Who makes great aftermarket gauges other than Auto Meter?

[willhaven]

I've been looking at the Auto Meter Nexus gauges, but they only make them in 2 1/16" and 3 3/8" sizes. I wanted to do a 5" and 2 1/16" setup like the XV or Rocky Mountain Dashes gauge setups below, but I'd have to make the 5's into 3 3/8" gauges for the speedo and tach, and I'm not sure if those would look strange together.

Anyone know of any other good gauge companies?

I'm really looking for a gauge setup that does all red illumination but has some indication of redlining. The Nexus gauges flash blue when you hit your programmed redline. Finding something similar would be awesome.

I guess I'd probably update the light switches and idiot lights (blinkers, etc) as well. If you guys have any suggestions for those, I would appreciate it.

Also, what's the center idiot light on the E-Bodies. I know the left and right are signal indicators, but the middle? Temperature warning?

[Chryco Psycho]

VDO & Stewart Warner also make good guages

[Bullitt-]

Center lamp would be for high beam indicator.

[MoparCar]

I have a Rocky Mountain Dashes insert I'll be installing in my Challenger.

I've got the one with two 5" holes for the speedo and tach and six 2 1/16" holes which I'll use for the normal fuel, temp, oil pressure and volts plus one for air/fuel ratio since I'll be going fuel injection on the 6.1L (maybe a clock for the last hole). Right now I'm leanin towards the Stewart Warner Maximum Performance series gauges which have a full line of all the popular sizes and background configurations plus available in a couple of back ground colors and light colors.

Wes

[willhaven]

Thanks for the replies guys. I like that turn signal/high beam layout. I may just yank that from you.

[CUDA JAS]

I think the nexus gauges are programable, that is you can change the color that the flash when they hit the readline.

Here is a link.

http://www.autometer.com/demos/nexus/

If I had the money, I woudl go with them.

[willhaven]

Yeah, if only they made the 5" size, my search would be over.

I dredged through Summit's website and went through every 5" speedo and tach they make and didn't find one I liked. Blah.

I'm tempted to replace the rallye woodgrain with carbon fiber covered aluminum, then get a billet specialties dash plate with two small gauges on the left, two 3 3/8 in the middle, and two small gauges on the right... paint it black and slap it on there, use the Nexus gauges and call it done.

http://www.billetspecialties.com/item.asp?cid=8&scid=199&pid=515

I'm torn now. Not sure what to do.

I even looked at Defi-Link gauges. They had some nice looking reds but they don't have a speedo. I guess they're heavily invested in the aftermarket tuner crowd and don't offer replacements for all standard gauge setups. They also don't have 5" gauges either. The Defi-Link Meter BF gauges were what I was looking at with them.

http://www.nippon-seiki.co.jp/defishop/

Anyone else know any good gauge companies?

[MoparCar]

Here's one link for the Stewart Warners
http://www.vehiclecontrols.com/products/stewartwarnerperformance.htm

and another
http://www.sw-performance.com/products/CTGElectric

They have a couple of backlight color options also, they do make 5" electric and mechanical gauges.

I can't find it now, but somewhere on the internet there is a site that shows them at night. It may take searching around a bit.

[willhaven]

I'm almost 100% sure I'm going with the Nexus gauges. I'm likely going to have a CD Ignition carbon fiber rallye panel with two 2 1/16" gauges on the left (Fuel and Temp), two 3 3/8" in the middle (Speedo and Tach) and two more 2 1/16" on the right (Oil and Amps). Two replacement red turn signal indicators on either side of the speedo and tach, and a blue hi beam indicator between those two.

I'm also planning to switch to a GM style headlight switch/dimmer and a GM style wiper/washer switch, both of which will hopefully be relocated to the right of the A/C control panel. That should make the panel nice and clean/modern.

The 4 speed console plate is going to be replaced with the carbon fiber covered aluminum and the pistol grip shifter is carbon fiber as well. I fear it may be a bit too much carbon fiber when it's all together. When (and IF) I decide to replace the standard seats with racing seats and recover everything in leather and install an audio system, I might switch out the CF plates with simple brushed black anodized aluminum if the CF is too gaudy.

I know the extreme purists probably won't like it, but seeing the faux woodgrain in a car that's otherwise customized top to bottom is just stabbing my eyes.

Thanks for the feedback though guys. Tough decision to make.

[Mike71Cuda]

Will
Can you post some pics of what the car looks like now?

[willhaven]

Last I heard (a couple weeks ago) body work was starting, but they were waiting on fenders before being able to finish the blocking and paint prep. It's all torn apart right now, but the majority of the nitty gritty parts were ordered.

I'll definitely be posting images when I get them. Especially when there's paint involved. I plan to make a project thread as soon as I get some information worth posting.

We're still up in the air on the dash/console plates and gauges, wheels and the specifics on upgrading the headlights to halogens, but mostly everything is decided and is in motion right now.