How many different instrument panels?

[heavychevy79]

How may different versions of (Scottsdale, Bonanza, Cheyenne Super, Silverado, Sierra Grande...) IPs did GM use from 73-87?
I know dummy lights won't interchange to gauges without modifiying the wiring, so I'm not including those in the question.

I know of 3 different ones in 73-80 alone, 73-74 has a hard oil line going to it.
(pic 1 and 2) PN 8917775 PED-2 It's from a Cheyenne Super.
(with this IP only the volt gauge works in the 79)

Next is out of a 78 Silverado I'm building (pic 3) PN 25017325 PED-3

And neither of those will work in my buddy's new 79 shortbed Bonanza
(it has an IP with same PN as my 78, and only the temp works)
so there must be a third curcuit board for 79 and 80 that I need to get.

Also I would like to know what gauges will interchange with what panals.

I know there are at least two different IP for 81 up trucks, one similar to the
73-80, and one with a fiber optic sensor. (pic 4 and 5) PN 25088586
RV Truck 42/772 From an 88 Suburban.

I hope that was all clear and understandable.

It would be really great to fill in the gaps here.

[JohnC]

There aren't really as many different gauges, as much as combinations. You could have a clock, or not. A tach, which is rare. A lot of the differences was in font of the gauges from the 70's trucks and the 80's trucks. The problem you may be having with the ones your are working with is actually the pins in the plugs for the gauges. There are few different posts regarding re-pinning the plugs. Hope this is on topic of what you are asking.

[heavychevy79]

Originally Posted by JohnC

There aren't really as many different gauges, as much as combinations. You could have a clock, or not. A tach, which is rare. A lot of the differences was in font of the gauges from the 70's trucks and the 80's trucks. The problem you may be having with the ones your are working with is actually the pins in the plugs for the gauges. There are few different posts regarding re-pinning the plugs. Hope this is on topic of what you are asking.

I actully don't think repining the plug would work because some of the wiring
colors are different.

Awhile back I saw digital gauges with led readout bars on a 74 C30 and they looked factory. Does anyone know about those.

[JohnC]

I would imagine they are aftermarket. I've never seen a set of factory digital gauges in the trucks.

[ron350]

Heavychevy79
Very good topic it would be nice to have a list of all the available instrument clusters.

[Igotachevyor2]

Subscribed- inguiring minds want to know.........

[78 Chevyrado]

The fonts changed a bit in the early 80's and there were no factory digital gauges.

You could get these sets of gauges:

1. Speedo and Fuel gauge with dummy lights for temp oil and gen and no clock

2. Speedo, Fuel Gauge, temp, oil, Amp/Volt and No clock (sometimes the brake indicator light is where the clock would go in the lower left hole of the smaller 4 holes.

3. Speedo, Fuel Gauge, temp, oil, Amp/Volt , Clock

4. Speedo, Fuel Gauge, temp, oil, Amp/Volt, Tachometer. (The Tach goes in the big hole to the right of the column and this moves the fuel gauge to the lower left hole of the 4 smaller gauges.

[JohnC]

Excellent info Kenny!

[78 Chevyrado]

Maybe this will be of more help It's about tach clusters but it has some info about other things as well.

Do remember NOT to swap an AMP Gauge into a truck setup for a VOLT Gauge or you will let the smoke out!

http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/inte...achometers.htm

If you haven't seen that website already you should check it out anyway. Good stuff!

[JEM]

Originally Posted by heavychevy79

I know there are at least two different IP for 81 up trucks, one similar to the
73-80, and one with a fiber optic sensor. (pic 4 and 5) PN 25088586
RV Truck 42/772 From an 88 Suburban.

That cluster looks like the one that came out of my '91 Suburban (2WD 454 TBI 4L80E) with the electronic speedo; I don't know when the last mechanical-speedo clusters went in. I also had two similar parts clusters out of '90 Subs with 350s and 4L60 transmissions, also electronic speedo.

I don't think GM ever did an electronic-speedo cluster with a tach, so if you want one of those you've got to make one (as I did...)

[heavychevy79]

Wow, on the 76 I wound up parting out it had a 73-74 IP with the amp gauge in it, and a 81 up steering column lol,
I'll bet that was a fire waiting to happen. It had a home ext cord going to the starter, wired to a aux horn button.

So does that mean the amp gauge is cooked on this 73-74 IP, or does it melt
wiring somewhere else?

I've seen all the different placement of gauges, but does the circuit board stay the same for that year?

[heavychevy79]

?????????