Ok so I'm swappin a 350 tpi and a T56 into my 89, my gauges are jacked, wanna install some autometers, easiest install possible, looking for a gas, tach and speedo, I need to know how to hook em up like if I need a mech or electric speedo etc, want the same siE as factory gauges so I can do a clean install

Anyone done this? I need some help on choosing the gauges and my car is in a right now

 

Pretty sure you have a cable driven speedo. As for mounting them, you can either make your own gauge panel, or spend about $130 on a blank panel from classic dash. If you got the money, you can get a panel already loaded with gauges from classic dash, or hawks. I think you can even get a plug and play wiring harness too.

 

Now when I put in my T56 will the mech speedo swap over? I was plannin on makin my own cluster, real simple, tach speedo and gas, got the other ones mounted under my center ventsd

 

No, the t-56 has a VSS for an electric speedo. You can buy a converter box for $300 to accept the electric signal and then drive a cable. There is someone on the forum that machines t-56 tail shafts to run a cable speedo, but he also charges $300 to do it.

 

So what's my best option for this to install a gauge? Get the elctric and it would wire to the vss?

 

If you want the gauges now, you have a few options. You can get an electric speedo, and buy a converter box to change the cable spinning into an electric signal to drive the speedo, and then when you swap to the t56, you can just wire the VSS to the gauge, reprogram it, and youll be set.

You can also do it the other way around. Get the mech speedo, run it like normal until you swap in the t56, than either use a converter box to change the electric signal to drive the cable, or have the tailshaft machined for mech gears.

The cost are all pretty much the same, and require about the same amount of work over all. Except having the tailshaft machined. You wouldnt be the one doing any of that work, and then you would just be running a normal cable driven speedo before and after the swap.

 

If I were to wire the vss to the gauge, what is required with that? I'm only swappin the motor first so I can break it in and then get the 6 speed behind it cuz I have to baby it anyway

 

The VSS is a simple 2 wire hookup. As far as I know one wire goes to the gauge the other goes to a ground. But mine was an electronic speedo before I swapped, so I just tapped into the wire in the dash.

 

Ahh ok I got it, its too easy lol ill wait to get the gauges in once I got my 6 speed to cut some steps