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I want to do this with my gauges...

jimmy-90

New member
344
4
0
Location
Haymarket Va.
Im guessing you would have to eliminate the circut board that the stock gauges are pluged into in order to do that. I notice that you live in WY. so you I guess no one out there would care what you did to your dash since the vehicle code only specifies that a vehicle be in good working order regaurdless of how much you have modded it. If I lived out there I would tag my mud boggin truck just because I could unlike here in Virginia. From what I understand you could probly get tags for the Grave digger out in WY lol.
 

motorman

New member
52
1
0
Location
Loganville GA
me too . . . but i like the white gauges

you had better post your work so we (i) have something to follow

my engineering mentor had a mantra ' plagerize let no one elses work evade your eyes'

in otherword you do not have to necessaryl reinvent the mousetrap just make it work for your application
 

chevymike

Well-known member
596
463
63
Location
San Diego, CA
Just as an FYI to anyone looking to do a surface mount setup like in the first picture, off the truck they look great but once you mount them, you will see the downfall of this method. The factory dash face is angled downward so with the gauges flush mounted like this, you are not looking straight at the gauges but with them angled. This tends to look weird and can make it hard to read the smaller gauges, depending on the style you choose.

I have been researching aftermarket gauge setups for a couple months now and it's hard to get a setup that looks good and functions well. I found one guy on CK5.com that really did his right, with the correct angle and such. He thought about having it reproduced to sell but nothing ever came of it.

Before doing this, you might want to grab a spare dash to work with.
 

QuickSilver

New member
172
3
0
Location
Wyoming
The dash in mine is shot as some dope took it apart and did a hash job putting in back together. I'll probably practice on it to make sure I get everything correct.

Should't be too complicated to ditch the circuit board setup and use mechanical gauges instead.
 

BIG_RED

New member
385
0
0
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I put gauges where my Gen1 and Gen2 indicator lights were. I relocated the charging indicators. I don't need a 2" diameter idiot light.. A 1/2" one works fine. I left the 4X4 and Oil pressure lights, since the oil pressure light is good for idiots (if i borrow my truck to my friends) and the 4X4 light looks BADA$$ at night. Will post up pics eventually. I used 2" cheapo backlit oil and temp gauges. Backlit in my choosing of 7 different colors too :p I use blue, so it matches my radio.
 

QuickSilver

New member
172
3
0
Location
Wyoming
I put gauges where my Gen1 and Gen2 indicator lights were. I relocated the charging indicators. I don't need a 2" diameter idiot light.. A 1/2" one works fine. I left the 4X4 and Oil pressure lights, since the oil pressure light is good for idiots (if i borrow my truck to my friends) and the 4X4 light looks BADA$$ at night. Will post up pics eventually. I used 2" cheapo backlit oil and temp gauges. Backlit in my choosing of 7 different colors too :p I use blue, so it matches my radio.
Look forward to it! [thumbzup]
 

QuickSilver

New member
172
3
0
Location
Wyoming
Just as an FYI to anyone looking to do a surface mount setup like in the first picture, off the truck they look great but once you mount them, you will see the downfall of this method. The factory dash face is angled downward so with the gauges flush mounted like this, you are not looking straight at the gauges but with them angled. This tends to look weird and can make it hard to read the smaller gauges, depending on the style you choose.
Good thought. Thanks for the heads up.
 

OL AG '89

Member
743
9
18
Location
Kingwood, Texas
I've been considering doing the side post pod build. I am looking for a dual or triple pod. I haven't found anything for this year truck, I figure get something close and let epoxy, fiberglass or duct tape do the rest!!!
 
Last edited:

kapnklug

Member
233
2
18
Location
spencer,ny
Here's my new gauge installation, just finished today:
The upper panel where the original 24v voltmeter was, is now oil pressure and 12v voltmeter. (Just discovered these gauges need a cleaner voltage supply, since my 12v electric fuel pump is on the same circuit and makes them jump around. A small relay should take care of that). I made the plate to fit the recess, then made 2 small right-angle "ears" that screw into the vertical sides of the plastic well. The panel then screws into the ears.
The lower panel (below the heater controls) is engine temp and trans. temp. The lights on the side are low-pressure idiot light for trans cooler lines (in case of failure), engine-up-to-temp (for engaging vegoil system), and lighted switch for the "air-conditioner."
Beneath this panel is a dual 12V accessory outlet and a cig. lighter.
The pod on the right is a pyrometer and boost gauge for the (not yet installed) turbo. This pod can be rotated for best viewing angle.
On the dash bracket is (left to right) handheld spotlight (plugs into cig lighter with 15' cord), drink holder, "air-conditioner," and just out of view, a ring holding a 5D Maglight.
Also out of view on this hastily-taken picture is the autometer tach, held onto the steering column with a long hose clamp.
While I had the dash apart I replaced all the bulbs with red LEDs, and painted the tiny gauge-bulbs with chevy-orange engine enamel. Looks like the cockpit of a 747 at night!
Next on the agenda is a small Cobra CB that fits where the ashtray is now, and closes up into the dash when not in use.
 

Attachments

I did this in a old 78 GMC that looked just about identical to the M1008 gauge cluster.

Sorry I didn't have a camera at that time so no pics and I ended up selling the cluster on eBay as it had a tach, which was a rare option in that year model.

I used the thin sheet metal overlay that covers the factory gauges bored out the holes to the 2.062 size that the Stewart Warner gauges fit into and wired them up to the plastic film circuit board using 18 gauge wire and it worked perfect. I have another cluster that I plan to do this with for my M1028 and if I do this in the near future will post pics.
 
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