Rare Vacuum guage - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

franko72 · 05-31-2004, 03:34 PM

I was thinking of installing the fac. vac. guage to cover the only empty spot on the instrumentation. will I have to change the whole dash bezel because of the circuit blue print , or would I be able to just add the guage?

matt_field · 05-31-2004, 04:20 PM

i think you will need a new plastic part that shows all the numbers, and the gauge it self, that i think should do it.

CG · 05-31-2004, 06:07 PM

what is this rare vac. gauge?

**'68OrangeSunshine** · 05-31-2004, 06:23 PM

A vacuum gauge reads manifold pressure [vacuum] expressed as "inches of mercury." For example when your foot is in the throttle, the numbers will be low (5"), but coming downhill in gear, backpressure will build up to read (17" - 20"). The needle on the dial will tell the operator his best economical burn rate when you let off the accelerator a little and the RPMs drop but the speedo stays constant and the vac increases. Also a bouncing needle will tell you if your valves are sticking. And if you got the stereo up real loud and the vac ga. needle drops to zero -- your engine stalled. LOL.
I think some vendors have NOS or re-pop OEM style gauges. They were standard on this vintage 40-50-60 trucks. I would be more apt to trust an aftermarket mfr like AutoMeter to make a good instrument.

*Gee_Emm* · 05-31-2004, 06:24 PM

Not terribly rare, you will need a inner can, lense and the gauge, the PCB is the same.

These gauges came on the larger trucks for the brake system.

franko72 · 05-31-2004, 08:18 PM

what I meant was that you dont see many factory installs with the stock equipment vacuum setup.I was curious were to get the factory items that are original and if they could work with existing non vac. setups. they are rare in that respect . arent they?

*Gee_Emm* · 05-31-2004, 09:46 PM

Check in big dump trucks. If you wanted to add a tach and a vac gauge there are kits available for that, not sure if you can get just the vac gauge alone as a kit aftermarket. The vacuum gauge didnt come as an option on 1/2, 3/4 or 1 tons.

franko72 · 05-31-2004, 10:14 PM

I wonder why the empty space is there next to the left of the oil pressure guage?

CG · 06-02-2004, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

A vacuum gauge reads manifold pressure [vacuum] expressed as "inches of mercury." For example when your foot is in the throttle, the numbers will be low (5"), but coming downhill in gear, backpressure will build up to read (17" - 20"). The needle on the dial will tell the operator his best economical burn rate when you let off the accelerator a little and the RPMs drop but the speedo stays constant and the vac increases. Also a bouncing needle will tell you if your valves are sticking. And if you got the stereo up real loud and the vac ga. needle drops to zero -- your engine stalled. LOL.
I think some vendors have NOS or re-pop OEM style gauges. They were standard on this vintage 40-50-60 trucks. I would be more apt to trust an aftermarket mfr like AutoMeter to make a good instrument.

there is one of these on the burb i just got...i thought you were talking about small gauge that would go in panel behind the clear plastic...and did you say rare? can i get a boatload of money for it???

1969 GMC · 06-02-2004, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

They were standard on this vintage 40-50-60 trucks.

I would agree that the 5/4 ton and up are the only trucks you can find these in, but I don't think they are standard. I have looked at a few 40-60 trucks, and have yet to see a tach or vac gauge in any of them. I bet it would be listed on the option sticker, but again, I've never seen a truck with one. Just my 2 cents.

CG · 06-02-2004, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1969 GMC

I would agree that the 5/4 ton and up are the only trucks you can find these in, but I don't think they are standard. I have looked at a few 40-60 trucks, and have yet to see a tach or vac gauge in any of them. I bet it would be listed on the option sticker, but again, I've never seen a truck with one. Just my 2 cents.

this was on your picture page... http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/por...&.dnm=5c00.jpg

1969 GMC · 06-02-2004, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CG

this was on your picture page... http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/por...&.dnm=5c00.jpg

That was a pic taken off of this board

I have never seen one in "real life." IIRC, that cluster was specially made from an original speed warning cluster with tach and vac added, probably aftermarket conversions.

franko72 · 06-02-2004, 10:23 PM

I dont think that they are aftermarket conversions . I could be wrong but I have seen these listed as rare items several times.I believe that it came as a factory stock item

71swb4x4 · 06-02-2004, 10:40 PM

Like was said previously, they did come in the 40, 50, and 60 series. They never came in the 10, 20, and 30 series. The people that have them in there smaller trucks put them in. I have one in my 1/2 ton, but it taken from a larger truck and put in.
The 'spare' hole is in the 10, 20, and 30 series because GM used the same setup in all of their trucks in those years - 10-60 series, so they put the empty spot in the smaller trucks.
Some of the big trucks also came with an air pressure guage in that spot. Those seem to be hard find as well.

Shawn

**'68OrangeSunshine** · 06-02-2004, 11:16 PM

So I guess they were "optional" in the 40-50-60 series trucks. The OEM is sort of rare -- no idea of value -- I saw a repop in a vender's catalog for $50 +.
CG your Sun gauge looks like it's seen some miles. An aftermarket gauge maybe cost $10 or $15 from JC Whitney back in the day. I have a Moon Eyes Vac I bought at the local hot rod shop many years ago on the pick-up. Still worked last time the truck was running. I have a new AutoMeter Vac for the Jimmy waiting to be installed. It maybe ran me $30. Once you get used to them, they're neat to have.

roger0080 · 06-06-2004, 12:55 AM

It's not going to be "optional" as in " ... and I'll take a vacuum gauge too" when I buy it.

It's going to depend on the type of braking equipment installed in the big truck.
If you have Air Brakes, you are going to get the Air Pressure gauge.
If you have the Vacuum assist braking you will get the vacuum gauge.
If you have the standard, base hydraulic braking, you will probably have no gauge - neither Vacuum nor Air Pressure installed; and just have the blank hole.

1968GMC · 06-06-2004, 11:02 AM

I got a gauge set I got off a tandum. I pais $80 for the whole truck.Annywais heres my guage cluster.

**Classic Heartbeat** · 06-06-2004, 02:21 PM

If you want to put a factory vacuum gauge in your dash and make it look right, then you will need to change the lens, and the face tin for the gauges. You can drill a hole in the mounting tin for the gauge itself. The dashes that have factory vacuum gauges have the hole in the face tin punched with the edge rolled just like all of the other holes in the tin. To just cut the hole in the tin is easely spotted and doesn't look like the other gauges when lit up also. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com

05-31-2004, 03:34 PM	#1
franko72 Franko72 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Cincinnati,Ohio Posts: 471	Rare Vacuum guage I was thinking of installing the fac. vac. guage to cover the only empty spot on the instrumentation. will I have to change the whole dash bezel because of the circuit blue print , or would I be able to just add the guage? __________________ 1972 C20 cheyenne Super 402 BB/400 turbo LWB A/C Tilt, Cruise Control, Saddle tanks, Tach My Home Page Better to burn out than it is to rust

05-31-2004, 04:20 PM	#2
matt_field Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Posts: 885	i think you will need a new plastic part that shows all the numbers, and the gauge it self, that i think should do it. __________________ 1971 k5 blazer 80k mike survivor 1972 3/4 ton 4wd Cummins 12v 1967 swb 2wd 427bbc 1968 4wd shortbox 1971 Cheyenne swb k10 unrestored 1971 Cheyenne super 40k 402bb survivor 1967 Chevy k10 (first truck) 1968 L78 camaro survivor 18k miles 1969 z28 survivor 60k miles 1969 z28 survivor 39k miles 1969 z28 rs survivor 80k miles

05-31-2004, 08:18 PM	#6
franko72 Franko72 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Cincinnati,Ohio Posts: 471	what I meant was that you dont see many factory installs with the stock equipment vacuum setup.I was curious were to get the factory items that are original and if they could work with existing non vac. setups. they are rare in that respect . arent they? __________________ 1972 C20 cheyenne Super 402 BB/400 turbo LWB A/C Tilt, Cruise Control, Saddle tanks, Tach My Home Page Better to burn out than it is to rust

05-31-2004, 10:14 PM	#8
franko72 Franko72 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Cincinnati,Ohio Posts: 471	I wonder why the empty space is there next to the left of the oil pressure guage? __________________ 1972 C20 cheyenne Super 402 BB/400 turbo LWB A/C Tilt, Cruise Control, Saddle tanks, Tach My Home Page Better to burn out than it is to rust

06-02-2004, 10:23 PM	#13
franko72 Franko72 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Cincinnati,Ohio Posts: 471	I dont think that they are aftermarket conversions . I could be wrong but I have seen these listed as rare items several times.I believe that it came as a factory stock item __________________ 1972 C20 cheyenne Super 402 BB/400 turbo LWB A/C Tilt, Cruise Control, Saddle tanks, Tach My Home Page Better to burn out than it is to rust

05-31-2004, 06:07 PM	#3
CG BlahBlahBlah Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wa. Posts: 19,817	what is this rare vac. gauge?

05-31-2004, 06:23 PM	#4
'68OrangeSunshine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Posts: 7,171	A vacuum gauge reads manifold pressure [vacuum] expressed as "inches of mercury." For example when your foot is in the throttle, the numbers will be low (5"), but coming downhill in gear, backpressure will build up to read (17" - 20"). The needle on the dial will tell the operator his best economical burn rate when you let off the accelerator a little and the RPMs drop but the speedo stays constant and the vac increases. Also a bouncing needle will tell you if your valves are sticking. And if you got the stereo up real loud and the vac ga. needle drops to zero -- your engine stalled. LOL. I think some vendors have NOS or re-pop OEM style gauges. They were standard on this vintage 40-50-60 trucks. I would be more apt to trust an aftermarket mfr like AutoMeter to make a good instrument.

05-31-2004, 06:24 PM	#5
Gee_Emm Account Suspended Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,002	Not terribly rare, you will need a inner can, lense and the gauge, the PCB is the same. These gauges came on the larger trucks for the brake system.

05-31-2004, 09:46 PM	#7
Gee_Emm Account Suspended Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,002	Check in big dump trucks. If you wanted to add a tach and a vac gauge there are kits available for that, not sure if you can get just the vac gauge alone as a kit aftermarket. The vacuum gauge didnt come as an option on 1/2, 3/4 or 1 tons.

06-02-2004, 10:40 PM	#14
71swb4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 10,497	Like was said previously, they did come in the 40, 50, and 60 series. They never came in the 10, 20, and 30 series. The people that have them in there smaller trucks put them in. I have one in my 1/2 ton, but it taken from a larger truck and put in. The 'spare' hole is in the 10, 20, and 30 series because GM used the same setup in all of their trucks in those years - 10-60 series, so they put the empty spot in the smaller trucks. Some of the big trucks also came with an air pressure guage in that spot. Those seem to be hard find as well. Shawn __________________ Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

06-02-2004, 11:16 PM	#15
'68OrangeSunshine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Posts: 7,171	So I guess they were "optional" in the 40-50-60 series trucks. The OEM is sort of rare -- no idea of value -- I saw a repop in a vender's catalog for $50 +. CG your Sun gauge looks like it's seen some miles. An aftermarket gauge maybe cost $10 or $15 from JC Whitney back in the day. I have a Moon Eyes Vac I bought at the local hot rod shop many years ago on the pick-up. Still worked last time the truck was running. I have a new AutoMeter Vac for the Jimmy waiting to be installed. It maybe ran me $30. Once you get used to them, they're neat to have.

06-06-2004, 12:55 AM	#16
roger0080 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Carver County, Minnesota, USA Posts: 626	It's not going to be "optional" as in " ... and I'll take a vacuum gauge too" when I buy it. It's going to depend on the type of braking equipment installed in the big truck. If you have Air Brakes, you are going to get the Air Pressure gauge. If you have the Vacuum assist braking you will get the vacuum gauge. If you have the standard, base hydraulic braking, you will probably have no gauge - neither Vacuum nor Air Pressure installed; and just have the blank hole. __________________ 72 Chev C-10 90% restored (former AZ truck) ... 71 Chev K-20 Cheyenne my vacation crusier... 72 Chev C-10 Now retired and striped after many faithful miles... 72 GMC 1500 Retired to the junk yard after bought new in '71...

06-06-2004, 11:02 AM	#17
1968GMC love my truck Join Date: May 2001 Location: aylmer QC Posts: 648	I got a gauge set I got off a tandum. I pais $80 for the whole truck.Annywais heres my guage cluster. Attached Images

06-06-2004, 02:21 PM	#18
Classic Heartbeat Project Junkie! Fishing Poor!! Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Olympia,Wa. 98512 Posts: 10,770	If you want to put a factory vacuum gauge in your dash and make it look right, then you will need to change the lens, and the face tin for the gauges. You can drill a hole in the mounting tin for the gauge itself. The dashes that have factory vacuum gauges have the hole in the face tin punched with the edge rolled just like all of the other holes in the tin. To just cut the hole in the tin is easely spotted and doesn't look like the other gauges when lit up also. WES www.ClassicHeartbeat.com __________________ On-line catolog Classic Heartbeat Pickup Parts WEHEPP@comcast.net Call us Toll Free (888) 338-2502 Like Us on Facebook No appointment necessary. 72 BB Chevy Custom Deluxe / Custom Camper 67 I-6 (Soon to be 5.7 LS1) Panel 68 BB Chevy Short Bed 72 6.0 LQ9 Short Bed Chevy 4X4 Olympia's fastest growing truck parts supplier. Olympia's home for Wayward Chevys



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