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Custom dashes and consoles

There will always be a few things that you will have to reach up under there and futz around with to get them hooked up, but you can save yourself a backache if you work smarter and not harder.
 
My console install for my '63 Plymouth isn't quite done yet as new gauges and sending unit is on back order; but sending a couple pics. Console is out of an old Lincoln that had indicator lights so reworked to have brake/blinker lights, headlights, and courtesy lights. A buddy machined the gauge plate for it to house an oil pressure and vacuum gauge. The triangular center section will eventually house two cup holders when a new plate is made up for this. A shop made up side covers and I hope to run it over the summer to see if the original color doesn't bug me too much as it's a darker red; though some of the seat and door trim is pretty darn close making me hold off on this for now. May have it reupholstered next winter.

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747, Did you fab this up? I like it and Im wanting to do the same in my roadrunner
Yes, the dash utilizes the original top and frame with all new fabricated face and curly maple. The console is all custom made out of fiberglass. Glad you like it.
 
Had to modify my stock dash in the 69’ Dart GT to fit this new cluster. Still have a lot of work to finish, but you get the idea.

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Tack welds have been ground down and then I masked off for some Rage filler. Now to start sanding my *** off!

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Fired up the car and the tach doesn’t work, parking brake light stays on whether or not the key is on and if I turn the headlights on the gauges light up and move 2-3 times then settle at zero. So I called up the company and they want the cluster back, they emailed a return label. So it’s off to them to get sorted out. What a bummer!
 
Intellitronix said the tach somehow lost the program, the parking brake light staying on when set without the key in is not a problem cause the led light draws so little (still f’n stupid in my book), when turning on the headlights the gauges move and they can’t reproduce what I’m talking about when bench testing (they say it must be my wiring, I doubt it but will check), the volt gauge reads low and they fixed that. So I’m waiting for it to come back, that was a week ago Friday.......still waiting.
 
Well after sending the gauge cluster back, twice, they are going back.....for a full refund! They can’t seem to get these working correctly. ****, oil pressure gauge says I’ve got 10psi at hot idle and my mechanical gauge says 25-28. Temp gauge has no linear movement, it ticks like clock hands moving. Parking brake light doesn’t come on now with the key like they said it would, hell, it doesn’t come on at all! So I ordered a Dakota Digital set.

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Got the Dakota Digital gauge cluster wired up to check and see if it works, and it DOES! So now that I have “proof of concept” I can get some sheet metal and get the dash squared away to install the cluster. This beats the Intellitronix cluster by miles, really no comparison between the 2.
 
Since we're on the topic of consoles thought I'd show ya's the latest with the one I installed in my '63 Fury convert. It was from a later 70's Lincoln I picked up at a swap meet a few years ago for a few bucks. Was intrigued with the light bar so wired this up to show brake and turn signal lights, headlights on, and still pondering on the remaining light. Was going to connect that for courtesy lights; but have to rewire it as I apparently did a booboo on wiring that. For the gauges made up a plate for 2 gauges and yet to be finished for the triangular section machining a piece that will have two cup holders there. The original tray is there now with a new cover for it. I'll send another photo with the new piece in I hope to install in a week or so. Given all the BS I encountered I likely could have built a console but this one just had some appeal for me..

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Looks good to me!
 
Finally got some sheet metal, getting it welded in. I have 1 more piece to weld in, pic of that when I get it tacked in.

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Mine is coming along finally...the gauges will be inset. Stereo to the right and switches bottom left.
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Getting ready to install Autometer Elite series gauges in my 68Charger.
 
Sheet metal work is all done. Gotta do some grinding now.

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