Aftermarket gauges

[Magic1]

I've been rewiring my 82 Sierra and have found a good used gauge cluster out of an 86 chevy that someone was parting out. I'm using a painless wiring harness for the 73-87 trucks so I'm assuming the new cluster will work. The harness came with a new plug for the original type gauge cluster and shows how to wire it up for the truck. The only difference in my old cluster vs the new one is the old one has a mech type oil gauge and the new one has electric. The directions show completely different ways to wire the plug depending on wether its for an 82 cluster or an 86. So my questions are these:
If I'm using the 86 cluster would I want to wire the new plug based on the year of the truck or the year of the cluster being used? If I were to decide to go with aftermarket gauges instead how will they wire up? I've never looked at the back of an aftermarket gauge so I'm unsure of what the contacts look like. All my instrument wires are labeled, so would each wire simply hook up to each gauge (temperature wire to temp gauge, oil pressure wire to oil pressure gauge, etc?)

[1979C20]

Most aftermarket gauges that are not mechanical have 2-3 wires from the back that would ,onnect to the oroginal mounting slots of the cluster.

[Magic1]

So if I decide to go with aftermarket would I have to keep the entire back part of the cluster? I was planning on mounting them in the bezel and doing away with that whole back section. Would it make a difference by going with all mechanical?  I've already got a mech speedo and oil sending unit. Haven't got the electric sending unit for the new oil gauge yet.

[1979C20]

If you want all mechanical gauges, it would only be speedo, oil pressure, and water temp. The volt meter and fuel gauge are both electric. But you vould do away with the cluster and moint the gauges to the bezel, but you would have to figure something out for the interior turn aignal lights and find which wires are what for the fuel guage. Volt meter just needs battery+ and a ground. But in all technicallity, you can do whatever you want with a little work.

[Captkaos]

Read this: http://73-87.com/7387garage/interior/gauges_recessed.htm  This is the best looking in my opinion for aftermarket...

I also have Dakota Digital analog gauges.  Keep in mind everything after 1977 was electrical...
http://store.73-87chevytrucks.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=7&Product_Code=VHX-73C-PU&Category_Code=7G