1970 Dart Dash

-
D

D-Rock26

New Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2021
Messages
3
Reaction score
1
Location
Monroe, WA
8E1E8713-2F84-43B4-807A-23526EC5B6D2.jpeg
84F6B722-A3CC-4831-AB73-D8236C508834.png
Hey all! I have a 1970 Dart Swinger. I want to swap out the old banged up gauges/speedometer with a new custom one. I found the new one I want on Classic Industries but noticed it says it will only fit on A-body’s with original square speedometer. I have a rectangle style and it says the new one will be too narrow. Has anyone ran into this issue or had any luck? How hard would it be to find a dash with the square speedometer? I’ve attached my dash current and the panel I want to purchase.
 
It will only fit the dash with this kind of IP, will not fit your dash or Ralley Gauge dashes...

72 Dart IP.jpg
 
D-Rock26 said:
View attachment 1715715516 View attachment 1715715517 Hey all! I have a 1970 Dart Swinger. I want to swap out the old banged up gauges/speedometer with a new custom one. I found the new one I want on Classic Industries but noticed it says it will only fit on A-body’s with original square speedometer. I have a rectangle style and it says the new one will be too narrow. Has anyone ran into this issue or had any luck? How hard would it be to find a dash with the square speedometer? I’ve attached my dash current and the panel I want to purchase.
Click to expand...

If you really want to do this, and I've considered it, you COULD change the entire dash to the cluster type you want. "That style" (the rectangular newer one) is also easier to redo DIY as you can gut an old bezel and put a flat plate in there and make your own. You CAN remove the dash frame without removing the windshield---I've don it. There are several scews out by the windshield that went in OEM from the top, before windshield was installed. If you remove "stuff" from the dash, and probably the heater too, you can get up in there with a small die grinder/ cut off wheel, and slice through the speed nut clips and the screws, and pull them out. Then on re-install, put them in the other way--from the bottom. This was not my idea, I think "Redfish" on here gave me this idea.

The big downer for my car is----the "desirable dash" I have is a newer one from a locking column, and of course mine has the key "in the dash."
 
That Intellitronix unit may look cool but, likely pricey and to me, a bit too 'Buck Rogersish' on a 52 year old classic. Unless I was preparing a 'no $ spared' showpiece / retro-mod for Barrett-Jackson, I would simply restore oem cluster and put saved $ into other details - starting with cracked dash pad. :D
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. As much as I like the look of the 6 cluster I just don’t think it’ll work. The digital gauges from Intellitronix look pretty good, I was just hoping to keep it looking somewhat muscle classic with a modern twist. And the dash pad is on order thank you haha
 
6-gauge-led-digital-dash-panel-kit
D-Rock26 said:
Did you have to order any new wiring or speedometer sending units or anything to make this work? Is that blue or white color?
Click to expand...
I purchased this set along with their GPS kit, but they do have a manual sensor type version as well. The universal unit as I remember runs everything off of 12 wires. I did purchase after market male and female connectors so I could unplug the unit. On the car side of my wiring harness I cut and soldered 2 penny nails to the wires and simply plugged them into the factory harness and taped around them to hold them in place. I chose the White color option on the gauges.
6-gauge-led-digital-dash-panel-kit
 
Last edited:
D-Rock26 said:
Thanks for all the advice guys. As much as I like the look of the 6 cluster I just don’t think it’ll work. The digital gauges from Intellitronix look pretty good, I was just hoping to keep it looking somewhat muscle classic with a modern twist. And the dash pad is on order thank you haha
Click to expand...
When you see that the coolest darts had that exact gauge cluster you'll love it.
 
volunteer said:
That Intellitronix unit may look cool but, likely pricey and to me, a bit too 'Buck Rogersish' on a 52 year old classic. Unless I was preparing a 'no $ spared' showpiece / retro-mod for Barrett-Jackson, I would simply restore oem cluster and put saved $ into other details - starting with cracked dash pad. :D
Click to expand...
The price on these digital units is really not that high compared to buying traditional guages.
I purchased my set from Jeg's as they have them "House Branded" but they are the same gauges and they run alot of sales on their Jeg's branded products if you get on their e-mail list. My total cost was under $400 bucks with tax.

Screen Shot 2021-04-05 at 9.38.23 PM.png
 
D-Rock26 said:
View attachment 1715715516 View attachment 1715715517 Hey all! I have a 1970 Dart Swinger. I want to swap out the old banged up gauges/speedometer with a new custom one. I found the new one I want on Classic Industries but noticed it says it will only fit on A-body’s with original square speedometer. I have a rectangle style and it says the new one will be too narrow. Has anyone ran into this issue or had any luck? How hard would it be to find a dash with the square speedometer? I’ve attached my dash current and the panel I want to purchase.
Click to expand...
I know this is a couple months old but did you ever figure anything out? If you still have the original and want to sell it I'd be interested. I need that exact speedometer. Let me know if you've still got it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top