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I'm paranoid with no dash gauges

Started by 71 Fleetwood, July 21, 2021, 05:40:50 PM

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71 Fleetwood

I have to confess that I became addicted to having a tachometer, engine temperature, oil pressure and alternator gauges.  Has anyone found a discrete way to add these? 

I'm thinking of something like this Autometer that would hinge down for driving and fold back when I didn't want to see it.
1971 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham

The Tassie Devil(le)

The only trouble with having moveable gauges as you mentioned would be the possible eventual failure of the wiring as it is flexed.

Plus, with these newer cars, especially with the dashes so deep, any siting of the unit would be so far down that one would have to take their eyes off the road for too long to look down and to the side, to focus on said gauge dials, then back to the road.

Plus, with the plastic down there, one would need to reinforce the area to hold the gauge panel so it didn't vibrate, and eventually break the plastic, and fall off.

I too love the gauges, but when driving modern cars, as they were designed to be driven, whenever anything goes wrong, the Idiot Lights flash on, and immediately draw the attention of the driver.   Having gauges, unless one is constantly watching them, all the time, one will never actually see the failure at the point of failing.

When I purchased my '72, I installed an Oil Pressure Gauge in the dash, as I didn't know the condition of said engine, and as the dash had already been butchered by the previous owner to fit an aftermarket radio, I wasn't concerned with appearances.   As soon as I get the car home, after touring USA and Canada for 4,600 Miles, I was confident that the oil pressure was good, so when I replaced the fascia, the gauge went.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

TJ Hopland

Seems like someone must have come up with a bluetooth sensor package you could mount and wire under the hood that would just send the data to your phone.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Cadillac Jack 82

#3
(corrected) I'm perfectly okay with the 60s-90s dummy lights.  The car was engineered a certain way and although it may not be perfect I trust in the engineering that's kept it going for this long.
Tim

CLC Member #30850

1959 Cadillac CDV "Shelley"
1964 Cadillac SDV "Rosalie"
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado "Sienna"

Past Cars

1937 LaSalle Cpe
1940 Chevrolet Cpe
1941 Ford 11Y
1954 Buick 48D
1955 Cadillac CDV
1955 Packard Clipper
1957 Cadillac Series 62
1962 VW Bug
1962 Dodge 880
1966 Mercury Montclair
1967 Buick Wildcat Convertible
1968 Chevy Chevelle SS
1968 Plymouth Barracuda
1977 Lincoln MKV

71 Fleetwood

The Bluetooth to phone idea reminds me that I could always go for the Sniper fuel injection since they use the whole tuning app.  I hate to take away from the originality as the Quadrajet is a great match.

After 35 years of not driving Cadillac I have to remind myself that the car is so quiet and idles so smooth that it will take some getting used to.  Maybe I'll play a sound bite of a Flathead to fill my baser instincts.
1971 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham

Jay Friedman

In addition to the fuel and temp gauges, my '49 has an oil pressure gauge and an ammeter.  (Beginning in '51 Cadillacs only had fuel and temp gauges, with the oil and amp gauges replaced by warning lights.) 

I prefer having all 4 gauges, since the lights only warn of low oil pressure and low or no charging.  Unlike gauges the lights don't warn of oil pressure that is too high and a charging rate that is too high, which can also cause problems.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."