Drop in aftermarket gauges for '66?

mrmustangman357 · Aug 11, 2007

Does anyone make an affordable gauge kit that has a tach? I saw this one on eSteal:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...=ADME:X:RTQ:US:11&viewitem=&item=330153113504

It looks like what I am after but I'm not a fan of that particular gauge style. I ran into a guy at a show a while ago with a 66 fastback and he said he found a drop-in assembly just like this on the internet (maybe not eBay) for around $200. I don't mind a little fab, but cost is a concern. that same eBay seller has a blank pod but then I'd have to go source gauges and worry about fitment and new sending units, and hacking stock wiring, which would mount costs for me and possible headaches later. Anyone have a solution?

If I do swap out my gauges later, I will definitely go with the sleek look with a hidden AM shift light and probably a warning light if anything goes odd, but I can fab most of that stuff off the car since it would br from scratch lol any slick ideas?

Rusty67 · Aug 12, 2007

That is a really nice cluster in terms of what it offers space wise to stick stuff into your dash. What I think you should do is get the gauges you want (they should come with proper sending units) and buy the empty bezel. Try and pick up a messed up gauge set off of ebay that has a good wiring harness and hack that wiring harness for your new gauge setup. Then most of the gauges can plug into the factory harness and you will minimize new wire runs.

Jimmys66 · Aug 12, 2007

You may not like it......but, it's probably going to be a christmas gift at my house.

I actually like the period correct gauges. I've got a thing for the old stewert-warners and I refuse to pay $1000 and wait a year for JME's.

mrmustangman357 · Aug 12, 2007

yes those stewart warners are pretty sweet but I was looking for competition gauges like autometer's ultra-lite gauges, but autometer doesn't sell those in kits and they get expensive! !

dennis112 · Aug 13, 2007

Look sweets. I'd sure like to see a pic of them installed, especially from the driver's seat.

Helmantel · Aug 13, 2007

It's the first time I see a chromed version of this bezel. Normally it's just black. I like the chrome, but I don't really like the "lips" or whatever you may call them, under the large gauges. I assume they wanted to replicate the look of the original 66 5 dial cluster, but to me it looks like a nice idea that doesn't really work out.

I like the gauges better than most Autometers. Autometer makes nice products, but I don't think they really blend in with a 60's Mustang interior. If I were to go with custom gauges, I would try and make my own dial faces, styled after the originals, although I realize that wouldn't be too easy. Maybe some of those companies that make custom gauge overlays can make them if you give them a design?

ultrastang · Aug 13, 2007

Helmantel said:
It's the first time I see a chromed version of this bezel. Normally it's just black. I like the chrome, but I don't really like the "lips" or whatever you may call them, under the large gauges. I assume they wanted to replicate the look of the original 66 5 dial cluster, but to me it looks like a nice idea that doesn't really work out.

I like the gauges better than most Autometers. Autometer makes nice products, but I don't think they really blend in with a 60's Mustang interior. If I were to go with custom gauges, I would try and make my own dial faces, styled after the originals, although I realize that wouldn't be too easy. Maybe some of those companies that make custom gauge overlays can make them if you give them a design?

I understand what you are saying, and I would not have so much a problem with the stock gauges, or overlays on the stock gauges, if the stock guages had some graduations on them that actually meant anything.

In the case of the stock oil pressure guage, you have "L" and "H". I understand that "L" is 'Low' and "H" is 'High', but exactly how low is low, and how high is high, and what about all the space in between the two letters on the dial? It's just a gray area that you really have no idea what's going on.

I put Autometer Phantom-series gauges in my '68 because I like the looks, but mostly because they have graduations on them that translates to real world reading of what's going on in the engine. --well...at least it will when the day finally comes that my '68 is back together and fully operational again.

65 fastback · Aug 13, 2007

$345.00 for the gauge bezel, wiring harness and 6 Stewart Warner gauges!, sorry but there is no way you are going to beat that deal. For the money that looks like a great set up.

Tim

TOM B · Aug 13, 2007

That bezel is what I have in my stang, I like it. go to
www.tpigauges and look around as they have many options.
I bought mine off Ebay as a kit, bezel, TPI gauges and wiring.
One thing about the bezel you must know, there is a left and right turn signal HOLES in bezel but no lights, YOU must supply the lights, same for the high beam.
I used low output LEDs and they work great. My kit from TPI also included a fuel sender for the tank but that needed modified to fit, maybe they changed it by now. also for this type of cluster with the center large gauges and the bezel with the 2 lips under these gauges you also must modify the lower 2 screw mounts to fit. so you must know how to do this stuff or you will think you got riped but in reality you saved about $700.00

mrmustangman357 · Aug 13, 2007

those gauges in that link are stewart warner? I e-mailed the guy and he just said "aftermarket" which to me means cheap ones (i.e. not s.w.)

Its not that i prefer a brand, but a differnet look. that's all.

UltraStang, did you buy yours in a kit? The autometers in summit dont come as a kit! grr. .

Oh yeah its BWill from the MS forum. This is my stangnet handle Still looking for the 8.8, but trust me, a full writeup will be done, along with my DIY alignment, once things get sorted out at school

ultrastang · Aug 14, 2007

mrmustangman357 said:
those gauges in that link are stewart warner? I e-mailed the guy and he just said "aftermarket" which to me means cheap ones (i.e. not s.w.)

Its not that i prefer a brand, but a differnet look. that's all.

UltraStang, did you buy yours in a kit? The autometers in summit dont come as a kit! grr. .

Oh yeah its BWill from the MS forum. This is my stangnet handle Still looking for the 8.8, but trust me, a full writeup will be done, along with my DIY alignment, once things get sorted out at school

I didn't buy any kits for my setup. I did my Autometer gauge conversion in 2001, at a time when gauge conversions were barely existent for these cars. I just modified my stock '68 bezel to mount them. I have 7 gauges in all, and about $700 dollars invested in them. The most expensive one was the 5" electronic programmable speedometer. It was $256, so a mechanical one would be much less.

TOM B · Aug 14, 2007

POST DELEATED, SORRY BAD DAY

mrmustangman357 · Aug 14, 2007

Tom, what is your deal?
Quoted: "he said he found a drop-in assembly just like this on the internet (maybe not eBay) for around $200. I don't mind a little fab, but cost is a concern. that same eBay seller has a blank pod but then I'd have to go source gauges and worry about fitment and new sending units, and hacking stock wiring"

what part of "i mind a little fab" and "i dont want to hack stock wiring" makes you think I'm looking for plug and play? Not only that, you took the $200 remark completely out of context. if you look at the link you will clearly see that the cluster i found is more expensive than the $200. geez flame on. . . your post provided no useful information to the thread. thank you

Anyways, The thing those gauges don't do for me is the tach, and the large graduations on the dials. My preference. Like I said earlier, I was looking for a competition look gauge. I looked through the CJ catalog and saw the ford racing pieces, but they dont offer a 3 3/8" tach to match. I might just see about buying the autometers. Through summit, it looks to be around $370 for the ultra-lites with the mechanical oil pressure gauge. There's a shop about 30 minutes north of where I'm at that has used NASCAR equipment. Perhaps they stock gauges and I will give hem a call in the morning.

Drop in aftermarket gauges for '66?

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