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

hey menace what size are youre front wheels?

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

:haha: wait till your painting something and you will think of that. it sucks dude!:lol:

fronts are 20x9 (i think) i'll double check for ya

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

WOW, were the holes for the locks and windows cut that crooked from LMC??


Dennis, for the love of God man, since you have the drive shaft in now make sure the tranny is in neutral before starting it, OK?! :haha:

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

they are 20x8.5 playa

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

Yeah the cut for lock and window is kind of bigger than the switch's so they keep moving around. I get different door panels later when i redo my interior.

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

thanks for the advice Bob!:lol: that would be tough explaining 3 totaled out cars at once!:lol:

thanks bro!
that is pretty bad. i will for sure go with a stock door panel now. thanks 502!

well i worked on the gauges and bezel for about 6 hours yesterday and came to the conclusion that the 2 5/8 gauges just have too big of a face on them. no matter what they just didn't look right. you could see them if you move your head around. i ended up sending them back yesterday for the 2 1/16 size. i'm pretty confident that i can get them to work and look like they belong recessed without cutting on my new bezel or taking the gauges apart. its hard for me to pry the trim ring off brand new $100 gauges to make them fit right. and i wasn't too thrilled with having to cut up my new bezel either.

so the plan is to get another black metal piece from another cluster and take a 16th off so the gauges will mount just like before and hope the new bezel will sit flush without trimming and i'll be able to see the entire face of the gauges while being recessed like the originals! i'll post pics of the 2 5/8 gauges mounted and you can see what i'm talking about after work today.

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

here's the gauge pics...

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

more...

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

like i said i wasn't happy with the results so hopefully by next week the 2 1/16 gauges will be here and i'll start over. also going to order the speedo in 5" and tach. along with this baby...http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WI...6-BK/?rtype=10

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

Why dont you buy the billet aluminum cover for the gauges and use that. That is what I am using and it looks sick. I will post a pic of mine when I get home. But heres a pic of what mine looks like.

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.