Project Autometer Upgrade w/Pics

[twoodson]

Guys this is Great dialogue, Eric that is why i used hot glue after reading your install. So would you recommend adding epoxy over the hot glue? I also dig the idea of metal strips and epoxy. So what 2 part epoxy brand does Eric, Jeff or anyone recommend. Thanks Gents

[staggerd86c-10]

i have a question because i was thinking of doing this to my truck but i was considering using 2 1/16" guages in the small holes and 3 3/8" guages for the speedo and tach i know the smaller guages fit in the holes in the bezel and still give you a bit of a recessed look has anyone tried this set up?

[69chevy1]

good upgrade

[boatpuller]

yeah,i like it.i'll get to mine someday.

[ocbaud]

Originally Posted by staggerd86c-10

i have a question because i was thinking of doing this to my truck but i was considering using 2 1/16" guages in the small holes and 3 3/8" guages for the speedo and tach i know the smaller guages fit in the holes in the bezel and still give you a bit of a recessed look has anyone tried this set up?

that doesn't look good in my opinion


using epoxy over the hot glue wont help anything. if the bond breaks with the hot glue, it will break between the gauges and the glue, not the bezel and the glue.

i dont know what the best epoxy would be, i just go to the hardware store and buy whatever has the prettiest package! haha

[bigblock73]

The epoxy packages are labeled clearly for whay type of matierials you are trying to bond together...get the ones that best suits your needs.

[twoodson]

Eric good point, I guess I will follow your foot steps and add more glue and then either add some wire or look into the straps as you said. I really appreciate all your info and suggestions on this. Again thanks

[shadetree]

I love the look of your dash! I did something similar with the 76-72 dash (but used walnut for the surround). I've found that good 2 part epoxie is about the best thing for this sort of work. When cured, it has the about the same expansion rate as steel, and is not heat sensitive. Try mounting steel straps (the kind of strap that comes with generic radio install kits/ they have multiple holes in them) to the back of the dash. The straps can be bent to retain the gauges, once the epoxie has cured. Nice job!

[twoodson]

shadetree good idea on that. I just got to grab me some and figure out how to mount them up and make them stay. I guess once you epoxy the straps to the rear of the bezel, then bend the straps and bolt them to the rear of the gauge using the existing screws. I will be working on that this weekend and will provide updated pics if I can make it work. Thanks again!!

[vtwinsport]

Thanks for replying. I guess a couple pictures would speak volumes. I think I can figure out the bezel hole cutting, like the one when you bought it. That said, I am curious about what is behind- in the old gauge space (behind the clear lens on factory gauges) and what your new glue mod-ed version will anchor to?
If you could post a pic or two that would be great. That is the mental hurdle to starting my gauge job.

[twoodson]

Good evening everyone. I am posting some updated pics. The first two are per gmchemist's request. Sorry it too so long. The 3rd and 4th pics are showing a metal bracket that I fabbed up for the smaller gauges. This is all I have come up with. The 4th shows were I am thinking of drilling a flush small screw thru the side of the bezel thru the metal bracket and bolt it in. The other side of the bezel I would epoxy to the bezel itsefl, therefore, if gauge replacement was ever needed, I could unbolt one side and slightly bend the bracket to remove the gauge. I have a second bracket fabbed up for the bottom two gauges but it is not in the pic but would be installed the same way, I also used 18 gauge galvanized wire to see how it would work if I wired them in. I see why Swervin Ervin (Mike) wired them in, it is not a bad idea. I still have to add the additional Hot Glue as ocbaud (Eric) suggested, I may add the epoxy as well in the areas were the hot glue would not reach due to the size of the hot glue gun. I think that the 5" gauges can only be wired in at this point. Not sure if I will use the metal brackets are wire for the smaller ones. Enjoy guys and provide any suggestions and/or feedback.

[twoodson]

oops forgot to add the pic of them wired in, sorry:

[vtwinsport]

that's what I needed to see. thanks. clarifies my idea. Looks very stable.

[slugish]

IUSED 3M DOBLE SIDED MOUNTING TAPE & used picture hanging wire from the threaded bolt on back & just x wrapped the wire around edge of the bezel . However I DIDNT DO THE WHOLE AUTOMETER SET UP , JUST MOUNTED THE AUTOMETER TACH , WITH THE STOCK GUAGES . PROBABLY WOULDNT SUIT MOST OF YOU HERE ,BUT IT WORKS FOR ME.

AFTER LOOKING AT THE RECESSED JOBS THAT WERE DONE RIGHT , I SHOULD HAVE GONE ON & GOT THE MATCHING GUAGES . OH WELL , MY BUSINESS IS SUFFERING RIGHT NOW BIG TIME , LIKE IM SURE A LOT OF YOU > MAYBE GET SOME BUCKS ONE DAY TO DO IT BETTER

[tvblazer78]

Do you have a stock plug wiring harness that tells you what wire is what? I know that Jeff has some info about this on his site, but I need to know what the volt wire is, Fuel and Oil press?

Thanks,
Trav

[twoodson]

tvblazer, actually I was going to just get the autometer gauge wiring kit like Mike Ervin did. My factory gauges are still in my truck, I am not sure what color or which wires are which. I can check in my chilton manual and see if they have something in there. standby

[twoodson]

tvblazer, this chilton manual is not detailed enough for me, it doesn't say which ones are for the gauge. Let me do some digging.

[tvblazer78]

Thanks for you help...

[ragekage18]

looks great. dont know if i missed it but could you list the sizes of the gauges?

[bigblock73]

Travis, my truck is wired with the Painless 73-87 kit AND Painless universal gauge wiring kit...all of which are installed in the truck currently. I am not going to be able to help you much, sorry.

[tvblazer78]

I think I just found what I was looking for..

Orginal cluster
Left Right
10 Fuel Gauge High Beam 1
11 Brake Warn Light Cluster Lights 2
12 Common for #2,#4 Volt Meter 3
13 Choke Warn Light Volt Meter 4
14 4 WD Warn Light Oil Pressure 5
15 Seat Belt Warn Lt Gauge Common 6
16 Rt Turn Signal Not used 7
17 Left Turn Signal Not used 8
18 Ground for #8,#7 Water Temp 9
Cluster Lights

[Alex1]

How about industrial type balck caulking to install the guages and then epoxy plastic tabs for reinforcements.

It looks like a million bux! I'm definatelly doing this!

[ragekage18]

anybody got a link to the painless wiring harness they used for this cluster