So over the last few months I have been hot rodding my truck. My plans next are to make a custom gauge cluster. I have an 81 power ram with a 360. I plan on getting a dash from the wreckers and getting new gauges. I'm going to cut out everything I can and full in the gauge part with metal and smooth it out. I'm going to have a tach, speedo, all the other gauges. Custom everything Only problem I have is a) trip meter. B) odometer. Anyone know how I can go about doing that? Thanks in advance!

 

i guess if you wanted you could buy one of those aftermarket speedo's. then you just have to get a electric speed sensor off a 89-91 dodge ram and it should just bolt onto the transmission and then all you should have to do is go get the speedo calibrated.

 

This may or may not help but there were some ideas tossed around in this thread a while ago. (About halfway down) - I think that's the idea you're going for, right?

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-a-tach-2.html

 

Yup. Exactly like that second guy. Redo the while gauge stuff. At least I know it can be done.

 

He's got some more pictures of the process on his photobucket. I've been looking into doing something like that too. I don't know about the odometer so I can't be too much of a help there. Let me know how it goes.

http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/...ashFinal-2.jpg
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/...44_800_530.jpg

 

I used a programmable AutoMeter speedo and used the sending unit from AutoMeter:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-5291/

I used it in conjunction with the factory vehicle speed sensor since it has TBI. You can't use a factory one for the speedo since it has a different pulse width modulation. To calibrate the speedo you only have to set it into its programming mode and drive a measured 2 miles then it is ready and very accurate.

 

The odometer is mostly for me. To keep track of the kms. I'll probably get a hold of autometer and see what they have. I'm going to keep a good track of what I did and make an km depth post when I get around to doing that dash. I'm just putting a volt meter in right now cause I'm having a charging issue somewhere. I imagine my ammeter isn't working, or something entirely different. A volt meter should help me.

 

Nearly all aftermarket speedometers have odometers so that will not be an issue. Most companies even offer them in metric as well.

 

Did some poking around. I'm going to just leave the holes where they are and use these gauges.

http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugede...id=4233&sid=74
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugede...id=4237&sid=74
And
http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugede...id=4112&sid=74

I think the tech on the left, Speedo in middle, the quad gauge on right. What ya think?

 

Sounds like a plan!

Make certain to make a template to ensure that 3 - 5" gauges will fit. Don't forget to leave room for your turn signals, high beam, and brake light bulbs.

You will have to figure out how to use the auto meter fuel tank sending unit since that quad-guage will not work with your factory sending unit. The factory dodge sending unit is 73-10 ohms.