Odd problem with repro rally pack mounts
February 15th, 2013, 07:49 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 313
Odd problem with repro rally pack mounts
I'm working to assemble my dash and pull out the rally pack gauges I got a few weeks back. I'm finding the plastic bezel mounting holes don't match up. This strikes me as very odd,has anybody seen this before? One side will fit but the other side is rotated out of position.
IMAG1127_zps1988e40f.jpg
IMAG1126_zps2b0ee6a4.jpg
IMAG1127_zps1988e40f.jpg
IMAG1126_zps2b0ee6a4.jpg
March 12th, 2013, 12:58 PM
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: El Paso, TX
Posts: 154
I think that you will find that the metal can for that gauge was stamped exactly upside down (reversed). I you line the mounting holes for the bezel up with the can, it will be 180 degrees off. Bad manufacturer part (I think the blank was in the stamp backwards!)
Ask me how I know(!)
Ask me how I know(!)
March 12th, 2013, 02:02 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 313
I ended up making it work by making a sheetmetal "adapter" that connects the lug that didn't line up so that the gauge is connected by all the lugs. I did call The Parts Place and sent an email with pictures upon request.
"Hello,
My name is Kraig and we spoke on the phone earlier about some rally pack gauges for a 68 Cutlass Supreme . As you can see from the pictures, on the oil/water/gas gauge the mounting tabs are off on the 1 side. When I tried to force the bezel mounting holes to line up it cracked the plastic bezel, and when it is in this position the bezel is rotated up and covers up the bottom portion of the gauge from view. In this forced position I don't I think the bezel fit through the mountains on the dash. I have tried multiple bezels and they are all the same. The bezels line up perfectly on the other guage (tach).
In this picture, you can see the mounting holes are a half inch off.
IMAG1130_zps68433bcf.jpg
When the other side is in position
IMAG1131_zps7823a2e3.jpg"
Their response...
"Hello,
If you leave the screws all loose and you line it up, they will line up. We have had this problem before and we installed them ourselves. Unfortunately, it is just the way they made them. Thank you"
I could tell I wasn't going to get anywhere because their solution flat out would not/did not work. Even if it did, the bezel was not centered on the gauge, meaning the bezel did not display the lower-left part of the gauge face (I can't remember if that is oil or water, but the gauge would not be visible).
Speaking of customer (dis)service, I called to verify that the lug at the end of the braided tach wire was to be landed as a ground. The conversation went like this...
Me: "Hello, my name is Kraig and I bought a set of rally pack gauges and install kit for a '68 Cutlass from you. Can you verify that the braided tach wire gets landed as a ground? The instructions don't mention this lug at all and I just wnat to make sure."
Him: "Um..., do you have an invoice number?"
Me: "Sure, give me a second because I have to look it up, I got this off of ebay."
Him: "Oh, you'll have to call ebay department." (not the ebay department, but ebay department).
Me: "Okay..., would it be possible for you to just verify where this lug gets landed? (I don't see how this has anything to do with the fact that it was ordered off of ebay).
Him: "No, if you got it off of ebay you have to talk to them."
Me: "...Okay..., could you transfer me to the right department then?"
Him: "Um, no I don't think we can do that here."
Me: Click.
"Hello,
My name is Kraig and we spoke on the phone earlier about some rally pack gauges for a 68 Cutlass Supreme . As you can see from the pictures, on the oil/water/gas gauge the mounting tabs are off on the 1 side. When I tried to force the bezel mounting holes to line up it cracked the plastic bezel, and when it is in this position the bezel is rotated up and covers up the bottom portion of the gauge from view. In this forced position I don't I think the bezel fit through the mountains on the dash. I have tried multiple bezels and they are all the same. The bezels line up perfectly on the other guage (tach).
In this picture, you can see the mounting holes are a half inch off.
IMAG1130_zps68433bcf.jpg
When the other side is in position
IMAG1131_zps7823a2e3.jpg"
Their response...
"Hello,
If you leave the screws all loose and you line it up, they will line up. We have had this problem before and we installed them ourselves. Unfortunately, it is just the way they made them. Thank you"
I could tell I wasn't going to get anywhere because their solution flat out would not/did not work. Even if it did, the bezel was not centered on the gauge, meaning the bezel did not display the lower-left part of the gauge face (I can't remember if that is oil or water, but the gauge would not be visible).
Speaking of customer (dis)service, I called to verify that the lug at the end of the braided tach wire was to be landed as a ground. The conversation went like this...
Me: "Hello, my name is Kraig and I bought a set of rally pack gauges and install kit for a '68 Cutlass from you. Can you verify that the braided tach wire gets landed as a ground? The instructions don't mention this lug at all and I just wnat to make sure."
Him: "Um..., do you have an invoice number?"
Me: "Sure, give me a second because I have to look it up, I got this off of ebay."
Him: "Oh, you'll have to call ebay department." (not the ebay department, but ebay department).
Me: "Okay..., would it be possible for you to just verify where this lug gets landed? (I don't see how this has anything to do with the fact that it was ordered off of ebay).
Him: "No, if you got it off of ebay you have to talk to them."
Me: "...Okay..., could you transfer me to the right department then?"
Him: "Um, no I don't think we can do that here."
Me: Click.
March 20th, 2013, 08:38 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 50
Rally gauges
I ended up making it work by making a sheetmetal "adapter" that connects the lug that didn't line up so that the gauge is connected by all the lugs. I did call The Parts Place and sent an email with pictures upon request.
"Hello,
My name is Kraig and we spoke on the phone earlier about some rally pack gauges for a 68 Cutlass Supreme . As you can see from the pictures, on the oil/water/gas gauge the mounting tabs are off on the 1 side. When I tried to force the bezel mounting holes to line up it cracked the plastic bezel, and when it is in this position the bezel is rotated up and covers up the bottom portion of the gauge from view. In this forced position I don't I think the bezel fit through the mountains on the dash. I have tried multiple bezels and they are all the same. The bezels line up perfectly on the other guage (tach).
In this picture, you can see the mounting holes are a half inch off.
When the other side is in position
"
Their response...
"Hello,
If you leave the screws all loose and you line it up, they will line up. We have had this problem before and we installed them ourselves. Unfortunately, it is just the way they made them. Thank you"
I could tell I wasn't going to get anywhere because their solution flat out would not/did not work. Even if it did, the bezel was not centered on the gauge, meaning the bezel did not display the lower-left part of the gauge face (I can't remember if that is oil or water, but the gauge would not be visible).
Speaking of customer (dis)service, I called to verify that the lug at the end of the braided tach wire was to be landed as a ground. The conversation went like this...
Me: "Hello, my name is Kraig and I bought a set of rally pack gauges and install kit for a '68 Cutlass from you. Can you verify that the braided tach wire gets landed as a ground? The instructions don't mention this lug at all and I just wnat to make sure."
Him: "Um..., do you have an invoice number?"
Me: "Sure, give me a second because I have to look it up, I got this off of ebay."
Him: "Oh, you'll have to call ebay department." (not the ebay department, but ebay department).
Me: "Okay..., would it be possible for you to just verify where this lug gets landed? (I don't see how this has anything to do with the fact that it was ordered off of ebay).
Him: "No, if you got it off of ebay you have to talk to them."
Me: "...Okay..., could you transfer me to the right department then?"
Him: "Um, no I don't think we can do that here."
Me: Click.
"Hello,
My name is Kraig and we spoke on the phone earlier about some rally pack gauges for a 68 Cutlass Supreme . As you can see from the pictures, on the oil/water/gas gauge the mounting tabs are off on the 1 side. When I tried to force the bezel mounting holes to line up it cracked the plastic bezel, and when it is in this position the bezel is rotated up and covers up the bottom portion of the gauge from view. In this forced position I don't I think the bezel fit through the mountains on the dash. I have tried multiple bezels and they are all the same. The bezels line up perfectly on the other guage (tach).
In this picture, you can see the mounting holes are a half inch off.
When the other side is in position
"Their response...
"Hello,
If you leave the screws all loose and you line it up, they will line up. We have had this problem before and we installed them ourselves. Unfortunately, it is just the way they made them. Thank you"
I could tell I wasn't going to get anywhere because their solution flat out would not/did not work. Even if it did, the bezel was not centered on the gauge, meaning the bezel did not display the lower-left part of the gauge face (I can't remember if that is oil or water, but the gauge would not be visible).
Speaking of customer (dis)service, I called to verify that the lug at the end of the braided tach wire was to be landed as a ground. The conversation went like this...
Me: "Hello, my name is Kraig and I bought a set of rally pack gauges and install kit for a '68 Cutlass from you. Can you verify that the braided tach wire gets landed as a ground? The instructions don't mention this lug at all and I just wnat to make sure."
Him: "Um..., do you have an invoice number?"
Me: "Sure, give me a second because I have to look it up, I got this off of ebay."
Him: "Oh, you'll have to call ebay department." (not the ebay department, but ebay department).
Me: "Okay..., would it be possible for you to just verify where this lug gets landed? (I don't see how this has anything to do with the fact that it was ordered off of ebay).
Him: "No, if you got it off of ebay you have to talk to them."
Me: "...Okay..., could you transfer me to the right department then?"
Him: "Um, no I don't think we can do that here."
Me: Click.
March 20th, 2013, 08:42 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 50
Rally gauges
Well I bought the gauges for my 68 442 and just like yours they did not fit properly my did not also I sent them back from where I purchased them after over a month waiting for a response I finally got a answer I was told the manufacturer made them wrong they have approx 200 more units left they will not produce anymore until these are sold well I said for the price that I paid I will send them back and I did so, I rather wait for a good set to come out or buy the original and have them calibrated
May 7th, 2013, 05:53 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Cleveland
Posts: 127
wrong?
I am blown away by the aftermarket parts industry ....if you can make a part "wrong" is it really so hard to go the x-tra step and make it RIGHT ? I have never used the parts place, but to say, "we know its wrong, but we're going to sell the wrong ones first, before selling the correct ones" is probably up there in the list of dumbest things I have ever heard? If their supplier did make them wrong, than they probably didn't pay for them? Would you ? (no, you sent it back) I have yet to buy anything from parts place, but that sure gives me more reason to buy old used junk, instead of shiny new junk. What other surprises are in store for me as I make my 69 new again ?
May 7th, 2013, 09:28 AM
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 313
Yeah, I agree 100%. It seems to me that the benefit of the repro gauges is the claim of an easy installation - no having to send it off to be rebuilt, tested, etc... Knowing that that is not the case, if I buy another car that needs dash work I will just buy an original set and have them restored/rebuilt. The end cost is very close.
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