Gauge Transplant

[nychopshop]

I have a 1989 k5 which has the stupid fuel gauge where the tach should be, and a speedo that only goes up to 85, I'm sure many can relate to my woes (not to say that I would be driving down the road faster than 85mph in my K5, but seeing better on my speedometer makes me feel a whole lot better). I need a tach, and I hate the idea of putting some kind of gauge 'pod' somewhere in my cab if I dont have to. I purchased a gauge cluster off of a 1970's pickup with a speedometer that goes up to 100, a tach, and the fuel gauge that goes where nothing is at the moment on my dash. Has anyone successfully done this before? Was I an idiot for thinking the gauges will work just because they fit the same shape? I have not yet cracked my own dash, and I plan on having the install professionally done - its nice when you know a mechanic with an OCD-level attention to detail. Help out a new member please! Thanks
Josh

 

[4X4HIGH]

Hopefully the gauge cluster you bought was from a 73 or newer otherwise i think you're going to have trouble making the gauges fit and or look correct.

 

[nychopshop]

yep

the donor was a 1975 pickup.

 

[k204dr]

I think you can make it work you just gotta carefully get all the wires in the plugs to be pinned in the proper location. sounds like it will be sweet.

 

[BKinzey]

What you want to do has been done and there is a lot of info on it. Oops! You are putting this in an '89? So the face of both clusters actually look different. I'd say fitment problems and I bet your vehicles speedo & tach are set up as electric and the '75's are mechanical.

CORRECTION:
Please Pay No Attention to the Aforementioned Blather Now back to our regular programming in progress.

Good luck, post pics!

 

[4X4HIGH]

What you want to do has been done and there is a lot of info on it. Oops! You are putting this in an '89? So the face of both clusters actually look different. I'd say fitment problems and I bet your vehicles speedo & tach are set up as electric and the '75's are mechanical.

Good luck, post pics!

All the tachs are electric on these rigs and the electric speedo didn't start until 1990. All the gauges will bolt into the gauge cluster but a re-pin will be in order.

 

[dyeager535]

Also has an ammeter and mechanical oil pressure gauge, correct? (blech)

Speedo cable connection may also be incorrect. Unsure of the year change, but the '89 cable clips onto the speedometer, sometime prior to '80 there was another attachment method.

 

[mouse]

My '89 speedo bolted right into my '77 cluster, no problems with the cable. The clip on the back was a little different, but it worked nonetheless.

 

[nychopshop]

The main interest I have here in putting a tachometer and a small fuel gauge in place of my large fuel gage and an empty small gauge space. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. I don't necessarily need to swap out the speedo, I'm not going to be driving my blazer that fast, but if its doable, I'd like an accurate guess at it or any information anyone may have. I have looked but unfortunately havnt found much.

 

[Randy92782]

The main interest I have here in putting a tachometer and a small fuel gauge in place of my large fuel gage and an empty small gauge space. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. I don't necessarily need to swap out the speedo, I'm not going to be driving my blazer that fast, but if its doable, I'd like an accurate guess at it or any information anyone may have. I have looked but unfortunately havnt found much.

Whoa man!! you posted this a year ago?? still having problems??

 

[75-K5]

Sometimes projects fall just a little behind schedule...see my sig line quote for further details

 

[dyeager535]

Although the font won't match up, you can put the tach and fuel gauge in the later cluster. You lose VSS if you swap the cluster, and I'm sure you've got the mechanical gauges to deal with as well.

 

[noJeepshere]

hmm... lets see trying to remember... i tried this a couple years ago in my 81, the 100 mph speedo was within +/- 1 mph of a 96. the gauges all swap, and the tach is best spliced from the bundle instead of trying to figger out the printed circuit. an easy fix for the guages not matching is a white face kit found on eaby for ~$20. i ended up getting rid of it all because the tach and oil pressure gauges crapped out. the tach cluster was free from a friend, so not much loss. i put a row of vdo gauges along the top of the dash on the left instead. i now have the idiot lights hooked back up. i dont live at home anymore or i would post pics.