86Z

iTrader: (4)

so when i took the camaro out for the first time in the longest time. i recalled how crappy the stock gauges were, so my new project. custom dash to hold autometer gauges. i was looking at the covan's classic dash and it seems silly with the 2 lower gauges, you cannot see them, and i'm not a fan of the smaller 3 3/8" gauges. Jimmy Jams has a dash face similar to covans except the lower gauges are moved outward, still hard to see.

i wanted 5" gauges for the speedometer and tachometer, this limits me on how many gauges i can have in the main dash, so speedometer, tachometer, water temp and fuel gauge, i will be placing the oil pressure and volt gauge in cups under the center vent and removing the autometer 5" monster tach with shift light.

so 3 hours of my work, still in the rough stages...

need to add led's for the blinkers etc.. i'm thinking of using the lower light display thinggy on the original cluster that displays the check engine light etc.. if not, i have led's.

did anyone take a close look at the dashboard? the cluster face is not perfectly straight it sinks down near the speedo... weird.

Recaro trans am

iTrader: (1)

I always thought about doing this to my firebird because of the 4 round gauges, But I like the way the dash looks and have not yet figured out a nice way to do it to mine and still make it look like its factory.

fiream

Here's a teaser of my new dash...

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Here's what I've done with mine:

86Z

iTrader: (4)

fiream, i've watched your thread, very nice job. i like the phantom gauges, just not in the camaro, besides i have other sport comp gauges and don't want to replace them all.


robguitargod, i like the carbon fiber look. any reason why you did not replace the other 3 factory gauges? do you have an oil pressure gauge?

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Only reason I didn't replace the other 4 gauges is because I haven't bought them yet. I'm somewhat of a bargain hunter so sometimes it takes me a little while to find what I'm looking for. The oil pressure gauge is just to the right of the tach in its own mount.

Recaro trans am

iTrader: (1)

Anyone use those intergrated 5" gauges that have mulible gauges in one? Trying to figure a way to keep the 4 round gauges in my dash? Not sure how i like them yet?

86Z

iTrader: (4)

i researched the autometer 5" 4 in ones, you need to change every sender, including the fuel level float

Recaro trans am

iTrader: (1)

Well that sux considering I just changed my fuel sender.!!

Demon355

iTrader: (1)

Looks good! I've been doing this process on and off for a few months now. Just picked up my ABS sheets to go over the MDF I used to hold the gauges in place. Here's a shot of my setup. I have a triple pod on my a-pillar, 3 gauge cups under my center vent and the gauges in this cluster.



Here's a shot of my buddies setup. He painted his MDF black. He also runs a triple pod along with his cluster gauges.

rfox

Is the speedo a plug and play gauge? Just wondering I need to do some but don't know if there is something I need to look for or just pick a style I like . If I could I would like to go digital on everything.

jchaussee

I don't know. But I do know in the camaro, in 1989 the camaro went to an electronic speedo

rfox

Mines an 86 firebird and it has a cable

86Z

iTrader: (4)

the speedometer i'm using is electronic, no cable. my original one was cable, need a dakota digital sgi-5 box to send the signal to the computer and a vss sender in the transmission.

rfox

what if im not using a computer? i am already down to the bare minnimum as far as under hood electrical goes and plan on going a little less wires

Demon355

iTrader: (1)

Certain brands of Autometer have cable driven gauges. You can pick which ones you want on their site. Use Summitracing.com to break down what you want with size, mechanical/electric, liquid filled etc.

zenish

are you sure it wasn't 1990?if your right that would make a t56 swap into my car a little easier.

jchaussee

I know the gauges changed in 90, but for some reason I think they went to elect speedo in 89. Sure a quick search would yield the correct answer

86Z

iTrader: (4)

alright, i finished the install i just need to put the gauge wiring under the vents in some black plastic loom. huge improvement over stock

86_irocz-28

Heres mine

startat2

iTrader: (2)

Can some one do a write up on this?

camaro1122

iTrader: (1)

Just to ask what is everyone using to cut the holes out for the gauges? I bought a dash panel for the 90-92 camaros and since the gauges im using are offset, classic dash couldnt cut the holes because they didnt have the right size. The shops around here are rip offs, they say 2 hours to cut the holes and install the gauges into the dash panel "only" and there shop fee is 85/hr...adding that figure up doesnt like my wallet.

86_irocz-28

i used a plasma cutter nd a drill press

86Z

iTrader: (4)

mine was made out of an ABS panel, i used a dremel with the circle cutter attachment.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

For those with the pair of 5" gauges in a Camaro, how's the gauge visibility through the steering wheel? I'm planning on a similar upgrade in my car, but I'm concerned about gauge blockage, especially if I push the gauges out to the edges like most others have done. FYI, I'm running a 13.5" Grant wheel. I may be able to mitigate the tach blockage by having a shift light, and I may be able to remedy the speedo blockage by swapping the tach and speedo locations, but I really won't know until I actually cut out some cardboard dummies and put them there to see...

86Z

iTrader: (4)

check my post a few lines up, i have a pic through the factory steering wheel, no visibility issues what so every, my whole reason for doing it. the covans and others with gauges in the lower part you cannot see, it makes no sense to have them there, and i'm not a fan of 3 3/8" sizes

antoneruberto

Hi
How did you mount them in?
thx,
a