vac gauge install (64-66)

[jocko]

Snagged a mid-60's Pontiac console vac gauge a few years back at Carlisle and just got around to putting it in. Was a bit of a job, but the goal was to fill up the empty left gauge bay.

Many ways to skin the cat, but I chose to elongate the vacuum hose/gauge back hole and re-drill the mounting screw holes in the removeable backing plate as you see in the pics. If you don't lower it, then the center of the needle sticks up way above the lower edge of the gauge shielding and it looks weird. So, a little drillin and a little filin and there you go.

Some pics of the innards of the Pontiac gauge housing - I went to a lot of trouble to paint it a matching green as the other 66 instruments so it wouldn't glow blue vice green with the lights on. But, as it turns out, didn't even need it. It would work ok, but would have to completely separate the instrument cluster -and I noted that the tach on the right side of the instrument cluster has the same "non-housing", so left it out on this side as well. In a dark garage with the truck lights on, it glows green just like the other gauges. So, good enough. The pics are below - but the blue then green gauge cup and the little glass semi-circle that I spent an hour sanding and painting were not used in the install.

The green/yellow/orange sweep line on the gauge was faded, so repainted the yellow and red - before and afters shown. I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to paint - I don't think I can paint anything without accidentally sticking my fat thumb on it before it's dry...

I forgot how much of a pain it can be to remove all the gauges bezel's switches to get the cluster out It's easy, once you remember how to do it. Anyway, not too much of a hassle, hadn't had it out in a while. All installed and lights work, etc - just need to find a good vac source on the engine, but the hard part is done.

Pictures will take a few posts.

[jocko]

note that there are 2 screws that go through the 2 news small holes that attache directly to the back of the Pontiac vac gauge - then the metal plate is simply bolted back into place. The gauge essentially replaces the existing "block-off" blank gauge face and attaches the exact same way.

[jocko]

note Rustoleum Jade Green is a good patch for chevy instrument cluster green

[hugger6933]

That looks really good . Nice work, but it is not everday you run into an old vac gauge. Unfortunatly or I would do this as well

[jocko]

yep, that is true, kinda hard to find sometimes - it took 3 trips going to Carlisle (when I lived on the east coast) sorting thru piles of junk to find it. The guy had 3, and sounded skeptical when I pulled out my own vacuum hose and started sucking on each gauge... But he shut up real quick and gave me a decent deal wehn I pointed out that only 1 of the 3 was actually working. They are on ebay pretty often though.

[chevyrestoguy]

Great write-up. I used the same gauge on my '64, but used a vacuum gauge overlay to match the rest of the gauges.

Gotta love GM. They were so good at making most of their stuff interchange between the different makes. Can't say that about Ford.....

[Snowbound]

Very cool. I thought about doing that with my Buick kneeknocker tach from the '60s. Same housing as the vac gauge I think.
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[jocko]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

Great write-up. I used the same gauge on my '64, but used a vacuum gauge overlay to match the rest of the gauges.

Gotta love GM. They were so good at making most of their stuff interchange between the different makes. Can't say that about Ford.....

Yes - I really liked your write-up! Different way to skin the cat and I'd probably used your templates if I didn't like that silly little green/yellow/red sweep on the original. I got the breaks in the right place, but I think the red is a little too bright. Was kinda hard to tell the exact color to match it was so faded, but green-yellow-red made the most sense. I SHOULD have used flat on the yellow/red though... oops. It'll fade. I hope.

[1963c-10]

Came out nice. Nothing like having additional guages

[MisterC]

Excellent work and write-up, as usual, Jocko! Thank you very much! I've already bookmarked this one for future job. I've never removed the instrument cluster in mine and my goal is to only do it once. I just need to stockpile the tach and vacuum gauge.

[LT1 Burb]

Originally Posted by Snowbound

Very cool. I thought about doing that with my Buick kneeknocker tach from the '60s. Same housing as the vac gauge I think.
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Like this!

[jocko]

oh man, that's nice! I missed this post back then.