wmlewis

I was wanting to upgrade my gauges for meters on all the functions and eliminating the idiot lights.. I found the set I wanted NVU (New Vintage USA) and had them send me a bare gauge housing to make sure it would work.. I spent 2 days modifying the back of my dash and think I have come up with a very clean install... If you are interested, here is a link to my album showing the steps I used... enjoy... Bill

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...vu+gauges.html

TripDeuces

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ew-gauges.html

Bill I also used New Vintage gauges but did it a little different. No where near as sophisticated as you did. Nice work

txrob779

Very VERY nice wnlewis. Crafty as well. Price?
Dueces, I seen yours already and a killer job as well. My hat is off to both of you if....
I had a hat on LOL.

wmlewis

TripDeuces... Thanx... I'll have to take a look at what you did... Retirement gives me the extra time to think of different ways to accomplish the same thing.. Not necessarily faster or better.. just different..

txrob779..... The gauges are about $600, if that was what you were referring to... To do it for someone else, probably about $75... I used Dremel bits in my RotoZip tool for the plastic mod.. drill press and small air saw to cut out the big holes... Next time I would get the proper size hole
saw and save an hour...
If you wanted to tackle it yourself, I could step you thru it... Bill

oldcutlass

Bill that looks awesome and like they belong in there.

RAMBOW

Bill, do you have a finished pic? Are yours recessed back in the bezel like the originals were?

I like the way Trip's turned out- but they are a little too far forward for my liking... If they could be recessed so the new lens face was even with the original lens it would be perfect...

wmlewis

Rambow... The New gauge face is slightly less than 1/2" behind the factory clear plastic of the bezel. The new gauges should be the same distance as the originals were. I do not have a finished piece yet. I'm doing a full frame off restoration of my '66 442. I am probably a year away from installing the dash so I won't be purchasing the gauges till that time,
TripsDeuces method of mounting has the gauges facing horizontally towards the drivers stomach the way I came up with has them aimed towards the drivers eyes just as the stock ones did.

RAMBOW

Very nice! Look forward to seeing it when its done! I'd like to do something similar eventually... and something to eliminate/cleanup the ugly speaker area in the dash too.

;-)

wmlewis

Rambow When you come up with an idea for the speaker area shoot me a pic.... I will need to get my dash plastic re-chromed at some point.. Have any links to someone that does dash boards.. Bill

rroth01

MLewis
send me an Email and Ill send you something I did for another CO Member.It will low your mind. Ron
rroth01@att.net

wmlewis

Here is a pic after I replaced the plastic bezel that had the speedo markings with clear plastic. Now I can send off the dash panel to get restored and then reinstall the gauges..

TripDeuces

Just for clarification mine are in the same plane as the originals. So they do point toward the drivers eyes not stomach. The bezel is flush on the bottom with the original opening and tucks under the eyebrow. They may not be exactly the same distance back as the originals, in fact they are a little forward, but they don't point down by any means. I wanted the eyebrow to overhang them as it looked much better.

wmlewis

TripDeuces..

Thanx for the clarification.... Any chance you could post a pic of the backside of your gauges to see how you did it...
It looks like you covered up the original 2 mounting holes that held the bezel in.. Do you mount
the bezel and then install the gauges? Bill

TripDeuces

I'll pull them out and post a few pics. It's not as elaborate as yours. Might be a day or two.

rroth01

If I can help let me know.
Ron Roth
586-556-1234
We can get Creative
I wont let you down.