Dakota digital gauges worth it??

[dallassnowman]

Is it worth $625.00
by the way I now have a bad oil gauge and fuel gauge!

 

[k5freak44]

that looks pretty cool, i dunno if i would spend that kidna money for it tho.

where did you finid it?

 

[dallassnowman]

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=158/category_id=66/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd158.htm

 

[MNorby]

for about $500 in gauges you could install some autometers or something in your bezel. Search and you will find tons of pics of some people setups.

 

[dallassnowman]

From what I have seen on here it seems like the setup of autometer gauges don't turn out that well. Or it takes alot of fab work.

 

[MNorby]

yeah, autometers aren't by any means bolt-in install. Takes alot of time and work to make it look good and function well.

 

[Cmoe]

I've talked to several people that have had these, and they loved the way they looked but it was hard to see sometimes in the day time! I've always loved the looks and wanted a set of them for my k5.... but not that much in my pockets

 

[dallassnowman]

As it is now my gauges are hard to see during the day.

Do you know how hard was the install??

 

[ryoken]

my .02...

definitely cool but i'm more of an analog guy.. i've liked digital in certain applications, etc.. but they definitely don't have that hotrod, race, badassness that some Pro Comps would have in the same application imho.. they'd also be a hundred or so cheaper...

are those made to fit the bezel? or are they just a standard gauge size (2 5/8, etc) custom installed?

 

[dallassnowman]

From what I've read they are direct fit with your exsiting bezel.

 

[ryoken]

that would certainly make it a little simpler... tho i'm not exactly certain how they could be direct fit with our bezel config...

hope they work out killa for ya if ya go for it... after running around with no dash for 2 months, i'm loving my new Autometer setup...

 

[ryoken]

oh, and my sympathies on the lack of fuel gauge.. that by far was the most annoying part of having no dash... have you done basic diagnostics to check its prob?

 

[sweetk30]

try the look of this. havent put in truck yet but looks good.

 

[onlychevy6]

i myself have been looking into this. For a little over 700 bucks you can buy the autometer gauges with the 5 inch tach and speedo and but the covan classic bezel already manufactured and it is a direct fit. Or you can spend 950.00 and but one already done website is www.covanclassic.com then you can see the many different options. I was looking into the dakota as well and classic industries has them for a little over 500.00. I am torn as well. I really want the autometer but have a hard time swallowing more than 700 for gauges and stuff. Keep me informed on what you do. I am very curious to see the way you go. Oh and by the way there is more to the dakota digital than just buy the gauges. There are sensors and things you need to make it work. When all is said and done you might as well get the autometer setup.

Just my opinion(which means nothing)..

Good Luck

Jeff

 

[Smitty]

I put Dakota guages in my 56. They were an easy install and came with all of the senders. The brightness level can be set to whatever you desire. That being said, I like the look of the Autometer Cobalt guages in our newer trucks. The price is a killer though.....

 

[HarryH3]

It's www.covansclassic.com

They're damn proud of their stuff! And their panels don't solve the main problem with installing Autometer gauges... The gauges aren't angled upwards, so they're difficult to read.

 

[ryoken]

It's www.covansclassic.com

They're damn proud of their stuff! And their panels don't solve the main problem with installing Autometer gauges... The gauges aren't angled upwards, so they're difficult to read.

yup, and the angled down thing bugs me... don't like it... that place is a total ripoff... you can buy the gauges for 1/2 of what they sell em for and just dremel your own bezel like Sweetk30 did..

think everyone here has seen mine but here they are anyway for chits and giggles...

 

[sweetk30]

250.00 for a blank bezel. it took me 20 min with dremel to do it in the garage. easy to do. now if there bezel was setup to angle them i might think about it.

 

[ryoken]

yeah, i have couple stockers downstairs i was gonna do it to before i went my composite route.... heck, i was thinking of selling my angled style in the 250, 300 range....

i've found having an oil temp for the first time to be interesting... how oil temp is affected by different things.. pretty cool...

not to sidetrack this too much, but what are ya waiting on to do your install?

 

[sweetk30]

play toy first then show truck second. thats why so long to install.