aftermarket gauges in stock dash?!?!?

[HITMAN 149]

???hey guys
i need to re-do my dash cluster (68 charger r/t)..... my gauges aren't in the best of shape.( gee i wonder why?!?!? duhhh they are 38 damn yrs old!!! LOL) 
does anyone know if & what aftermarket gauges will fit in my stock cluster without having to make a custom one?!?!? i've seen it before but it had no info & the pic was bad quality!!!  (bastards...LOL)
thanks once again.... (not the first question & i guaranty it certainly won't be the last!!! ) i've got a BIG resto project ahead & need ALOT of guidance!!!! LOL
much thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!
-JOHN

[DKM69]

You can fit aftermarket gauges into the stock cluster, but it takes a little "massaging" ! 

I used the 3 3/8" Autometer Sport Comps for tach and speedo, and the matching 2 1/16" electrical gauges for the Fuel, Temp, Oil Pressure and Volts.  Also, used from Ron Francis Wiring, the 5/16" Green LEDs for turn indcators,  the red 5/16" LED for high beam indicator and the Ron Francis Dash Guage Wiring Kit to wire everything up. 

You'll have to open up the holes in the bezel for the small gauges and offset them slightly as you open them up. Work the inner two guages first and then the two outside ones. They will fit, but bezels will touch. Tach and Speedo fit, but need some support, like the rubber isolation rings, to keep them tight in the stock bezel openings. You will also need to cut away some of the cluster housing for the tach to clear and also the back side behind the smaller guages.  So far this set has worked very well and gives you the more dependable aftermarket gauges, but retains the stock bezel and rocker switches.  Also, if you have the stock ralley gauge wiring harness, the Fuel, Water Temp, and Oil Pressure guages can be plugged into the stock harness and work fine as long as you use the Autometer supplied temperature and oil pressure sending units.

[dkn1997]

you can't post like that and tease us without pics, come on....let's see 'em!!!

[DKM69]

Sorry about the teasing! (Didn't have any small enough for attaching) Here are the pics.

[Brock Samson]

  wow! that looks freakin awsome! good job!
any other mods?.. (pics  )

by the way..  WELCOME TO THE SITE!!!   

[440AirForce]

 Good info! Thanks!  I was going to ask the same question.  I was thinking about the Carbon Fiber guaes, but those look great!


ODB

[Brock Samson]

here's another example so i guess there is room... 

 

from e-pray..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230040912984&fromMakeTrack=true

[HITMAN 149]

WOW!!!!!!!!! dkm69 that looks great!!! just what i was looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!!!!
-JOHN

[MorePwr]

And again...WOW! that looks Great!

[DKM69]

Thanks for the complements on the gauges!!  FYI attached are a few links that might be of interest for those looking to either use a custom set-up or to customize the stock ralley guage cluster.

http://www.cdignition.com/plates_for_mopar%20OLD.htm   (custom billet and carbon fiber dash plates & console plates)

http://www.whitegauges.net/   (guage face overlays with a wide selection of colors, dash trim plate overlays in wood grain & carbon fiber, LEDs, etc.)

Good Luck!

[Rocky]

I remember someone from the old site had taken the time to fit the Autometers exactly in the dash.  It took some trimming, but the final product was amazing.  Does anyone have pics of that?  There used to be a tech archive, did it survive the transition?

[timinator]

Hey DKM69, awesome! I did the same thing with my 68 but was wondering if the smaller gauges would fit. Obviously they will. What I did was order the white facing decals and painted the needles to match the Autometer gauges. After seeing yours, I think I'll update my engine gauges too. They really update the look of the car. Here's a pic of mine.

[mauibarber]

Which makes for an easier install, the electric of mechanical guages?  Also where do I find the "rubber isolations rings" to keep the guages tight in the stock bezel openings.
-Alex

You can fit aftermarket gauges into the stock cluster, but it takes a little "massaging" ! 

I used the 3 3/8" Autometer Sport Comps for tach and speedo, and the matching 2 1/16" electrical gauges for the Fuel, Temp, Oil Pressure and Volts.  Also, used from Ron Francis Wiring, the 5/16" Green LEDs for turn indcators,  the red 5/16" LED for high beam indicator and the Ron Francis Dash Guage Wiring Kit to wire everything up. 

You'll have to open up the holes in the bezel for the small gauges and offset them slightly as you open them up. Work the inner two guages first and then the two outside ones. They will fit, but bezels will touch. Tach and Speedo fit, but need some support, like the rubber isolation rings, to keep them tight in the stock bezel openings. You will also need to cut away some of the cluster housing for the tach to clear and also the back side behind the smaller guages.  So far this set has worked very well and gives you the more dependable aftermarket gauges, but retains the stock bezel and rocker switches.  Also, if you have the stock ralley gauge wiring harness, the Fuel, Water Temp, and Oil Pressure guages can be plugged into the stock harness and work fine as long as you use the Autometer supplied temperature and oil pressure sending units.

[DKM69]

I went with the electric versions for the oil pressure and water temperature mainly so that they would match the gauge sweep of the fuel and volts, although with the full electric set-up and the wiring kit I used from Ron Francis Wiring, you can "unplug" the entire cluster for removal (except for speedometer). 

For the "rubber isolation rings", I scrounged around the local Home Depot and found a very stiff rubber connector for PVC pipe that had a flanged end for the gauge bezel and that the speedo and tach fit tightly into, but I believe Autometer sells something similar.

Good Luck!

DKM69

[mauibarber]

DK,
I absolutley love what you have done with your Charger and I want to do mine in the same way.  Where the oil pressure and water temp the only ones you went electric on?  Would you have done something different in hindsight?  Any and all information would be great.  I plan on ordering the Ron Francis Wiring Kit as well.  I just want to know as much as I can before I install everything.
Thanks so much,
Alex

I went with the electric versions for the oil pressure and water temperature mainly so that they would match the gauge sweep of the fuel and volts, although with the full electric set-up and the wiring kit I used from Ron Francis Wiring, you can "unplug" the entire cluster for removal (except for speedometer). 

For the "rubber isolation rings", I scrounged around the local Home Depot and found a very stiff rubber connector for PVC pipe that had a flanged end for the gauge bezel and that the speedo and tach fit tightly into, but I believe Autometer sells something similar.

Good Luck!

DKM69

[BLACKWOLF]

i would like to have a polished alum cluster made for my 74 se

[DKM69]

BLACKWOLF:  Check out the link to in the thread for www.cdignition.com.  This guy makes custom and one-off aluminum dash plates for a variety of mopars, just not sure about 74 Charger.  Also, might want to check Rocky Mountain Dashes, they also make aluminum dash plates.

mauibarber:  Thanks & glad to help!  All gauges are electric except for the mechanical speedometer.  I always second guess what style of gauge, there are just so damn many and they all look great.  Really just comes down to personal preference and how much $$ you want to invest.  I did first mock-up the dash by saving color pics of the various gauge types I was considering off of Summit Racing or Jegs and printing them out to the approximate size, and placing them on the stock dash.  Just gives a little better idea of what they will look like when installed.  It helps to get a full catalog from Autometer, or what ever gauges you're considering.  Stewart Warner is also making several new lines/styles. 

Also, take into consideration the condition of your existing wiring harnesses.  I had installed all new wiring under the hood, so I knew the wiring to the sendiing units was OK.  My dash wiring harness was also in good shape and had not been butchered. 

Thanks, DKM69

[Charger1973]

does anyone here have pics of aftermarket gauges in the stock dash of a 3rd gen?  i want to keep the rallye bezel but add new white face gauges inside

[Silver R/T]

nice work!

[1BAD68]

I just finished my dash, its not beautiful but its better than the stock unit.
Its a "plug and play" installation, meaning I could put the original back in in about 30 minutes, no cut wires or hacking.

pictures are crappy cell phone pics...

[HITMAN 149]

sweeet!! good job!!!

[doctorpimp]

I wonder if Rocky Mountain Dashes is going to make a 71-74 dash...

[Charger74]

I wonder if Rocky Mountain Dashes is going to make a 71-74 dash...

They were going to try, but the cost of the intial setup was to expensive for them.  They then stated they were going to try something else, then the listing for it completely disappeared from their website, so I think they gave up on it.

[Moparsky67]

Bump...

[lisiecki1]

here's mine.....