Converting Old Speedometer and Tach Gauges to Electronic

BBShark

Garage Monkey
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I would like to convert my old gauges to electronic. I no longer have a tach drive distributor or a cable drive transmission. I do have a tach drive electronic signal ans a hall effect VSS speedo signal (Tremec TKO).

I see some information where people have gutted aftermarket gauges and done this. However, aftermarket speedo gauges that have odometers or gauges that have a 270 degree sweep (Corvette has a 300 degree) seem pretty rare. I looked at making some with the stepper motors that have been used in cars for 20+ years but can't find anything where someone has successfully made a driver for them. Same with the tach. However, thats the easiest way to get the 270 degree sweep (very complicated for air core driver).

I realize I will have to make new gauge faces but that's OK. I have also looked at late 80's Firebird gauges but driving them appears to be as much a challenge as the stepper motor.
 
Keep us updated on what you end up using. :thumbs:

I've had the cast iron distributor in and out of my engine a couple times this winter, and it's a chunk of weight up high (and I hate clocking the distributor so that the damn cable will connect without binding). I'd like to put one of my spare aluminum distributors in the engine, but the cost of the Tach conversion makes the $/# cost of the distributor swap a bit out of my budget at the moment.
 
Looks like the stepper motor technology has really taken over the aftermarket gauge market so thats good news. I'm not on my own with another time consuming project trying to figure out how to make them work. What does seem hard to find is speedo and tach gauges that are the size of the Corvette gauges, most are maybe 3 1/2 inches and the Corvettes are 5 inches. I kind of stumbled on a company that makes 4 3/8 gauges and they are fully programmable. And they have odometer, turn signal, bright lights, etc.

http://newvintageusallc.mybigcommerce.com/new-category/

As far as converting the cable drive tach to electronic, this looks like a pretty simple conversion:

https://www.corvettecentral.com/c3-...-electronic-tachometer-tach-conversion-391000
 
Just recieved my 6 gauge package from New Vintage. They are so nice I will find a way to use them as is!

20659-05M__37030.1454777020.1280.1280.jpg
 
Those are going to look great! If youre using these as-is (I think you should!), plans for the 5th cluster gauge? Clock? Oil temp?
 
I am going to make a new center console and dash panels. I had to raise the transmission tunnel to get proper driveline angles so the original console wont work. So I will be able to just use the 4 smaller gauges.

45d48803309d70.jpg
 
Just recieved my 6 gauge package from New Vintage. They are so nice I will find a way to use them as is!

20659-05M__37030.1454777020.1280.1280.jpg

Beautiful gauges. Not sure what transmission you have, but are you using a pulse generator for the speedo?
 
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