Adding gauges solutions

Although not high-priority I do want to add a voltmeter and oil pressure gauge to my car. Maybe a tach too, just because.

I've tried mocking up a few possible solutions with other GM dash clusters, but I don't think that's a viable option except for the F-body cluster which I don't really want to go with.

Since the dashboard top has more land area than many small countries, I'd really envision some sort of dashtop pod that could hold some gauges. Looking around though, they all look pretty crappy to me.

The other option that's certainly a known quantity would be to use the Impala/Caprice A-pillar gauge pod, which probably is the path of least resistance.

I'm curious if any of you have installed gauges (aside from the F-body cluster swap) and how it worked out, and of course how nice it looks.

The prior owner of LROM for July 2017, now my 1996 RMW was gauge-crazy.  They were stuck on the steering column, in the ashtray, under the dash, you name it.  I kept the oil temperature and voltmeter gauges on the A-pillar. I yanked out the rest. None of them were in a location where your eyes should be while the car was in motion.

The A-pillar solution doesn't look nearly as bad as I thought. (when painted)

The column is an interesting location that I hadn't thought of. Dmg4 - any pictures of what that looked like? a small oil pressure and voltmeter there would probably do the trick.

dan - I didn't realize the 95 Caprice had a digital dash with a full gauge set. That's an interesting option and it might fit more easily in a Roadmaster than the other things I've been pulling from the junkyard.

Anyone here put a Caprice digi-dash in their Roadmaster? Anyone selling one I can try (even if it's busted, at least to check physical fit)

dmg4 wrote:

The prior owner of LROM for July 2017, now my 1996 RMW was gauge-crazy.  They were stuck on the steering column, in the ashtray, under the dash, you name it.  I kept the oil temperature and voltmeter gauges on the A-pillar.  I yanked out the rest.  None of them were in a location where your eyes should be while the car was in motion.

Are you able to turn those gauges in the pod so they sit upright? Just looking at your pic, the install is clean enough but with them not being straight my OCD went crazy.

As for the topic here, may I make a suggestion?




-Mike

They look fine to me.

[quote=They look fine to me.]


Makes my brain hurt....

I've got a Camaro gauge cluster here if anyone wants to buy it off me and have it converted over.

I mocked it up, and I'm not sure what it is, but it's not doing it for me.

81X11 most of the dash looks like that's a 94 to 96 but the cluster looks like the 91-93 is that right?

and if so was that a refit you did and how hard was it to get the older cluster to fit in the newer car? as I didn't think any of the 94 to 96 buicks had that style cluster at all

The instrument cluster is not a 91-93.

I'm just wondering if that's some rare optional dash that was available, a dash from a similar car that can be transplanted in, or what, as I would like to have more instrumentation on my roadmaster but I don't want anything that is obviously after market, and from all the 94-96 Roadmasters I've looked at or seen that's the only dash like that I've ever seen.


Also the only 91-93 style dash I ever got a good look at was over 8 years ago when my brother had a 93 rmw that I drove once and refused to drive again due to how loose the steering was on it.

The 91-93 cluster is not an option. Different size and shape.

Is it a Z-28 cluster?

These are custom made by combining 93-96 Z28 gauge clusters with 94-96 Roadmaster gauge housings, with a custom-made face.   A gentleman named Gary in New York made mine in the pics above some  years ago.  He added a PRNDL to mine for the column shifter, and converted the gauge needles from orange to white, to make it look more "Buick".  

Here's the link from my cluster swap:    https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t5300-z28-gauges-with-prndl-just-hit-the-front-porch?highlight=prndl

The 6spd wagon I recently refurbished also has the Z28 gauge swap, with no PRNDL of course, and still with the orange needles.