First off the list for upgrade is gauges. I have gone back and forth many times on these over the years between, having the stock ones redone, Dakota Digital, and Speedhut. I pulled the trigger on the Speedhut gauges. There are a few different reasons.
The biggest hurdle was finding a place to redo the stock ones. Finding a resto shop for pre 1980 is easy but after that it’s more difficult. Yes, I could swap to a pre 80 gauge pack, but if I am doing that, why not just go for a more reliable aftermarket set?
Second, I want cruise control back as I plan to eventually take the car on day trips. Aftermarket cruise sets rely on a VSS input, and the stock setup doesn’t allow for this. Speed hit does make a box to convert the signal but again, it seems like extra effort.
Third, I really dislike Dakota digital gauges. The font looks off to me. The rpm gauge works different and the clock is ugly. Am I being petty, probably, but since I have to look at them, I’ll get something I like. Plus the DD cost is a bit over the top for my budget.
So that leads me to the Speedhuts. They aren’t 100% perfect but in my opinion, at least on looks, they are a fairly close match. Yes I’ll miss the clock, and my oil pressure and temp gauge will be on the sides of the gauge as opposed to the bottom, but these are things I can live with.
The dual gauge will require some modifications to fit but Randy Combs will be handling that when he does the instrument panel. The gauges are a 4” classic style. Black with white letters and the “antique” backlight option just to make it a bit easier on my eyes.
