changing dash

[lildhix]

be honest..how hard could it be for someone to do this.. i want to do this to my 85 cutty..

 

[cutty651]

all it really is wiring rest is fab up a peice fpor the gueges to fit in wich be easy take origanal and trace out etc plexi glass plastic anything like that would work and take out old gueges instument cluster wiring oil guege is a tan wire and not the 1 with the whit line in it just tan. voltmeter pink/blk wire. mph well u know that 1 lol. rpm (tach) wire is white. water temp is dark green. fuel sender is pink lights for the instrument panel wire is grey u can tap into that for all the lights on thoze fancy gueges now this is for 81-87 cutty assuming lol

 

[lildhix]

So buy the guages..get some plexiglass..trace the outline of the whole "back plate"..then trace all the guages...test fit...then wire everything according to the colors you posted..oook now imma need ton of money for the guages unless they have some nice priced ones somewhere..and find some plexiglass..

 

[fraido2002]

Only issue with the cutlass dash is limited space, unless you remove the idiot lights. The stock rally gauges are quite small in comparison to the all the aftermarket ones. If you make a nice replacement bezel removing the idiots lights it would be a lot easier.

 

[cutty651]

or u could make a new guege cover plate out of fiberglass by maskin the origanal peice then lay down fiberglass and fiber mattin then let dry a little then pull mold of old guege now u got new 1 ready for a little more resin and after bondo it thhen sand then paint if u want show peice anyways but that be alot of work. plus another thought is dakota digatal dashes they sell whole complete plug and play setup but they $$$ too like 679.00 so i would just order sum gueges from summit or jegs or ebay and like i said cut plexi glass u can get dark smoked blak and menards home depot for 6 - 15 bucks and u can cut it with a table saw and small teeth blade or bring it to a glass place they cut it for u for like 5 bucks or u could try find another face plate from junk yard and try cut the holes in that if they fit like the other guy said they dont give u much room o work wit but u get creative u get it u need nany other wirin ? or etc. let me know on here or facebook...

 

[lildhix]

@fraido,is there a way the back comes off..like is there a way i can just pull the back off and "trace" the plexiglass or is all that stuff stuck on there
@cutty yea i was trying to avoid fiberglass.. and yea im sure at pull a part theres a cutty dash somewhere..ill see if i can get the back off and hopefully them lights on the right side will come off with it..i have a tool i can cut the holes in the dash with..

 

[565bbchevy]

I would use aluminum,steel or Lexan but not plexiglass, my first dash I made using a plexiglass piece to hold the gauges and it lasted a couple years but ended up cracking between my speedo and another gauge (I found the speedo cable was putting pressure on the plex)
On my current dash I bought a used original piece and made removeable aluminum inserts to fit and kept all my factory warning lights in place.
Of coarse this is a Monte dash but it is still has limited room for gauges.

 

[lildhix]

Yea that looks pretty dang good..but ion think we go have any cutty with stock guages at our junkyard mostly look like mine. Besides you having more guage room that would be a easier fix..

 

[moose]

If you make a nice replacement bezel removing the idiots lights it would be a lot easier.

Ditto. Also, if you have column shift there is NO way you can keep the shift indicator if it's on the side. I spent hours trying every possible configuration. There are shift indicators that you can attach to the steering column, if this applies to you. Google "column mounted shift indicator" and look around for a good deal. I found a simple clear style with glow in the dark letters (P RND12) for like $25. I don't remember the brand but i know it wasn't Ididit or Flaming River. I didn't buy it so I can't say much other than I know it exists. I have the granny gauges and ended up taking out the idiot lights and putting a tach in their place, with the oil, temp, and volts mounted externally. I would loved to have stuffed them all in the dash but time was a pressing factor, with money a close second.

 

[lildhix]

Yea i figured my gear indecator was going to be lost