stock gauges suck

dafinleys · Aug 17, 2011

Just bought 93 5.0 lx from sister in law. Perfect car except for stock guages. Is there an aftermarket replacement cluster that actually works? This is a virtually original car! Want to keep it that way! No cutting or permanent mods. Please help!

Boss 351 · Aug 17, 2011

You can get the entire cluster panel and slap in some autometers but it won't be cheap. I'd do like most people with the aero-nose car and get the vent pod. Slap on 3 gauges of your choice and voila. You could slap on an RPM to the column too without destroying it (or at least get another column trim piece to drill into).

P.S. I don't like slapping gauges everywhere either. I still use all the stock 25 year old gauges. lol

Gearbanger 101 · Aug 17, 2011

It's too bad that the stock gauges couldn't be sent out and properly calibrated. I can't believe any of the aftermarket gauge companies haven't worked something out for these cars yet. It's got to be the single most popular customizable car on the road and nobody make a decent set of period correct gauges for it!?!

wythors · Aug 17, 2011

This will be going into one of my cars eventually.

Florida 5.0 - 1987 - 1993 Instrument Clusters

FastDriver · Aug 18, 2011

I like analong gauges more, but this is the system I run because I have a lot more flexibility with it: Ultra Dash Extreme

tannerc91gt · Aug 18, 2011

Love Florida 5.0 clusters but they're $$$.

4rdnut · Aug 18, 2011

wythors said:
This will be going into one of my cars eventually.

Florida 5.0 - 1987 - 1993 Instrument Clusters

The carbon fiber gauges look awesome. I e-mailed florida 5.0 about the carbon fiber cluster and they said before you order this cluster be aware that there has been mulitiple complaints about the lighting being to dim to read the gauges at night in the autometer carbon fiber gauges. I have autometer water temp and oil pressure carbon fiber gauges in my car and they are to dull to read at night, autometer messed up with these. They are nice looking though.

VibrantRedGT · Aug 18, 2011

Our 92 had the bouncy unreliable stock gauges. Florida 5.0 is down the street, we are getting one of their clusters eventually.

TenorPlayinGuy · Aug 18, 2011

I like the piece available from mc-machine. Its Aluminum, and they did very nice with the turn signals, and notification lights. They also build it to order, if you prefer only 3 guages instead of the stock 6, than thats what they'll make. I will be getting one of these with some phantom II guages.

87-89 Mustang Dash Plates

citmov · Aug 18, 2011

While I totally agree that the stock clusters are horrible, and I think the Florida 5.0 ones would be the best replacement...but...I wish the Florida 5.0 ones looked a little more OEM. At first glance the Florida 5.0 ones look super cool but for some reason it just doesn't look like it "fully fits". I don't know if it's just me but those are my thoughts.

wythors · Aug 18, 2011

I'd go with the standard 6-gauge layout, and wouldn't use carbon fiber gauges or one of the flashy bezels. Just something like this:

Personally, I think it looks hot.

Generik · Aug 18, 2011

That looks like a nice piece. Would love that with the Autometer American Muscle gauges. The Phantom II gauges look great as well, real nice pic on their site of them at night.

TenorPlayinGuy said:
I like the piece available from mc-machine. Its Aluminum, and they did very nice with the turn signals, and notification lights. They also build it to order, if you prefer only 3 guages instead of the stock 6, than thats what they'll make. I will be getting one of these with some phantom II guages.

87-89 Mustang Dash Plates

wythors · Aug 18, 2011

Sadly, the MC Machine stuff looks like poo on a 90-93 car.

TenorPlayinGuy · Aug 18, 2011

Yeah they do, which is just another reason why I am glad I have an 87

Is that a shift light in that vent register? Interesting.

citmov · Aug 18, 2011

wythors said:
I'd go with the standard 6-gauge layout, and wouldn't use carbon fiber gauges or one of the flashy bezels. Just something like this:

Personally, I think it looks hot.

Hmm...that actually looks pretty good. Maybe I'd do that but with black face gauges. Nice!

Gearbanger 101 · Aug 18, 2011

citmov said:
While I totally agree that the stock clusters are horrible, and I think the Florida 5.0 ones would be the best replacement...but...I wish the Florida 5.0 ones looked a little more OEM. At first glance the Florida 5.0 ones look super cool but for some reason it just doesn't look like it "fully fits". I don't know if it's just me but those are my thoughts.

See, this is my beef with the aftermarket stuff. They all look nice, in their own way, but they're not period correct fot the '87-'93 Fox body. When you see those gauges, you imediatley know they're aftermarket right off the hop. I don't want my gauges to jump out and detract from the rest of the interior....I just want them to work properly. I actually like the look of the stock gauges for the most part (although I have toyed around with the thought of white faces for them)...I just wish they were....well, accurate, with more even lighting.

Bryan83taco · Aug 18, 2011

Gearbanger 101 said:
See, this is my beef with the aftermarket stuff. They all look nice, in their own way, but they're not period correct fot the '87-'93 Fox body. When you see those gauges, you imediatley know they're aftermarket right off the hop. I don't want my gauges to jump out and detract from the rest of the interior....I just want them to work properly. I actually like the look of the stock gauges for the most part (although I have toyed around with the thought of white faces for them)...I just wish they were....well, accurate, with more even lighting.

I agree, I'm with the less is more crowd. Lots of people would like this

2000xp8 · Aug 20, 2011

Me personally, i don't like any extra gauges.
I hate when you get in someones car and it's got gauges and extra clutter all over the place, only to find out it makes 228rwhp. Didn't we used to make fun of honda civic guys for doing this?

I do have 2 phantoms in my a/c vents, but that's only because i feel that accurate oil pressure and water temp are very important.
The battery gauge is kinda useless, if the alternator goes the battery light will come on.
Gas gauge, that's accurate enough.
The tach, well after you drive the car long enough, you get a feel for the power band and where to shift.
Because if you are racing, you are unlikely to have the time to look down at it anyway, especially on the street. I'd rather have a hidden mini shift lite than a big ass tach.

Since i now have an 0bdII port, i was considering getting an aeroforce gauge so i only need one gauge.

I'm definetely a less is more type of guy on the visuals.

TenorPlayinGuy · Aug 20, 2011

Agreed ^

skunk21 · Aug 21, 2011

I'm withh all you guys. I like the look of the stock set up but they really suck. my temp gauge was really out of whack and wanted a more reliable oil pressure reading. I don't like the A-pillar gauge pods so I figured the next best thing would be a vent gauge set up, very easy to reverse and put back to stock when the aftermarket comes out with a better looking set up.

I don't have A/C so didn't mind loosing the middle vent. I like the volt gauge, yeah the battery light will come on but I would like to know if it's overcharging and frying stuff. I went with black face gauges to match the factory gauges.

stock gauges suck

dafinleys

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