Retrofitting Instrument Panel w/ Autometer Gauges

[crankywanker 10]

Does anybody know if I can use my stock Mustang Grande Instrument Pods as a housing for Autometer Gauges? And what Kind of gauges I could use? I really dont want to shell out $700 on a digital gauge cluster...

Honestly, Id rather make my own.

[buening 63]

Cruzzar on here did it with Autometers. JohnPro, 70_Fastback, and others on the VMF have done the same.

[StephenC 10]

Yes it can be done the sizes you will need for the Speedo and Tach are 3-3/8inch and the others will be 2-1/16inch just keep in mind you will have to put in turn signal indicators and a high beam indicator aswell. As for what kind of gauges you can use its really up to you most gauges come in those sizes but Autometer and Speedhut gauges are really going to be the easiest to install. And the majority will use a electric speedo so you will have to get the conversion gear to send the signal to the speedo Jegs and Summit sell them for around $50.00. I used the Autometer Sport Comp II gauges in a yearone bezel and I love the way they look and really simple to hook up.

Edited May 2, 2011 by StephenC

[buening 63]

5" speedometer and tachometer can be used as well. Here is 70_Fastback's gauges with the 5"ers. You can see that you lose the Autometer trim ring. I plan on using 5" gauges but will fiberglass my own angled guage separator so that the trim rings are still visible.

 

 

JohnPro's with 3 3/8" gauges:

 

 

And a few links with some info: http://www.stangfix.com/testforum2/index.php/topic,10760.msg134254.html#msg134254

http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20091026223135/geocities.com/kvinkler/gauges/page_01.htm

[crankywanker 10]

Are they using the year one gauge cluster? Where do you find that at?

Should I use my original gauge housing?

[buening 63]

The above examples are using the original gauge housing. The Year One housing would be the easy way to go but you'll pay for that convenience. It also allows 4 smaller gauges compared to only 2 with the OEM housing.

[crankywanker 10]

Im curious as to how much fabrication goes into these. It looks like to me there is little fabrication unless you want to use some fiber glass resin and material to house the autometer gauges to show trim(whatever that means)?

[crankywanker 10]

asdf

Edited May 3, 2011 by crankywanker

[crankywanker 10]

http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?cat=E

 

 

"---I apparently can't get a direct link to Year One's 69-70 Cluster. For those interested, click on the link above, then on lthe eft-page menu, choose "interior," then scroll to "dash bezels and gauge clusters."

 

ok i found year one.

this will be a fun project.

[crankywanker 10]

x-nay that I dont know if the gauge would work from someone else. Id rather just build my own.

Edited May 3, 2011 by crankywanker

[crankywanker 10]

How did you install the turn signal and lamp indicators?

[buening 63]

Im curious as to how much fabrication goes into these. It looks like to me there is little fabrication unless you want to use some fiber glass resin and material to house the autometer gauges to show trim(whatever that means)?

 

Very little from what I can tell. That last link I posted shows it eliminating the steel factory gauge housings but still using the stock angled gauge separators. Take a look at those links and you'll get a better idea.

 

The Year One cluster, AFAIK, is only available in black camera. If you have a deluxe woodgrain interior, the JME is the only one that has woodgrain. That one is much more expensive than the Year One.

 

http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/Interior/jme_697.htm

 

In fact, its $600 for only the housing but I don't see the woodgrain one available by itself.

[RogerC 136]

Here's mine, I have some pics to post as its further than what's shown but not quite done yet.

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=7285&highlight=gauge+panel

 

Cruzzar's

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=6098&highlight=gauge+panel

[crankywanker 10]

Here's mine, I have some pics to post as its further than what's shown but not quite done yet.

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=7285&highlight=gauge+panel

 

Cruzzar's

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=6098&highlight=gauge+panel

 

 

Thanks RacerX!

[crankywanker 10]

I'm definitely going to be using my stock instrument bezel and place the gauges in it. I can do without Water Temp and such as I already have Water Temp/Voltage gauges on my A-Pillar. I will mount Fuel Speedo Tach and Oil Pressure. 2 5/8 gauges for oil and fuel and I havent decided on whether or not to use 5" on Speed/Tach. As I understand the 5" will not fit within the bezel and has to have some fabrication so maybe I will use something smaller.

[crankywanker 10]

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-5292/

 

is this the type of speedo conversion part that I will need in order to plug in my cable and convert it over to electronic to work with the autometer gauges or something else?

[StephenC 10]

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-5292/

 

is this the type of speedo conversion part that I will need in order to plug in my cable and convert it over to electronic to work with the autometer gauges or something else?

Yes thats the one I believe that speedhut makes one identical to that think it might be alittle cheaper too I dont remember them being $80.00

[DarkBuddha 107]

Here's Corpse's from Stangnet (way back in the day...):

 

 

 

BTW...

"---I apparently can't get a direct link to Year One's 69-70 Cluster.

Try this: http://www.yearone.com/serverfiles/fbshopmain2.asp?hid=E11AH72380

[crankywanker 10]

I'm gonna rip apart my gauge cluster. I hope I dont have to take off the steering wheel.

[buening 63]

I havent decided on whether or not to use 5" on Speed/Tach. As I understand the 5" will not fit within the bezel and has to have some fabrication so maybe I will use something smaller.

 

As you can see above in the pictures, the 5" basically puts the Autometer's bezel/ring on the outside of the factory plastic gauge angle/spacer. You maximize your opening with the 5" as long as you don't mind the bezel not being visible like on the smaller gauges. I plan on using 5" gauges and making my own angle/spacer, making it fluted so that it increases in diameter as you get to the gauge. This means that the Autometer bezel will still be visible

[crankywanker 10]

As you can see above in the pictures, the 5" basically puts the Autometer's bezel/ring on the outside of the factory plastic gauge angle/spacer. You maximize your opening with the 5" as long as you don't mind the bezel not being visible like on the smaller gauges. I plan on using 5" gauges and making my own angle/spacer, making it fluted so that it increases in diameter as you get to the gauge. This means that the Autometer bezel will still be visible

 

3 3/8" for the speedo and tach if you want the AM Gauges to fit within the bezel.

[DarkBuddha 107]

I recall Corpse made some kind of spacer so that the full face of the gauges would show. I know in some of the conversions it looks a little half-ass'd when the stock bezel covers some part of the face. Look at the one I posted (Corpse's) versus some of the others.

[StephenC 10]

3 3/8" for the speedo and tach if you want the AM Gauges to fit within the bezel.

Yes that is correct 3 3/8"

[Rodman 11]

http://www.1969stang.com/mustang/forum/showthread.php?t=6544

 

Take a look at this. I used SpeedHut. It's a 4 in. tach & speedo & 2 5/8". I installed the factory lenses in front of the gauges. What was nice about their gauges, as you can see in the pic. it's a cup with a nut that goes around it. So I used all the factory internals from the original instrument cluster & used a piece of plastic, cut a hole for the gauges & screwed the nut tight against it. For all 6 gauges, (you can pick your colors), I paid about $780.

[buening 63]

Wyatt, do you happen to have a link to Corpse's build thread of that cluster? Just curious.