Hi,
I've got a 70 SS 396 with the round dummy light dash en route and one thing I want to do is to convert to gauges. I know I need a new dash and forward light harness and printed circuit along with the gauges. I'm looking at something like this:
Is there really any difference as to where I buy the gauges from? I would assume there's probably only one or two companies that make these anyway. Also, is the cluster housing the same for gauges and dummy lights?
If I was you I would buy a kit like this in the link below. It is from seller from sonnie24 on ebay. This kit gives you the items needed for the conversion. You will not need a new forward lamp or dash harness. This kit gives you the wires to ad to your existing harnesses. The gauge cluster housing pieces are all the same for idiot light dashes and full gauge dashes. They also have kits for tachs with other redlines, such as a 6500 RPM redline tach for a LS6 car. I have bought a number of these kits with great results.
Thanks for the advice. I ordered the gauges and clock from Sonnie. From what I gather, the tach only needs a lead to the coil because the rest of it is powered by the printed circuit, correct? Anything special on the clock wiring?
I'm doing the same thing on my SS396. I looked at the gauge kits at Ecklers', NPD, Classic Muscle and decided to go with the ones sold by the Parts Place in Illinois. They claim they supply all the others.....maybe, not sure. I looked at the Dakota gauges but wanted to stick to the original gauges that GM used. I just got the gauges today, waiting on the dash wiring harness. It's not a cheap ordeal with all the stuff you need. I think I may still have to order the sending units for the oil pressure and water temp. Ebay is certainly an option but their tech help is non-existent if you have any issues or questions.
You would not have needed any new harnesses if you would have bought the ebay kit that I recommended. This would have saved you a lot of money. Good luck with the installation. Feel free to ask any questions.
I’m not I’m doing the quotes correctly but bear with me. The kit on eBay is for the gauges and circuit board connector, not the dash harness, if I understand the listing correctly. The eBay item is no longer available and the seller is away until later this month so it’s hard to be sure. It’s my belief you need the dash harness to have the connections to the gauges if you had just the idiot lights before like mine. Also one needs to run one wire to the distributor for the tach function. However I’m a newbie to Chevelles so I could be completely mistaken on this. I rely on suppliers to provide guidance at times and haven’t been told wrong YET.
The kit gives you the necessary wires and terminals needed to convert the dash and forward wire harness for gauges. The kit also gives you the correct temp. sending unit needed for a temp gauge. No new harness is needed. I have done quite a few of these conversions using that kit.
Ok, I see they provide the necessary wires to make the old harness work. No clock or speedometer included, or bezel. I prefer all new gauges and a 50 year old harness under the dash doesn’t inspire much confidence for me. Wasted money ? Maybe. But when your dash is on fire, the cost of a new harness doesn’t seem that much of a luxury. As they say, different strokes for different folks.
I kept the lights and ran mechanical Auto Meter gauges out of sight.. I changed the temp sensor to 190..
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