After Market dash gauges

[GMCDAC]

Originally Posted by Foley

All good information Doug. Thanks for the pictures and yes, I'd be interested to see anything that you have over there in SD regarding gauges and dash stuff.

Hello Bob.

My memory was 180* off on the guage description I told you above. I didn't want 270* sweep guages, I wanted what they were calling "short sweep".

You're welcome for the pics. Here's a little more info on how I did the guages in my '55 last January. I took the pics tonite.

The Temp and Fuel guages are new aftermarket "Sunpro" that I refaced along with the working original guages. I changed the entire face plate on the fuel guage from a non-working original one as the shape of the new one wouldn't work. I probably should have stuck with a mechanical temp guage then it would have matched the rest of them better. I also had to use original crimp rings on the new guages to make the bezel rings fit. I don't want to get to long winded to hi-jack your thread so here are a couple of pics.

DAC

[BarryGMC]

Hey Dac would you like some spare gauges for your 55. I have some from a 56.

[GMCDAC]

Originally Posted by BarryGMC

Hey Dac would you like some spare gauges for your 55. I have some from a 56.

Hey Barry, thanks, but I have this setup the way I like it for now so no changes are planned. Just having fun driving it!

The way Rockdriller did his looks great and how he built the mounting panel to appear like it was designed with the dash really makes it all tie together.

DAC

[Foley]

I liked the set up that Rockdriller did and looking at your pictures Doug, I can see some real nice detail work there. Very nice. All this gives me (and others I hope) some real good information and lots of ideas for gauge placement.

[Funky61]

Yeah DAC, that is a great alternative!

[GMCDAC]

Originally Posted by Foley

I liked the set up that Rockdriller did and looking at your pictures Doug, I can see some real nice detail work there. Very nice. All this gives me (and others I hope) some real good information and lots of ideas for gauge placement.

Thanks, Bob, I was just showing that new guages can be made to kind of match original ones. Thanks for the compliment!

Everyone around here seems to like the dash overhaul which was in pretty sad shape before this. Best of all I have less than $100 in this dash project, including buying the guages, decals and materials.

Maybe the rest of the truck will look a little better someday--LOL!

DAC

[GMCDAC]

Originally Posted by Funky61

Yeah DAC, that is a great alternative!

Thank-you too Funky61, you posted while I was doing the before and after pics!

DAC

[BarryGMC]

Hey Dac I like that you seem practical. You do what works. And what seems to be honest to the feeling of the trucks when new. Barry

[GMCDAC]

Originally Posted by BarryGMC

Hey Dac I like that you seem practical. You do what works. And what seems to be honest to the feeling of the trucks when new. Barry

I sure appreciate that, Barry! This truck was abandon since '97 and was heading for scrap in '09 when I got it. I had no budget for it with my other trucks so it was be practical or not get to drive it. Driving these trucks with respect to the way they were new is the how to make them a time machine for me. They would lose that feeling if modernized too much. I am definitely not a resto purist, but probably would be if I had the budget. I believe in putting miles on them!

DAC

[BarryGMC]

Well this thread has been hijacked!!! I don't think Bob will mind . That's what I like about this group. There are a few purist , nuts and bolts guys. And it like that. But the most seem interested in the feel of the trucks. How they were when the were common. The sound and feel mean something to them. My grandfather closed his eyes when he heard a confederate Air Force B17 fly over his shop a few times this summer. He said he felt like he was 18 and fighting in the pacific in ww2. He felt young for a moment and I saw it. That's what's important. The spirit of these old rigs. The sound ,the feel. Every one loves the sound of the old b17. The model t or A. The quiet 90 hp ford v8 or the old jimmy sixes. It's the feelings they bring back. Keep it honest. Keep them real. Keep them running. Barry