Problem with thunder road dash??? Or is this normal??

[b5blue]

 

[redmist]

I purchased the Speedhut Gauges with the turn indicators, and high beam light built into the speedometer.   

[b5blue]

Picture? 

[charger Downunder]

maybe the guy who designed it was real tall.

Or he had no clue that the factory dash had an angle to it. Looks like the designer thought the original dash was mounted straight up and down.

[myk]

But at 5'4" tall, I wouldn't be able to see my gauges-there'd be no point in even having them!  

Being vertically challenged, you're going to have a bigger (no pun intended) problem that the gauges; how are you going to reach the pedals?

There are pedals?

[redmist]

Picture? 

Here ya go!!!!

I custom configured my gauges to have an old school vibe, but with modern stuff built in. I got a whole set of the revolution gauges and they should be here in a couple weeks.  If you have not been to Speedhuts site, and played with the gauge maker, you are missing out on hours of fun!!! These gauges hare programable for fuel level, Speedo is GPS, they all have a peak settable warn LED, as well as a minimum warn LED.  Speedo does 1/4 mile time and MPH based off GPS, and 0-60.   Should make for getting into a lot of trouble!! haha

Made right here in the United States.  Utah I believe.   

http://www.speedhut.com/

Daytime




Night time

[b5blue]

It's gonna look nice!!  The angle thing has me mystified....what were they thinking? Have you ever heard of Sugru? I've used it quite a bit and it really works, it could be an easier way to adjust the angle. (It's a shape-able rubber that starts off like "Play Dough" but cures hard.) 
http://sugru.com/buy/?gclid=CJeT2Kyvz8ACFQto7AodgXgAcA

[redmist]

Ahhh!!! That would work perfect to "Re-Angle" the gauges.

I might look into that.  I am going to set them up as is, and sit in the seat...  If they are to "Angley"  I will de-angle them.

[wraithghost]

I'm going to put new gauges in my dash, can you get after market speedometers for a 1973 Charger (the flat long speedo don't know the correct term for it) or will I have to change the whole dash?

[familymopar]

Picture? 

Here ya go!!!!

I custom configured my gauges to have an old school vibe, but with modern stuff built in. I got a whole set of the revolution gauges and they should be here in a couple weeks.  If you have not been to Speedhuts site, and played with the gauge maker, you are missing out on hours of fun!!! These gauges hare programable for fuel level, Speedo is GPS, they all have a peak settable warn LED, as well as a minimum warn LED.  Speedo does 1/4 mile time and MPH based off GPS, and 0-60.   Should make for getting into a lot of trouble!! haha

Made right here in the United States.  Utah I believe.   

http://www.speedhut.com/

Daytime




Night time

Those Speedhut gauges are awesome!

[familymopar]

Ok so I have been enthralled with this thread for a bit.  I have been convinced for a while that I was going to fashion a gauge plate and other plastic trim pieces out of stainless or billet or something.  Mainly because I can't work with plastic.  Mine are all fine, they are just not one of my favorite parts of the car.  So I figure I will remove them, carefully store them, and do something else while the car is in my hands.  I would really like more modern well lit gauges and now that I have seen the speedhut site (thanks b5blue!) it is a must.  A gps speedo with all those digital features?  I love it.  I also got all excited when I saw the thunder road pieces at the beginning of this thread.  But that angle does not sit well with me (I think that's a pun?).

Anyway, I looked at some of them and on this link and it surely does not look like the gauges have any angle...

http://blogs.moparmusclemagazine.com/6789545/miscellaneous/classic-thunder-road-repro-68-70-b-body-rallye-dash/

(photo below)

That is from the mopar muscle magazine and the mag directs you to both thunder road and to classic dash.  The pic is clearly a 3 piece.

But at classic dash they show the dash trim pieces as a 2 piece

http://www.classicdash.com/shopping/1968-70-Mopar-B-Body-Black-Dash-Panel.html

(photo also below)

Being as how the thunder road/mag pic looks as if the gauges are flat, might they have corrected the problem?  How long have you had the pieces?  If you just got them I would say their having fixed them is unlikely, but if you're anything like me they could have been sitting in your living room for a year.  Second, has anyone tried the 2 piece?  If I knew either one of these would not have the angle problem I would be ordering them now.  Maybe the 2 piece is the "fix" of the 3 piece?  But the earlier photo sure makes them look flat...

I actually kind of like the idea of a 2 piece too.

[Brock Lee]

The one installed in the car I showed is the current production 2 piece with their gauge and wiring kit.

[myk]

Ok so I have been enthralled with this thread for a bit.  I have been convinced for a while that I was going to fashion a gauge plate and other plastic trim pieces out of stainless or billet or something.  Mainly because I can't work with plastic.  Mine are all fine, they are just not one of my favorite parts of the car.  So I figure I will remove them, carefully store them, and do something else while the car is in my hands.  I would really like more modern well lit gauges and now that I have seen the speedhut site (thanks b5blue!) it is a must. 

I feel the exact same ways you do about the stock dash and instruments. Have you looked at Dakota digital dash's complete assembly?  It's expensive but thoroughly modern with a classic appearance...

[familymopar]

The one installed in the car I showed is the current production 2 piece with their gauge and wiring kit.

Ahh, I couldn't tell before.  I was hoping that the 2 piece one was the "new and improved" as it seems to be the one available now.  Maybe the 3 piece one was an early prototype one for the mag.  Too bad.  It looks so good in the car but I just think the angle would bother me. Hard to really tell though without sitting in the car.

I feel the exact same ways you do about the stock dash and instruments. Have you looked at Dakota digital dash's complete assembly?  It's expensive but thoroughly modern with a classic appearance...

I have not looked at Dakota Digital but I will. 

[Brock Lee]

I am not sure the 3 piece they show is really loaded with gauges. It looks kind of Photoshopped to me. Anyway, the angle isn't a problem for me. I kind of squatted down in the seat to try and look at it from different perspectives and it seemed fine. But, I can't speak for everyone. Different height and posture can make them look different for sure.

[familymopar]

I am not sure the 3 piece they show is really loaded with gauges. It looks kind of Photoshopped to me. Anyway, the angle isn't a problem for me. I kind of squatted down in the seat to try and look at it from different perspectives and it seemed fine. But, I can't speak for everyone. Different height and posture can make them look different for sure.

You may be right, it's hard for me to tell if they are photoshopped or not.  Glad to hear your gauges are working out.

Have you looked at Dakota digital dash's complete assembly?  It's expensive but thoroughly modern with a classic appearance...

myk, I looked at these here:

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=939/prd939.htm

Not a bad option but not exactly what I was looking for.  I like the idea of getting a kit for the entire dash trim, not just the gauge cluster.  I also would prefer to choose my own gauges.

[familymopar]

Looking further at the Dakota Digital system, you don't get any of the plastic facia, only the gauge cluster and you use your existing housing / facia.

The classic dash / thunder road would be perfect if not for that angle....

[myk]

Looking further at the Dakota Digital system, you don't get any of the plastic facia, only the gauge cluster and you use your existing housing / facia.

The classic dash / thunder road would be perfect if not for that angle....

Blah.  Looks like I'm back to my original idea of just getting some sheet metal, cutting out holes and sticking some Autometers in there...

[familymopar]

Looking further at the Dakota Digital system, you don't get any of the plastic facia, only the gauge cluster and you use your existing housing / facia.

The classic dash / thunder road would be perfect if not for that angle....

Blah.  Looks like I'm back to my original idea of just getting some sheet metal, cutting out holes and sticking some Autometers in there...

Yea me too.  And it has moved back down to pretty low on my to do list.

[redmist]

I got my gauges....

I am happy, the SpeedHut gauges are amazing!!! I will never buy an autometer gauge again.

As to the classic dash insert, it's Meh, Ok for what I am doing. I still don't care for the angle of the gauges, but it's usable. The 3 3/8" Holes are way large for a standard 3 3/8" gauge, but to small for a 4"......

Sitting in place:




And in the kitchen lit up using only a 9V battery:

[redmist]

Couple more on the bench.

These gauges have a brightness dial. Programmable warn light for high and low on each gauge, GPS Speedo that does zero to 60 times, as well as 1/4 mile time.     Gunna get in trouble!

[JB400]

The gauges do look   I'll have to keep them in mind.

[familymopar]

They look great for sure

[myk]

I got my gauges....

I am happy, the SpeedHut gauges are amazing!!! I will never buy an autometer gauge again.

As to the classic dash insert, it's Meh, Ok for what I am doing. I still don't care for the angle of the gauges, but it's usable. The 3 3/8" Holes are way large for a standard 3 3/8" gauge, but to small for a 4"......

Sitting in place:




And in the kitchen lit up using only a 9V battery:

What specific gauge set did you buy from Speedhut?  Since the holes were too big for the gauges, what did you do to resolve solve the issue?

[Dino]

I'm sorry to see the dash being so bad, but the gauges are awesome!