The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Wiring the Instrument panel

1958 GMC model 100 1/2ton truck
I had the instrument panel restored and now I need assistance with the wiring. Need to rewire the water temp , fuel , and amp gauges. Do I just need to run a wire from the water temp sending unit to the back of the gauge & other as a ground? Same for the fuel& amp gauges? Old stock wiring is a mess. Also how can I find the turn signal & high beam indicator lamps?
Thanks ,

Sorry I can't help with the wiring of the dash.

BUT... if you are doing a full restoration, I would highly suggest that you buy either a stock replacement or an aftermarket harness.

WHY? I'm about $300 into a $150 wiring harness that I cobbled together myself, one circuit at a time... it works, but it's ugly.

I'm leaning towards replacing the
whole wiring harness on the truck...........

I replaced my 39's wiring harness with a "stock" replacement harness which was much less painful than my Binder..

so my original wiring didn't have an amp gauge; so how do I wire it up?

start with a wiring diagram, from the shop manual .... the temp sender is the ground, the other terminal would be switched power .... same for a fuel gauge, the sender is ground, other terminal is power .... amp gauge, one side goes to the voltage regulator, other side to the battery .... but again, check the wiring diagram or get a complete replacement harness

Bill

Bill ,
no voltage regulator on truck ; which side of battery? Negative ?Why not just ground to dash?

Fergot to mention the oil gauge. I have an original gauge ; but truck had an after market gauge. I need something that fits into the back of the gauge?.

would an after market oil line kit work with the original gauge? Seems like it is missing a piece to make it work. can't get the line to bottom out inside the back. Is there a special fitting that I need?

I need that piece that screws into an original oil gauge, on the back, right?.

if you have no VR then you must have an alternator rather than a generator - if you hook one side of the ammeter to ground have a fire extinguisher handy, there is no ground terminal on an ammeter .... the ammeter measures the flow of current to & from the battery, one side connects to the supply [alternator] the other side connects to the positive post of the battery - actually usually someplace like the large hot terminal on the starter .... please study the wiring diagram linked above and study up on auto electric systems a bit or find someone nearby to help you out in person

the oil gauge [mechanical] takes a small tube with a ferrule on it and a ferrule nut - you should be able to source that at a FLAPS, the one from the aftermarket gauge may be different

Bill

Thanx

I will not be using the ammeter.