Frankenstein Rallye Cluster

[COKE]

Hi,
Here are some pics about how i,m triying to build a custom cluster keeping the original look.

I,m using a bare cluster from Ebay and a set of old rusty and mssing needle gauges that i bought in this forum.

For now i,m converting the oil pressure gauge into a mechanical one.I do not like the vage work of the original electric one.
The internal mechanic part is "Made in Germany" by VDO.These gauges was removed from an english 82´ Ford Granada.

I have removed the faces from both gauges.The face marks have a pretty similar distance.the needles are a bit different but they will work with a bit of white paint.(And a decal set from perphormance graphics)




About the amneter gauge,the existing one is burnt ,so i will convert one using the internal parts from the VDO gauge.

This fits great in the hole.I will start with it as soon as i end with the oil one.


I,ll keep you informed  about how the thing goes.
Any kind of comments are welcome.

[OttawaCharger]

Interesting idea 
I've often thought of doing the Dakota digital gauges so that the dash was just black when the car was off and when the car is running -you get all the modern readings.
I look forward to your results

[COKE]

OttawaCharger ,do not put nothing digital on a Charger!!!
Is better to mount autometer or other kind of gauges before.

I want to keep the original look that´s why i,m doing this.
Well ,also because these days it is rainning a lot here

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Nice ideas buuuuut.....I would ditch the ammeter for a safer, more accurate voltmeter

[COKE]

I would put a voltmeter if somebody made a decal for the gauge face, with the original stile numbers and i would find an  electrical internal part that fit with it.
Wich is a little hard for now.As fas as i know.

[OttawaCharger]

OttawaCharger ,do not put nothing digital on a Charger!!!

I guess that means no MSD ignition box for me then eh? 
It was just an idea.  I'm sticking with original... I think. 
There is a guy that sells white faced guage decals for the charger on Ebay.  Perhaps you could contact him for some black ones?

[COKE]

I have seen those decals on ebay.But i,m not sure if they have a very good quality.
I was planning to order them to performance car Graphics.They are  Mopar authentic restoration product.
They also are selling these decal on ebay but not worlwide

[COKE]

Here is a pic of the seat for the oil pressure gauge.It has be done with Fiberglass.



Here is the Gauge in his place:



And here is the cluster rear .Now i have to plan how could i modify a circuit board to clear this!

[Brock Samson]

interesting keep us updated,..

BTW:
i too have concidered and researched Dakota digitals...
done right on an admitted mild custom i think it would be slick...

[COKE]

Maybe i have missed something...
The transformed to mechanical  oil gauge is pegged reading more than 80 psi when the engine is at idle and cold
I have checked it with other mechanical gauge  and yes, it has that pressure,i suppouse due the performance oil pump.
My trouble now is if the pressure goes up and pass the gauge limits,what could happen?
I,m planning to mount a valve on the engine oil exit to  evits to send more than 80 psi to the gauge....

[moparguy01]

Nice ideas buuuuut.....I would ditch the ammeter for a safer, more accurate voltmeter

I second this. after my 68 coronets electrical issues, and ending up having to bypass the ammeter so i didnt see how fast it would burn to the ground.......

[COKE]

Yes ,i,m sure you are right,but the VDO amneter internal part i,m going to mount is pretty diferent to the original one.
Like you can see in the picture the VDO has two coils and a magnetic piece in the center attached to the needle while the stock one,has a couple of rigid cooper  parts wich i suppouse that will be culprit of the electrical issues.



The VDO was mounted on a 82 european car.
If they have been mounted this gauges until these years it will be cause it was working fine.
I removed this from a car with 95.000 km damaged on accident car and never had a trouble along the car life.

However like a said before  i would prefer a voltmeter.
If someone did the decal for the face and woul find an internal part to convert it,i would mount  it.

[volk68]

I have seen those decals on ebay.But i,m not sure if they have a very good quality.
I was planning to order them to performance car Graphics.They are  Mopar authentic restoration product.
They also are selling these decal on ebay but not worlwide

They are very good quality.  I put a set on my car and have been completely pleased with them.  So far, they have been installed for two years.  I also have a custom tach in my cluster instead of the old clock.  It illuminates a little brighter than the stock lights at night, but it goes with the rest of the car very well.  Some pics:

[OttawaCharger]

That tach blends in there real nice Volk! 

[COKE]

Nice tach .
It looks nice in that clock housing.

About the decals,did you remove the gauges faces to install them?
The instructions sheet say that,bu i,m not very happy with the idea.

[Moparsky67]

"Coke" I received this responce from RedLine Gauge Works, when I asked about Amp gauge conversion to a Voltmeter for my 1967 GTX:

RedLine Gauge Works said:

"We have been doing factory appearing amp to voltmeter conversions for all mopars for about 3 years now and we recently did an article in Mopar Collectors Guide on the fire hazard. We do the conversions for $125 with a 2 year warranty. Please give us a call if you have further questions (661) 259-8891.

Thanks,
Shannon"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Elsewhere on this forum, a member received the same conversion quote of $125, plus another $ 35 for new voltage marked face & told that member to send in the whole gauge cluster.
So ,maybe you can email them at their address:    info@redlinegaugeworks.com

     

[COKE]

Well,after almost two years without touching the car for anything i have returned to work in the cluster again.
I forgott the amneter idea and put a voltmeter.I modified the cluster and the voltmeter gauge myself.
I designed and made a couple of  decals with a 0-100 psi range  for the mechanical  gauge and a volts scale for the voltmeter ,triying to keep the original look.
Here are some pics of the thing almost finished:





The voltmeter gauge is sat at a bit higher  position respect the other gauges , but i didn,t have the energies to continue working in the cluster(I,m bored of this),so i will fix it in the future.
An  oil pressure "Idiot light" (Perfect for me ) was added too.

The board was modified to clear the oil mechanical gauge.




The tach has the RTE engenering board and clock quartz conversion.
The voltage limiter is solid state.

I still have to mount it in the car and check if everithing works ok.
Regards.

[tan top]

intresting idea ! clever idea (Coke)    keep us updated with how it going