Dash Mounted Aftermarket Gauges

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dwchew22

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For a long time I've wanted to put actual gauges in my truck instead of having dummy lights. I found some plans to mount them in actual dash right above the center AC vent. I went with 2 inch Bosh gauges. (No they are not autometer, I'm building on a budget!) I now have a temp, voltmeter and oil pressure gauge with the added feature of keeping the dummy lights. I am planning on putting a tee into the oil pressure so that the pressure will be relayed through a mechanical gauge and a big flashing light. All the lights in the gauges are rigged up to the dimmer switch so they will dim with the spedo and fuel gauge. Not sure of how many people have mounted gauges like this but I think it looks much better than a gauge pod on the A pillar. Just thought I would share some pics of it all back together. Thanks for checking it out!
 

HotRodPC

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That's great. You've got the set up I'd prefer too. Keep the idiot lights instead of the untrustworthy OEM electric gauges and install a better quality more trustworthy set of aftermarket manual mechanical gauges that are more reliable.

I like that idea. I might have tried to improve on the idea a bit. Find a black tube or even PVC pipe and paint it black, cut it at angle as a spacer behind the gauge but in front of the dash pad to turn the gauges to more of a driver visual friendly angle instead of flat. :shrug:
 

dwchew22

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I hope the visibility will be okay. I still haven't put the seat back in to tell for sure. Finding a clean way to angle them towards the driver side would be awesome. I can't leave anything I do alone so who knows, might just tear it all back out in week and give it hell
 

74 Shortbed

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Pretty cool, I agree make angle spacers for better better visibility.
 

HotRodPC

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I just thought of something that might work real well for spacers. 2in is pretty common in galvanized chain link fence posts. Find an old rusty thin walled broke off fence pole and cut some spacers out of it and paint them black to match the gauge bezel or in your case, the black dash pad.
 

74 Shortbed

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Or just get a set from Autometer for $15.00 and be done with it. :D
 

dwchew22

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Y'all are full of great ideas. I already have the holes cut so a little bit of modifying wouldn't be too much work. Maybe try to fit the gauges at the the same angle that the radio and AC controls are? Not sure but in my head it sounds like it would look good with uniform angles. Have some 2 inch galvanized pipe like you were talking about that will be going to scrap soon so I think I'll hold onto a piece and play around with it. Finding a place for the mounting brackets to clamp on might be a little tricky though
 

74 Shortbed

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You use the same brackets just cut one side shorter.
 

WFO

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Black PVC pipe, or a 22 1/2 degree fitting, might work good, and not need paint.
I like to rotate my gauges, so when at normal operating conditions all 3 needles point straight up.
Then all it takes is a quick glance to make sure everything is OK.
 

smoothandlow84

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Nice mod. Im all about gauges especially on my tow rigs. Idiot lights only work when it's too late most of the time. My Toyota 4x4 didn't come with an oil pressure gauge, but it did come with a idiot light for low windshield washer fluid....REALLY.....WTF???

I guess Toyota thinks that washer fluid is more important than oil pressure?
 

HotRodPC

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Nice mod. Im all about gauges especially on my tow rigs. Idiot lights only work when it's too late most of the time. My Toyota 4x4 didn't come with an oil pressure gauge, but it did come with a idiot light for low windshield washer fluid....REALLY.....WTF???

I guess Toyota thinks that washer fluid is more important than oil pressure?

What? You didn't know? Toyotas are oilless engines, they don't need no stinkin' oil pressure gauge. Does a 70's VW bug need a water temp gauge? Nope !!!
 

HotRodPC

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My street strip truck looked like and airplane cockpit with all the SW gauges in it. I had the 3 common ones, Trans Temp, Oil Temp, Vac, AMP and Fuel Pressure. Seems I'm missing one too.


Ohh the fuel for one of the Aux tanks.
 

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