When it comes to building old trucks, it can seem like you're toying with a double-edged sword. On one hand you want the style and look of some vintage tin, yet you also want the amenities of a late-model vehicle. Things such as suspension, brakes, and motors are a few things that are handled with ease. By simply swapping new mechanics for old, one isn't jeopardizing the look and feel of a truck. The truck still looks vintage, but performs like a late-model-it's a win-win situation. The only problem is that not all areas are cured that easily. Or are they?
When dealing with '47-53 GM trucks, there are a lot of areas that need to be dealt with, one being mechanical. Things such as front axles, inline-sixes, drum brakes, and more, aren't exactly what we look for in a modern-day hot rod. Yet those downfalls are easily worked around without straying much from the look of one of those trucks. But what happens when you install that 350 motor and your six-volt system is no longer an option? On top of that, the gauges in those trucks are dialed-in for the early Stovebolt sixes. They're not set up to be able to monitor the higher speeds, oil pressure, and temperatures of today's motors. The six-volt problem is once again cured with a new harness-but as for the gauges, normally one will install a three-pod gauge setup under the dash, or all-new aftermarket instruments. The problem is that that simple fix strays from the classic and timeless look of the cab of one of those trucks. However, nowadays Chevs of the 40's has a solution that will satisfy both blades of the sword: form and function.
Chevs of the 40's makes reproduction gauges for the '47-53 trucks that look just like the original gauges-only their new gauges are set up for late-model engines. This means you can finally have your cake and eat it too. On their new gauges, the temperature gauge now runs up to 220 as opposed to 212, and the oil pressure reads up to 60 psi versus the old 30 psi. When it comes to the speedometer, the Chevs unit reads up to 90 mph, a full 10 mph over the stock gauge. Also, the new gauges come with all the hookups to monitor your engine vitals. With this setup one gets the modern-day features, while still retaining the classic look of the cab.
For the past few months Sam Head has been knee-deep in building his '53 Chevy. He has already dropped in a late-model 350 and more. Now he needs to equip the cab with instruments. Wanting to keep the stock look of the Chevy, he decided the Chevs of the 40's gauges are exactly the ticket. He even ordered various other restoration parts from Chevs to round out his dash. Check out what it takes to install a new old dash into an A-D Chevy.
Here are the updated gauge...
Here are the updated gauge clusters Sam picked up from Chevs of the 40's. These are completely new units that not only look great, but feature bigger ranges to support our newer small-block motor (more on this later). These gauges also run off of 12 volts instead of 6, which means the new Ron Francis wiring harness installation ("Wired Science," Aug. '08) will hook up without an issue.
As you can see from the back...
As you can see from the back of this unit, these new gauges are ready to run-thanks in part to the pre-installed temperature probe.
To hook up the speedometer...
To hook up the speedometer to the transmission, Sam also ordered up a new speedo cable assembly. The original one was so old and cruddy that the center was locked up in the housing.
To complete the new look of...
To complete the new look of the dash, he also grabbed the Chevs of the 40's centersection trim and glovebox door. These new pieces are designed to look and install just like the original units. The centersection comes with the ashtray and speaker grille already installed, and it also has the proper Chevrolet script along the top.
So Sam would have a place...
So Sam would have a place to stash the registration and other stuff, a new glovebox liner was a must.
Like we stated before, the...
Like we stated before, the new Chevs of the 40's clusters feature higher ranges so we can keep track of the 350's vitals. The oil pressure now monitors up to 60 psi and the temp goes to 220. If you still have a stock motor, Chevs offers stock parameters as well. If you look close, you'll notice this shot is a side-by-side comparison of the old unit and the new unit. Dead on, huh?
The speedo has two minor changes,...
The speedo has two minor changes, the high-beam indicator light is now on top for easier viewing-and instead of topping out at 80 it now reads up to 90. That might not seem like a lot, but if you cruise the highway at 75 that extra 10 mph is nice to have. Once again, this is a side-by-side comparison.
Before Sam installed any of...
Before Sam installed any of the gauges, he pre-wired the lights to make hook-up a snap. A few months back we installed a new harness from Ron Francis, so all those connections were waiting for us.
Starting with the speedo,...
Starting with the speedo, the assembly was slid into place and the four mounting nuts were loosely installed. Then he positioned the gauge and tightened the nuts. With that, he hooked up the new speedo cable and routed the other end out of the firewall.
The other gauge assembly was...
The other gauge assembly was next. The reason we started with the speedo is so we could work to the right and use the open holes in the dash to access the back of the component we are working on. This worked out much better than lying down and doing everything from the bottom.
Once all the clusters were...
Once all the clusters were in place, Sam had to route the oil pressure line, temp probe, and the speedo cable out through these holes in the firewall. Be sure to use the proper grommet for this job, as you don't want your wires to wear thin.
We then installed the temp...
We then installed the temp probe into the front boss of the Edelbrock intake manifold.
The speedo cable was routed...
The speedo cable was routed down the firewall. It was then hooked to the transmission without a hitch. Not shown is the oil psi line. It was hooked up to the motor right above the oil filter.
Before we could install the...
Before we could install the new Chevs of the 40's centersection of the dash we had to remove the nuts that hold the upper trim to the main body. We left everything together and used these nuts to install the part to the dash....
...The nuts were then loosely...
...The nuts were then loosely snugged, that way once everything was in place we could come back and line it all up. Once in position, the new center trim was secured in place.
The glovebox liner is next,...
The glovebox liner is next, but we had to pound in these clips before we could stuff it in the dash.
Once those were in we slipped...
Once those were in we slipped the liner in from under the dash and installed it with the provided screws.
Next we installed the new...
Next we installed the new glovebox door. In order for it to align with the centersection we had to adjust the latch on the backside of the door.
Now that is a dash everyone...
Now that is a dash everyone will admire. And not only does it stay true and retain the classic look of these Advance Design Chevy trucks...
...but the new Chevs of the...
...but the new Chevs of the 40's gauges allow one to monitor the vital signs of their truck(s).
| Sources |
Chevy Of The 40's
800/999-2438 | |