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View Full Version : Nothing like a new toy to get you excited to work on your car



Larry Callahan
04-18-2005, 06:39 PM
These are so cool! I just got my new Autommeter Ultra-Lite gauges today. I even bought the new green LED's that are much brighter.

I'll power them up over the weekend and post pics.

Very cool!!!!!

Steve1968LS2
04-18-2005, 06:48 PM
SWEET!!

That is one thing I am getting for the 68.. the main section. I saw one where the guy cut his own holes and ran a cool patern with a larger tach, smaller speedo and two guages.. I will need guages for nitrous and boost monitoring.. ;)

You gonna paint them Larry or leave them CF? Im curious about the LED's let us know how they work..

DeepBlue68
04-18-2005, 07:03 PM
LEDs??? I didn't know there were LEDs available for Autometer gauges. I've always thought about doing that...are they from Autometer or just some generic LED bulbs that you got to work in there? Also, what colors are available? More info please!

Andrew McBride
04-18-2005, 07:09 PM
those are nice. How could a guy go about running a dash pod like that and still run vinatage air a/c?
very nice set-up.

Steve1968LS2
04-18-2005, 07:28 PM
LEDs??? I didn't know there were LEDs available for Autometer gauges. I've always thought about doing that...are they from Autometer or just some generic LED bulbs that you got to work in there? More info please!


Yea, you can get the LED's in red, blue and green :)

Not on their site (that I could find) but they are in the catalog..

DeepBlue68
04-18-2005, 07:32 PM
Are they an actual gauge you have to get, or do you just order LED bulbs separate from the gauges?

P.S. Larry, please post some pics!

Edit: I just re-read Larry's original post and saw that he said he purchased LED bulbs, so I answered my own question. Must....calm....down....

68firehawk
04-18-2005, 08:48 PM
I would have to agree with you Larry

I should get my new budnik M5's sometime this week, which will help me focus on completing my minitub.

Never thought of putting different LED's in the guages. Has to be cheaper then what I did. I went and bought the lunar series Tach. Man that thing is way cool, especially at night. But it was almost as expensive as one of my rims.
:pat:

Jake

DeepBlue68
04-18-2005, 10:46 PM
Larry - is there a pretty big difference between the regular bulbs and the LEDs?

boodlefoof
04-19-2005, 11:54 AM
I love my Ultra Lite guages. They are awesome. = )

zuess4u
04-19-2005, 02:32 PM
Can anyone post where larry got that center pod, thats what we need, is it the same company that made the driver side Bezel?

dgumoe
04-19-2005, 02:45 PM
i checked on the leds from mine...theyre ridiculous. 8 dollars A PIECE! i think ill stick with normal bulbs

ViperBlue68
04-20-2005, 02:24 PM
Can anyone post where larry got that center pod, thats what we need, is it the same company that made the driver side Bezel?

Zuess, They are both Covan's Classic Pieces in Larry's car...I have the Covan's gauge cluster as well in my 68 but my center dash is a custom made piece by my interior shop. And for Andrew's question about running the vintage air controls with the center panel I'm not sure you would be able to do it because the panel bulges outward where the gauges are supposed to go so the a/c controls would not mount flush thats why we had to build mine.

zuess4u
04-20-2005, 09:27 PM
Zuess, They are both Covan's Classic Pieces in Larry's car...I have the Covan's gauge cluster as well in my 68 but my center dash is a custom made piece by my interior shop. And for Andrew's question about running the vintage air controls with the center panel I'm not sure you would be able to do it because the panel bulges outward where the gauges are supposed to go so the a/c controls would not mount flush thats why we had to build mine.

Thanks JT, Hows Yuba treatin you, i almost moved there a few years back, Im not sure if Im glad or not.

I would like to use that center peice in our car, and figure a way to use the A/c by remote, and if we have a stereo system, have it fold out from part of the dash, sorta like a door, but who knows.

Larry Callahan
04-20-2005, 09:37 PM
On Friday I will go buy some connectors and power them up on Saturday. I'll post some pics. I can't wait to see them glow!

TEDDYS CAMARO
04-21-2005, 06:47 AM
I Have Used All The Colored L.e.d. Lights In The Autometer Gauges And They Light Up Very Nice. They Also Make A Amber Bulb Too.

69Lowbird
04-21-2005, 10:30 PM
I just bought some of the 4-LED 194 replacement bulbs on ebay for my ultra lights and they work pretty well, but my monster tach has a smaller bulb that looks pretty unique so I haven't had any luck finding a replacement for it. Does autometer sell an LED that fits?

Larry Callahan
04-24-2005, 11:47 AM
I grabbed a bunch of alligator clips and a battery and hooked up the lights. My camera stinks and I was not able to get a decent pic with all the lights off. Here is my dash with a little light on in the garage.

The top center gauge is with the stock white light. The lower left is the same light with a blue cover.

The tach has the same light with a green cover and the spedo has the new brighter green led. Pretty cool! I think I might look into the blue led. I think I will like them better then the green.

68protouring454
04-24-2005, 12:42 PM
where did you get the center dash gauge pod?? looks awesome
jake

Larry Callahan
04-24-2005, 02:16 PM
It came from Covan Classic at http://covansclassic.com/

They make them in 3 or 4 different finishes, with or without holes and and sever different size holes.

DeepBlue68
04-24-2005, 10:05 PM
Hey, Larry, I've seen Covans Classic kits in the Classic Industries catalog that have their dash piece, Autometer Ultra-lite gauges, wiring harness, LEDs, etc., which seem like a good deal cause the whole kit after discount is like $595. If you don't mind me asking, was buying the dash piece and guages separately more expensive than buying one of these kits? Also, do the dash pieces come with predrilled holes for mounting LEDs for turn signals, high beams, etc, or do can you mount them wherever you want? Would there be any room to flush mount one of the small LED Autometer shift lights? Thanks

EDIT: Ok, I made a mistake. The dash piece with Autometer gauges is $595, the wiring harness from Covans Classic is another $120. Is the wiring harness worth that much, or is really not that hard to wire the gauges up?

JayBird
05-04-2005, 06:48 AM
I have the blue LED's in my gauges Light up well and are very cool looking. One thing though, the LED's will only work a certain way because its a diode, duh :). They will fit in the gauge either way you rotate the LED, so if you insert the LED in the gauge and it doesnt work, just remove and flip. There was no marker or pointer on my LED's to suggest the correct way to insert it (hope that makes sense). I got mine from www.4rpp.com. They were like $2 each.

Stupidnewbie
05-05-2005, 10:07 PM
http://www.superbrightleds.com/1157.htm This is a great site for all types of LED replacement bulbs designed for 12V usage.

Bclarke
06-09-2006, 06:26 PM
How did you mount the Center Dash Panel? I just received the panel from Covan's and I see no way to mount it except drilling some holes in it

MickyT
06-10-2006, 08:00 AM
I drilled holes in the part that curves under the dash in the same spots that the factory bezel was then used two small nylon bolts glued to the inside near the top, the bols went through the existing slot in the dash and used fender style washers with nuts to secure. Didnt want to have any screws showing.

FScope
06-10-2006, 06:04 PM
I have put a small shift light in mine. This is the best picture I have of it. It has the little yellow cover on, I only take it off when I know I'll need it so I don't lose it or get blinded at night. It's attached to the tach behind the panel and comes thru a hole in the panel far enough to get the cover to stay on.

MickyT
06-12-2006, 08:46 PM
Hey FScope whats that great looking console from?

Bclarke
06-13-2006, 05:38 AM
I drilled holes in the part that curves under the dash in the same spots that the factory bezel was then used two small nylon bolts glued to the inside near the top, the bols went through the existing slot in the dash and used fender style washers with nuts to secure. Didnt want to have any screws showing.

Thanks, good idea

DeepBlue68
06-13-2006, 06:06 PM
Hey FScope whats that great looking console from?
Looks like a 4th gen Camaro/Firebird console, but I could be wrong.

FScope
06-13-2006, 07:42 PM
Yes, it is a 4th gen Camaro console.

trapin
08-28-2006, 10:44 AM
I drilled holes in the part that curves under the dash in the same spots that the factory bezel was then used two small nylon bolts glued to the inside near the top, the bols went through the existing slot in the dash and used fender style washers with nuts to secure. Didnt want to have any screws showing.

Micky....do you have a pic that shows this?

whytry
09-08-2006, 07:34 AM
Did anybody ever find a LED for the monster tach's?

67 455 Bird ragtop
09-08-2006, 10:48 AM
How did you mount the Center Dash Panel? I just received the panel from Covan's and I see no way to mount it except drilling some holes in it

I'm in the process of mounting one of these on my 67 'Bird. What I did was find a crappy center bezel. Then cut out the top portion where it hooks on the plastic mount and expoxy it to the back of the Covan piece. This will allow the top to mount just like the stock piece did. Then you only have a cpl of screws at the bottom like the stock piece did. It may be a cpl of weeks before I'm finished with this but when I'm done I'll post some pics.