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Author Topic: Custom Cluster in the works  (Read 31540 times)

Offline modular93fox

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Custom Cluster in the works
« on: October 26, 2010, 10:51:04 PM »
About 2 years ago I seen a wicked cool hybrid looking cluster. It was in a cummins conversion suburban, (original photos not hosted anymore, and my photos I had taken are misplaced) but it was so wicked good looking, I went out and picked up a Dodge Ram 1500 instrument cluster. The gauges alre a perfect match for the factory bezel, the small gauges are a 100% perfect, the 6k tack and 120mph speedo are like 1% too small due to 1 notch in one spot on each of the gauges. I never got hot and heavy about the project but its always in the back of my mind. Well about a month ago I jumpstarted the project by figuring out exactly how to mount these gauges.

Seriously after about 2 hours of brain storming I got the perfect solution.


 and


the MPH and Speedo are not shown becuase I need to tweak it just a bit.
clint
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Offline modular93fox

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2010, 11:02:02 PM »
by design its a 3pc carrier, the back, the block spacer and the front trim. Screw the gauge and make the electrical contacts to the back plate and screw in the spacer followed by the gauge face trim ring. With the cluster assembled the idea would be to mark the center of the gauge needle on the clear lense of the cluster for reference. Disassemble the cluster and cut the lip of the black plastic (not available online :( ) trim that surrounds the gauges. Now that the black trim is nice and flat (no lip) & with the gauges in its new carrier, place it on the back of the black trim (with the clear lense fitted on the front side) and align it so that the center of the gauges is where the center of the marks you made on the plastic clear lense. Make a pilot hole in the middle use a screw to hold them together. Once fitment is good to go, I need to see what epoxy glue would be best to glue the 2 together. Just to ensure they are stuck together real good :). Sounds good to me anyway.

clint
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1987 5.3 4l60e Silverado - daily driver with A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors & 13.8" Rear Disc Brakes
A poor man buy's it twice

Offline modular93fox

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2010, 11:42:14 AM »
Got a quote using the SLS method. its not to bad, low 300 for all 3. Im gonna sleep on how many I am going to order.
clint
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1987 5.3 4l60e Silverado - daily driver with A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors & 13.8" Rear Disc Brakes
A poor man buy's it twice

Offline eventhorizon66

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2010, 01:52:57 PM »
Is this the Suburban you're talking about?

http://www.devilscastle.net/cummins2006-dec.htm
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Offline modular93fox

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2010, 05:57:49 PM »
yep. I went through my external and found the photo of when I put all of the gauges in the cluster...



clint
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1987 5.3 4l60e Silverado - daily driver with A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors & 13.8" Rear Disc Brakes
A poor man buy's it twice

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2010, 06:02:02 PM »
Great concept but not very stylish gauges.
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Offline modular93fox

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2010, 10:24:48 PM »
true, but thats what I was looking for.. Im not into the white faced flamed look that aftermarket might offer... but there might be kits offered to change the face or needles to something more exotic. Ive seen needle kits for the NNBS silverdao's... neat but not for me. For function, this setup is great for me, it gets rid of the tach on the dash and gets the sleek look of through the dial lighting with the more MPH on the dial.... my 5.3 engine doesnt like the 85mph speedo
clint
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1987 5.3 4l60e Silverado - daily driver with A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors & 13.8" Rear Disc Brakes
A poor man buy's it twice

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2010, 10:42:06 PM »
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it at all! They still look cool
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Offline zieg85

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2010, 11:30:30 PM »
I wish someone made a good aftermarket replacement tach with the built in gas gauge like the newer 85 on up I have seen.  I would like to find the GM part # on it and see if any exist any more.
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Offline topp

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #9 on: October 28, 2010, 08:24:31 AM »
Quote from: modular93fox on October 27, 2010, 05:57:49 PM
yep. I went through my external and found the photo of when I put all of the gauges in the cluster...



clint

I like it....

What gauges are they?
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Offline modular93fox

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #10 on: October 28, 2010, 05:57:21 PM »
came out of a dodoge ram 1500 96-98 gas v8
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1987 5.3 4l60e Silverado - daily driver with A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors & 13.8" Rear Disc Brakes
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Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #11 on: October 28, 2010, 10:27:59 PM »
Quote from: zieg85 on October 27, 2010, 11:30:30 PM
I wish someone made a good aftermarket replacement tach with the built in gas gauge like the newer 85 on up I have seen.  I would like to find the GM part # on it and see if any exist any more.

Contact this guy that sells the factory tachs

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-1986-Chevrolet-Chevy-truck-tachometer-gauge-set-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ150481634140QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
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Offline modular93fox

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #12 on: October 28, 2010, 10:54:58 PM »
his tach looks like the fuel gauge with some sort of tack fixed to it and a overlay. none the less, its a lot less work. When I pull the trigger I will have invested about 50$ more than that guy is selling his kit for. 270 for the adapter carrier and 50 bucks for the cluster. Once I get my project finished I might take apart my autogauge tach and see how to fit it to the gas gauge... but thats another project another time.
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1987 5.3 4l60e Silverado - daily driver with A/C,P/W,P/L,TILT, HID projectors & 13.8" Rear Disc Brakes
A poor man buy's it twice

Offline zieg85

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #13 on: October 29, 2010, 06:50:13 AM »
Quote from: VileZambonie on October 28, 2010, 10:27:59 PM
Quote from: zieg85 on October 27, 2010, 11:30:30 PM
I wish someone made a good aftermarket replacement tach with the built in gas gauge like the newer 85 on up I have seen.  I would like to find the GM part # on it and see if any exist any more.

Contact this guy that sells the factory tachs

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1973-1986-Chevrolet-Chevy-truck-tachometer-gauge-set-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQitemZ150481634140QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

The one I am looking for has the gas gauge built in the tach.  I have seen one only on eBay.
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1985 C20 Scottsdale 7.4L 4 speed 3.21
1986 C10 under construction
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Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Custom Cluster in the works
« Reply #14 on: October 30, 2010, 12:25:08 AM »
Contact that guy, last I knew he sold the diesel, heavy truck and 10-30 tach's as well as complete assmenliees. 99.9% of the used ones you'll find on eBay will not be functional.
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74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10
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