'46 Chevy Shorty

[HolyBus]

HolyBus --- Love the simple, retro look of that dash but I'm looking at a minimum of seven gauges. I hope to keep a similar appearance while accommodating all the extra diesel gauge stuff.
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Its just an example. You could install a couple combo gauges. That would cut down on the number of total gauges to make room for.

I really like this one:

Don't shoot the messenger

 

[Tango-SKO]

Thanks HB --- I have seen (and liked) some of the combo gauges and will likely incorporate at least one in the grouping, but they don't make combi's for much of what I need...EGT, boost, fuel pressure, trans temp, etc., so I will still wind up with a lot to fit in. I am saving some space by using a digital "Tiny Tach". Still investigating what route to go with the speedo. I've been told there are GPS units these days that are more accurate than the mechanical type..but who knows. The adventure continues.

 

[Redbear]

Someone here had a vintage bus somewhat like yours with a GPS speedo a couple of years ago, but Old Timers' Disease prevents me from recalling who. The dial was nice and clear like the one in HolyBus' cluster, not with "2-inch thick" letters and numbers that ran together to obscure the reading like a lot of dials that came out of the 1950s ±.

I do remember I was impressed.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Hey RedBear --- Thanks for the heads up. Dug around and found a couple of references that led to the site below. Might come in handy if anyone else is working on gauge issues. They seem to cover a wide range very well. Looks like the answer to most of my gauge needs. Thanks again.

Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod

 

[Scooternj]

Gauges, Custom Gauges, Tachometers, Speedometers, Shift Light, Pod

:click: :click: And bookmarked

 

[M1031A1]

Same here!

 

[Tango-SKO]

Is this the World's greatest Forum or what!? My personal thanks to all the many contributors who share their finds & experience. Opinions welcome too.

Also to the Site Team who does all the hard work. Many gracias for building such a worthwhile community where all us misfits can gather.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Grrrrrr --- Still waiting on doghouse parts so I am stuck with piddling with the rear deck thingy for the moment. Have all the steel rough cut but do not have a floor level enough to tack it all together on that will yield anything close to square and flat. May have to send it all back to my sheetmetal shop. They have 20' x 10' welding tables.

 

[HolyBus]

Boost and egt combo. I've also seen a digital screen that lets you choose what you see and displays it like a cluster of round gauges on its screen. It may be too electronic for the bus/engine setup.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Thanks HB --- The only switchable digital set up I have seen in person was on an extreme pickup truck at a car show couple of years ago. A touch-screen arrangement that covered dozens of parameters but required way too much messing with for my taste. My personal preference is still for individual gauges that can be read at a glance.

Back in my motorcycle racing days we used a simple trick to minimize how much eyeball time was needed to check the gauges. All I ran were a tach, water temp & EGT but we would rotate the housings so that when the needles were at their ideal points...they would all be at the 12 o'clock position...straight up. That way you didn't have "read" each gauge...just a single quick glance to verify they were all close to where they should be.

Note: At a little over 200 mph you are covering about the length of a football field per second.

 

[opus-SKO]

Tango, when you're done with this project, holler....I found your next.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Hey Opus --- Looks pretty doggone interesting. And the farm implement too. Where did you see those puppies?

 

[opus-SKO]

Its down the road here. I've been looking at it for years. Trying to talk a friend into snatching it but he hasnt bit....yet.
The bus looks in pretty nice shape too.

 

[Tango-SKO]

It's a Ford...looks to be either a '51 or '52. Have to wonder what the story on it is since it has obviously been repainted and used as something other than a school bus.

 

[opus-SKO]

You're gunna make me stop, arent you?

 

[Redbear]

0pus: :stop:

. . . . we would rotate the housings so that when the needles were at their ideal points...they would all be at the 12 o'clock position...straight up. . .

I'd heard NASCAR also uses this trick.

When I'm pre-heating the oven at home, I twist the thermometer housing with the desired temp on top, because I can't see the numbers through the oven window. My wife thinks I'm crazy . . . .

 

[ol trunt]

Opus, dummy up! (just kidding), All I want is for Tango to finish his project so we can finally meet somewhere between Texas and Kalif. Jack

 

[opus-SKO]

Pick me up along the way!

 

[dond]

Neighbor's got a 64 Ford. Looked at it, they want.....ready....$9000 for it. Has a good running gas engine but.....:nonono:

 

[Tango-SKO]

GARF! $9K!? Really? Must be a fully restored, rare collectible model...yeah, right.

OPUS --- yes...make the stop! Then fill us in on the details (as long as it is less than $9K)

REDBEAR --- Do what works. All wives think we are crazy no matter what we do.

JACK --- Funny...we both want the same thing. But since you have more room...you have to pick up OPUS.