69 Barracuda dash help/opinions

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TD Charlie

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trying to decide what the best course of action here with the dash. I really hate the gauges but i don’t know how much difficulty it would be to mess with them. I would probably be ok with decals for everything that look close to stock, and i could find a way to paint the needles. Ideally I’d get newer gauges but i don’t know the first thing about replacing those and i think an original looking cluster is cost prohibitive.

the other issue is the unsightly CD player that was put in. I took it out today and the wiring was just as bad as the hack job to fit it into the dash. My options here are to buy the Redondo HU, and a whole new bezel, or try to plastic fill where the stock trim originally was...orrrr just a radio delete. The car is far too loud to hear the radio anyway, I’m leaning a radio delete.

if you’re still with me here, any thoughts? I think leaving the wood on the upper bezel, peeling it off the bottom, plastic filling the cd and Krylon chrome spraying it is best. I’m not sure how reasonably successful i can be with it. As for gauges i am totally lost. Not to mention i can’t get this trim out. Aside from visible screws what needs to be pulled? Light switch/lighter/heat control? I’m so afraid to snap something

thanks for listening!
 
TD Charlie said:
View attachment 1715544106 View attachment 1715544107 View attachment 1715544108 trying to decide what the best course of action here with the dash. I really hate the gauges but i don’t know how much difficulty it would be to mess with them. I would probably be ok with decals for everything that look close to stock, and i could find a way to paint the needles. Ideally I’d get newer gauges but i don’t know the first thing about replacing those and i think an original looking cluster is cost prohibitive.

the other issue is the unsightly CD player that was put in. I took it out today and the wiring was just as bad as the hack job to fit it into the dash. My options here are to buy the Redondo HU, and a whole new bezel, or try to plastic fill where the stock trim originally was...orrrr just a radio delete. The car is far too loud to hear the radio anyway, I’m leaning a radio delete.

if you’re still with me here, any thoughts? I think leaving the wood on the upper bezel, peeling it off the bottom, plastic filling the cd and Krylon chrome spraying it is best. I’m not sure how reasonably successful i can be with it. As for gauges i am totally lost. Not to mention i can’t get this trim out. Aside from visible screws what needs to be pulled? Light switch/lighter/heat control? I’m so afraid to snap something

thanks for listening!
Click to expand...
That is indeed a major hack on a Rally Dash,,, is that really a 200 MPH Speedo??
For covering over the radio goof and the wood grain,,
Detroit Muscle Technology produces some really nice fitting thin panels that cover over the upper and lower sections of the Rally Dash. Everything they have does not show on their web page,, you may have to give them a call. To do the radio delete on mine I had DMT not cut in the radio opening,,,
Are you wanting a more standard look?
If so put up a request in the parts wanted section,,,,
 
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my68barracuda said:
That is indeed a major hack on a Rally Dash,,, is that really a 200 MPH Speedo??
For covering over the radio goof and the wood grain,,
Detroit Muscle Technology produces some really nice fitting thin panels that cover over the upper and lower sections of the Rally Dash. Everything they have does not show on their web page,, you may have to give them a call. To do the radio delete on mine I had DMT not cut in the radio opening,,,
Are you wanting a more standard look?
If so put up a request in the parts wanted section,,,,
Click to expand...

200mph indeed but god only knows how accurate it is. I don’t have the roads to wind ‘er up much. I don’t even think I’ve hit the right side half of the speedo. I’ll never understand why people do certain things to certain cars.

I’ll check DMT for a radio delete plate. Thanks. It seems like that’s the most practical solution for the radio issue.
 
TD Charlie said:
200mph indeed but god only knows how accurate it is. I don’t have the roads to wind ‘er up much. I don’t even think I’ve hit the right side half of the speedo. I’ll never understand why people do certain things to certain cars.

I’ll check DMT for a radio delete plate. Thanks. It seems like that’s the most practical solution for the radio issue.
Click to expand...
What DMT has is not exactly a radio delete plate,, but a very nice fitting plastic layer that will cover all of that wood grain,,,
 
Hi. Other than the radio I've seen worst, way worst. Just did the stock type one and it did cost a lot. Here's a thought if you don't need to watch your all the gauges all the time. Hide the temp, oil and volt in the glove box (or somewhere) and use a sender on the temp and oil for a light as a visual aid. Just to clean it up some. I didn't add it up but about $1,500.00 to do mine. I was going to have my amp converted to a volt gauge but never did. I always hide a volt gauge somewhere.
 
How to remove this instrument panel is in factory service manuals. I dont know how much of that will apply to what you have there.
Everything behind the bezel to go back to OEM is available used in for sale section here at reasonable prices. The one gauge that is not so available is the OEM tachometer. Aftermarket does have new tachometers for this rally panel.
Taking that bezel back to OEM may not be doable. Odds are its butchered to the point that OEM lenses will not mount back in it. If this was mine, I wouldn't touch it until I had a complete OEM instrument panel, bezel and all, on the bench, bolt in ready. Of course you can't correct the wiring, speedometer cable?, etc.., until that panel is removed, so the R&R might not happen in one day.
 
Do your research here on fabo lots of threads on panels/gauges. The OEM pieces are getting harder and pricier to find. Get a grasp on electrical if you dont already. Mymopar.com has free factory oem manuals. They are invaluable.
Good luck, the gauges dont look bad in my opinion, but that steering wheel....lol
 
Thanks fellas. I think i have my solution. Which is sort of a non solution. Probably too much time and money to replace these gauges. I will have to live with them. However, i do want to pull the bezel and clean it up. Most likely hit it with a chrome/silver spray after i put a plate over the radio hole. Then i can get a new wood decal for just the top half...then I’ll move on to doing something similar for the console

that steering wheel though, yikes. It’s gotta go. Amen to that.
 
Unplug battery 1st, then remove ds seat and console. Much easier, even more so with a midget in a mini skirt.
Good luck!
 
Everything is tight back there you need nimble hands and patience. And if you get stuck just wait a minute and relax. Plus all the other advice is good.
 
Spent a little time out there today. Miserable miserable job. I have the wipers, lights, hazards, radio, lighter all disconnected and out of the way. Heat control is still in the way a bit. Got the tach loose but i don’t see how to remove it completely. Also, lots of little bulbs are soldered And glued in without a quick connect

the biggest issue is that outer portion of the gauges is wider than the opening in the bezel. So the only way I’ll get the bezel out of the car is by tracking the wiring for each gauge, which is a disaster.

Too much aftermarket work done here with the intention of NEVER looking at it again. Typical i suppose.
 
In OEM form the bezel is/was not removed without instruments and housing. Some portion of the original housing is probably still in there supporting these aftermarket instruments and the climate controller. So the wiring is the big difference. OEM had 2 harness connectors on printed circuit boards, 2 wires bolted onto the amp gauge and a speedometer cable. With the steering column lowered, the entire assembly comes out barely far enough to tilt face downward, disconnect and reconnect. You might actually have more slack in your aftermarket wiring than Chrysler provided.
 
RedFish said:
In OEM form the bezel is/was not removed without instruments and housing. Some portion of the original housing is probably still in there supporting these aftermarket instruments and the climate controller. So the wiring is the big difference. OEM had 2 harness connectors on printed circuit boards, 2 wires bolted onto the amp gauge and a speedometer cable. With the steering column lowered, the entire assembly comes out barely far enough to tilt face downward, disconnect and reconnect. You might actually have more slack in your aftermarket wiring than Chrysler provided.
Click to expand...

I managed to get the tach loosened up first, by reaching up blind and unscrewing a clamp. Once that was pulled forward I reached through the tach hole (sounds dirty) to get the center fuel gauge completely out. The speedo was next. I have the gauges all pulled out of the bezel now, but the width of the gauges is about a half inch more than the opening they went in. As such, I can't get the bezel out until I can trace the wiring for each gauge and disconnect. It's such a mess, I might snip and label to be honest.

The lights in the dash for the indicators and the brights are glued, so I'll have to snip and label those. I also found a random little bulb back there that I think was for the cluster.

I'm gonna get a second opinion from a relative who has restored dashes and gauges soon. I think I'm going to fill the stock radio gap, smooth it down and put a black/chrome Barracuda script emblem over it. Then jam a bluetooth receiver in the glovey. If I can find a more classic looking gauge I'll do it.

Will post more as I go
 
It looks pretty functional though!

Stock is my preference but who cares!
 
1969383S said:
It looks pretty functional though!

Stock is my preference but who cares!
Click to expand...

Same. I won’t get it back to original, but i want to at the very least achieve a look that says “1969 Americana” rather than “The Fast and Furious.”
 
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