[rfmaster]

Originally Posted by 87chevy.com

spent a few minutes in autocad and heres the idea on how to mount the gauges I will use.



The idea is to install the gauge in the middle inbetween the 2 (hince the spacer). The one with multiple holes will be to space the gauges according to the factory bezel, and the factory lights that illuminate the face. The one with 2 holes is the trim that will give the gauge a finished look and prevent any light from inside the cluster to peek though. As it is now, its 99.9% perfect for the facotry black plastic trim piece (between the lense and cluster) but there is 2 slightly flat spots on the face of the gauge that would allow light to pass through. This would solve that problem + allow me to glue the "carrier" to the black trim piece, and once situated, be screwed through the clear lense. To get it spot on, I figured eyeball it in place, drill the center of the 3 holes in the clear lense a size larger so it has play, use a washer and screw so it can be adjusted. Once adjusted and either good enough or perfect, drill the other 2 holes so it has no play. then it would be rigid and secured. It took a while to figure all of this out... originally the plan was to mount it to the back of the cluster.. but this idea is the ticket. The other 4 smaller gauges will be mounted the same way.
Tools I am going to need are the hole saws so the holes are nice and circular

That's a very nice design - I would consider breaking into three pieces to make it easily manufacturable - 1) front Bezel; 2) Spacer; 3)back spacer plate. 1 and 3 can be done on water jet very quickly and at low cost from SS sheet metal (say 0.090) while 2 can be CNC cut from 0.250 Aluminum 6062 block. Strategically placed tapped (say 6-32) holes - well you get the jest of it.

//RF