I got to looking at my gauge cluster in my nice and ugly 82 F-100 pick up the other day. Of course, its a base model pick-up, so I have no tach, or big clock in the dash, but it really needs to be changed.

The stupid oil pressure gauge works, but doesn't. Shows I have pressure when going forward, but nothing when I am stopped? Its not knocking, but instead of messing with all the crap back there, I was just gonna switch it to aftermarket.

Without destroying the dash with another set of gauges, I was thinking about making a custom cluster out of fiberglass, and then mounting it back there to the mounting locations, and putting in some real gauges. Not the crappy stock ones.

Has anybody else done this? Or do they make an aftermarket drop in?

 

i also intend to build my own custom dash assembly, once i get around to the interior part of my truck...first i need it to be mechanically sound, then work on the outside, and last but not least, the interior...by the time i'm done with customizing my truck, i'll probably have nigh onto 10 grand into it...lol...but i'll know what it has and what it don't...front to back and top to bottom...and the way i figger it, if i'm gonna customize it, i might as well do it how i want it...good luck with yours...

MontanaFord

 

Why don't you just get a triple gauge set and install it under your dash. You can get a good Electric oil-water-volt set on E-bay for about $15.00.

If you want a Tach - you could mount one to your collum or look at E-bay for a complete gauge panel with Tach - they go for about $35 to $40 and are a plug and play install.

If you are having gauge problems it's most likely the sender. Try replacing the sending unit and see what happens.

 

That would be an idea, to fix the stock gauges and mount aftermarket ones under the dash, but what would be the real point of that? That takes most of the fun out of tring to be orginal or different. IMO.

Thought about replacing the senders, but with reading a couple threads of people doing that, and still having the same issues, I'll just go my own custom route. The whole idea was to make a mold, and then sell them, or sell the mold to a larger company who might make them.

 

Most like the factory gauges for working dash and use the more accurate aftermarket gauges for better reading and trouble shooting.

I have a cheep set of gauges mounted under the hood for tuning and observation. I have the standard oil-water-amp set up;but, wish I also had a vacuum gauge mounted too.

 

I have the stock guages and a tri-guage under the dash. I had no tach so I originaly had the tack on the stering solumn but when I did the cab swap I went and mounted the aftermarket tack where the tach is supposed to be. I will try and get a pic but It might be a while.

 

I got a XLT factory gauge panel off E-bay. It has the factory Tach & spedo with trip OD. It was $35. It was a "plug and play" and took about 35min. to install.

I also have the triple gauge under the dash - they are electric so I don't have the oil line inside & water sensor tube - I have #16 wire to sensors on the engine.

So I have three sets of gauges: factory, elec. under dash, & cheepies under hood.

I guess I have enough gauges - they were installed in progression - as I thought I needed them. Kinda got out of hand!

 

I keep several clusters for parts but use the factory gauges to monitor my rather stout 7.5L. They are accurate enough to determine any change. I just don't like the look of cheap aftermarket gauges so I slightly modified my factory set. My 140 MPH speedometer is from a 1988 Mustang GT. The guts and overlay worked perfectly within the original cluster, and yes it is accurate to 130 MPH. I did not test it beyond that. The factory tachometer is accurate to +/- 10 RPM when tested against a digital tachometer, which is close enough for me. My ignition box rev limiter is set at 6K RPM, so the factory tachometer is sufficient and easy to read. Factory oil pressure, Amp, and water temperature gauges are only relative, which is to say that they respond only to change rather than give an accurate reading. My concern is primarily to change in temperature or pressure when I am driving or racing. An accurate gauge is only important during tune time and maintenance, and for that time, I use portable Ford Rotunda gauges in the engine bay. I fabricated a central plug for the Rotunda gauges and mounted it on the driver side wheelwell near the ignition box.

This is what worked for me. Hope it helps you.

 

Ok here is my setup.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ruckguage2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ruckguage1.jpg

It will all be going white soon. I got the stuff(except for tach) but need the time to do it.

 

When I put in my triple electric "under dash" gauge set, I installed it over the "Stuff" pocket in the dash cluster. I miss the pocket in the dash;but, the gauges are tucked up nicely to the bottom right of the steering wheel. Very easy to see too!