I want to get a triple gauge unit for my 68 cutlass. Are there and brands I should stay away from and are there any you recommend? I heard horror stories of poor gauges leading to unknowingly overheating engines.

Regardless, I need some because my stock gauges aren't showing accurate readings.

side note, what should be the cruising RPMs of interstate driving with the stock 350 engine?
Thanks

 

For accurate cruising RPMs they would need to know tranny, rear end ratio and tire size.

Without that info people can only give you what their car runs at.

 

Only problem i ever had was the oil pressure gauge on my sunpro had a plastic line running inside and it broke and spilled oil on my floorboard. Replaced it with a copper line and gauges work fine.

 

My experience is you dont always get what you pay for in aftermarket gauges. I've had a lot of failures of very high end aftermarket.
One thing I did discover is that a lot "house" brand gauges are made by Beade and simply rebadged. Check out their website and you might recognise a few. Btw, they're reasonably priced too.
I went with a 4 in 1 set of these on my budget build. http://www.dolphingauges.com/dolphin_gauges.html
They fit the 72 442 dash holes, no mods, priced right, and they are recommended by a lot of the hot rodders.

 

The triple $20 mechanical set in my Ford still work well, even 21 years later... Accurate little suckers, too. I cannot remember the brand off hand but I think they are still around.
I did replace the oil tube once when i broke it at the block changing oil.
Of course the quality of the cheapos now days is most likely less than the ones of 2 decades ago...

 

I may just get these basic ones with the copper tubing for the oil pressure like suggested.

I hear they are easy to install.... anything I need to watch out for?

 

I would go with a volt gauge rather than an amp gauge. It is wired through the fuse block and is safer. I have seen an amp gauge short out and FRY the wire back to the battery.

 

Previous Owner installed some in my '60.. only thing i HATE about them is drilling holes in an otherwise perfect dash to install them! Makes me want to find a whole new dash just so I won't have un-stock holes

 

Those will work fine