installing after market guages

[86chevyk20]

im keeping my k20 almost totally original and i kinda dont like the idea of having a set a aftermarket oil psi, volt and water temp gauges hanging from under my dash.

I am thinking of trying to install some of my sunpro gauges into my bezel like i have seen.

anyone have pics of there guage set up.
Im basicly looking for a neat way to mount my after market guages

 

[Scorpion]

im keeping my k20 almost totally original and i kinda dont like the idea of having a set a aftermarket oil psi, volt and water temp gauges hanging from under my dash.

I am thinking of trying to install some of my sunpro gauges into my bezel like i have seen.

anyone have pics of there guage set up.
Im basicly looking for a neat way to mount my after market guages

There's a couple easier ways to get where your'e trying to go. From a previous post, here's how you can mount them in your stock dash.

Recessed gauges: http://73-87.com/7387garage/interior...s_recessed.htm
Surface mounted: http://73-87.com/7387garage/interior/gauge_surface.htm

Obviously if you're using slightly undersized (for the factory hole), surface mount could be a problem and you'd need to figure out how to make a sleeve for the holes so they'd work.

Here's another link to a thread where the guy installed his three sunpro gauges in the dash. http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=24709.0

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Why not just go with factory gauges? They will go along way keeping your truck looking mostly original. I assume you have idiot lights now. Pick up a cluster with the appropriate gauges, and get a wiring diagram so you can wire them up to the plug correctly. If you understand wiring I don't think it should be that bad.

 

[86chevyk20]

you know what you're right! im going to do that and get my factory gauges to work.

I know i have to get a oil sender that goes behind my distributor but what is the color wire that goes to the sending unit.

And what is the color wire for the coolant temp. Those are the only gauges that do not work. Currently i have a aftermarket guages that is screwed into the themastate houseing

 

[Green79Scottsdale]

Usually when I hear that it is laced with sarcasm coming from my wife....

Since you already have factory gauges, sticking with them will probably be cheaper than going aftermarket. I know Sunpro's are on the budget side of things (I know because I have a cheap tach in mine temporarily), but I bet the correct senders for the factory gauges are even cheaper.

As far as what color the wires are, I am going to be no help unfortunately. My truck is a 79, and I do not know if the wire color stayed the same. I thought somewhere on here there were wiring diagrams. Hopefully there is one for your truck.

 

[Scorpion]

You might want to pull the dash and give it a look. After weeding out all of the crap previous owners put behind mine (I can tell all of them why the factory tach didn't work), it was fairly simple (like a dozen wires). A quick trace in mine and I can tell you what each is without much effort.

 

[86chevyk20]

Well my truck is an 86, Ill do my best to find those wires

 

[cjkirby55]

Here is mine. The clock still works so I left it.