66 barracuda gage replacement

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barracudadave67

barracudadave67

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I am in the process of making a replacement gage bezel/and rear panel, to install 4 after market 2 inch gages in my 66 B-Cuda dash. 2 inch gages mount right into the plastic outer bezel with a little sanding in the O D of the gage holes. I will be able to use the rear metal gage support/panel with a little moding on the back to fit the wires for the gages thru. I am usung "Equos" 7000 series blk face gages, all electric.
I am going to have to make 2 illuination bulbs for the speedo, and the vac gage, in the back of the modded dash, and 1 indicator for the high beem lights, that is no big deal. I have to make these cause i will not be using the printed circuits, or the round connector, that connects to the circuits. Their are no turn sig indicators, or brake warning lights, on the dash of a 66 B-Cuda.
So this brings me to my question......... Will I loose any functions of elec stuff, when i do not plug in the circuit boards,????. I can not think of any thing else on the dash, that will be effected.
Also...... where is the best place to wire in the new volt meter,???. Can i use the blk, and red amp meter wires on back of the dash,???.
Any comments and ideas are appreciated.
I am doing this to get a set of functional gages on my dash. I already have an "Eqous"gas gage operating properly. I am using a repared plastic bezel, and rear metal piece, so I am not wrecking the stuff in my car. both pieces were cracked and repaired.
Dave
 
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barracudadave67 said:
Well I guess no one has ever moded a dash cluster.
Dave
Click to expand...

Oh contraire.
Mine is nowhere near stock and is completely LED lit including the hi beam indicator, signal indicators and backlighting.
Those 12v LED strips are great for the backlighting, because you can run light in places where there were no provision for bulbs in the factory cluster.
I even considered adding red backlighting for an extra super noticeable oil pressure loss indicator.
(oil pressure drops or the engine hasn't been started yet the cluster would all be red backlit then turn off when pressure came up.

As far as what you might loose not using the round connector, that should be easy to determine by what is there and what you want or need.

For the volt meter you can not use the old amp meter wires because they are always hot and your volt meter would always be on.
You need to use a keyed power source like the accy circuit for the gauge positive and ground the negative to the dash frame.

Up on the pod is tach, AFR, Fuel, and the little red light is for the line lock.

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Rusty, and Trailbeast
Thanks for the advice, and comments. I am on hold waiting for one more gage.
I have seen that HR mag article, I am doing similar, but not hacking the back of the gage cluster, as they did. I used a 2in hole saw, in back of all the gages, and am using the original speedo, and vac gage. Have to make lights for them.
I'll updated when I get the elec oil gage.
Hopeing to use some original wires, also.
Thanks
Dave
 
I refurbished (I use that term loosely) my cluster. But I'm just using most of it for original looks and going to add under dash gauges for the important stuff I'm going to rely on.
 
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Up date on my dash upgrade.
The bezel is all done as is the rear dash frame. I cut 4, 2 1/8 holes in the frame for rear axcess to the back of the gages, with a hole saw. I didn't like the way the hot rod mag guys hacked out the whole back of the frame. I am using the stock speedometer, and vacuum gage.
The dash lighting is all done, and lights up good. I am planing on using as much existing under dash wiring as possible to connect the gages and lighting.
You can't see it in the pics but the speedo, and the vac gage are lit up green also.
Dave
 
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