List of choices for dash clusters for round gauges?

[robroy]

Hello!

I've decided to install a dashboard gauge cluster that fits round, after market gauges. I'd like to be certain that I'm aware of all the options before going with one, since I'll be looking at this thing every day for a long time.

Here are the four options I'm aware of:

1. F600 gauge cluster (in its various styles) with aftermarket gauges. I borrowed this photo of 71 LONG BED's beautiful setup; hope that's OK.



2. Doc's Kustom polished aluminum panel. $140. No bezel (looks like lots of work to install). How do folks install these anyways?



3. Boese Engineering panel. $130 No bezel (same questions as above).



4. Haneline stainless panel. $180 Seems to include an ABS plastic bezel (a big plus, I think).



Are there other choices that I'm not aware of?

Also, I'd like to paint the panel white to match the dashboard, so I'm pretty indifferent to the polished appearance of these panels.

Thanks very much!
-Robroy

[stangconv]

I think Dolphin Gauges has one that fits ours... I will try and find the link...

[robroy]

Hey Stangconv, thanks for your reply.

Found it! http://www.dolphingauges.com/ford%20tru ... panel.html

I think they're reselling the Doc's Kustom panel though. At least it looks exactly like it.

Thanks!
-Robroy

[Ranchero50]

If you are patient, I'm going to produce one here soon for a lot less than $180...

Quite honestly I haven't looked into it too much. The biggest trick is making it look 'factory' or at least something the factory could have done. I'm not a big fan of the turn signal lamps on those panels, etc.

Jamie

[stangconv]

If you are patient, I'm going to produce one here soon for a lot less than $180...

Quite honestly I haven't looked into it too much. The biggest trick is making it look 'factory' or at least something the factory could have done. I'm not a big fan of the turn signal lamps on those panels, etc.

Jamie

YAY!!!!! I will be first in line too...

Gotta collect the whole set!!!

Oh did you get my moneys I sent you??

[robroy]

Hi Jamie!

This is exciting news and I'm sure you'll be producing an outstanding product! I'm looking to wrap my dashboard up over the winter though so I'm probably not patient enough.

Jamie, were you thinking of making one that installs in conjunction with the factory bezel, or one with its own bezel? If you'll be making one that works with the factory bezel, would it require bezel modifications or be a bolt in replacement?

Thanks!
-Robroy

[td]

robroy,

if your wanting to paint it you could cut your own piece like i did, and run whatever brand gauges you choose.

[robroy]

Hi Td you sure did a beautiful job on that!

Cutting it could work, but I'm not handy with metal and am looking to get it assembled and installed pretty quickly.

So did you fasten your custom insert in the frame by welding it?

Your dash is awesome.

-Robroy

[td]

Hi Td you sure did a beautiful job on that!

Cutting it could work, but I'm not handy with metal and am looking to get it assembled and installed pretty quickly.

So did you fasten your custom insert in the frame by welding it?

Your dash is awesome.

-Robroy

robroy,

no, i used small bolts and screws. cutting the piece is time consuming and alot of tedious measuring. if you order a billet piece you may want to keep the polished finish once you see it in person i would have bought one myself when i was doing the gauge swap but i already had a boatload of $ invested in 2 5/8'' guages and didn't find a panel that was offered to fit anything bigger than 2 1/16th gauges.

[robroy]

no, i used small bolts and screws.

Interesting; you must have done a great job of that since they're hardly visible in the photos I've seen.

cutting the piece is time consuming and alot of tedious measuring.

Yes, I can imagine! The job you did looks like it would take a good long while. Especially since it's something that we look at, up close, every day from then on.

if you order a billet piece you may want to keep the polished finish once you see it in person

You could be right! So far the piece that I like the best is the Haneline, which is stainless. This is, in part, due to the fact that it comes with an ABS bezel that's already custom fit to it. It looks like it would be a significant amount of work to fit the others to a bezel.

i would have bought one myself when i was doing the gauge swap but i already had a boatload of $ invested in 2 5/8'' guages and didn't find a panel that was offered to fit anything bigger than 2 1/16th gauges.

Oh I see! Yeah those are fancy gauges you have there for sure! I'd probably go down the same road if I already owned a slew of high end gauges like that.

-Robroy

[Ranchero50]

Robroy, 1/8" aluminum with masking tape over it makes a great base for selfmade panels like TD's. You can silione your aluminum panel to the stock bezel for a 'hidden fastener' effect.

For my aluminum one I'd like to keep the factory lamp stands to hold the lamps and not go the single point LED setup (I think they look cheesy). I'm really bummed out because two years ago I did one for my friend '88 turbocoupe and for the turn signals etc I used a plumbers step drill to get a machined effect for the turn signals, high beam, and engine management lamps and used the stock cluster lamp lens with the arrow etc and stands siliconed to the back to hold the lamps. The pics were on my hard drive that died and the car is down in North Carolina. Not to toot my own horn, but it looked very nice and got more compliments than the blown 302 under the hood. The goal of the car was to keep it looking like something Ford 'could' have put together. He has the Phantom guages and regardless of how you want to do it, you'll have a good bit of hands on putting it together.

I plan on milling turn arrows in the panel and installing colored lenses and probably making or buying some kind of lamp stand and trying to tie the wiring into a terminal strip for a simpler install. You really have to think about stuff before tearing into it.

Jamie

[1971ford]

dont forget the fancy pantsy digital gauges
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/ ... prd504.htm

[stangconv]

Robroy, 1/8" aluminum with masking tape over it makes a great base for selfmade panels like TD's. You can silione your aluminum panel to the stock bezel for a 'hidden fastener' effect.

For my aluminum one I'd like to keep the factory lamp stands to hold the lamps and not go the single point LED setup (I think they look cheesy). I'm really bummed out because two years ago I did one for my friend '88 turbocoupe and for the turn signals etc I used a plumbers step drill to get a machined effect for the turn signals, high beam, and engine management lamps and used the stock cluster lamp lens with the arrow etc and stands siliconed to the back to hold the lamps. The pics were on my hard drive that died and the car is down in North Carolina. Not to toot my own horn, but it looked very nice and got more compliments than the blown 302 under the hood. The goal of the car was to keep it looking like something Ford 'could' have put together. He has the Phantom guages and regardless of how you want to do it, you'll have a good bit of hands on putting it together.

I plan on milling turn arrows in the panel and installing colored lenses and probably making or buying some kind of lamp stand and trying to tie the wiring into a terminal strip for a simpler install. You really have to think about stuff before tearing into it.

Jamie

[bumpside]

Here is another alternative. I used the stock spedo with aftermarket gauges. The two after market lights are for the head lights, low and high beam.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_7L9jYvUibTA/ST7tV ... IM1598.JPG

[robroy]

Hi Bumpside! I'm curious to see that dash, but the link doesn't seem to be working. Could you check it out?

Thanks!
-Robroy