Custom gauge cluster

[Chrome58]

Spoiler alert : if you're a purist, stay away from this thread ;)

Don't get me wrong, I love my '70 Sport Fury. But when it comes to the dashboard, I think they could have done a better job than this all-rectangular plain-vanilla cluster. It does not look out of place on the people-moving Fury I, but when you're behind the wheel of a 383 Sport Fury, it does not look the part (to me anyway). I think they should have done some "Rallye" version of that gauge cluster for the Sport Fury model.

So I've been toying with the idea of making a custom gauge cluster. Something that would look like it has been designed in 1970, but more along the "Rallye" look, with round gauges. Somehow similar to the B-body rallye gauge cluster.

I'm not saying I'm completely convinced. As I said, I'm toying with the idea ... So I'd like to see if someone already had that idea, and welcome any picture that would show their creation. Or any idea that you may have.

Thank you.

 

[CBODY67]

Maybe some gauges with numbers? As the police clusters might have had, with the Certified Speedometer? Seems like somebody has done a tach that goes into the clock space?

CBODY67

 

[69PHOENIX]

Funnily Enough You've Reminded Me of a 65 Phoenix We Parted Out About Thirty Years Ago.
Someone Had Managed to Fit a Small Electric Clock Dead Set in the Middle of the Horn Ring.
Looked Factory.
Tony.M

 

[68 4spd Fury]

I always liked what Chrysler did with the 67-69 A body Barracuda dash and this carried on into the Duster 340 at least for the first couple of years. I assume your looking for something to fit in the Norman area in front of the steering wheel? I think the police cars had an oil pressure gage where the clock would normally be but the fuel/amp/temp were still the same.

 

[barnfind]

 

[bnz84]

OK, since I have the same dash how about this. Excuse my drawing. This assumes the radio and heater controls have to stay because of mounting issues. My thought was to be able to make this with modern gauges you choose. Same thing for switches but I'm not sure what to use. Gotta have some silver or chrome for accents. The center gauge would be dual speedo and tach and the whole center cluster would be recessed maybe 3/4 inch behind some clear. BUT the gauges themselves would have their trim rings outside the clear..on top. So recessed but protruding if that makes sense. The 3 little dots to left and right would be invisible idiot lights for whatever you want to wire there.

The switches could be original although I would prefer modern rocker and/or knob. All switches would be mounted to a mount from behind panel that can hold 1 or many switches. Even USB ports. But I gotta be carful it doesn't look like an 18 wheeler or race car. Gotta be classy. Again silver trim around holes like original. Turn signal flush mounted left and right. And the whole thing would be in a custom piece of plastic with holes you make. No original plates need be sacrificed. Center pod would be centered on steering wheel line of site. One of the big things here....no clock. Might be a deal breaker for some. I know there is so many ways to do this and the gauge font would be important as well as plastic, but its an idea.

 

[EurekaSevven]

These old cars had a surprising amount of diagnostic information on the dashes if I'm perfectly honest, only thing I would change/add is replace the clock (which I don't even have) with a square tachometer setup, if such a thing existed. In the same styling as the rest anyways. I have a 68 Newport though, not a Sport Fury, and all of the gauges for oil and such are idiot lights instead of gauges.

 

[Chrome58]

Seems like somebody has done a tach that goes into the clock space?

Yes, I'm aware of that, and actually, I was planning on doing just that.

I assume your looking for something to fit in the Norman area in front of the steering wheel?

Exactly.

Excuse my drawing

Wow. I wasn't expecting such a developed idea ... Thanks a lot for taking the time to draw your idea on paper. I like your creation, but I think I'd want something that blends more with the current cluster. I don't know if the line you draw between the 2 areas is there to visually separate them, or if it's there because it's needed.

The rectangular switches are very nice, and I think they would stay. I'm looking to replicate something like this B-body rallye cluster, which makes a good mix of those rectangular switches and round gauges. Actually, I would probably graft that B-body rallye cluster in my Fury, if it was possible. But the curved dash will make it very difficult.

 

[bnz84]

Well, you could replace our big square speedo with the a speedo and tach as u have shown and then add triple gauges in place of the radio? And yes I like the switches too and would need to be careful. Most old care separated their switches and did not gang them together. I'll draw another version with a big square recessed area to put the round gauges in. That might be cool. mmm My idea is not fully thought out but probably would be in 2 pieces. And I completely forgot that the original bezel is recessed under the pad. Unless a complete replacement could be made I probably would need to cut up an original.

 

[live4theking]

You could also have someone 3d print the plastic pieces you might need.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

The biggest problem with this plan is that there just isn't space on the C body cluster surround for any more stuff. You have to decide what item you want to relocate somewhere else to make room for more gauges. As bnz84 mentioned, I think the best bet is to move the radio. If you don't need a CD player or cassette player, you can get these new "digital media player" car stereos that are quite a bit shallower, making them easier to mount. You could put it in a box, on top of the console, similar to the factory cassette recorder.

The distance from the right side of your switches to the far right of the surround might be long enough to get that those Charger gauges in there. It shouldn't be too hard to find measurements for the Charger stuff. I might be able to get that on Friday evening for you.

If you really want to blow up the budget, Dakota Digital now makes modern gauges for most muscle cars, including the '68-'70 B bodies.

1968- 70 Dodge Charger, Super Bee 1969- 70 Coronet R/T, 1970 Plymouth GTX and Road Runner

Before you do anything, you need to remove your cluster surround and check to see what kind of clearance you have. You will have to do surgery to the metal dash frame to make any changes to the location of the components.

Jeff

 

[Chrome58]

You could also have someone 3d print the plastic pieces you might need.

Yes, I'm thinking about that. The only thing is, I'm not sure about the maximum size they can print (and the price also, obviously). But I might have to go there, if only for the curvature of the dash.

The biggest problem with this plan is that there just isn't space on the C body cluster surround for any more stuff. You have to decide what item you want to relocate somewhere else to make room for more gauges. As bnz84 mentioned, I think the best bet is to move the radio.

Yes I thought about that. Although my car is non-AC, so I might have a little bit more space on the right-bottom side.

The distance from the right side of your switches to the far right of the surround might be long enough to get that those Charger gauges in there. It shouldn't be too hard to find measurements for the Charger stuff. I might be able to get that on Friday evening for you.

That's a great help, thank you. I also thought about buying a cheap used B-body rallye gauge cluster, just so I could use it as a template. I've seen several on eBay recently.

If you really want to blow up the budget, Dakota Digital now makes modern gauges for most muscle cars, including the '68-'70 B bodies.

Yes, I know, I've seen their products, and I love their B-body modern version.
That's a big dent in the budget, though, but I'm keeping my eyes on them!

Before you do anything, you need to remove your cluster surround and check to see what kind of clearance you have. You will have to do surgery to the metal dash frame to make any changes to the location of the components

Absolutely correct.
Thanks Jeff.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I assume you've probably seen these photos, since I've posted them a bunch of times. But, just in case you didn't I'll put them up again. The changes aren't as extensive as what you want to do, but I didn't spend all that much time on mine. Some sheet metal, a little plastic, and a hot glue gun got the job done.

Back when I got my '72 Fury wagon, the spedo was shot. I wasn't a big fan of the flood lit instruments, so I bought a used 1988 Ford F-150 cluster and cut it apart to fit in a 1969 Plymouth dash. The biggest issue I had was that the contour of the '69 surround was quite different from the '72 and it left gaps that I never got around to addressing, and I couldn't get the lower finish panel back on. I had plans to mount the HVAC control in a center console, but that never happened either. Not too long after getting the car roadworthy I started shopping for a house, then moved and changed jobs, and the Fury went on the back burner. If I had stayed with the 1972 surround, it would have been a much neater job and I probably would have had the time to get that console mounted. The 1969 surround caused other problems, like having to change the tailgate window motor to 1969 version because the switch was set up different from the '72. I chose the '69 surround because I really liked the rocker switches on the '69 dash.

Jeff

 

[MONC440]

I've been designing my cluster for the V10 Fury and I'm going to do something like this.

Going to swap the 4 stock headlight, dimmer, wiper & washer switches for 2 pull light wiper switches

 

[Ripinator]

Yes, I'm thinking about that. The only thing is, I'm not sure about the maximum size they can print (and the price also, obviously). But I might have to go there, if only for the curvature of the dash.


Yes I thought about that. Although my car is non-AC, so I might have a little bit more space on the right-bottom side.


That's a great help, thank you. I also thought about buying a cheap used B-body rallye gauge cluster, just so I could use it as a template. I've seen several on eBay recently.


Yes, I know, I've seen their products, and I love their B-body modern version.
That's a big dent in the budget, though, but I'm keeping my eyes on them!


Absolutely correct.
Thanks Jeff.

This is the dashboard I'm gonna use: