Auto Meter gauge install

[CruzinHigh]

The install continues.

Here's the modification I made on the cluster housing to accept the new gauges.  I cut the back out with an air saw.




I also decided to make a new inlay, out of sheet aluminum.  I picked this piece of aluminum up at Menards for $15.  The measuring and cutting took forever.  Don't know if I would do this again, but smaller diameter of the gauge holes now ensure the aluminum goes all the way under the gauge bezels and it didn't before.

I used the old inlay for a template, that was just glued on (and coming off by now anyway)







This is the finished inlay.  I know the circles look pretty jagged, but you can't tell once the gauges are installed.

I was able to cover up the spot for the transmission indicator too, since I am running a stick shift.

I made plates for the stereo area, and another with two toggle switches over on the spot by the light switch.

I will be sorting through the last details of the wiring today, and will epoxy the plates and inlay on since the clearcoat is dried on them by now.

More to come!

[CruzinHigh]

Whoops!  I am glad I looked back through this post, I almost forgot a spot for my high beam indicator!

[CruzinHigh]

I finished up with the install finally.  I ditched the custom inlay idea because it was too thin a gauge of aluminum, and was a nightmare trying to get that thing to glue up to the bezel properly.  I opted for the inlay used in the post earlier here by tireburner.  I even chose to use the blue bulb he did in the same location.  Thanks TB, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Here's a shot of all the wiring inside behind the dash.  I had to create piles of power and grounds for the bulbs, plus power for the gauges themselves, and grounds.  Then there's the sender wires of course too.




And here's the final product:





Thanks goes out to you guys that have done this already, and make available to the rest of us the info needed to approach the project.  I had to switch gears a few times during the project, and there was always something that came up I had not planned for but such is life!

The one thing I would point out about this job if anybody wants to try it, is that you must remember about all those little indicator and idiot lights if you want to keep them.  Heck, half of mine were long since non-functioning and I just don't care about an "e brake" indicator for instance anyway.  I'd like to have kept the 4wd indicator, its kinda cool, but that was just adding even more work I wasn't interested in at this time.  Lots of the indicators show up in the lower portion of the big 5" stock gauges, so if you put the 5" auto meters back in place, you will have to find a new home for those little lights.  Indeed, this can prove a bit tricky!

Edited by: CruzinHigh at: 3/25/07 10:54 am

[edcole]

CruzinHigh, can you go over the removal of your ECM and what it controls.  I am in process of installing a 350 in my 87 truck that had a 4.3 in it.  I like the clean look of your truck without that big ugly wiring harness that goes to ECM.  Do not have alot of vehicle wiring experience so any help you can give will be appreciated.

[roundedline]

Unless I am mistaken CruisinHighs ECM was really an ESC.  If you have the TBI 4.3, you would have to convert to a carb to remove the ECM and that would be going backward in my opinion, especially if you are wanting good drivability/reliability.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[edcole]

Backwards I am heading.  I got a real good deal on a early (70's)rebuilt 350 with low miles that was built by a friend of a friend for drag racing fun on the weekends.  Turned out that the motor was not built enough for him so he built a blown big block.  It is approx. 350 hp with a holley 650 cfm carb on it.  Carbs is what I am used to from back in my day of working on hot rods.  Do not have a lot of knowledge on fuel injection or have the correct tools needed for diagnosing problems anyways.  So a carb is a better choice for me for what I am building.  
The truck I am building is a 1987 v10 that used to be an old wardens truck up here in Maine and spent most of its life on dirt roads so the body is in good shape for the year for a Maine truck.  I am building mainly for a summertime  truck to have fun with and tow my 24 foot travel trailer to a campground that is about 45 miles from my house a couple of times in the summertime.  
Going to pick up the sm465 that has been freshened up with new bearings and a new paint job to match up to a nicely painted motor.
I just got the wiring diagram for the truck and the ecm does not look too bad to take out and I really like the looks of CruisinHighs with that harness out of there.  
This is a great forum and thanks for the help that I have gotten so far from everyone.

[CruzinHigh]

I agree with you Chris, adding a carbed motor is indeed a bit backwards.  I bought my truck that way though, somebody had done quite the hack job installation of a junkyard motor, dropped in a 350 and got rid of the 4.3 6 cyl tbi.  But it's o.k, my wiring has turned out super simple and I have an MSD tucked under the dash inside feeding 1 simple wire to the brand new points distributor I got for free from a buddy.

To remove that EST module, there's really nothing to it. 
Here's an old photo of what I unearthed when going through my re-wire project.



Just yank all the entire harness basically.  I simply ran a new wire from my MSD to the single feed for my points distributor.

If you're running an HEI setup and no MSD, I guess that will be a bit different.  Not sure exactly how you'd wire that up, but I had mine going that way before with a conglomeration of crazy wiring like I said from the botch job somebody had done on the truck before I bought it.   I suspect it's really simple but I never really dug back through the old wires and dissected it.

If you want any other tips, we should start a new post.  I will check in to see how you're coming.  Good luck!

[79SHORTWIDE]

I have the same plan for Auto Meter's as well and wanted to add a tranny temp gauge. BUT, I'm assuming you're not going to have heat and a/c or you're just going to use the floor vent?  Thought about putting my tranny gauge near the shifter since I will probably have to build a floor console.  What floor shifter are you using? just curious.