Project Vitamin C-10

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Stacked78

alan, i'm a bodyman as well and i considered myself a medicore fabricator till i saw your work, ALL HAIL ALAN! the dash swap is nothing short of beautiful, I love it! keep up the good work I cant wait to see this thing finished

Thanks for the kudos! I've still got a lot to learn. Yeah, I can't wait for it to be finished as well.

Originally Posted by 66BowTieBoy

Hey Alan,
I really enjoy following your build, cause you always have some great links. The Ohm's Chart and Engineering Tool Box was the best.
Thanks.
Danny

Thanks Danny, speaking of which I was looking for some LED dash lights and ran across this web site http://www.superbrightleds.com/ if they don't have it it probably isn't made yet. I just did a quick look see and they have a bunch to offer. I posted it here so I won't forget the website.

[Alan's Classic]

This wiring thing, if I hadn't already said, is a trial and error situation. I couldn't wait to get out to the shop and try to wire up something. The more I studied it the more I realized I need to do the gauge wiring in the truck. If I was more experienced at it I could do it on the bench, maybe. In a nut shell I did one wire, and it was the one that goes to the clock from batt power. Installing the fuse block and running the gauge harness from American Wire I should have the excess I need to complete the home made gauge harness. Sounds good in theory. Here are some pics of my my first wire. Took a little figuring out since the instructions didn't match the crimper.

BTW I emailed Super Brite LED's to ask them if they had a LED that would go into a 5/8" hole for the gauge lights. I looked around the site some more and couldn't locate exactly what I needed. There were some twist locks, but no snap ins. So we'll see.

[65Custom]

Sweet into the wiring already!!

One trick I have seen wiring guys use when making harnesses is to use a piece of plywood and then use 6 penny finishing nails to create routes for wires and then lay out the wire in between the nails then break out wires off of the main trunk in bundles and then they can bundle it and tape it for a nice neat look.

Don't know if you are planning on completely making you harness or not but thought I would throw this out there

I have friend who is great with wiring if you need help let me know he has been working on and restoring cars all his life, he has built high performance boats from the hull up for years he also has had his own business rigging boats has a great resume and he is currently working at a restoration shop near Gainesville, Ga Im sure if you needed help with something he can get you going in the right direction.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by 65Custom

Sweet into the wiring already!!

One trick I have seen wiring guys use when making harnesses is to use a piece of plywood and then use 6 penny finishing nails to create routes for wires and then lay out the wire in between the nails then break out wires off of the main trunk in bundles and then they can bundle it and tape it for a nice neat look.

Don't know if you are planning on completely making you harness or not but thought I would throw this out there

I have friend who is great with wiring if you need help let me know he has been working on and restoring cars all his life, he has built high performance boats from the hull up for years he also has had his own business rigging boats has a great resume and he is currently working at a restoration shop near Gainesville, Ga Im sure if you needed help with something he can get you going in the right direction.

Thanks for the tip. I've already got a complete harness, just trying to tie the pods on the dash into it. If I run into trouble I might contact you about your buddy.

65Custom just had to remind me about Dakota Digital. Decisions.......The cost is too much right now.



I finally got something finished. It seems like nothing gets completed. Oh yeah I got 2 things done. The kitchen overhaul is done after 2 years we got the granite tops installed and I finished trimming them out Saturday. I also overhauled the lawn mower after 10 years. It used to be green. The blue is actually a 2011 Ford color. I worked on a 2011 Mustang that color and really liked it.

I'm getting a 10X30 lean too on the back of my shop with in the next week or two depending on weather. That should free up some floor space.

[Vernski]

X2 on that color blue, It would go good with a white on a two tone truck. Alan do you have the paint # handy? The digital gauges would look real nice, is that in the works for your truck maybe? Thanx...Vernski

[Strodder]

I installed some Dakota Digital gauges in a 55 Chevy once, and the customer didn't like them. It was hard to see when it's sunny. I would think twice about getting them. I would stick with digital analogue looking gauges.

[Captainfab]

I believe that was a common complaint with the red illuminated digital gauges. I installed a Dakota Digital red display unit in a '66 GMC for a customer. The daytime visibility was not good. A couple years later I removed the digital and changed it to Autometer gauges for the guy. Dakota Digital discourages customers from ordering the red display. The blue or teal display colors provide better daytime visibility.

Originally Posted by Strodder

I installed some Dakota Digital gauges in a 55 Chevy once, and the customer didn't like them. It was hard to see when it's sunny. I would think twice about getting them. I would stick with digital analogue looking gauges.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I believe that was a common complaint with the red illuminated digital gauges. I installed a Dakota Digital red display unit in a '66 GMC for a customer. The daytime visibility was not good. A couple years later I removed the digital and changed it to Autometer gauges for the guy. Dakota Digital discourages customers from ordering the red display. The blue or teal display colors provide better daytime visibility.

I can't remember what color they were, but I think the regular style hot rod gauges look better.

[66BowTieBoy]

Hey Alan,
The gauges look real good and so does the new kitchen counter. But 140 MPH...? I don't think my old heart could handle that in a C10. The Ford Blue really caught my eye and I too envisioned a white over blue sitting in my driveway...
F.Y.I. - You will be held responsible if I show-up at a ralley and there's a fleet of them to meet me...

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Vernski

X2 on that color blue, It would go good with a white on a two tone truck. Alan do you have the paint # handy? The digital gauges would look real nice, is that in the works for your truck maybe? Thanx...Vernski

Thanks Vern the paint code is CI

Originally Posted by Strodder

I installed some Dakota Digital gauges in a 55 Chevy once, and the customer didn't like them. It was hard to see when it's sunny. I would think twice about getting them. I would stick with digital analogue looking gauges.

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I believe that was a common complaint with the red illuminated digital gauges. I installed a Dakota Digital red display unit in a '66 GMC for a customer. The daytime visibility was not good. A couple years later I removed the digital and changed it to Autometer gauges for the guy. Dakota Digital discourages customers from ordering the red display. The blue or teal display colors provide better daytime visibility.

Thanks for the input guys. That is diffenately something to consider. Maybe since the display is hard to see in bright light maybe I won't know I'm going 140.

Originally Posted by 66BowTieBoy

Hey Alan,
The gauges look real good and so does the new kitchen counter. But 140 MPH...? I don't think my old heart could handle that in a C10. The Ford Blue really caught my eye and I too envisioned a white over blue sitting in my driveway...
F.Y.I. - You will be held responsible if I show-up at a ralley and there's a fleet of them to meet me...

Thanks Danny, 140 would be a white knuckle ride. Be the first to show up at the ralley then everyone else will be followers. Or document it here on the forum then you have proof of origination.

[66BowTieBoy]

Alan,

I found this website today and they've got some LED bulbs for the gauge cluster: http://whitegauges.net
But, after checking into it, they seemed a little pricey and not really what I was looking for.
So I went back to http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...Fba9s_1led.htm and found what I've been looking for.
If ya know something I don't, 'Spill the Beans', cause I've got to get something brighter in the dash for my broken-down eyes....
Danny

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by 66BowTieBoy

Alan,

I found this website today and they've got some LED bulbs for the gauge cluster: http://whitegauges.net
But, after checking into it, they seemed a little pricey and not really what I was looking for.
So I went back to http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...Fba9s_1led.htm and found what I've been looking for.
If ya know something I don't, 'Spill the Beans', cause I've got to get something brighter in the dash for my broken-down eyes....
Danny

Thanks for finding those bulbs. I emailed the company after searching their website and the person said they didn't carry what I was looking for. Granted I couldn't remember the bulb number, I just asked for what went in a 59 Impala. They didn't have a listing for them. Seems that bulb would be common back in the day. I also agree the other site was pretty priey at $5/bulb.

[daverod]

I'm liking the lean to idea. Mise well just put a lean to on all three sides I'm sure you'll but needing it.

[65Custom]

Well guys when I was talking about the Dakota Gauges they have a new style VHX not the digital numbers type, I agree those would be hard to read in anything but night driving, this new style they developed looks really nice and more modern and are digital with analog faces
They remind me of the newer dashes in the newer cars but with the flair of old dashes I also asked them if they were doing one for our truck and they wrote back saying that it would be out mid year

go check them out but don't look at the prices

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...rod&prd737.htm

[Strodder]

I like the gauges, but not for $900 with the bezle
Posted via Mobile Device

[65Custom]

Originally Posted by Strodder

I like the gauges, but not for $900 with the bezle
Posted via Mobile Device

Dude! I said don't look at the prices!
doing that will only make you sad and realize they are a bit over priced

[Alan's Classic]

I think whoever buys me a set of gauges first wins my vote. J/K I really don't know what to do. I like the fact that they have a tach. I really don't want a Sunpro tach hose clamped to my steering column.

[65Custom]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

I think whoever buys me a set of gauges first wins my vote. J/K I really don't know what to do. I like the fact that they have a tach. I really don't want a Sunpro tach hose clamped to my steering column.

[Strodder]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

I think whoever buys me a set of gauges first wins my vote. J/K I really don't know what to do. I like the fact that they have a tach. I really don't want a Sunpro tach hose clamped to my steering column.

How about something like this? I think that would look great in your 59 dash, if they make one that fits.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

How about something like this? I think that would look great in your 59 dash, if they make one that fits.

I guess I should have done more research almost 2 years ago when I was getting my gauges together. At the time I wanted the guages all original for the look of factory. Most won't even know they don't belong in the truck unless they know these trucks. But it would be nice to have a tach and get rid of the idiot lights. Dennis that is a nice looking gauge. I've gotta think about this some more. I spent quit a bit of cash getting my gauges right. The only one I didn't do anything with was the clock. Even new back in the day didn't work good. At least most of the ones I remember didn't.

[daverod]

Originally Posted by Strodder

I like the gauges, but not for $900 with the bezle
Posted via Mobile Device

$470 on ebay ,no bezel. You could sell your stuff Alan and only be a few $$ short.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by Strodder

How about something like this? I think that would look great in your 59 dash, if they make one that fits.

I went to byunspeed.com and typed in this PN AM1295 for more info. Do you know what style gauge this is? They have a bunch of different styles. EDIT=I found it on ebay for $429 BIN. It sure is purdy.

Originally Posted by daverod

$470 on ebay ,no bezel. You could sell your stuff Alan and only be a few $$ short.

That's a great idea. I'll check ebay.

This pic is of the Auto Meter Gauge ATM1295 for $429 on ebay that Dennis mentioned earlier.

[daverod]

It was for the first gages Strodder pictured.

[Alan's Classic]

Finaly got around to ordering the Hedman 69646 headers. Was going to get a fuel sending unit, but can't right now. Due to the fact I don't know which gauge I will be using. More than likely it will remain the way it is now. I will do a little more thinking on the gauge situation. I'm good at that.

[sdailey]

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

I went to byunspeed.com and typed in this PN AM1295 for more info. Do you know what style gauge this is? They have a bunch of different styles. EDIT=I found it on ebay for $429 BIN. It sure is purdy.



That's a great idea. I'll check ebay.

This pic is of the Auto Meter Gauge ATM1295 for $429 on ebay that Dennis mentioned earlier.

That gauge is slick. Just go ahead and get one, it's only money.

Glad you finally pulled the trigger on the headers.