Original factory gauges panel rebuild!!!

[big_al_71]

Hey Gang
I thought I saw threads about a member that repairs our factory gauge panels..I have been searching for at least an hour and cant figure out who the person is as I cant find any threads.What I want to have done is rebuild mine with white face gauges, new lights and new lenses.I was going to go the autometer route but I want my truck's interior to look as stock as possible. I dont know If I have the patience or knowledge to rebuild mine. Any help on this matter is greatly appreciated it.....

Is it better to rebuild mine?
Is it better just to buy one already done?
from one of the vendors....?

My gauges all work the lights on them are very dim and the lenses are the originals...

Should I just go with autometers even though they will give away that the truck is very far from stock. I just love the idea of people looking at my truck and thinking that is just lowered and rims?

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Byrd iirc does the gauge panel rebuilds..

[myoldchevytruck]

[QUOTE=FRENCHBLUE72;3769135]Byrd iirc does the gauge panel rebuilds..[/QUOTE FRENCHBLUE72 you beat me to it, haha. Rumor has it, BYRD does excellent work. Albert, I'm sure a rebuilt gauge cluster will look great in your truck

[c10crazy]

It's very easy to take the screws out of the back of the panel, take it apart and spray the tin with white paint, add a new lense, paint the needles and apply the decals. It's a fun little project. Plus you can add any color LED bulbs to lite up your new white dash.

[DZL1]

Hey Big_Al check out this thread. Its very easy to do it yourself. Did it to mine. Hope this helps.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ainting+gauges

DZL1.

[72BlckButy]

Al, as mentioned above, byrd will rebuild a dash for you (if he's still doing it). Check out some of the threads started by tcb-1 and the rebuild of his speedwarning dash he sold a couple of months ago. He documented all the products used.

[highperf4x4]

I bought mine from a retired gentleman named Edd Dial. He rebuilds the gauges, paints the interior of the panel, installs the white vinyl, replaces the factory lense with a clear one and installs a new bezel in either black or chrome for 185.00. And you can keep your original gauge panel or sell it back to him for 25.00. I kept mine for parts. You'll notice that Edd's gauge panels have black letters on the gauges and a clear lense. The kits you use to do it yourself will be blank and you'll have to use the factory style lense with green lettering that doesn't show up as well on the white background. You can also pick a color for the bulbs but I don't recommend purple. They end up looking pink!!

[highperf4x4]

I forgot to leave a link. He sells them on Ebay.

Without Tach
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RESTO...Q5fAccessories




With Tach and clock
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RESTO...item3ca9b76177

[big_al_71]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

Byrd iirc does the gauge panel rebuilds..

ok great will send him a pm....thank you...

[quote=myoldchevytruck;3769153]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

Byrd iirc does the gauge panel rebuilds..[/QUOTE FRENCHBLUE72 you beat me to it, haha. Rumor has it, BYRD does excellent work. Albert, I'm sure a rebuilt gauge cluster will look great in your truck

Cool Harry, thanks man

Originally Posted by c10crazy

It's very easy to take the screws out of the back of the panel, take it apart and spray the tin with white paint, add a new lense, paint the needles and apply the decals. It's a fun little project. Plus you can add any color LED bulbs to lite up your new white dash.

I know I can do alot of things but for some reason the small detail stuff is really hard for me specially electrical...

Originally Posted by DZL1

Hey Big_Al check out this thread. Its very easy to do it yourself. Did it to mine. Hope this helps.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ainting+gauges

DZL1.

Thank you I may have to try this even though I have zero patience for delicate stuff...

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Al, as mentioned above, byrd will rebuild a dash for you (if he's still doing it). Check out some of the threads started by tcb-1 and the rebuild of his speedwarning dash he sold a couple of months ago. He documented all the products used.

Thanks Nate I will go dig thru some some of his threads...

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

I forgot to leave a link. He sells them on Ebay.

Without Tach
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RESTO...Q5fAccessories




With Tach and clock
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RESTO...item3ca9b76177

Now thats what I am talking about...thanks

[highperf4x4]

You're welcome. If you do decide to do your own be careful with the fuel gauge. When you take the needle off to put the vinyl on you can mess the gauge up pretty easy. If you look at the pic I posted of both gauge panels you can see where the needle sits for the fuel gauge and the temp gauge when the power is disconnected. You'll notice that the gauges rebuilt by Edd have the needle sitting in the exact same place as my original. He will also set the odometer to whatever mileage you want. The vinyl for his temp gauge also has the red mark like the original gauge.

[big_al_71]

Travis thanks for the advice. I checked the ebay listings from ED now I have to decide exactly which way to go. As I really love the look of the white face gauges I am also thinking about how much more accurate that autometers are so AL has to give all this some good thinking as I only want to go thru the expense once.

[Hart_Rod]

Why don't you go this route, all Autometer gauges with new sending units. It looks very clos to the originals.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=110613

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=188607

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

Travis thanks for the advice. I checked the ebay listings from ED now I have to decide exactly which way to go. As I really love the look of the white face gauges I am also thinking about how much more accurate that autometers are so AL has to give all this some good thinking as I only want to go thru the expense once.

Cool, goodluck with it!

[Dynomutt]

Rob, did you ever get pics of that lit up? I'm interested in how the fiber looks. Also, are you wiring that to an existing harness or aftermarket? I noticed the molex type connector and was wondering what you were doing to adapt it if it was an existing harness. Love the panel too BTW.

Sorry if I sidetracked your thread Al.

[big_al_71]

Dont worry MarQ I am also interested in what it looks like .....

Hey Rob I do like that dash panel alot and I will checkout those threads which I think I did before but I will double check.....

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by Dynomutt

Rob, did you ever get pics of that lit up? I'm interested in how the fiber looks. Also, are you wiring that to an existing harness or aftermarket? I noticed the molex type connector and was wondering what you were doing to adapt it if it was an existing harness. Love the panel too BTW.

Sorry if I sidetracked your thread Al.

I haven't hooked it up yet, although I'm getting close to that stage on my Burb. I bought a Painless replacement harness and had Putter install the molex connections when he put the gauge panel together. I still need to replace the transmission temp gauge with a boost gauge since I added a supercharger to the build......

Originally Posted by big_al_71

Dont worry MarQ I am also interested in what it looks like .....

Hey Rob I do like that dash panel alot and I will checkout those threads which I think I did before but I will double check.....

I wasn't trying to discourage you from rebuilding your old panel, but the new gauges work a lot better if you've done some late model upgrades, such as 4L60E tranny. Plus, I like have all electrical gauges instead of "wet-line", you just have to make sure you have some really good grounds.