The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Tech: 5" Gauges in an AD truck

Mods can move it where they want. Just didn't think it was right to spend the money on the gauges and then have someone try to sell me a $200 mount kit from billet when I've got these things laying around!

Last month I ordered the gauges for Courtland’s truck. There was a thread on there from TPost/Tugmaster asking what would be the best gauges to use. I jumped in and asked about Dolphin and AutoMeter. Well, I know there is a significant price difference but AutoMeter is a name I’ve known and trusted. Either way, new gauges are a minimum of a few hundred bucks.
I received a PM at that time about the mounting and that I’d need an adapter. A HAMB Alliance Member pointed this out to me and that he’d sell me a set if I wanted one. I looked at the Dolphin ad in Street Rodder and saw they were $190! Dolphin gauges are only like $250 or so AND the adapter is billet. The whole point of the build on this truck is to go to BilletProof Detroit so that left me with one option: Figure it out our selves!
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0001.jpg[/IMG]
Sunday I actually pulled the gauges out of the box and test fit them into the holes.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0008.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0007.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0009.jpg[/IMG]

Whoops. Basic math could have told me this wasn’t going to work.

What to do? I’ve collected 5 ’54 AD cabs over the last few years and a number of gauge clusters more. Just a little bit of disassembly showed me what I was up against.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0010.jpg[/IMG]

Further investigation showed a fairly flat surface on the back of the stock speedo and that the gauges were not concentric with the housing but off set.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0011.jpg[/IMG]

Tracing it out with a sharpie and cutting with a good metal blade in the jig saw left a decent clearance hole. A little filing and grinding opened it right up.

The nice thing about this is the center part. It acts as an angled shroud for the gauge to direct your eye inward. It has a nice angle to it AND it tapers.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0014.jpg[/IMG]

Only one thing to do: Bust out the grinder! (OK, guard is off so I can get inside. Not a recommended method. Please were appropriate protective devices.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0013.jpg[/IMG]

After much grinding, which might have been better on a good belt sander I was able to get to the size needed.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0015.jpg[/IMG]

Angle is still there and taper is still there, only much less (actually side view of the part earlier is finished, I forgot a ‘before’ shot.)
After more trial fits and some rust removal, the gauge fits.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0016.jpg[/IMG]

Then the stock ‘chrome’ bezel was put on to check the view. Glass was deleted because the gauges have a curved glass AND they don’t drop down all the way into the angled bezel.
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0017.jpg[/IMG]

A little satin paint from our local hardware store…
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0006.jpg[/IMG]

Some drying time while shortening of the mounting bracket so it fit on the back and…
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0018.jpg[/IMG]

Presto. The driver can keep track of all the great details and have money left over to put a cushion on his seat!
[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0601June0019.jpg[/IMG]

And, Yes Peggy, that is the little red haired boy from the 'Super Dump' picture in the '53 Gallery. He's 15 now and this is HIS AD truck!

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/bowles_danny_1953_01.htm

He used to fit between the bumper and head light!

thanks for the tip,cool truck.are those old keystones or maybe buick wheels? anyway nice...............dave

Free Keystones. Need to get some unilug washers for them yet.

Here's the finished dash. Thanks!

[IMG]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/TechPost/2008_0602Dash0001.jpg[/IMG]

Good work, I like fitting the new guages into the stock bezels.

that really looks good! anything to make those 54's look better is welcome.

Wow ...nice job of engineering a COOL fix!...congrats looks good.

Was pointed to another guy who did the same thing only different. He used the stock bezels where I used 2 speedo's. The difference was the speedo gives the offset to both gauges rather than centering ability of the stock quad. I guess you can do it one of three ways.

Speedo/Quad
Speedo/Speedo
Quad/Quad

The Quad/Quad will most likely let you center both gauges if you want but you may have to do some shim action to get it tight.

And there is NOTHING that can make a '54 look better. They are too beautiful to start with! I have 5 5 windows!

Neccessity is the mother of invention. Very creative!

Yes, good work and very creative, however I believe I'll get the larger gauges!