Finally, Dakota has made a dash for the 69 chevelle's. Anyone tried this yet?
http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm?ptype=results_w&mode=zoom&image=prd_zm_183.jpg

I have one ready to install in my '69 El Camino. I did a 4 speed conversion and didn't want to have a blank where the PRNDL went, so, I built up a set of switches and levers on the transmission. I built a bracket and installed LED's where the PRNDL went. Now, when I put the shifter in Reverse a RED LED blinks. When I put it in first gear a GREEN LED comes on to let me know that it is OK to show off a little. As I row through the gears, each gear lights up a different color LED until I get to fourth gear, and the last LED is the same color as the Dakota display. I hope to market this kit at a later time, if there is any interest. Take a look and let me know what you think.

http://dennymac.com/mod.php?mod=userpage&menu=1002&page_id=12&PHPSESSID=2d163a9cef8b97b5ac8d9ea4bab7cc30

Best of luck to you.

Interesting. Your pic has the tach as a bar graph, the dakota pic has a digital read out. The rest of the layout is different also.......

Seems like a lot of monkey motion on your shift linkage for the LED's. If you could come up with proximity switches instead of the micro swt's you might have a more compact setup.

I like your idea about the LED's.

I would use levers that bolt on rather than weld on if you want to market it. I might also try to figure out a way to use a digital number display instead of a christmas tree.

I have wired up a couple of different styles of the Dakota Digital dash board displays and myself and the customer's have been very happy with them. The older models seem to have the bar graph RPM displays and the newer ones have numbers but it might be one of theose things you can order however.
One thing about the replacement dash displays (and this might have changed) is that they do not have a plug on them to where you can just remove the old speedometer/gauge/idiot light assembly, unplug it, plug in the new display and you're done. It required finding a home for a control brain and wiring of it to the vehicle. While it's not a big deal I guess I would like to see them offer a more plug and play system. On car stereo's these days if you want to replace the radio in your vehicle, you get a harness adaptor to where there is no cutting or splicing into the factory wiring harness.


I do like the manual transmission display. Another constructive critisizm besides bolt on ears for the micro switches is to maybe use smaller wire. LED's do not take hardly any power and you could probably get by with a 20-22 gauge multi conductor wire with different colored individual wires inside that could also be laid out to the different colored LED's (to make the wiring a little more idiot proof when sold to the general public). You might be able to also add a circuit to where when all of the switches are open that another LED indicates neutral.

Jim