lights, turn signals and high beams, etc. Aftermarket cruise is unnecessary for me but may use it later on... hinting at some future projects I have planned this summer.

Tacho is a single wire system with a 3 wire connector and lights for the needle, and there's a quad gauge I have too but it won't fit and doesn't make sense with my factory gauges still there...

They even have EGT, Boost, Air Fuel, Vaccum... any gauge you can think of with most ranges covered.

My speedo is a 160 and tacho is a 8k but this was also for a F100, however my future plans require theese gauges anyways. This whole set cost me $600 but I have about $350 sitting in the dash of the newport. 2 gauges aren't as expensive as 3.

Gauges: Speedometers, Tachometers, Quads & More | Universal & Custom | SPEEDHUT®
 
Pretty good! I will be doing something similar but with autometer gauges. I looked into the speedhut ones too but decided to get the autometer. I am replacing all of the gauges and adding voltmeter and oil pressure. Got them real cheap on ebay (3 gauges for the price of 1 almost). I have the gps tach on order too. Not sure what kind if plastics to use yet
 
I wound up not using the plastic as the wires and white gave the car a interesting contrast. The gauges never move
 
I just finished my custom job. I think you should try to block off the view to the wires. Its always strange to put a round gauge in a square hole but we all gotta work with what we have available.

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