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I wanted to make a custom gauge cluster that would fit into a stock housing without looking cutup. After looking around , I couldn't find anything online that looked like I wanted. This is what I came up with.
I basically gutted the stock instrument panel housing so it would mount right back into the car. This worked out well because the gauges I bought are only an 1" deep. I ended up buying Speedhut 4" GPS speedo, Tach, and quad gauge. Took a piece of plastic that fit over the front of the housing and marked all my holes. I Used a hole saw to cut the 3 7/8" holes for gauges and a dremel tool for the rest. You can easily splice into the stock wiring for power. The last hole in the cluster is blank which I plan to get a smartphone mount for Bluetooth hands free connection.
Stock instrument cluster gutted
plastic gauge mount cut to fit stock housing flush
Outer housing cut so gauge bezel fit
finished product made to look somewhat stock and clean
fits nicely and last hole used for smartphone mount
2022 with new door handle red LED and footwell blue LED
Looks absolutely great! Would have been nice to have a fourth one like a clock or something.
I thought about the Speedhut but I had not seen any example at the time. I had a need for match with Autometer add ons and also wanted to keep OEM warning light look. Anyhow, I came up with this.
Looks good! Have you tested the gauges yet? I haven't gotten my car on the road yet and want to know how the gauges perform as we have similar gauges.
Over the winter I did a elite speedhut gauge retrofit on mine as well. I had aftermarket Stewart warner 5" gauges (speedo and tach) in the stock cluster and a ton of other 2 1/16" gauges in the Apillar, radio console etc. After seeing what Speedhut offers in quad gauges I jumped on it and now everything fits where the stock cluster is. i went with 4.5" GPS speedo with turn signals and high beam indicators (I love not having to program the speedo ) 4.5" tach with Shift lights, 3 3/8" quad gauge and a 3 3/8" dual gauge. In between where the stock turn signals were is my Innovate WB02 gauge as thats very important . In the vents I have trans temp and volt. Then in my radio console I got rid of everything and put my 4.5" LCD FAST EZ EFI controller with gauge readout so I have all the info I could ever need. I have load readouts, A/F, volt, fuel pump voltage, Fuel psi, injector fuel delivery, TPMS, IAT…. blah blah. problem is its smaller so I don't look at it as much.
So far my only real issue is the brightness of the gauges. I went with white bc its the brightest they offer… but its very dim compared to my full LED Stewart warner and stock gauges. I called them about it and they said thats just the light tube they use but there are no upgrades. In the night pic you can see the stewart warner gauges with 1 White 5 5050SMD bulb and thats at half brightness (tapped into stock dimmer). The glare is how much brighter it is.
Anyway Enjoy! and let me know how the gauges work!
so far I have just used the GPS Speedo and the Tach. Im currently waiting on motor swap to hook up the quad guage. I have the gauge lighting hooked up to the stock interior dimmer switch. The speedhut gauges also have a light brightness control ****. I have mine turned all the way up and i don't think its too bright. I'm very happy with the gauges so far. ill keep you guys updated as i finish getting the quad gauge hooked up. Im really digging the 1/4 mile run, and 0-60 run features on the speedo. i can see this getting me in trouble in the future.
Yea The stock dimmer no longer affects the brightness **** on the Speedhut gauges. They are AC voltage like a CCFL Lighting tube (prob what it is) so that little black inverter takes the DC voltage and converts it to AC voltage for the lighting. Even if wired into the stock dash lighting (before or after the dimmer) does not affect the lighting on the speedhuts... just that adjustment ****. Ive tested it trying to get it the brightest I could make it lol. Yea 1/4 Mile time and 0 - 60 is pretty sweet! I wonder how accurate it is.
Question for you guys... when you programed the gauges what OHM is the OEM tank sender? I need to still program all my gauges including the fuel level gauge.
Yea The stock dimmer no longer affects the brightness **** on the Speedhut gauges. They are AC voltage like a CCFL Lighting tube (prob what it is) so that little black inverter takes the DC voltage and converts it to AC voltage for the lighting. Even if wired into the stock dash lighting (before or after the dimmer) does not affect the lighting on the speedhuts... just that adjustment ****. Ive tested it trying to get it the brightest I could make it lol. Yea 1/4 Mile time and 0 - 60 is pretty sweet! I wonder how accurate it is.
Question for you guys... when you programed the gauges what OHM is the OEM tank sender? I need to still program all my gauges including the fuel level gauge.
On my 1991 I ordered a 0-90ohms fuel gauge and it worked just like OEM... Meaning from full to half you get 2/3 of your mileage and then from 1/2 to empty you get 1/3 of your mileage
Lol I just realized that.... and it's so true. So I wonder what correct or offset ohm on the gauge will give me a more accurate fuel Level reading lol.
Mine can be programed for like 4 different OEM setups
Lol I just realized that.... and it's so true. So I wonder what correct or offset ohm on the gauge will give me a more accurate fuel Level reading lol.
Mine can be programed for like 4 different OEM setups
I think it has to do with the OEM GM sender that was poorly designed! Not sure if it can be corrected
Wiring pinouts for 86-92 Firebird electronic dash cluster
(wiring attached to the cluster connectors)
Upper connector wires
1. parking brake - tan/white
2. ground - black
3. dash lights - grey
4. Not used
5. Not used
6. Not used
7. left turn - light blue
8. high beam - green
9. right turn - dark blue
10. fuel gauge - pink
11. left spot besides voltage gauge
12. 12 volt jumper to lower connector
13. SES - dark brown/white
14. shift - tan/black
Lower connector wires
1. Tach - white
2. ground - black
3. dash lights - grey
4. choke -
5. temp gauge - dark green
6. left spot besides temp gauge
7. not used
8. oil gauge - tan
9. 12 switched power key on - pink/black
10. not used
11. right spot besides fuel gauge
12. ground - black
13. seatbelt - yellow
14. speedo gauge - light green/black
2022 with new door handle red LED and footwell blue LED
Looks absolutely great! Would have been nice to have a fourth one like a clock or something.
I thought about the Speedhut but I had not seen any example at the time. I had a need for match with Autometer add ons and also wanted to keep OEM warning light look. Anyhow, I came up with this.
How did you do the warning lights? Modify old ones or was that an available display from auto meter?
I built them using OEM dash cluster internal parts, cutting, gluing, fitting, etc. I soldered and modified the circuit board so everything would work using the OEM dash cluster connectors. I hand cut the overlay using poster board satin white (Walmart).It has an OEM look. That's what I was trying to achieve.
08-12-2015, 10:53 AM
) 4.5" tach with Shift lights, 3 3/8" quad gauge and a 3 3/8" dual gauge. In between where the stock turn signals were is my Innovate WB02 gauge as thats very important 
