Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

i want them to angle up a little. that looks sweet but i'm going for something a little less racy looking. and more factory but classy looking.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Hey menace did you happen to to see 68 short step work on my truck blue-ray.? He did my auto-meters just they way you doing and they worked out ok. check into it. or ask him how he did it to make it work. nice truck by the way too.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

I think the smaller gauges will look just right in there. The others that I have seen done the guys have grinded off the back of the stock bezel so that the larger ones will be seen better. Going with the smaller gauges will accomplish the same thing though. I think it will look sweet in there man!

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

thanks John! i needed that. believe it or not this has been 1 of the roughest things on this build. i spent A LOT of time on this. from thinking about it for months to actual hours trying to get them right. we'll see;)

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Trucks looking fantastic buddy! Keep it up. :metal:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

when you get the smaller gauges mounted with the brackets please post pics...I really want to see what it looks like with the smaller gauges...supposedly the brackets should really give you what you're looking for I think....

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

thanks Josh! i'm trying;)


i sure hope so buddy... there's a few guys waiting to see how the small ones turn out. hopefully they aren't too small!:lol:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

You haven't cut the bezel holes down so hopefully the smaller ones will fit good

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

exactly... i cut up the old one just to see. i just cant bring myself to cut on the new one..... yet! Jeff and i are thinking the holes on the 80+ bezel are a tad bigger so the 2 5/8 fit a little better. not for sure though.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Those door panels that were posted were Palco, I would avoid them. IF your current ones are in good condition as in not broken, why not cover them. I sell coverlay and they fit MUCH better.

When Swervin and I were playing with the idea of recessed gauges I tried a set of 2-1/8" and they were too small for the hole, I suggest mounting them to the actual bezel instead. Have you seen the write up on Jeff's (bigblock73) website, 73-87.com?

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

oh no!! were they too small to recess also?? i've been talking to Jeff for the last few weeks and he was wondering if the 2 1/8th's would work recessed also. he's just about done doing his with his new brackets and it turned out really nice. i didn't do it like him when i had mine because i couldn't tear the trim ring off the new gauges or start cutting on the new bezel. if the small ones don't work then i guess i'll have to ask my wife for my pair of balls she carries with her and just do it!:lol:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

every once in a while I ask the wife if I can see mine just so I don't forget what they look like...:lol:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

:haha:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

I think I still have some 2-1/8" in the shop. If I can dig them up in the next few days I will post how the look but when I purchased my 7 gauges a while back I got the larger set.

Do they even make matching 2-1/8" sets?

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

yes, i sent back the 2 5/8 for a set of the 2 1/8th. i know the ultra lite II series has them. i'd apprieciate that Chris. this has got me flustered for sure.

wont be until next week or even the week after till i see them. i hope Jegs doesn't give me any grief over the exchange.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

well i got the engine covers done FINALLY!!!! thank you Gerald for all you efforts in smoothing them:D they turned out SIK!!!!

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

more! excuse the dust and the few blurry pics. i need to clean her up and change my camera batteries:lol:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

HOLY CRAP man...that looks awesome...that's the money pic right there

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Dennis those things are sweet

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

them covers look real good

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

did you mean money PIT? :) thanks Chuck!

thanks man!

thanks smokedat! im happy with them.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

WOW!
that looks very cool!
Nice work Gerald ;)

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Those look great! Any chance you could post a pic from the drivers side, inside the cab, looking past the A-Pillar, slightly sideways but down at a 37 degree angle with artificial light and then natural light so I can see if there is any difference? Thanks ahead of time because if I know you like I think I do and you are a smart ass like me, the pic will be up shortly! ;)

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

:haha: it was too fuzzy!!! the sunlight was shining off the windshield of the goat so when i moved to the left it didn't shut the shutter in time!

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

because the batteries are low!:haha:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

:metal: Glad to see em finished up and on the truck. I know I said I wouldn't but I may re-consider doing a few more sets. After seeing it all on the engine, I like them a lot more. :lol:
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Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

By the way Josh, that comment was too funny. Had me cracking up.
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Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

looking good.. Finally got those aahaha.. You were talking about them when i first moved up there ahaha.. Thought id see my idea in use looks like ill have to do it ahaha..

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Those turned out awesome man! Great work Gerald! :clap:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Beautiful!!! Good job Gerald. Dennis, your truck is truly going to be spectacular!!!
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Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Those look freaking awesome!!! :metal:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

What he and the others said!:5150::agree:

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Dennis!!!! :bling: Those things are awesome! Is this going to be a driver or a show truck? Your getting to the point I would be afraid to drive it. As always TOP SHELF Keep it up Buddy.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

You aren't going to like what I found...
I was correct. The actual opening on the 73-80 clusters are 1-7/8". A 2-1/8" gauge only has a 1-3/4 face on it (the 2-1/8" is the actual body) so it is too small for the opening, you can probaby make it work if you pull the bezel off and make it flat, but it will be slightly smaller than the opening. The rear of the inset on the cluster is 2-1/8" so it is to big for the gauge.

81-87 clusters are smaller in the opening size, but not small enough still. Their actual opening is 1-13/16", with the rear inset being right at 2"

Here are pics top 2 are of a 2-1/8" gauge on a 78 bezel, bottom 2 are an 81-87.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

I dont think that looks bad at all.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

Man that engine cover looks sweet.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

THANKS CHRIS!! you know what, i actually like that! i agree with Billy it looks good. i hope the trim ring will fit on the outside of the bezels opening and it will look real clean. you got me excited about getting them now:D

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

You're right Dennis those do look good like that. I'd want to see what yours looks like all together from a distance to decide if I really want to do that or not though
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Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

What if you trimmed the bezel tunnel to push the 2-5/8" gauge closer to the surface? You could change the angle to point them at the driver at the same time. Since the tunnels taper as they get closer to the surface the opening may get big enough to work with them.

It would be above the original mounting point you had them at in the old metal housing but that shouldn't be too hard to work up a way to support them. Maybe just a tapered ring set on top of the metal bezel to shim them up and point them in the direction you want them to go.

I have a trashed dash bezel or two & some 2-5/8" gauges sitting around. I will cut into the bezel and see if it can work.

Re: Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)
 

This is how I was going to do mine, and I just noticed when looking for it that Jeff, bigblock73, did his too. Maybe this will help out.

Article on 73-87.com for Recessed Gauge Install