Instrument Cluster
- BellePlaine
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Instrument Cluster
I want to clean up the instrument cluster from my 1975 riviera. But before i do i thought that I'd practice on the instrument cluster from my old 1976 parts bus.
Anything that I should know before I dig into this thing?
I'm thinking that I'd like to modify a nice (stock-looking) tach to put into the clock-blank and upgrade the lightning like Richard Atwell recommended.
Anything that I should know before I dig into this thing?
I'm thinking that I'd like to modify a nice (stock-looking) tach to put into the clock-blank and upgrade the lightning like Richard Atwell recommended.
1975 Riviera we call "Spider-Man"
- vistacruzer
- IAC Addict!
- Location: portland
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
do not replace the ALT. light with an LED it will not exite your ALT. and you will be running on batteries
71 bench 1915
70 wide lowered body rag top 2056 type4 DTM nothing stock if I could touch it.
Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
70 wide lowered body rag top 2056 type4 DTM nothing stock if I could touch it.
Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
- DjEep
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Nowhere, Fast
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
The vanagons have LED alt lights, they excite just fine. I know they are resisted, as led's usually need to be, but it works somehow. I could ask my alternator guy what he thinks.
"Live life, love life. Enjoy the pleasures and the sorrows. For it is the bleak valleys, the dark corners that make the peaks all the more magnificent. And once you realize that, you begin to see the beauty hidden within those valleys, and learn to love the climb." - Anonymous
Do you want to Survive? Or do you want to LIVE?
Do you want to Survive? Or do you want to LIVE?
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
I'm with vistacruzer . . . everyone only *thinks* they want all this stupid brightness, the original lighting behind clean glass is pretty much perfect.DjEep wrote:The vanagons have LED alt lights, they excite just fine. I know they are resisted, as led's usually need to be, but it works somehow. I could ask my alternator guy what he thinks.
SAYS I, THAT'S WHO.
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- BellePlaine
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
Thanks re: LED lighting. LED wasn't on my radar. I was mainly thinking of a higher wattage incandescent bulb for the back light. Now, what about a decent looking tach?
Haven't yet taken the back cover off; I can't find a 6mm socket!
Haven't yet taken the back cover off; I can't find a 6mm socket!
1975 Riviera we call "Spider-Man"
- SlowLane
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Livermore, CA
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
Back when I had a '69 I used a 3 1/8" aftermarket VDO Cockpit tach. I cut a retaining ring with tabs for the mounting screws out of sheet metal to hold it in the clock location.BellePlaine wrote: Now, what about a decent looking tach?
If you desire a cleaner solution, German Supply has a custom mounting ring for the VDO tach here: http://www.germansupply.com/home/custom ... hp?cat=435. I'm sure other vendors must have the same item as well.
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett
- aopisa
- Addicted!
- Location: Vermont
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
I put the higher watt bulbs (per Ratwell) in and I like them very much. I found the stock lights were too dim and these seem just right.BellePlaine wrote:Thanks re: LED lighting. LED wasn't on my radar. I was mainly thinking of a higher wattage incandescent bulb for the back light. Now, what about a decent looking tach?
Haven't yet taken the back cover off; I can't find a 6mm socket!
1977 Westy 2.0L F.I.
Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. - Chuang Tzu
Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate. - Chuang Tzu
- jtauxe
- Addicted!
- Location: Lost Almost, NM
- Contact:
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Re: Instrument Cluster
I put red LEDs in for back lighting, but discovered that they did not work correctly for the ALT light, and so went back to that as incandescent. In the end, I retained the incandescents for all the indicators lights (ALT, OIL, turn signals, etc.) but have the basic gauge lighting in red LED. I love it. There's reason that sailors use red lights in the wheelhouse at night.
John
"The bus came by and I got on. That's when it all began..." - Garcia/Weir/Kreutzman
http://vw.tauxe.net
"The bus came by and I got on. That's when it all began..." - Garcia/Weir/Kreutzman
http://vw.tauxe.net
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
As a lifelong BMW driver, I get it, I get it, BUT . . . you Volkswagen DNA destroyers, um, anyways.jtauxe wrote:I put red LEDs in for the basic gauge lighting. I love it. There's reason that sailors use red lights in the wheelhouse at night.
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
- rallybug
- Getting Hooked!
- Location: North Salt Lake, UT
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
In a similar vein, I have a spare cluster and a spare glove box lid - my intention, when I pluck up the courage, is to replace the clock hole area with a new blank from the glove box lid, then fit four 52mm gauges in there (probably CHT, Oil temp, Oil pressure and a small rev counter)....
I have a radio blank from Werksberg that I may fit with a 52mm clock (or a digital one), along with a couple of gimbal mounted cup holders, if I can find somewhere else to put a stereo, either under the dash or in the glovebox (although, if in the glovebox, I don't want to lose half the space like a lot of people have done - maybe create something that will hold the stereo but still have storage space above it..)
I have a radio blank from Werksberg that I may fit with a 52mm clock (or a digital one), along with a couple of gimbal mounted cup holders, if I can find somewhere else to put a stereo, either under the dash or in the glovebox (although, if in the glovebox, I don't want to lose half the space like a lot of people have done - maybe create something that will hold the stereo but still have storage space above it..)
Harvee the Wonder Bus - a 1979 CA-spec 7-seater bus
- SlowLane
- IAC Addict!
- Location: Livermore, CA
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
For only a little more than you would end up paying for those four gauges, you could have this: http://www.mglavionics.com/html/velocity_singles.html (scroll down to the E1), and it will give you more information with better accuracy (particularly the quad CHT portion). I bet it would look better, too.rallybug wrote:my intention, when I pluck up the courage, is to replace the clock hole area with a new blank from the glove box lid, then fit four 52mm gauges in there (probably CHT, Oil temp, Oil pressure and a small rev counter)....
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett
"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett
- pb24ss
- Old School!
- Location: sitting around the fire with the bluegrass band - colorado
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
www.bus-boys.com part # 220-09101 mounting ring mounts a tach in the clock hole.
78 P22 Westy
- tristessa
- Trusted Air-Cooled Maniac
- Location: Uwish Uknew, Oregon
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
Maybe an overhead console on the ceiling, something like this:rallybug wrote:I can find somewhere else to put a stereo, either under the dash or in the glovebox
or this:
Just a thought...
Remember, only YOU can prevent narcissism!
- Amskeptic
- IAC "Help Desk"
- Status: Offline
Re: Instrument Cluster
tristessa wrote: Maybe an overhead console on the ceiling,
Just a thought...
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles