New rallye dash replacement gauges/tachs (some insider news from the supplier)
So, here's my story...I am in the process of doing my second gauge cluster overhaul/upgrade using parts from AMS Obsolete (a.k.a Charger Specialties, AMS purchased CS back in 2020). This time I am working on my '71 Duster 340 4-speed. The first time around was in my '67 Barracuda Fastback Formula S 383 4-speed and I actually documented that project here if you're curious. These products are also sold through Classic Industries and perhaps other aftermarket classic car suppliers, but I have pretty much always bought them directly from AMS. These are really the only available modern made, but factory-looking replacement alternatives to the originals, which are generally hard to find and of questionable original design, accuracy, and longevity (debatably anyway).
It did not help matters that I bought everything I needed for this project over a year ago, and then let them sit in the boxes all this time while I kicked the can down the road as far as finding the time and motivation to actually start the project. Anyway, a couple of weeks back I finally got off my can and pulled the dash. The rat's nest of previous owner wiring sins I found in there is a story for another time. Back on topic, I ran into a fitment issue with the new ammeter and temp gauge that was enough of a problem that I needed to pause the project and contact the manufacturer. The ammeter was contacting the cluster housing preventing the needle from free movement and the temp gauge terminal posts would not even fit through the holes in the (new) printed circuit boards. I did not have these same issues when I did the Barracuda, although I did note some slight wonkiness in how those gauges fit into the cluster housing. So I emailed the supplier my description of the problems including pictures, and the tech who hand builds these gauges called me almost immediately and offered to let me return them for assessment and repair or replacement, even though the statutory time for such a return had long past. Pretty cool. So I packed them up and UPS'd them to him (wow shipping prices are outrageous) and waited patiently to hear when I'd get the Duster back on the road. Funny how I always seem to let the winter downtimes unproductively slip by and then have my cars torn apart during the driving season. There I go digressing again...
So today I started to get a little curious about when I'd see my gauges again, so I emailed again, and AGAIN got an extremely prompt follow up call (actually two follow up calls). Now we are getting to the point of what I am posting about. During the status update from the tech, I learned several very interesting things I thought I would share:
1. The more the tech digs into the issue, the more he is becoming convinced that this has been a problem that has existed all along to varying degrees and that it may be an original design flaw/build process issue that he inherited from Charger Specialties. He mentioned he is a little shocked that this is the first time someone has brought these fitment issues to his attention. Anyway, he intends to resolve my immediate issue as best he can for now, but more importantly than that, he has committed to improving the design and build process to eliminate the issues going forward and drastically improve how these gauges fit in the factory housings. So my heads up is this - if you are considering spending the $400 for a set of these gauges (which I highly recommend over trying to restore originals) - you are probably going to want to hold off a while. These improvements might even involve new stamped die faces as opposed to the existing decal'd faces.
2. He also told me about similar planned improvements to the A body rallye tachometers that no one can seem to get right now anyway. This also involves a new stamped die dial face and the graphic matching the factory originals (they are now in a font that is "slightly off" and read 0-8000 rpm, where an original would have read 0-6000).
3. He also clued me in on something I did not know and have often wondered about (why there are two different dial face options for the tach).
This one goes with the 150MPH speedo:
The one pictured at the beginning of this post went with the 120MPH speedo. Side note: I have one of those "full face" tachs that is gently used that I might consider parting with. PM me if interested. I hear they are literally unobtainium right now.
Sorry about blathering on. I tend to do that. I hope someone found some value in the info I posted.
Cheers
So, here's my story...I am in the process of doing my second gauge cluster overhaul/upgrade using parts from AMS Obsolete (a.k.a Charger Specialties, AMS purchased CS back in 2020). This time I am working on my '71 Duster 340 4-speed. The first time around was in my '67 Barracuda Fastback Formula S 383 4-speed and I actually documented that project here if you're curious. These products are also sold through Classic Industries and perhaps other aftermarket classic car suppliers, but I have pretty much always bought them directly from AMS. These are really the only available modern made, but factory-looking replacement alternatives to the originals, which are generally hard to find and of questionable original design, accuracy, and longevity (debatably anyway).
It did not help matters that I bought everything I needed for this project over a year ago, and then let them sit in the boxes all this time while I kicked the can down the road as far as finding the time and motivation to actually start the project. Anyway, a couple of weeks back I finally got off my can and pulled the dash. The rat's nest of previous owner wiring sins I found in there is a story for another time. Back on topic, I ran into a fitment issue with the new ammeter and temp gauge that was enough of a problem that I needed to pause the project and contact the manufacturer. The ammeter was contacting the cluster housing preventing the needle from free movement and the temp gauge terminal posts would not even fit through the holes in the (new) printed circuit boards. I did not have these same issues when I did the Barracuda, although I did note some slight wonkiness in how those gauges fit into the cluster housing. So I emailed the supplier my description of the problems including pictures, and the tech who hand builds these gauges called me almost immediately and offered to let me return them for assessment and repair or replacement, even though the statutory time for such a return had long past. Pretty cool. So I packed them up and UPS'd them to him (wow shipping prices are outrageous) and waited patiently to hear when I'd get the Duster back on the road. Funny how I always seem to let the winter downtimes unproductively slip by and then have my cars torn apart during the driving season. There I go digressing again...
So today I started to get a little curious about when I'd see my gauges again, so I emailed again, and AGAIN got an extremely prompt follow up call (actually two follow up calls). Now we are getting to the point of what I am posting about. During the status update from the tech, I learned several very interesting things I thought I would share:
1. The more the tech digs into the issue, the more he is becoming convinced that this has been a problem that has existed all along to varying degrees and that it may be an original design flaw/build process issue that he inherited from Charger Specialties. He mentioned he is a little shocked that this is the first time someone has brought these fitment issues to his attention. Anyway, he intends to resolve my immediate issue as best he can for now, but more importantly than that, he has committed to improving the design and build process to eliminate the issues going forward and drastically improve how these gauges fit in the factory housings. So my heads up is this - if you are considering spending the $400 for a set of these gauges (which I highly recommend over trying to restore originals) - you are probably going to want to hold off a while. These improvements might even involve new stamped die faces as opposed to the existing decal'd faces.
2. He also told me about similar planned improvements to the A body rallye tachometers that no one can seem to get right now anyway. This also involves a new stamped die dial face and the graphic matching the factory originals (they are now in a font that is "slightly off" and read 0-8000 rpm, where an original would have read 0-6000).
3. He also clued me in on something I did not know and have often wondered about (why there are two different dial face options for the tach).
This one goes with the 150MPH speedo:
The one pictured at the beginning of this post went with the 120MPH speedo. Side note: I have one of those "full face" tachs that is gently used that I might consider parting with. PM me if interested. I hear they are literally unobtainium right now.
Sorry about blathering on. I tend to do that. I hope someone found some value in the info I posted.
Cheers