Ammeter to Voltmeter Stock look options?

[msg]

I will be upgrading to the American Auto Wire kit and the ammeter has to go.
Ive snooped in the FAQ and found a few threads on this but they are dated 2013-14 so I wondered if anyone since has other options they have done and made this conversion and had it pretty close to stock looking. Any recent reworks of the ammeter out there?



This was rustbucket66's solution
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=625199

and chevyrestoguy got it looking really close to stock but there was alot of steps that I might screw up.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...&postcount=318

I also saw Todd White used this shop
https://williamsons.com/

I sent them a message and wanted to know cost to do it.

[The Rocknrod]

Someone on this site changed my ammeter into a voltmeter a couple years ago. I'd have to look at my build thread to find out who, but it is great.

[The Rocknrod]

Just PM'd You.

[msg]

Thanks man!

[Paul Y]

I changed mine as per ChevyRestoguys instructions.

Really easy.

P.

[msg]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

I changed mine as per ChevyRestoguys instructions.

Really easy.

P.

Did you start with the same Chevy 1979 voltmeter style? I was curious on what years I might have as options as the donor. Glad to know it worked for you.

[oldtrux]

i got a quote a while back from williamsons 175. i'm sure their work is awesome but a little dear for me.i figured just plug one of those little voltage indicators into the cigarette lighter lol.just leave the original gauge in the cluster disconnected.who would know the difference.

[nsb29]

I bought a small volt meter of eBay and put my 65 face on it pop

[oldtrux]

now thats a cool idea!! bravo
do you remember what gauge it was?

[msg]

Originally Posted by oldtrux

i got a quote a while back from williamsons 175. i'm sure their work is awesome but a little dear for me.i figured just plug one of those little voltage indicators into the cigarette lighter lol.just leave the original gauge in the cluster disconnected.who would know the difference.

Yes I was hoping to not over spend for a replacement since I dont think I ever paid attention to the original gauge I had since 1996 and never knew it didnt work to start with.

Originally Posted by nsb29

I bought a small volt meter of eBay and put my 65 face on it pop

Yes please tell us what you used, and the steps you had to take to make the modification.

[nsb29]

OK this is what I bought off of eBay it’s an 11/2 volt meter I took it out of its case and removed the face and attach the face from my amp gauge I had to trim the area around the needle for clearance and paint the needle orange I also had to drill different holes in the back for attachment

[oldtrux]

I wonder how fast these gauges will sell out on ebay!!!ready..set..go!!
Lol

[oldtrux]

Originally Posted by nsb29

I bought a small volt meter of eBay and put my 65 face on it popAttachment 2010162

Attachment 2010163

could we get a peek of the back of your cluster?thx

[nsb29]

This is the only one I have don’t think you can see much

[oldtrux]

Originally Posted by nsb29

Attachment 2010447
This is the only one I have don’t think you can see much

Great help,thanks

[Captainfab]

It looks like you have made a few mods to your gauge cluster. Would you mind sharing what you have done?

Originally Posted by nsb29

Attachment 2010447
This is the only one I have don’t think you can see much

[nsb29]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

It looks like you have made a few mods to your gauge cluster. Would you mind sharing what you have done?

I used the electronic speedometer and odometer from a Chevy Caprice

[Captainfab]

What year of Caprice if you don't mind me asking?

Originally Posted by nsb29

I used the electronic speedometer and odometer from a Chevy Caprice

[nsb29]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

What year of Caprice if you don't mind me asking?

93 it’s still in the experimental stage I am not the originator of this idea CRU-ZN-29 is but it does work

[Captainfab]

Thanks for the info. I thought I had seen that mod before but couldn't remember where.

[spudder]

As far as donors, 75-87 trucks, Suburbans, Blazers through 91 and same era cars with factory gauges all used the same basic volt meter. They are still fairly common and are easily adaptable.

[msg]

With the help of nsb29's tip on that Voltmeter part number I checked with American autowire to see if that Voltmeter would work on my new wiring harness I had ordered from them. They said it would work. Found a guy on ebay selling them pretty cheap

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Automotive-...72.m2749.l2649


I ordered one and bench tested with a 12 volt battery and it worked fine. So I started to do the customizing to make it look as close as possible to stock. Here is how it went.

The Voltmeter from the guy on ebay didnt have a product card even though the photo in the listing has one. He explains in the listing why. First I took the dremel and ground the edge of the black casing that is crimped onto the gold looking housing. Then took a pin cotter tool to pry it off the edge a bit, then just used the needle nose to snag it off all the way around.

[msg]

Then I removed the housing and compared the heights of the two. Its a little taller. Then I removed the faceplate attached by 2 little screws.

[msg]

Then took the original ammeter and ground off the 2 spots where the faceplate os attached from behind.

[msg]

Then I cut the voltmeters faceplate and aligned it to the back of the ammeter to see how wide of a sweep for the voltmeter needle was needed and scratched some lines to use as a guide to cut. I enlarged the top height a bit just to make sure the needle didnt bind. One thing I should have done a better job on is cutting the voltmeters faceplate more evenly across the bottom, my cut was a little angled and not straight across.