I am thinking about taking out the stock gauges and replacing them with either AutoMeter or VDO's... The stock needles bounce (volt, speedo, AND tach). Plus I don't much care for the way the factory arranged them (not to mention it would be fairly expensive to rehab the stockers). Has anyone done something like this? Comments?
Custom Gauge Cluster
- Thread starter baphoon
- Start date
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
Your looking at about $700 to $1000. Start shopping and you'll find out.
Your tach bouncing is something else(ignition) most likely. Oil pressure gauge, get a cluster out of a 1987 to 1991 sunbird and pull the oil pressure gauge out of it and put it in the cluster. Keep all your other gauges in the cluster. If you want to dress them up while your at it, I can get you white faced(phantom style) or carbon fiber style to match the Autometer CF series.
Your looking at about $700 to $1000. Start shopping and you'll find out.
Your tach bouncing is something else(ignition) most likely. Oil pressure gauge, get a cluster out of a 1987 to 1991 sunbird and pull the oil pressure gauge out of it and put it in the cluster. Keep all your other gauges in the cluster. If you want to dress them up while your at it, I can get you white faced(phantom style) or carbon fiber style to match the Autometer CF series.
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
This is REALLY rough. I should've taken a pic when the GP batch went out.
This gives you an idea though. The numerals are an extremely dark navy and the faces are a matte white. I made this image kinda yellow so you could see the edges where the locating holes and everything is.
This is REALLY rough. I should've taken a pic when the GP batch went out.
This gives you an idea though. The numerals are an extremely dark navy and the faces are a matte white. I made this image kinda yellow so you could see the edges where the locating holes and everything is.
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
I was gonna go custom insert at first but finding the gauges in the correct size so you could get a tach, speedo, water,oil,fuel,volt, and boost gauge in there was just not realistic when the cost was factored in. Especially when you look at the cluster to the left. If you get an aftermarket gauge set that has "the main cluster" of volt,water,oil, and fuel, you are talking LARGE dollars ($400 just for that guage).
Here's one of the less expensive ones I found.....remember, you'll have to install a new sender for the fuel gauge on 99% of these.
You can see in the above image how you can kinda coordinate them. There is an american series that is really cool but gives more of an aviation feel. The reason I recommend this if you go this route is so you can keep your stock bezel to some extent. If your gonna make a faceplate to mount these in, go water jet or lazer cut and use an old s-10 cluster bezel. I have one if you need it. Just don't cut up your stock one!
You get the idea.
I was gonna go custom insert at first but finding the gauges in the correct size so you could get a tach, speedo, water,oil,fuel,volt, and boost gauge in there was just not realistic when the cost was factored in. Especially when you look at the cluster to the left. If you get an aftermarket gauge set that has "the main cluster" of volt,water,oil, and fuel, you are talking LARGE dollars ($400 just for that guage).
Here's one of the less expensive ones I found.....remember, you'll have to install a new sender for the fuel gauge on 99% of these.
You can see in the above image how you can kinda coordinate them. There is an american series that is really cool but gives more of an aviation feel. The reason I recommend this if you go this route is so you can keep your stock bezel to some extent. If your gonna make a faceplate to mount these in, go water jet or lazer cut and use an old s-10 cluster bezel. I have one if you need it. Just don't cut up your stock one!
You get the idea.
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
That particular set above has 3 3/8" and 4 3/4" available for all of them to make a matching set. You just have to dig through and make sure when you order, that you order the correct series and the correct sizes and the correct type (mech, elec, in dash, pod, etc).
That particular set above has 3 3/8" and 4 3/4" available for all of them to make a matching set. You just have to dig through and make sure when you order, that you order the correct series and the correct sizes and the correct type (mech, elec, in dash, pod, etc).
Syborg Twin Turbo
Syborg Twin Turbo
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
custom gauges are nice - but i would consider just fixing the stock cluster and then getting a cool guage face in carbon fiber.
custom gauges are nice - but i would consider just fixing the stock cluster and then getting a cool guage face in carbon fiber.
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
If all of your needles are bouncing, something else is wrong and redoing the cluster won't fix it.
Check alternator, grounds, battery cables.
If all of your needles are bouncing, something else is wrong and redoing the cluster won't fix it.
Check alternator, grounds, battery cables.
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
Your kidding? That's normal. Your turn signals eat a lot of power. Watch the voltmeter when you flip on the headlights. Flip them on and off and watch the volt meter. Flip on the headlights, windshield wiper, stereo, fog lights, watch it up of the voltage and the meter drop. That's what it's supposed to do.
Your speedometer is pulsed from the DRAC. The less pulses, the more the needle bounces. The more pulses hit it, the smoother it will be. Of course your speed will be higher also. I'm glad you asked this before you took the cluster out. There is nothing wrong with it.
Your tach is bouncing because there is something wrong with your ignition. That is a telltail sign that you'll find throughout the syty mailing list up to today. The misfires in the ignition make it bounce. Just driving around, you won't notice it. Which is why it drives "fine". When you get under boost, it will REALLY bounce from the misfire.
Your kidding? That's normal. Your turn signals eat a lot of power. Watch the voltmeter when you flip on the headlights. Flip them on and off and watch the volt meter. Flip on the headlights, windshield wiper, stereo, fog lights, watch it up of the voltage and the meter drop. That's what it's supposed to do.
Your speedometer is pulsed from the DRAC. The less pulses, the more the needle bounces. The more pulses hit it, the smoother it will be. Of course your speed will be higher also. I'm glad you asked this before you took the cluster out. There is nothing wrong with it.
Your tach is bouncing because there is something wrong with your ignition. That is a telltail sign that you'll find throughout the syty mailing list up to today. The misfires in the ignition make it bounce. Just driving around, you won't notice it. Which is why it drives "fine". When you get under boost, it will REALLY bounce from the misfire.
George Blake
DONATING MEMBER
Re: Custom Gauge Cluster
It's actually going bad. If you take it apart and the little nylon gears look ok, then the electrical motor needs replaced.
See if these guys have the motor you want. They may put it in for you if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself:
http://www.aaellc.com/
You will not find syclone, but you will find Sunbird on their site
It's actually going bad. If you take it apart and the little nylon gears look ok, then the electrical motor needs replaced.
See if these guys have the motor you want. They may put it in for you if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself:
http://www.aaellc.com/
You will not find syclone, but you will find Sunbird on their site