'67 Deluxe/Autometer Phantom clusters -- should I produce these?

[THX 138]

I've had one for a long time. That's what I'm doing, but the aftermarket parts business is so competitive, especially online, that my wholesale for these gauges isn't much less than what you can find the gauges for from Summit or a similar site since they're so huge. They get massive discounts from Auto Meter that we little guys can't get, so they can retail stuff for only slightly more than we can get it for.

maybe try VDO?. I was gonna use them in my jeep.

 

[reenmachine]

Here's a pic of a'67 standard with mechanical speedo I made today.

 

[reenmachine]

Installed in the '67 fastback test mule and fully tested.

Unplug the old cluster, plug in the new one, hook up one wire for the tach, and go!

 

[Bullitt]

looks like every bit the quality part my JME cluster was.

i imagine you could deliver a lot quicker than the 8 months it took to get mine!

i say go for it.

 

[Edbert]

I just wish Autometer sold a 7K or 8K version of those tachs, and a 140mph speedo!

At least for my car and my driving the 10K tach and the 160mph speedo are just a waste or space and there's no hope of ever pegging my needle again.

 

[reenmachine]

I just wish Autometer sold a 7K or 8K version of those tachs, and a 140mph speedo!

At least for my car and my driving the 10K tach and the 160mph speedo are just a waste or space and there's no hope of ever pegging my needle again.

No kidding. I had a customer debating whether to get the 200 mph speedo!

I told him to get the 160, and if he sends me a picture of it pegged, I'll do the 200 mph upgrade for free.

 

[Edbert]

No kidding. I had a customer debating whether to get the 200 mph speedo!

I told him to get the 160, and if he sends me a picture of it pegged, I'll do the 200 mph upgrade for free.

 

[mdjay]

These new 67-68 gauge supports are just hitting the market. They give the option of using either 3 3/8" gauges in the middle, or 5" ones with a little trimming. Keep in mind, your gauge selection does become the majority of the cost of building these.

 

[Edbert]

Cool! Price seems reasonable but the wording is vague or incorrect.

1967-68 Gauge Supports now offered for your car. Accepts 3ea 2" gauges and 2ea 3 3/8" gauges or 2ea 5" gauges for a custom look using your stock gauge bezel.. For the 5" gauges, trimming the bezel is required. Complete instructions are included.

The two large are 5", but what are the two sizes for the 3 smaller ones?

 

[reenmachine]

These new 67-68 gauge supports are just hitting the market. They give the option of using either 3 3/8" gauges in the middle, or 5" ones with a little trimming. Keep in mind, your gauge selection does become the majority of the cost of building these.

nice...that could be really useful for me. You have them in stock? I'll try one out.

One thing...how does it go into the car? I don't see the top flange or the bottom tabs...

 

[reenmachine]

Cool! Price seems reasonable but the wording is vague or incorrect.



The two large are 5", but what are the two sizes for the 3 smaller ones?

What it means is that you use three 2" gauges for the small ones, and either two 3-3/8" or two 5" gauges for the big ones (see the pics).

By 2" gauges, does it mean that 2-1/16" Auto Meter gauges will fit? Too bad it doesn't fit the 2-5/8" gauges...

I still don't see how it actually screws into the car though.

 

[Edbert]

Just guessing on my part...
It will screw to the front bezel using the stock locations. The holes in the plate are sized so that they'll catch the lip of the debezeled gauge body and hold it in place, at least until you can mount it using the stock |___________| bars of the Autometer kit.

The question still remains, all 6 screws of the factoy bezel went through the backplate, four of the six went theough the front plastic bezel, that will not suffice for this install.

I like the idea and am glad it is being produced but I have 2-5/8th gauges for my small ones.

 

[reenmachine]

To me, it doesn't look like you "de-bezel" the gauges at all. They fasten to this plate using the |_________| bars that come with them, just as if you were installing the gauges into a flat panel. At least that's true of the small gauges, and the 3-3/8" ones using those round adapter plates. It looks like you'd pass 5" gauges through the front of the bezel, and the factory plastic |________| things fasten them directly to the bezel, hence the [ ] clearances in the main backing plate to clear the plastic brackets.

 

[68 Coop]

VERY NICE WORK! I only wish I had the xtra 1k laying around.

 

[mdjay]

nice...that could be really useful for me. You have them in stock? I'll try one out.

One thing...how does it go into the car? I don't see the top flange or the bottom tabs...

Not yet, they were just released. We have some on order. They'll probably be in by the end of the week, or early next.

1967-68 Gauge Supports now offered for your car. Accepts 3ea 2" gauges and 2ea 3 3/8" gauges or 2ea 5" gauges for a custom look using your stock gauge bezel.. For the 5" gauges, trimming the bezel is required. Complete instructions are included.

I agree, but these are brand new so I haven't read the instructions for specifics. The manufacturer is suppose to provide a "how to" video link.

 

[reenmachine]

What about the installation? Can you contact your manufacturer and get the story on how the cluster actually fastens into the car?

 

[mdjay]

What about the installation? Can you contact your manufacturer and get the story on how the cluster actually fastens into the car?

There are another set of rings that the first picture shows.

This is the original message I got before I placed the order.

"For 5" gauges, the small ring is not used, there is a 5" ring that goes over the front bezel whch does need to be trimmed. The large back plate will have a back cut the customer will use to enlarge the hole for installation. I'm working on a video showing this, along with better instructions included with the support."

 

[mdjay]

What it means is that you use three 2" gauges for the small ones, and either two 3-3/8" or two 5" gauges for the big ones (see the pics).

By 2" gauges, does it mean that 2-1/16" Auto Meter gauges will fit? Too bad it doesn't fit the 2-5/8" gauges...

I still don't see how it actually screws into the car though.

Yes it fits both the 2 and 2 1/16" gauges

 

[reenmachine]

Look, it's clear how the various size gauges fasten to the plate. There's no question there.

What I've been trying to ask is, after one installs the gauges into the bezel assembly, how does the whole new cluster attach to the car? None of the fastening points from an original cluster exist anymore using this product.

Yes, one can make a decent cluster using this, but can it be used? Has this ever been tested in a car?

I apologize if I sound a bit terse, but I'd like to have a definitive answer to this before I spend my $.

 

[mdjay]

There's four holes in a stock cluster. I'm assuming you just reuse the existing holes that are there to fasten the bezel to the car. I'm sure it's as simple as adding a couple of washers.

As stated before, I don't have the install instructions in front of me to answer specifics. They're on the way.