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Modified gauge cluster


John Burns

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Hi all- many years ago I took my stock cluster and replaced the amp gauge with a voltmeter, replaced the fuel gauge with an oil pressure gauge and replaced the clock with a big fuel gauge.  The stock cluster had the amp gauge, tach, speedo, big clock, temp gauge and small gas gauge.  The donor gauges were from a 78 Suburban. 

 

Someone asked me if I could detail what I did, but I had already installed the cluster and didn't have any pictures.  Today I removed the cluster again (dang that isn't easy!) to replace the Suburban gas gauge with a big gauge from a 70-72 Monte that I got on ebay.  Here is the completed cluster (I am going to replace the lens for the entire cluster before I put it back in).

 

cluster_zps6a92ce75.jpg

 

This is the voltmeter- I bolted the gauge to the same spot as the amp gauge.  I did not use the connections on the circuit board- I ran a hot wire from the engine compartment and a local ground.  I taped over the amp gauge connections on the circuit board.

 

vmfront_zpse4d5a59d.jpg

 

vmrear_zpsa9f57db6.jpg

 

I removed the stock gas gauge and replaced it with the oil pressure gauge.  To connect the new gas gauge, I ran wires from the circuit board connection points to the relocated spot.  I made the connections on the circuit board using nylon hardware to keep them from grounding out on anything.

 

opfront_zps4eb4234b.jpg

 

Mounting the gas gauge was the most work- this Monte gas gauge was originally mounted on the left where my tach is (different cluster option).  To mount it on the right where the clock was, I used the clock’s plate that held the clock and the lights.  I cut the gas gauge’s three-hole mounting pad out of the plate that came with the gauge and tacked it to the clock plate.  I had to get the angle right!  The right and left gauges are tilted in slightly.

 

oprear_zps7f024d20.jpg

 

If you don’t want to look for a donor Suburban, I just stumbled on the Tachman (http://www.tachman.com/gm.htm) who is doing the voltmeter or oil pressure conversion into the amp gauge spot.  I haven’t seen anyone do the conversions I did, but I now have all of the engine info I want in a stock appearing form!

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Excellent idea. Is the volt and oil gauge a direct bolt in? Also is the oil gauge electrical or mechanical? Also those small screws that you used to jump wires to the new gas gauge look like they are plastic. If so was that to prevent grounding out ?

John S

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  • 2 weeks later...

Excellent idea. Is the volt and oil gauge a direct bolt in? Also is the oil gauge electrical or mechanical? Also those small screws that you used to jump wires to the new gas gauge look like they are plastic. If so was that to prevent grounding out ?

John S

Thanks!  The voltmeter was a direct bolt in, and I don't think I had to modify much for the oil pressure gauge.  The oil pressure gauge is mechanical, and the gauge mechanism makes it impossible to install the cluster light.  I used electrical tape to cover the opening on the circuit board.  There is a light with a white plastic base (different than the black base lights) in the hole behind the temp gauge, and that lights both gauges more than adequately.  And yes, those screws are plastic- nylon actually- and yes they prevent grounding out.

 

If you install a voltmeter from a chevy truck, the top lug is ground and the left one is 12V+.

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  • 4 months later...

I always wondered why we have an amp gauge....a Volt gauge would be better IMO. Curious.....what should we see as far as amps when it and the car are functioning normally?

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