The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Gauges & Radio

Newbe time again, My gauges are junk. Are there any aftermarket ones that will fit in the two holes ? Whats out there for radios

Thanks/Victor

there are aftermarket gauges made try our sponser at the top of page,also others out there

Hey Victor,
I have been doing some research on gauges (54) and Jim Carter has the best prices. Check them out on the links page here on the bolt. Don't know about radios.

I remember seein radios in the JC Whitney Catalog, if you want one to fit in the stock mounting position.

Are they junk, as in non-functioning, or junk as in the faces are hosed?
You can buy new faces, trim rings, needles, and glass from several of the vendors. Mine were so bad I coudn't see them, but now they look new. Total cost: $20. Chevy duty sells rebuilt ones that you can send them your core for.

Dolphin makes a guage set for around $240.00,anyone have experience with them???

Victor-

There are many aftermarket gauge options. Replacement gauges have been noted. You can stick with the old style or go digital (see www.dakotadigital.com or www.autometer.com). New styles that bolt in can be purchased frm many vendors. Rebuilt gauges are also available (contact United Spedomometer, 800-877-4798). Have you remained 6V or converted to 12V?

One of our members (Fat Fenders) has plugged slavaged Toyota Land Cruiser gauges into the dash holes of his Stovebolt. See his homepages listed elsewhere in the site.

As for radios, there's a big spectrum out tere. What look do you want, restoration or modern? One option is a radio featuring an old look but new technologies. Many vendors furnishing parts for stovebolts feature these, so shop around.

Happy hunting-
51PhatBoy

two questions? Phatboy mentioned tons of radios with old look and new technolgy. I have been searching and cant find one for my 53 GMC. I find the ones that match the holes, but still look like they are from a 1980's GMC.

Also, the 53 I purchased had add on temp, fuel and oil guages. The only original working dial was the speedometer. i want to rewire to go back to the original dials, since I am electronically challenged. Do I have any concerns since probably about the time the new guages were wired in, it was converted to a 12volt?

Here is a very slick solution, allbeit costly:
http://www.antiquecarradio.com/prod02.html

You can buy original radios for ~$200 on eBay. Repairs to make them work run $200-400.

Here is someone who repairs them with modern internals but stock face:
http://www.gate.net/~gtayman/stereo.htm

The 1st site above carries the modern replacements that fit the holes without modification but look more modern as do most of the Classic Truck parts vendors.

Jim Carter's carries the cheapest rebuilt gauges I have seen ~$200.

Good luck, Dave

thanks dave...That was the radio site I was looking for...but at upwards of a grand...I guess I'll keep looking! thanks anyway

Doc and Dave-

I'll chip in late as Dave has covered the radio territory with some good options. My message mentioned an "old" look, not an "original" look as doc noted. I guess I'm old enough to thinkthat an '80's faceplate is old!

The other option is completely stealth, using a wireless remote and leaving the dash blank.

Another issue you might consider is noise. Our Stovebolt's aren't known for a quiet ride. Depending on where you are in the project, you might think about investing in some aspects of sound insulation so that you can hear the $$ invested in a great updated sound system. My experience is a bit limited, but adding padding to the firewall and toeboard can really help reduce background sound. One cheap solution from a magazine was to seal the hidden surfaces inside of the cab with bed liner material using a roller.

Good luck and keep us posted!

doc-

one more item of note. A parallel thread has been talking about antique radios for home use. Perhaps you can find some new guts for an original Stovebolt radio in the many resources listed. See:
antique radio thread

Third in a series!

There was an earlier question about Dolphin gauges in this thread. Several vendors supply these, but they are much less expensive than other 12V options. I will ask again if anyone has experience with this product. Let us know how they hold up!

I built a nice looking box (with rounded edges and all ) to put under my dash. I put it just about in the center, and had to drill a couple of holes to mount it to the bottom of the dash. Also, one hole in the firewall so I could run a strap from the back of the box to the firewall.

Now I have a nice $30 tape player, in a box with a few hours invested in it. (time is cheap, money is not)

Brian k