Dash/Instrument Panel Restoration Referrals

Black and Blown · September 26, 2005, 05:05:40 PM

Over the winter I will begin that project. I'd like to stay with the 'stock' dash, but I haven't ruled anything out. Any vendors you'd recommend?

472 R/T SE · September 26, 2005, 05:44:40 PM

They used to be one of the few sponsors on the old board. They do all my work. There's a write-up on them in one of the new Mope rags. He's been in all of them I think, Gentry can do anything youwant, customize included.

http://www.autoinstruments.com/

bksfld68 · September 26, 2005, 05:55:59 PM

I used G Car, met the guy at a Mopar show in Southern California. He is up in Washington, did all my gauges and bezels and some other trim pieces. Everything turned out real nice. Website is www.gcartrim.com.

Nothing like a fresh looking dash.

Good luck

Black and Blown · September 26, 2005, 07:30:10 PM

Thank you... both look good... any others out there?

Just 6T9 CHGR · September 26, 2005, 07:52:26 PM

I used www.performancecargraphics.com

Highly recommended but their lead time is outrageous now.....

Big Lebowski · September 26, 2005, 08:10:39 PM

I just picked up this new '70 woodgrain kit on e-bay, they are nicer than the performance graphics kit. I'll have pics soon when it's installed....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-Charger-RT-Coronet-RT-GTX-Woodgrain-Overlays-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ80736QQitemZ4576945019QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Shakey · September 26, 2005, 10:13:29 PM

Quote from: AllBlueRT on September 26, 2005, 05:44:40 PM
They used to be one of the few sponsors on the old board. They do all my work. There's a write-up on them in one of the new Mope rags. He's been in all of them I think, Gentry can do anything youwant, customize included.

http://www.autoinstruments.com/

Mine is going to VA in November.

Performance Car Graphics uses decals. Can't comment whether that is good or bad. However, when I spoke with them on the telephone they had said that it is impossible to silk screen the new faces on the gauges. Again, can't comment on whether this is true or false. Lead-time, six months. His comments lead me to believe that he is knocking his competition (which I did not know at the time), which was discussed in another thread a week or so ago!

I then spoke with Auto Instruments and they do in fact silk screen the gauges, as they did with the orginals. Can't comment on whether this is true or false.

I got a better "feeling" from Auto Instruments and the decision was made to send the cluster there in November.

Both had a price of $600.00 USD (approx.).

I'd be happy to share photos when it is completed.

autodynamics · September 27, 2005, 08:36:27 PM

HERE ARE MINE THERE WERE DONE BY REDLINE GUAGE WORKS I CHANGED MY CLOCK TO A TACH AND AMPMETER GUAGE TO A VOLT GAUGE , ALSO CONVERTED ALL THE GUAGS TO WHITE... COST 1000K

autodynamics · September 27, 2005, 08:37:52 PM

AND ANOTHER

Black and Blown · September 27, 2005, 08:41:43 PM

Quote from: autodynamics on September 27, 2005, 08:36:27 PM
... COST 1000K

Looks awesome!! But I'd say a million bucks was a little pricey.

Just kidding, thank you for the awesome pics. They did an awesome job!! Your interior looks great.

Black and Blown · September 27, 2005, 08:43:57 PM

Quote from: autodynamics on September 27, 2005, 08:37:52 PM
AND ANOTHER

Is the lower part of your dash (the vent area and the glovebox door) the original dash? Or is that replacement stuff? Mine is beat up bad.

autodynamics · September 27, 2005, 08:44:19 PM

ITS STILL WORK IN PROGRESS, THE INTERIOR IS CLOSE MAYBE A NEW CARPET, BUT THIS ONE CLEANS UP REAL NICE, NEXT IS WHEELS AND INSTALL THE BAER BRAKES HOTCHKIS SUSPENSION AND PAINT ..I WILL POST PICS SOON

autodynamics · September 27, 2005, 08:45:09 PM

ITS ALL ORIGINAL PARTS JUST CLEANED PAINTED AND REINSTALLED

Spartan · September 27, 2005, 10:02:09 PM

I just got mine back from autoinstruments yesterday. What I liked is they silkscreened all the gauges, not decals. It took about 3 weeks. If it helps, asside from doing all the gauges, They redid the tach and clock (tach had a dead board and the clock was updated to quartz) refaced the odometer wheel. Repaired the speedo (was really warn) and calibrated all the other gauges (and sand blasted and repainted the tach housing). They also polished the lens and replaced the e-brake lens and the turn signal lenses and gaskets. Total price was about $700 and was the cheapest quote I received. Most quotes were $900 and were all done with decals. I may still have the dash bezel sent out this winter to be refurbed as well but for now its just the IP.

I stripped off all the switches before I shipped it out just in case something happened in transit but you don't have to.

Charger Aficionado · September 28, 2005, 01:18:47 AM

Here are some pix by the Xtreme Lee from Auto Instruments corp:
ALBUM: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fifthforce75/album?.dir=3b27&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Charger Aficionado · September 28, 2005, 01:19:58 AM

Look at this CRAP: (Why didn't they re-chrome it, after all that work)

ChargerHound69 · September 28, 2005, 02:16:21 AM

That is funny

All the money that guy probably spent on that car, and they couldn't even spend another few bucks on good chrome

Black and Blown · September 28, 2005, 06:36:29 AM

Quote from: ChargerHound69 on September 28, 2005, 02:16:21 AM
That is funny All the money that guy probably spent on that car, and they couldn't even spend another few bucks on good chrome

Who knows. Maybe it needed to be done for a certain event and they haven't gotten back to it.

Judging by the rest of the car, it looks like those fellers certainly knew what they were doing!!

Man that is a sweet car.

MoparYoungGun · September 28, 2005, 06:58:52 AM

Quote from: Black and Blown on September 28, 2005, 06:36:29 AM
Man that is a sweet car.

I agree

!

plum500 · September 28, 2005, 08:29:00 AM

There was a link posted on the old site to a place that sold the decal kits for redoing the gauges, basically could order in any color. Anyone know of the one that I'm talking about....wasn't any of these places.... ?

runningman · September 28, 2005, 01:36:31 PM

Quote from: autodynamics on September 27, 2005, 08:36:27 PM
HERE ARE MINE THERE WERE DONE BY REDLINE GUAGE WORKS I CHANGED MY CLOCK TO A TACH AND AMPMETER GUAGE TO A VOLT GAUGE , ALSO CONVERTED ALL THE GUAGS TO WHITE... COST 1000K

I would like to change my amp to a volt gauge as well, what wiring changes did you have to do? thanks matt

Spartan · September 28, 2005, 08:43:21 PM

Just to show you what the regular, original looks like. This is what it looked like before I sent it out the begining of the month.

Spartan · September 28, 2005, 08:45:17 PM

This is how it looks now. I polished up the switches etc while it was out. My wife is happy to get the dining room table back now excpet the radio is still torn apart and sitting next to the IP. Auto Instruments did mine. Here it is

martinihenry · September 28, 2005, 10:48:44 PM

Autodynamics, I'd love to see a picture of how the white gauges look illuminated at night!

Jason

ChargerHound69 · September 28, 2005, 10:51:57 PM

Spartan those look great. I need to get that done on my car.

Spartan · September 29, 2005, 06:00:59 AM

Thanks! I am really pleased with the results.

SpudRacer · March 13, 2006, 09:45:10 AM

I finally got my instrument cluster out last night. I've decided to go with AutoInstruments. I called them on the phone and was very reassured by the response I got. I'll shoot some before/after pics so others can see their work if they want.

Do they do the simulated woodgrain too?

Tom
Bryson City, NC

squeakfinder · March 13, 2006, 11:55:15 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968-1970-DODGE-Charger-Superbee-WHITE-GAUGES-cluster_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43952QQitemZ8045768589QQrdZ1

If your going to do the work yourself. I had good luck with these guys. I used the black gauges with wite letering.

volk68 · March 13, 2006, 05:51:47 PM

While the freshly silk screened gauges look fantastic, if you don't have $1,000 to spend on that project, I would recommend using decals. I used them on mine, and for $20 and a lot of detail work, I think they came out nicely:

Before:

After:

squeakfinder · March 13, 2006, 07:51:53 PM

I sighned your guestbook volk68. Look at mine and tell me if you think it was a bigger disaster.

MikeD · March 14, 2006, 12:23:34 AM

Here my Auto Inst. did the gauges

Ranman69SE · March 15, 2006, 01:31:00 AM

I hope someone starts producing a white decal for the radio dial, to match the gauges.

Bobs69 · April 02, 2008, 09:50:04 PM

Hey old timer! Who did you gauges??

autodynamics · January 20, 2009, 03:16:04 AM

gauges...at night...

PocketThunder · January 20, 2009, 10:32:35 AM

Quote from: autodynamics on January 20, 2009, 03:16:04 AM
gauges...at night...

Its a good thing you didnt take that picture naked...

autodynamics · January 20, 2009, 11:01:34 AM

yeah...

Stanleyart · January 20, 2009, 05:55:43 PM

I'd definitely recommend my friend Vic Calvert ,aka Mr. Calibrator.

He redid all of the gauges for our Coke Car project and is *extremely* easy to work with and priced right.

www.mrcalibrator.com. Guarantees all of his work.

Hope this helps.

-Steve
www.stanleyart.com
www.cokecar.com

bull · January 20, 2009, 08:17:03 PM

I know this is a zombie thread but I didn't see any mention of lilwendal yet. Check this out for a do-it-yourself guide or to have him do the cluster for you for probably half the cost of most other places: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,37999.0.html

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Dash/Instrument Panel Restoration Referrals