Newbie with some questions? Custom Dash?

[skahide]

I purchased my first full size truck and it was the truck or my dreams, a 1982 GMC 1/2 ton High Sierra, stepside, swb. Has a 350, 4 in the floor, and a 12 bolt rearend. I know nothing about rearends but i hear a 12 bolt is great. The truck has some floor cancer but the truck is in pretty good shape. Heres my question. I have NO working guages despite taking the dash apart and checking all connections. Has anyone changed their dash to a different vehicles dash like a 88 Camaro? The guages are almost exactly the same but im not sure how hard it would be to bolt in the dash. ANY HELP WITH AND SUGGESTIONS WILL HELP.

[Blue Beard]

Welcome from SW Washington State....

Do a search on the gauges, seems like I remember some aftermarket ideas.

[78SilveradoSWB]

Originally Posted by Blue Beard

Welcome from SW Washington State....

Do a search on the gauges, seems like I remember some aftermarket ideas.

Sorry, No more search feature on this site for the time being. And welcome to the board from the state of Oregon.

[Slonaker]

Some ideas:

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

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

http://455gp.tripod.com/85k10/id7.html (annoying popups)

Slonaker

[skahide]

thanks guys, do you know of anyone that has done a complete dash swap out from like a camaro, or suburban?

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by skahide

thanks guys, do you know of anyone that has done a complete dash swap out from like a camaro, or suburban?

DO a search from the main forum listing. There are a few folks that have done it on the 67-72's that have pictures posted.

Fact is it just comes down to wiring and your proficency at it and right now I think you might want to not get in over your head. Figure out whats wrong with what you have becasue morethen likly if you go and try and graft in a cluster from another vehicle your going to have the same problem. Somethign else isn't right.
Infact after reading this I am conviced there is NOTHING wrong with your carb. you have electrical problems bubb. If your dash is dead then you probably don't have any power feed to the choke cuase guess what.,....all the same switched electrical circuit.

Places to check.
Passengerside head is a ground strap to fire wall verify it's good. Bouncing gages or no gages or no brake lights when lights are on are all symptoms of that strap being off.

At the starter is where all wires from battery, Fuse box, Alternator all meet. Depending on the options you will have 2-3 Fusable links. One is Fuse box hot all the time and one is switched fusebox. Check those and trace them up to the junction block by the master cylinder and verify power.

If you have power up to the fuse box then next thing to check is the starter switch. It's not up by the key. The key moves a rod. The actualy ingnitions switch is on the top of the steering colum by the pivot for the brake peddle.


Check those things and get back to us. I think you will resolve most of your problems.

[cliffsta]

There is a digital dash bezel that is shaped just like a reglar bezel and fits in stock, but it has full digital instrumentaion and there are like 4 color options. uhh i forget where exactly i found them on the net, but they are in classic industries i think. if i remember the link ill post it

[Captkaos]

Originally Posted by cliffsta

There is a digital dash bezel that is shaped just like a reglar bezel and fits in stock, but it has full digital instrumentaion and there are like 4 color options. uhh i forget where exactly i found them on the net, but they are in classic industries i think. if i remember the link ill post it

There are only 3 main color options for the Dakotas (I special order others for a price, but there were issues with seeing them, so you have to ask)

BTW, I sell these:
http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/merc...tegory_Code=7G

[cliffsta]

http://www.parts123.com/PartFrame.as...sic_Industries

Go there and search for interior, gauges, then your year model, then scroll down or to next page and find Digital Instrument Cluster

[leastbay]

im thinking of trying to pull off my whole dash and laying down aluminum foil and laying down fiberglass and just make an instrument panel out of wood and maybe use the original gauges in the same spots i'll let you know how it turns out.

[skahide]

thanks guys, as far as my dash not working, i don't think that the cluster is the orig. The lights come on but the speedo cable wont stay in, and i dont think all of the sensors are all hooked up, so i figure instead of fixing that i might start from scratch. Everything else (exterior lights, and starter, stuff like that) works fine.

[apstguy]

The gauges you are thinking about is the dakota digital gauges. www.dakotadigital.com

[cliffsta]

oh my bad, i saw them with amber somewhere i know for a fact, mighta been a different company's digital cluster.