64-66 Chevy Stock Gauges - Voltmeter vs Ammeter (Batt)?

[RoyL]

Anybody put a voltmeter in the stock guage cluster? Maybe in the big hole on the left side (where I'm told the "air' guage was for some bigger trucks)?

[protrash64]

I have not, first of all......but, I think it would be possible if you find one with a roughly 90* sweep. Most gauges have wider sweeps; I was considering a tach in dash and this is what I ran into. The re-pop vintage tachs have the short sweep but are too expensive for me to hack up to fit in a dash.

[DPowers]

Might try these:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/chrome-2-ra...wx?filterid=j1

http://www.jcwhitney.com/illuminated...wx?filterid=j1

I played around some with the tach-

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...95#post4305395

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by DPowers

Might try these:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/chrome-2-ra...wx?filterid=j1

http://www.jcwhitney.com/illuminated...wx?filterid=j1

I played around some with the tach-

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...95#post4305395

That tach looks good DPowers.....I have an old NAPA tach with 6K that would be perfect but it doesn't work Didn't feel like trying to get it fixed.

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by DPowers

Might try these:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/chrome-2-ra...wx?filterid=j1

http://www.jcwhitney.com/illuminated...wx?filterid=j1

I played around some with the tach-

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...95#post4305395

PO had put in the same tach as you . . . It looks like one from Making Waves brand in JC Whitney . . . where'd you get yours? It fits good in there.
Roy

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by protrash64

I have not, first of all......but, I think it would be possible if you find one with a roughly 90* sweep. Most gauges have wider sweeps; I was considering a tach in dash and this is what I ran into. The re-pop vintage tachs have the short sweep but are too expensive for me to hack up to fit in a dash.

Good point on the small 90 sweep. I was thinking if I could find one really small, it might fit where the ammeter is . . . 2 in is the smallest I've seen. Don't want to cut on the original dash, but looks like the tach install required some cutting. I haven't taken one apart before, so not sure what's there.

Or leave it alone and put a voltmeter under the dash?

Roy

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by RoyL

Good point on the small 90 sweep. I was thinking if I could find one really small, it might fit where the ammeter is . . . 2 in is the smallest I've seen. Don't want to cut on the original dash, but looks like the tach install required some cutting. I haven't taken one apart before, so not sure what's there.

Or leave it alone and put a voltmeter under the dash?

Roy

I ended up making a two gauge pod for 2 5/8'' gauges and ran an old volt I had laying around and added a 2 5/8'' tach I found at the parts store. I need to fix my speedo so I will be tearing apart my cluster at some point.

[DPowers]

PO had put in the same tach as you . . . It looks like one from Making Waves brand in JC Whitney . . . where'd you get yours? It fits good in there.
Roy

JC Whitney as well- around $40.00. And you dont' have to cut up the dash itself. Just the one backing plate.

http://www.persh.org/pickup/TachDash.htm

[DPowers]

Originally Posted by protrash64

That tach looks good DPowers.....I have an old NAPA tach with 6K that would be perfect but it doesn't work Didn't feel like trying to get it fixed.

Welll- you could send it to me then....

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by DPowers

Welll- you could send it to me then....

Why's that?? You know how to fix it??

[DPowers]

Originally Posted by protrash64

Why's that?? You know how to fix it??

Have no idea- but willing to take alook at it and try.

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by DPowers

PO had put in the same tach as you . . . It looks like one from Making Waves brand in JC Whitney . . . where'd you get yours? It fits good in there.
Roy

JC Whitney as well- around $40.00. And you dont' have to cut up the dash itself. Just the one backing plate.

http://www.persh.org/pickup/TachDash.htm

nice write-up,thx. Now I know what's behind there now.
Think I'm gonna mount a small volt meter under the dash somewhere.
Roy

[Rich 5150 69]

Find yourself a mid eighties GM car with the voltmeter, remove it, take it home and dismantle it by separating the movement from the face, doing the same to your original, install the eighties onto your original face, install into dash pod, thats how they are doing this on the chevelles, I have`nt done it yet but am looking into it.

[Captainfab]

Thanks for the info Rich Sounds like an excellent idea to me.

Originally Posted by Rich 5150 69

Find yourself a mid eighties GM car with the voltmeter, remove it, take it home and dismantle it by separating the movement from the face, doing the same to your original, install the eighties onto your original face, install into dash pod, thats how they are doing this on the chevelles, I have`nt done it yet but am looking into it.

[protrash64]

RoyL: saw your post in a build thread.....oil line in these clusters is 1/8''. You can get it at a hardware store along with compression fittings and ferrules. Somewhat on topic?

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by Rich 5150 69

Find yourself a mid eighties GM car with the voltmeter, remove it, take it home and dismantle it by separating the movement from the face, doing the same to your original, install the eighties onto your original face, install into dash pod, thats how they are doing this on the chevelles, I have`nt done it yet but am looking into it.

Sounds like a good idea to keep everything in one place. Right now, gonna put this dash back in, so I can get it back running. I have an extra voltmeter laying around, will install so I can monitor it. I'm working to complete an Autowire harness, front and back lights are in, engine harness is done, working on the gauges . . . Will see if the stock guages/sensors work.
Roy

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by protrash64

RoyL: saw your post in a build thread.....oil line in these clusters is 1/8''. You can get it at a hardware store along with compression fittings and ferrules. Somewhat on topic?

Yes, thnaks! I found a kit at the local store. has the dash side fitting (takes 3 pieces), don't know if the fittings will be right for the engine side . . .

http://www.sunpro.com/product_detail.php?pid=16359

Should I wrap the threads (not ferrule) with silicon tape ?

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by RoyL

Yes, thnaks! I found a kit at the local store. has the dash side fitting (takes 3 pieces), don't know if the fittings will be right for the engine side . . .

http://www.sunpro.com/product_detail.php?pid=16359

Should I wrap the threads (not ferrule) with silicon tape ?

You will need a compression to pipe thread adaptor. Dont know the size on the block but it is not very large; they are also available in the pipe fittings section of any hardware store.

[Rich 5150 69]

1.5 inch auto gauge volt gauge
http://www.go-fast-parts.com/5700576.html

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by protrash64

You will need a compression to pipe thread adaptor. Dont know the size on the block but it is not very large; they are also available in the pipe fittings section of any hardware store.

Thanks. The oil pressure kit does not have enough of the right fittings for both engine and dash sides, need a trip to hardware store. Also, my intake (Weiand) would not let me thread directly with the kit fittings, I needed a 1.5" x 1/8" MIP pipe nipple to clear it.

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by Rich 5150 69

Find yourself a mid eighties GM car with the voltmeter, remove it, take it home and dismantle it by separating the movement from the face, doing the same to your original, install the eighties onto your original face, install into dash pod, thats how they are doing this on the chevelles, I have`nt done it yet but am looking into it.

Did some searching on getting a voltmeter from a mid-80s GM car. Found a few threads, but didn't get specifics on what year cars. Like Montes, Camaros, El Caminos? and what year range so I can see what I'm looking for?

Roy

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by Rich 5150 69

1.5 inch auto gauge volt gauge
http://www.go-fast-parts.com/5700576.html

Have you tried this one? Will it come apart from the mounting face? I have one left over from previous project, but it won't come apart from its enclosure.
Thx.
Roy

[RoyL]

Originally Posted by RoyL

Did some searching on getting a voltmeter from a mid-80s GM car. Found a few threads, but didn't get specifics on what year cars. Like Montes, Camaros, El Caminos? and what year range so I can see what I'm looking for?

Roy

Here's a couple links from the Chevelle boys, on a company that redoes theirs. Tachman and American Classic Restoration:

http://www.tachman.com/gm.htm

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115024

Says use a voltmeter from 80s Chevy trucks as well. I said I was gonna put in a aftermarket voltmeter and worry about this ammeter to voltmeter conversion later, but I would like to take this dash out just once . . .

Roy

[SFTorange]

Last time I was at the junkyard, I picked up a burned out set of gauges from a '66 and a voltmeter out of a square body pickup. (I think the original ammeter caused the fire on the '66) Here are a couple of pics of my progress so far. I don't want to cut up my original ammeter, so I have to figure out a way to reface the burned out replacement face I have. I remember reading somewhere about software for printing new gauge faces. Does anyone know where to find it?


I haven't figured out how to mount the face to the gauge and the gauge to the housing yet, but it can't be that hard when the time comes.
Attachment 697945

[RoyL]

Thanks for the pics, helps to see what we are talking about! I tried to scan my gauge face, came out a a little grainy, the face is above the glass a 1/4" or so, that may be the problem.



My gauges don't look that bad . . . Thought is to scan a good gauge face, photoshop the needle out, print and stick it on the blank plate. Not sure about paper? vinyl or adhesive backed label paper? I was gonna try a local print shop to see if they could make an emblem sticker for another project, they may have some ideas.

What year truck did you pull the voltmeter from? Square box? means 80s? guess i need to head out to the yard and go looking . . .

Roy