Has anyone put aftermarket guages in their "non-rally cluster" equipped V6? I'm tired of having to drive with just the speedo, gas guage, and idiot lights... I originally had been planning to do the 140mph trans am cluster swap, but I don't know if its worth the pain to swap in factory guages... I figured Autometer or Equus guages would have a better custom look (i would like a light blue glow)...

I just wanted to see if anyone had pics, and maybe had some tips of any problems I might run into... It'll be my first time wiring up guages...

 

All i know is, you can not use a cluster from a firebird 87 and newer. They use electronic speedos. You can not use a cluster from a firebird older than 86 because the wiring is different. So has soon as you install it, the fuse goes out. The 86 firebird with v6 only had the idiot light cluster. I learned this the hard way, lol. Stupid GM.

 

I had gotten a trans am cluster through ebay... There is another thread on here posted by xophertony (i believe i spelled that right) explaining how to swap it in...but I don't know if its worth the hassle to go right back to the stock look....and like you mentioned there are problems that arise.... That's why I was just going to do the aftermarket guage swap. Here is a few of them I was thinking of getting:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...roup?Ntt=equus

 

I put after market guages in my 83 Camaro. I have a dash out of a 92 in it. I made a plate for the speed, tech, and fuel out of sheet metal. Cut the size holes i need. I have a piler setup for the oil, temp, volts. I will try to get a pic of the speed, tech, and fuel for you. Dont know if that will help you out witha firebird or not. O and I put a new wiring harness in it from painless wiring.

 

I plan to just get the oil press, coolant temp, voltage, and tach to begin with, since all I have right now is the speedo and fuel guage. But I might just go ahead and fab up another cluster with speedo and fuel as well, to make it look better...maybe some sheet metal airbrushed or something....since all I have are the idiot lights right now, what would I have to buy (sending unit wise) to make my guages work? Like I said, I've hardly dealt with guages and sending units....... I'm gonna see what painless wiring has that I might be interested in.....

 

I but my guages off ebay and they came with new sening units that when on the block. They was all Elcetric expecet for the speed it was a maconical. They was a set and all look alike. The only problem I have with mine is geting the fuel to work right. My set came with a new sening unit for the gas tank.. I have not pull the tank off to see if i can make it work. Hope to this summer somtime. But my set came with every thing i needed to huck up expect for the wire. That came from my wiring haness. Sorry for some of my spellling no good at it.

 

You only have the speedo and gas gauges? My car has a tach, volt, gas, speedo (115), and oil which were in the car. I thought that every car came with them.

 

Unfortunately I have the "idiot light" cluster w/ the 85mph speedo and huge fuel guage where the tach should be.... I don't know how many came like mine, but I know it sucks not having guages.... Eh, gives me the excuse to make a custom dash... I'll try to post pics after I get my car back (in the shop w/ a blown out clutch) or I might have some on my laptop at home....
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my speedo is mechanical now so i'll probably leave it that way.... i haven't quite decided whether I wanna go electric guages or mechanical....anyone have any reasons to prefer one or the other?

also, what color is your guages backlit? I'm hoping to find a light blue or light green...i'll have to look around on ebay then....

 

also, what color is your guages backlit? I'm hoping to find a light blue or light green...i'll have to look around on ebay then....[/quote]

Mine are Black faced with a clear light in them i guess you could say just plan

 

ohhh....are there any name brands considered better than the others? all I ever hear is autometer, but I know sunpro has had a pretty good bit of mentioning too....

 

you can look in summit or jegs for some. They come in all price ranges. So really i you can look and go with what you like. I have not had to many guages yet but mine are isspro. Dont know if they are good or not been workng on the car for a few years now. So go and until you find what you like. Some other peps on here may have other ideas on the guages;.

 

Its not going to be wroth the time to have to do all that work I would put aftermaket in it, and you can look around and get the right ones with the right look for your car.

 

That's one thing I had been wondering about.... I was hoping to match the interior lighting (guages, maybe warning lights) in blue.... Still no suggestions as to name brand to trust?

 

Auto meter is the best, they been around about 50 years, and they stand by thier gauges and work. And have a big variety of corols and finishs.

 

I would go Autometer too. They have been around a long time and make a great product.

 

83camaro86, i saw a camaro with an "idiot" cluster on ebay

 

I probably will go with autometer... They have a good selection, just pricey... I kinda like their cobalt series, and their phantom series. does anyone have pics of their aftermarket clusters?

also, will an aftermarket fuel guage wire straight up to my oem sending unit, or will I have to get an aftermarket sending unit?

 

You will propbly have to change the sending unit for the gas tank. I know i have to with my set. Something about the way it works is different with mine. But i would huck it up and see what happens before you go though the truble of pulling the tank out.