custom gauge

Check this out:
http://www.custommontessparts.com/81-88 ... shadow_box

You could get some ideas here or even buy the shadow box..

Well I did this to my Grand Prix, I believe you could do the same with your Monte Carlo.

Step 1: Remove your plastic dash bezel.

Step 2: Trace it onto cardboard, make a cardboard template.

Step 3: Figure out what gauges you want (basically what you can afford) for your custom bezel

Step 4: Draw out the location of the gauges etc, where you want them

Step 5: Find a local metal fab shop, have a custom bezel made to your specs out of 1/8" aluminum

Here's how I did mine:

First of all, I wanted to get Autometer Cobalt gauges, they have a nice indiglow backlight and black faces.

I took a picture of my plastic bezel and did this picture on my computer. At this point, it was all imagination:


I had a carboard template made, which was then made into a sheet metal template, which still needed adjustment for size.

Here is the actual aluminum piece that was made:



Which led to another, revamped layout picture that I did on my computer with it:


I had all the gauge holes, switches holes, and all the other holes cut out and it was powdercoated black, to match the interior colours. Here's how it turned out:



I just don't have the most recent pictures yet, but it looks awesome and everything works including my Pioneer head unit and in-dash equalizer.

Hope this inspires you to make something great for your Monte Carlo... keep me posted bro and good luck!!

454muscle said:

Well I did this to my Grand Prix, I believe you could do the same with your Monte Carlo.

Step 1: Remove your plastic dash bezel.

Step 2: Trace it onto cardboard, make a cardboard template.

Step 3: Figure out what gauges you want (basically what you can afford) for your custom bezel

Step 4: Draw out the location of the gauges etc, where you want them

Step 5: Find a local metal fab shop, have a custom bezel made to your specs out of 1/8" aluminum

Here's how I did mine:

First of all, I wanted to get Autometer Cobalt gauges, they have a nice indiglow backlight and black faces.

I took a picture of my plastic bezel and did this picture on my computer. At this point, it was all imagination:

I had a carboard template made, which was then made into a sheet metal template, which still needed adjustment for size.

Here is the actual aluminum piece that was made:

Which led to another, revamped layout picture that I did on my computer with it:

I had all the gauge holes, switches holes, and all the other holes cut out and it was powdercoated black, to match the interior colours. Here's how it turned out:

I just don't have the most recent pictures yet, but it looks awesome and everything works including my Pioneer head unit and in-dash equalizer.

Hope this inspires you to make something great for your Monte Carlo... keep me posted bro and good luck!!

Click to expand...

That's a pretty sweet setup 8)

that is freakin awesome. GP dashes are the best for adding gauges, providing you don't use the A/C

Nice setup. Right now, I have the factory bezel with the "tunnels" cut out and a metal plate behind it. The setup you have is much sweeter and would like to go that route instead. A nice upgrade, but yet paying tribute to the original Pontiac G-body layout. I do have a few questions:

1) How did you setup your speedo cable and where did you get one at? I am using Autometer Z series gauges.
2) What did you use for the center light cluster (high beam, brake, turn signal)?
3) Were you able to duplicate the tabs (top and bottom) to fit to the dash?
4) Any factory or aftermarket heater and/or A/C?

Jman said:

that is freakin awesome. GP dashes are the best for adding gauges, providing you don't use the A/C

Click to expand...

I have one for sale...it's grey

and it's nice to see some of you Chevy guys are upgrading your car with higher quality Pontiac parts.... 8)

pontiacgp said:

Jman said:

that is freakin awesome. GP dashes are the best for adding gauges, providing you don't use the A/C

Click to expand...

I have one for sale...it's grey

and it's nice to see some of you Chevy guys are upgrading your car with higher quality Pontiac parts.... 8)

Click to expand...

lmao, higher quality? lol you banged your head didn't you? lmao you might as well give it to me and i'll get it out of your way since its worthless lol

Jman said:

that is freakin awesome. GP dashes are the best for adding gauges, providing you don't use the A/C

Click to expand...

I just used the center A/C vents for gauges. I still have functional A/C on the left and right side of the dash If I really wanted to I would have made room for low-pro rectangular vents from Billet Specialties, or Vintage Air (from where I got the A/C unit in the first place),

dougfather said:

Nice setup. Right now, I have the factory bezel with the "tunnels" cut out and a metal plate behind it. The setup you have is much sweeter and would like to go that route instead. A nice upgrade, but yet paying tribute to the original Pontiac G-body layout. I do have a few questions:

1) How did you setup your speedo cable and where did you get one at? I am using Autometer Z series gauges.
2) What did you use for the center light cluster (high beam, brake, turn signal)?
3) Were you able to duplicate the tabs (top and bottom) to fit to the dash?
4) Any factory or aftermarket heater and/or A/C?

Click to expand...

1) Originally, when I got my 4L80E transmission from TCI, I purchased the speedo cable to make the factory speedo work. When I did the dash bezel and opted for Autometer Cobalt gauges, the speedo came with the necessary cable that worked with the TCI transmission. I have the controller and cable up for sale here somewhere on the forum, but it's for a factory speedo with newer transmission. In your case, your autometer speedo would have come with the necessary cable to work with your car. If not, I'd give them a quick call and they can answer you better than I.

2) Originally, I purchased a light set from an online motorcycle parts vendor. They were little 3/8" illuminated lights, arrows for the turn signals, a blue round light for high beam, and a red emerg. light. These are better than LEDs-- those would be far too bright for me (I've seen it in another application).

Well I ended up leaving those lights out, because a) I have a Dakota Digital gear-shift indicator (the small round gauge between the speedo and tach) which includes turn signal, high beam and emerg lights, and b) if I do add those little lights it would look too cluttersome.



I gave the other signal lights away to my mechanic, who has acquired a motorcycle anyways. it wasn't expensive.. here's where you can get it:

http://www.powersportsuperstore.com/Bik ... 8-2648.htm

^^ that is for the high beam indicator, but that page also displays the turn signal indicator lights and others as well. They're less than $10 each.

3) The tabs, I have one large tab, the plan was to trim them down to match the factory locations. However, we decided to leave the large tab because it looks nicer (being thicker than stock) and we used velcro strips to hold it in place. It actually works well. For the bottom, I have 2 screws on each side of the head unit that hold that in, because the weight of the deck was causing it to slip out a bit -- I had to do this because it was the only way to really get a strong hold.

4) Yes there is an aftermark heater/AC unit. I had to get rid of my factory heater/AC panel in the engine bay because the valve covers needed the room. I had to custom fabricate a different A/C box in there which allowed an aftermarket heater/AC unit.




I got mine from Vintage Air, it was a tight fit. I am using a Dakota Digital climate control unit which plugs into my Vintage Air A/C unit (you can see it in the picture, it's rectangular with the shiny bezel).



As I said above, I still use the A/C vents on the left of the bezel. As you know, there are 2 more vents on the right/passenger side of the car. I have replaces the stock vents with new one's from Billet Specialties (you can order from their website or from Summit Racing).



There are others but these ones looked the best to me. Also, they fit into the stock locations with very little modifications, all I had to do was a little filing and they pressed and clipped right in.

Any other questions, I'll be glad to help! Let me know. Cheers. :wink: