Anyone ever swap out their 74 or later dash for a flat one?

[J33pman]

One of my future projects will be pulling out the ugly, cracked, orange-brown contoured dash/instrument panel. Half the instruments don't work and I want something stylish up front. I have been doing a lot of research into building a fiberglass dash and then it hit me--maybe the earlier style flat dash bolt directly in or require minimal modification. Has anyone done this? That thing would be a piece of cake to refurbish!

[jkilbert]

that's on my wish list of things to do. i'm considering just staring from scratch with a Painless Wiring harness so i can upgrade to blade type fuses and building my own dash with aftermarket guages........like i said it's one of the items on my long wish list

[LJ-TJ]

For what it's worth  after my last experiance with wiring unless my next rig is exceptional I'll be doing my own dash.

[LJ-TJ]

I think I'd like one that would lift up or pull down verses pull out.

[Lefty]

I was going to upgrade the gauges and dash in ours before we sold it. I bought all new VDO gauges and a piece of aluminum. I cut the aluminum to size and sort of mounted the gauges... but wasn't happy with how flimsy it was becoming and stopped working on it till I could figure out a better way. I still have the whole thing.
Gauges are cockpit style V.D.O.,chrome bezel,black face,white numbers. They are the "Series 1" style, and all are matching...
I have Speedo w/trip odometer (mechanical),oil pressure,oil temp,water temp,voltmeter/amp meter,trans.oil temp, and fuel gauge... I also have the correct sending unit for the fuel gauge (which is universal and adjustable), and all the mounting hardware that holds the gauges in place. The water temp is mechanical, and has it's own sending unit attached. The trans temp, and oil temp are electric, and would require a electric sending unit (available at Napa by special order). I spent around $400 on all of them incl. the fuel tank sender... I'd take half that if a member thought they could use them...

I'll see if I can get a pic of the setup in the meantime.
ps: I think there was also an engine vacuum and fuel pressure gauge too.. but I'll have to look first to be sure.

[salplmb]

hey lefty,
that's sounds pretty cool! what year was your old rig? i would be very interested in your dash set up if it would fit. i have a 73 Indian. if u could post some pics maybe we could all get an idea of what a good set up looks like.
thanks.
sal

[LJ-TJ]

Well sure got my interest up. Even if I get a new rig sounds like the instruments will have to be replaced any way?  Hm?

[Lefty]

I'll try and get a pic of them up tomorrow, they are at my brother-in-laws bodyshop sitting in the floorboard of his 1970 F-100. He was considering using them in his Ford, but decided to stick with the originals after he found a N.O.S. gauge cluster for his.
ps: I don't know if you'd call mine "proper" lol... I cut a piece of 1/8" luan plywood to size and glued the aluminum to it. Then I used a hole saw to cut out the holes for the gauges. The Speedo is 3 3/8" and is in the center, and the other gauges are 2 1/16" and are on each side of the speedo lined up in a long line... I can't remember if there's 4 smaller gauges on each side, or 3...
Oh, and ours was a 1973 D-18 Brave that this was cut to fit. It's a big rectangle with rounded corners. It did fit the old dash opening quite well, and you probably could use the aluminum or plywood part as a pattern if you wanted to re-do it.

[Lefty]

Please note: These are brand new, and have never been installed to the point of being hooked up to anything. The backsides have gotten a little bit of corrosion on a couple of the mounting studs, likely from being stored at the bodyshop for the last 4yrs. You will see that two of the gauges mounting straps are not on both of the studs properly... this is due to my cutting the holes too close together and was unable to install them on both posts. I'll locate two locking nuts to replace the two that are missing for that reason. The oil temp and water temp are mechanical and have sending units built in...though one of them looks as if it's been used, it hasn't. Neither have ever been screwed into anything before. The oil pressure gauge uses a standard oil tube kit for it's supply, I don't have that but you can buy one at any auto parts store for less than $10. I do have the gas tank sending unit, which is still in the original VDO box, it is a universal design that is adjustable for different tank depths. The trans temp is an electric gauge, and would require a VDO electric temp sender installed in the transmission pan. The volt meter is of course electric. The speedo is mechanical, and is threaded for the two most common U.S. Spedometer cable nut sizes, so it should just screw right on using the existing speedo cable. It also has a trip odometer on it, you can see the mileage is only 1 mile....
It was hard to take any really good pics, due to the shiny aluminum reflecting when the camera flashed, I did my best. The front sides of the gauges are of course in perfect condition with no scratches on the lenses or the chrome bezels. I can remove the gauges and ship them in a box, minus the aluminum sheet, or send it with the gauges exactly like it is in the pics.... your choice, I wouldn't think it'd make any difference in shipping either way, because it wouldn't add more than a few oz. of weight.. I'd just need a bigger box.

[Lefty]

Well, I thought there was interest in these.. If anybody does want them.... the price is $200,... which is fair I think for a set of brand new matching gauges that are genuine V.D.O. and not el'cheapo Aquinnox or no name brand gauges.

Here are the current retail prices:  All prices are thru Jegs.com and do not include shipping except for the oil temp gauge, which Jegs does not offer. I did find a retailer online that has the oil temp gauge, and it is listed below.(see page: http://www.jegs.com/p/VDO/VDO-Series-1-Gauges/764114/10002/-1 ...for more information)
Fuel gauge: $29.99 part# 918-301303
Oil Pressure: $37.99 part# 918-150330
Speedo with trip odometer: $119.99 part# 918-437353  (note:new one had led trip odometer...mine is the prior version with mechanical trip odometer, but same part#) $67.99 version DOES NOT have a trip odometer
Trans temp: $29.99 part#918-310303
Water Temp: $41.99 part#  918-180310
Volt Meter: $33.99 part# 918-332342
Fuel Sending Unit:$35.99 part# 918-226002 (http://www.jegs.com/p/VDO/VDO-Fuel-Tank-Sending-Units/760378/10002/-1)
Oil Temp Gauge: $49.95 part# 180-317 (available thru http://www.egauges.com/vdo_bld.asp?Series=Series1)
not available thru Jegs...

Total Current Price:$379.88 plus shipping from the above suppliers .
Like I said originally, I paid close to $400 for the entire set, I special ordered them from Napa and I paid shipping to get them... This style is still in current production and still for sale new.  I will even throw in shipping if it's less than $25 (or i'll pay the first $25 of the shippig if it's over that and you can pay just the difference over that amount.)

Added note: Jegs offers the correct Trans Temp sending unit that you would require for $13.99...(http://www.jegs.com/i/VDO/918/323086/10002/-1?parentProductId=760377) as well as the Oil pressure capillary tubing kit in copper for $13.99 (http://www.jegs.com/i/VDO/918/150856/10002/-1?parentProductId=760377) To install the entire set, you would need both of these parts, I never purchased these items and do not have them, and I would strongly suggest the copper tubing over the standard plastic tubing because it is far more durable.
                                              Thanks

[salplmb]

hey lefty,
sorry i have not been able to get back to u sooner. i am interested in those gauges with the alum. panel. can u figure what it would cost to ship to calif? i could then send u a check or however u want to work it out. i think they would look great in the old home!
thanks.
sal

[Lefty]

Sure, send me a PM with your address and zipcode. I'll take it down to the post office (or UPS) and see what it'll run to get it out there.