You can type here any text you want

GNX dash alternative

Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

SignUp Now!

Bent6

The Vanilla Gowilla
Joined
Jun 8, 2001
Messages
1,295
Testing the waters to see if there would be any and/or how much interest in this type of gauge setup. Any type or brand of gauges could be used as long as they are 2 1/8" for the small ones and 3 3/8" for the speedo and tach. This is a prototype fabricated by myself as an alternative to what is out there at this time. This is not exactly plug and play but then it's not brain surgery either as long as you have basic electrical knowledge and skills. While this does require trimming of the stock core support it is NOT to the point it's completely hacked up and couldn't be returned to stock if desired. Don't pay attention to the trim bezel as it is a used piece with no overlays installed at time of photo.
 

Attachments

  • t6 (2).jpg
    t6 (2).jpg
    297.7 KB · Views: 3,177
  • DSC01702 (2).JPG
    DSC01702 (2).JPG
    300.3 KB · Views: 3,105
Looks good. I have been thinking of something like that for a while. What do you plan to do with the idiot lights from the right side?
 
84TXGN said:
Looks good. I have been thinking of something like that for a while. What do you plan to do with the idiot lights from the right side?

I did away with the conventional idiot light setup - it takes up way too much room. The small LED in the bottom right corner is the SES light and the LED in the bottom left corner is the "Brake" light. These are the only two idiot lights you really need IMO. The turn signal LEDs flank the center gauge. I did away with the "Volt" light as there is now a Volt gauge - besides - the stock idiot light could fail and shut down the charging system. I personally don't need a light to tell me when "Cruise" is on but it could be added. I didn't have an LED in for the "High Beams" at the time of the photo. You don't need a "Water" or "Oil" light with the gauges. I used the stock wiring for these lights as signal wires from the sending units in order to keep things neater and less wiring to run.
 
Bent6 said:
I did away with the conventional idiot light setup - it takes up way too much room. The small LED in the bottom right corner is the SES light and the LED in the bottom left corner is the "Brake" light. These are the only two idiot lights you really need IMO. The turn signal LEDs flank the center gauge. I did away with the "Volt" light as there is now a Volt gauge - besides - the stock idiot light could fail and shut down the charging system. I personally don't need a light to tell me when "Cruise" is on but it could be added. I didn't have an LED in for the "High Beams" at the time of the photo. You don't need a "Water" or "Oil" light with the gauges. I used the stock wiring for these lights as signal wires from the sending units in order to keep things neater and less wiring to run.

I supposed colored LEDs could be used for the other lights as well.

What modifications were necessary to mount that other than cutting the outter bezel?
 
84TXGN said:
I supposed colored LEDs could be used for the other lights as well.

What modifications were necessary to mount that other than cutting the outter bezel?

Exactly - you could duplicate all of the idiot lights with LEDs if you wanted - I just prefer the cleaner look without the unnecessary ones.

There is some material that must be trimmed from the core support mainly around the areas where the stock idiot lights were. Nothing that would prevent it from being returned to stock if done properly. The bezel trimming is pretty easy and straightforward. I picked up a used one instead of hacking up my mint original.
 
You'll need a "charge" light and it needs to be a bulb not an LED. The alternator won't charge without it. I'm not sure that a gauge lets the correct amount of bleed through to the alternator. That being said Radio Shack has some small incandesent (SP) bulbs with covers that look pretty good and aren't huge. Looks good though. I always like seeing another option. If you've all ready used the gauge and the alternator charges then ignore my previous statement. :)

Adam
 
BuickGn Boosted said:
Hmmm, thought those plates looked familiar. :biggrin:

Wondered how long it would take you to notice :biggrin: I sent you an email.
 
HYBRIDT said:
You'll need a "charge" light and it needs to be a bulb not an LED. The alternator won't charge without it. I'm not sure that a gauge lets the correct amount of bleed through to the alternator. That being said Radio Shack has some small incandesent (SP) bulbs with covers that look pretty good and aren't huge. Looks good though. I always like seeing another option. If you've all ready used the gauge and the alternator charges then ignore my previous statement. :)

Adam


You don't have to have a "charge" light to make the alternator work - just a little creative wiring!
 
Looks good. Two things. First, HOW MUCH??? Second, I don't know about other states but here in Texas a high beam indicator is manditory for a state inspection. Might want to find a blue LED.
 
Based on pricing, I'd be very interested. I built one for my 67 Mustang before the JME unit came out and its working fine.
 
I made this for my personal street car because I have always wanted this layout and nobody offers it and evidently didn't want to take it on as a custom project. I never had any intentions of marketing the thing, just thought there may be other people out there like myself. Fabricating the mounting plate isn't the hard part. Knowing your way around the wiring is the issue for most people. I thought if I can completely wire a 7 sec race car, I can sure as heck tackle a stock dash. Forgot how many wires were behind a stock dash compared to a race cars! :p I can tell you all this much - I have somewhere around $750 in this panel including all gauges, plate fabrication, hardware, wiring, and new VSS! :eek: Bear in mind that this is using an electronic speedo as well as electric fuel pressure gauge from the Autometer Phantom series - cheaper gauges could have been used. Add to that the labor for modifications to the core support, the trim bezel, as well as wiring and you can see that it aint cheap! Now - anyone still interested? :biggrin:
 
Back
Top