1968 Barracuda Notch - Plano, TX

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Bench tested cluster lights and gauges
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voltage input @ 13.4 Volts to test the voltmeter, various resistors to simulate sending units for oil, fuel, and water.

The stock style bulbs did not put out much light. Since the lenses are blue I opted for blue LED bulbs. Tested between 5 and 13.5 Volts, dimming worked fine. Ran into a funny issue. The “new” holders for the bulbs have a spring clip, when you insert the LEDs all the way in they contact point is above the exposed wires on the bulbs. Because of this they didn’t work. But, pull them out slightly and they are fine. May have to make little plastic spacers.

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Indicator lenses arrived today.

LEDs were way too bright. Just used the 158 incandescent bulbs.

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I figured out why I was having trouble getting the ZEVO bulbs to work. The spring clips in the socket were not grabbing the bulb properly. I used a plastic tool to bend them inward a bit and the LED bulbs then took some effort to push in and they work perfectly now.
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left to right
the white is a Zevo 194 LED
black is a AUXITO 194 LED
clear is an incandescent 158 bulb

The ZEVO draws somewhere around 45 mA. I had 4 together drawing about 180 mA total.

The AUXITO pulled about 120 mA each.

The 158 pulled about 160 mA each

Don’t know how accurate the meter is on the power supply, but used same for all three. The reason I checked is because the AUXITO LED was very hot.

The ZEVO are about $20 for a pair and have a lifetime warranty, made by Sylvania.

The AUXITO were about $12 for a box of 10.

Considering I might have to pull the cluster to swap bulbs I would rather have something that will last. Staying with the ZEVO LEDs for the gauge backlights and the factory style 158 bulbs for the four indicator lights.
 
The white LEDs do look sharper.
Congratulations on the meticulous work, as usual.
I had the Dakota Digital RTX guages in my 70 Roadrunner, with so many color combinations of needles, backlight, etc I couldn't list them all.
Regarding color, RED at night makes for better night vision for everything around you.
 
what I am working on the past few days. Final product would be polished aluminum and either paint or powder for the argent and black painted areas.

Here is the CAD drawing of the AC control panel:
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Here is the 3D printed plastic prototype, painted with markers, sitting in front of the dash cluster
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In CAD render where it would be installed
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3D printing process, print took over 7 hours
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One possible fabrication method would be to CNC the rings and the base separate and join using screws or epoxy after polish, paint, and clear.

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These "stickers" would go in the round area behind the knobs, inside the bezels

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Added AC vents to the dash.

Had the paint and body guy do some work on the dash frame and paint it.

Will need to trim the pad a little for clearance, will be getting the pads redone also.
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Side view of driver side vent without pad
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Need to widen the “ashtray” opening on the pad slightly, then this will tuck in.
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glovebox door
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Heat index this afternoon hit 103, so where was I? In the garage.

Printed a template to use for guiding the cut and trimmed a hole in an old broken bezel as a test.

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Fit the control panel prototype. I really like how it has come out.

Next step is to work up the courage to cut the new bezel!
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Before I started I had to find a
place to set my dash frame that was out of the way and protected.

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Glovebox door; installed all the hardware, freed up the latch.
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Fit the dash pads to see how it would look

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Belt system for power steering and water pump sorted. Need to get brackets made now. These are 3D SLA plastic prototypes.

Concept in CAD (before a few refinements):
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More prototyping. Header flanges.

Port cross section:
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plastic prototypes:

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May actually get these made soon, machine shop has the STEP file.
 
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famous bob said:
have wondered a few times , what happened to your build , we started about the same time .
"dash is kick a$$ !!
Click to expand...
A lot of chaos in my world the last fifteen years.

Back to slowly picking at it. Right now at a point where I have to make my own parts.
 
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