okokok... Replacing Gauges

Alright, time to learn something new.

1. The gauges in my Maro not only suck, but most don't work at all. I was thinking of replacing them with Autometer Z-Series gauges, but have no idea in hell how you get them in. For instance, remove old gauge, take bezel off new gauge, put in old gauge spot and put new gauge bezel back on??? IE does the new gauge bezel fit over the chrome trim on the dash panel?

2. Opinions: I was considering either using all Z-Series gauges to go for an almost stock look, or using the Z-Series Tach and Speedo, and Cyberdyne Fuel Level, Oil Pressure, Water Temp, and Voltmeter. http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&catalogIdentifier=Jegs_Direct&categoryId=18945&parentCategoryId=10339

I like the Cobalt2 gauges but Red Death would look kinda stupid with blue gauges, or green for the Lunar gauges.


Any thoughts?

I dont like digital but i like th cobalt ones if you can get them in red or maybe the c-2 in red..

I'm not completely sure about the Z Series, but a lot of the autometer guages come with light covers so that you can make then either red or green. Might try and find a set that comes with that setup and get them to match up with Red Death.

i dont think digital gauges look that good. analogue gauges are better, especially on an older car. and to me they're better because you can see the needle's position change better than see a number change. just me though. your car, your choice.

Points taken and I'm probably going to do the analog gauges, but... how the hell do you install them in a stock dash? Do they just slip right into the stock gauge location with clips, or are the held in with screws??? What about the chrome bezel?

have your old ones rebuilt?

If they were the original gauges that came in the car when it rolled off the line... then it'd be worth the money. For what it costs to have two rebuilt I could damn near have a whole set of the Z-Series Autometer gauges. AND I don't feel like screwing with that wiring harness. I plan on eliminating stuff one by one, until I'm down to only what I have to have, as far as the wiring goes.

By the way, does anyone knoe what in the hell the printed circuit that goes onto the back of the gauge cluster is for??? I thought maybe for the trun signals and lighting, but the signals and lights have their own module in the fuse block don't they?

Honestly Jim, I wouldn't mess with that harness at all and since the car should have a realatively simple harness, I'd get a painless one. I think the basic 12 circuit one is really not that badly priced.

I'm completely shocked that the car has a printed circuit dash, don't think that's right.

Honestly Jim, I wouldn't mess with that harness at all and since the car should have a realatively simple harness, I'd get a painless one. I think the basic 12 circuit one is really not that badly priced.

I'm completely shocked that the car has a printed circuit dash, don't think that's right.

Well.... 70's (edit: the 1970 year - not the 70's as a whole) dashes didn't have a woodgrain to it either - and mine does. So it looks like I have some sort of frankenstein fuck fest going on here.

I was thinking the printed circuit didn't do anything for me... everything is analog / non-computer. So if I rip it out - or better yet replace the whole 9 yards (dash bezel, gauges, and 86 most of the harness...) I, in theory, shouldn't have the nightmare wiring mess that I do now, right?

The painless harness for a 70 is $500. A bit on the high side of pricey just to get a couple of bulbs to light.

No no, you can get away with a universal 12 circuit system fo rless than $500.

And still, a specific fit kit for my '85 ECM controlled, FI car wasn't quite that much. Are they high or what?

No no, you can get away with a universal 12 circuit system fo rless than $500.

And still, a specific fit kit for my '85 ECM controlled, FI car wasn't quite that much. Are they high or what?

I'll have to look around... National Paarts Depot, Paddock and Year One all want close to $500 for the dash harness. You'd think it actually did something for that much money.

I dunno Jim, I just looked on Summit and found universal (18 circuit) kit Gm-Chev/Pont/Olds/Buick for $104.69. Now maybe it's the bohemian rubbing off on me courtesy of the misses but that aint bad. The only thing I found as high as you're talking was EFI harnesses, and unless your methane injecting Earls brussel sprout spoofs as methane boost, isn't you.

the printed circuit board cluster sounds more like my 81. the circuit runs the dash lights, fuel guage, tachometer (if you have one), voltmeter, whatever other guages you have in the cluster. If you pull the printed circuit board off and 86 it, you'll have to run wires to all of the points that need them instead of letting the circuit board transfer the power. If you get a set of AutoMeter guages then it may not be too big of a deal to do that, but they may not fit very well in the bezel, but custom making one to a style of your own with the new guages may look pretty hot and be worth the effort in the long run.

Thanks NR, that's what I needed to know about the printed circuit. But... All the resto parts catalogues list one fpr the 1970 year, or are they just saying it will fit that specific dash bezel... just because it will?

I dunno Jim, I just looked on Summit and found universal (18 circuit) kit Gm-Chev/Pont/Olds/Buick for $104.69. Now maybe it's the bohemian rubbing off on me courtesy of the misses but that aint bad. The only thing I found as high as you're talking was EFI harnesses, and unless your methane injecting Earls brussel sprout spoofs as methane boost, isn't you.


Hmmmm.... That will work on ANY Maro??? 454???

If it does, then that may be the route I take. Cause we all know this damned thing ain't original, so I might as well as get stuff that works, right?

One question though, what the difference between the universal, and the "muscle car" application? Obviously they can't be trying to cover the wiring for EVERY muscle car ever built... heavier gauge wires?

OH, AND NO-ONE HAS ANSWERED MY ORIGINAL QUESTION:

Who in the hell do you install the after-market gauges? DO I have to cut the stock bezel to make them fit or anything???

Universal app means what says :dunno:

It's a generic fits the application of the era, thus it should directly link up to the vast majority of components. There may be the need for for some splicing of uncommon circuits ( a turning illumintaor for example) or uncommon bulb/connector sockets.

Just gotta do a little more research. The 'muscle car' one sounds to me like "bend over big boy, cuz you're paying for the fancy title", for the same old run of the mill crap in any other car.

Oh and can't really say anything much about the dash when it doesn't sound like the right one is there to begin with. But, in theory, you shouldn't have to cut anything, even using the piece you have. Just get gauge pods that will fit in the provided spaces.

I am using a set of Autometer gauges in the stock guage bezel on my '70. Two 3 3/8" and four 2 1/16". Everything should slide in with no cutting or trimming. The 3 3/8" were a little loose but I wrapped a small piece of cardboard around them to snug them up a bit and they fit fine. I am only using the bezel to put the gauges in. the original gauge housing that is behind the bezel has been removed.

Thanks AJ, what's the wiring look like under your dash??? Do you have a big-ass messy harness like I do, or am I correct in thinking that whoever put my maro together pulled that out of a later model and just forced it to fit?

Right now my wiring is pretty sloppy and all over the place. My car is gutted and I am about to replace my harness aswell. It looks like one hell of a good time.