Budget dash build!

[GMC69]

Well I decided to take pics of my budget dash build up.

A good reason to play with my new camera.

I only have before shots so far. I have spent about 10-20$ on the dash, and about 30-40$ on the guages, I still have a tach left to buy . I may try and get orange needles or paint these with transparent paint to match the factory onesmaybe even try and use the old factory ones on the new gauges. Anyhow enough talking now for the pics.

They are all posted on the second page of my cardomain page.
http://www.cardomain.com/id/gmc69

[tommie]

cool pics, can't wait to see it back together

[GMC69]

OK now I need an opinion folks.

Should I cut the glass/plastic and fit the new gauges in place sicne they fit perfectly or dissasemble them and mount them so it looks factory???

In the pic below I did not put the black backing in place so you will see green around the speedo and gas gauge and there is one empty spot that I can leave the glass in place for it and it will still have the stock empty spot??


Anythoughts??



THis is the factory glass that will cover adn if I keep it the way it is there will be 2 temperature 2 oil and 2 volt written, the old and new.

[GMC69]

Alright I just temporarily riged the gauges behind the factory glass, is that better???

I need opinions before I cut anything.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I would mount the guage's with out the plastic in front of them.. Just my 2 cents worth..

[beautimus]

hey thats gonna be great, i am doing mine pretty close to yours.
i used autogage gauges in place of the factory ones. i took the bezels off of them and mounted them behind the glass, because i like that factory type of look to it. but either way would be great.
also i found some very pale green spray paint at walmart to redo the green inside. the needles are krylon flourescent orange and
for the silver parts i used the base coat of that duplicolor brand fake anodize paint . it's called ground coat. and man it will do a silver metallic finish that looks like the silver on a new mercedes.
you might want to buy a can and test it on some scap stuff but i bet you'll like it. good luck, its looking good so far.

[74Pumpkin]

My 2 cents. Behind the glass.

[GMC69]

Well there are mounted and I removed the glass, well I just have to cut the galss now but I need the dremel to do it and it was 2 am when I was working on it. I should get to it today before company comes over for christmas.


I will get more pics after.

[GMC69]

Wow quite a few views not very many responses.

I am thinking of adding more numbers to the original speedo, since around here the sppe dlimit is in km/h I figure now is as good a time as any to do it. So ALL I have to do is find some kind of reference and make a stencil and paint them in.

with xmas it is a bit hard to finish it today.

[dinnut]

did the canadian trucks have km/h on there? yours will definitely be different

[GMC69]

Back in 69 I think we still used mph so sometimes it is a bit dificult to remember how fast I am going. I usually just follow other cars but they also speed so that doesn't work.

[Slammed67]

You can also wet sand the letters off the plastic and then buff it out so it's nice and clear again (instead of cutting it). I did it to mine and it worked great. Of course you'd have to have access to a small buffer and polishing compound.

[GMC69]

It's not that fact that the letters are over the new gauges but that the new gauges just happen to fit in the holes like a glove. They just pop in and I can use the holdown bracket that came with it and cutting is down to next to nothing and so is trying to find a way to mount them.

I guess it was just dumb luck that they just pop in like that. Now to go out and buy a tach for it I may ask a friend to go to the same place I got my gauges and see if they have a 3 3/8" tach there. If not I will just go buy a sunpro tach.

[Slammed67]

Gotcha. But here is something to consider also.......

(I posted this on another thread regarding installing a Camaro tach)

Keep in mind when positioning the tach that you don't just center it in the hole. Notice how the other gauges are lower than the centerline of the holes? This is because when you are sitting in the truck, your line of sight to the gauges is at a downward angle. If it's centered when look straight ahead at the cluster, it won't appear centered when it's in the truck.

[GMC69]

I actually read that post. I will see what happens with the tach and I am pretty sure the gauges will be the same they shoudl be a bit lower but since they fit so nicely as is I don't wanna screw it up.

[GMC69]

Well I played around with my photo software to see what the speedo could look like and this is what I came up with.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

That look's pretty killer, those km's really bring kind of a modern touch to the dash..

[GMC69]

Well I got the glass cut for the new gauges, and temporarily installed it again, I have to get a tach and install it and paint numbers on it for kmh.

Here are the pics so far.

[racedvl]

Looking good! I also went the cuting route when I instsalled my after market guages. I want to redo mine though. I have had this dash for about 7 years or so.

[GMC69]

Here is a pic of the completed dash, Sorry for the quality but this is my old web/digi cam . My new one is in the car and didn't feel like goint out to get it. Will get a better pic later.

BEFORE


AFTER

[dinnut]

paint the bezel. goto sears and buy metallic chrome looking paint and some clear enamel spray paint

thats what i did... bc the old bezel was all beat up... looks great now!

and since i dont have a dremel it wasnt easy to cut that plexiglass at first!
i was using a hack saw blade and doing it by hand. then i figured out a bench grinder works great and takes the stuff right off...

[GMC69]

Originally posted by dinnut
paint the bezel. goto sears and buy metallic chrome looking paint and some clear enamel spray paint

thats what i did... bc the old bezel was all beat up... looks great now!

I was planning on repainting the outer trim and around the gauges in silver ( liek it was before) and then teh main section in a flat black.

[dinnut]

btw you could add a clock down there in that empty spot if you dont need to put anything else there

[GMC69]

yeah all I have to do is find one. And by the time I go to drive it it will kill my battery, lol. I will have to set it evrytime I get in, LMAO.


It is open and easy to add something, just a few cuts and it is done.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Look's good dinnut that's not bumper chrome is it??? You can get a new chrome bezel for around 30 buck's well worth itIMO...O r you can get a black and chrome one ..