Gauge Cluster Installation - Dashing-Do's

Notice how the wires are identified. These are ground wires.

We crimped the terminal with Klein crimpers, ensuring the split in the terminal was opposite the crimper's jaw. This is the correct way to crimp terminals.

Before attaching the turn signal, brake, and high-beam wires to the LED indicator lights, we had to determine where they would be placed on the dash cluster.

Not included in the cluster kit, but available through Covan's, was this electric speedometer adapter from Dakota Digital.

We used a universal mounting strap as a template to evenly drill the four holes.

Covan's Classic specified a 5/32 drill bit to mount the four LEDs. We drilled from the front so the burst plastic would face the rear of the cluster.

We had to clean up the burrs on the holes after they were drilled by hand-twisting a Dremel stone.

One of the last steps before we were ready to route the color-coded wires to their corresponding locations was to plug the two harnesses included in the Covan's Classic cluster kit.

The second plug contained the lead for the tachometer, which ran to a terminal marked "tach" on the 454's HEI distributor.

After we mounted the Covan's Classic dash cluster to the dashboard by using long self-tapping Phillips screws, we pressed and tapped the new dash pad into place and reinstalled the original screws.

The Dakota Digital electronic speedometer sending unit bolted in place of the stock mechanical unit on our 700R4 tranny.

Our stock mechanical oil-pressure gauge's oil-filled line was replaced with an Auto Meter electronic sending unit, then the color-coded wire marked "oil pressure" was connected to it.

The last gauge was the water temperature. We replaced the original mechanical sending unit probe in the 454's cylinder head with Auto Meter's electric probe, then connected the color-coded wire marked "water temp" to the probe. In an upcoming issue, we'll install custom A/C vents and a high-end radio head unit into our Covan's Classic dash cluster. Notice that the mounting holes are blanked out--cool, huh?