Instrument cluster delete

[may93]

Does anyone know how deleting the instrument cluster works for a 1987-1993 mustang? I've seen pictures where the instrument cluster is removed and what appears to be a thin sheet of aluminum or sheet metal in its place so that your after market tach and guages can be mounted in that area.

[IEATLT1]

check out http://www.florida50.com/

[PaulFiveOh]

I think you just highlight it and hit the delete key.

Well at least in Need For Speed thats how you do it.

heh just messen, but ive always like the look of all custom gauge cluster

[may93]

check out http://www.florida50.com/

Thanks!!

[may93]

I think you just highlight it and hit the delete key.

Well at least in Need For Speed thats how you do it.

heh just messen, but ive always like the look of all custom gauge cluster

:lol: I"ll post pictures when I get it done.

[mustangboy]

Are you staying with the fuel injected setup or going carb? You can look at how I did mine under my project in progress. I am carbed though so I pretty much went thru the entire wiring harnes and eliminated anything that was not going to be used. If you want to keep it somewhat easy I would just stick w/ the florida 5.0 setup.

[may93]

Are you staying with the fuel injected setup or going carb? You can look at how I did mine under my project in progress. I am carbed though so I pretty much went thru the entire wiring harnes and eliminated anything that was not going to be used. If you want to keep it somewhat easy I would just stick w/ the florida 5.0 setup.

Im staying with a carb. I had planned on doing the wiring harness the same way eliminating what wasnt needed to include the factory tach and speedometer. I looked at the florida 5.0 set-up but it seems expensive for a piece of plastic. I could probably cut up the factory one but it only shows approx. 46,ooo miles and its a 140mph speedo so I hate to do that. I checked out your project in progress but I didnt see and pics of the instrument cluster. My car is identical to yours but white. Its competely striped at this time also.

[mustangboy]

Yeah I thought the Florida setup was pricy for a piece of plastic and fortunately I had a friend w/ some plastic I could use to make my own. I don't remember exactly what I ended up w/ in my guages but it wa around $500 for everything. So if you are on a budget just make all the factory guages work. It keeps that total stealth look.:bigthumb

[may93]

Yeah I thought the Florida setup was pricy for a piece of plastic and fortunately I had a friend w/ some plastic I could use to make my own. I don't remember exactly what I ended up w/ in my guages but it wa around $500 for everything. So if you are on a budget just make all the factory guages work. It keeps that total stealth look.:bigthumb

I have all the after market guages from other projects over the years and some new that I purchased for my last car but than sold the car before I got it done as I wanted a coupe. The florida 5.0 set-up wouldnt be a bad deal if a person needed everything but just the plastic piece by itself is $150.00. Its not so much the cost but in the picture I thought it looked cheap. Im trying to eliminate any and everything that I dont need to save weight and also to be easier to work on. The car may see street use but very little. I've had to many heavy street cars and now Im ready to go fast!

[mustangboy]

If you really want to save weight and don't mind wiring get a good diagram and start stripping that harness. It may be easier to just make your own harness. Either way it is very time consuming and tedious. The key is have a good quality wiring diagram. However it is very rewarding when you are done and everything is organized and neat and you know what every wire goes to. As far as the guage panel I used the textured plastic that has a oem look to it. I also had a car that used aluminum sheet that looked like carbon fiber. You can get aluminum in many many colors these days so you can get pretty crazy going that route. Good luck and feel free to share pics of your progress.

[fordfan]

I made my own cluster using 1/8 aluminum then covered it with a sheet of vinyl didn`t turn out too bad.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2367/1800606901_a93f1350e6.jpg?v=0

[may93]

That looks great how did you attach the panel when you were done? Did you cut the stock cluster and use it or did you make brackets?

[may93]

If you really want to save weight and don't mind wiring get a good diagram and start stripping that harness. It may be easier to just make your own harness. Either way it is very time consuming and tedious. The key is have a good quality wiring diagram. However it is very rewarding when you are done and everything is organized and neat and you know what every wire goes to. As far as the guage panel I used the textured plastic that has a oem look to it. I also had a car that used aluminum sheet that looked like carbon fiber. You can get aluminum in many many colors these days so you can get pretty crazy going that route. Good luck and feel free to share pics of your progress.

I had figured on doing just that. It may take a while but with the harness already out of the car I figured I'd delete every wire not needed. Its amazing how much of I'm not going to need. When you used the aluminum sheet for your instrument cluster what did you attach it to? I had considered cutting out the inside of the factory cluster and placing a sheet of plastic or aluminum over the faceplate but I have a 140 speedometer that shows 46,000 miles and I hate to cut it up.

[mustangboy]

Don't cut up a good cluster!! Those things are worth some money. If you wanted to go that route I have a few extra ones that came out of 4cyl cars. On mine I just took small "L" brackets and bolted them to the plate (they are way up high and out of site once mounted). I spaced them so they would sandwich between the dash and the guage cover so they actually mount using the stock screws. It was fairly rigid that way but for a little extra support on the bottom I took a little larger "L" brackets and mounted them to the lower stock location and just bent them to where they just touched the guage panel to give it support. In true redneck fashion I wrapped some duct tape around the ends that touched the panel so it would not vibrate and make noise.

[mustangboy]

BTW, Kenny your guage cluster looks kick ass!! You always do nice work. One day if I ever get sick of hearing the beautiful music of the big block I let you put a custom system in the car.

[may93]

Don't cut up a good cluster!! Those things are worth some money. If you wanted to go that route I have a few extra ones that came out of 4cyl cars. On mine I just took small "L" brackets and bolted them to the plate (they are way up high and out of site once mounted). I spaced them so they would sandwich between the dash and the guage cover so they actually mount using the stock screws. It was fairly rigid that way but for a little extra support on the bottom I took a little larger "L" brackets and mounted them to the lower stock location and just bent them to where they just touched the guage panel to give it support. In true redneck fashion I wrapped some duct tape around the ends that touched the panel so it would not vibrate and make noise.

That sounds like a good way to do it. I checked out your car and it looks killer as a two tone red and black. I had considered doing the same in silver and black or black and black cherry. Its a 93 coupe and I need to get some pics on line showing my progress. It goes to get soda blasted this next friday and than Im going to get started on the paint. I do all my own work so its a slow process.

[mustangboy]

Mine isn't the red/black one, even though I really love that paint combo. Mine is under the thread "the new racecar". If you go thru it there is a shot of the back of my guage pane in which you can see the bracket I made to mount it and also how I did the wiring. However since I originally started the thread I wrecked another car at the track (my 2nd) and the wife says no more racing. So it will be a street car that looks like a racecar. Only thing I probably get to race is the dyno.:rolleyes:

[may93]

Mine isn't the red/black one, even though I really love that paint combo. Mine is under the thread "the new racecar". If you go thru it there is a shot of the back of my guage pane in which you can see the bracket I made to mount it and also how I did the wiring. However since I originally started the thread I wrecked another car at the track (my 2nd) and the wife says no more racing. So it will be a street car that looks like a racecar. Only thing I probably get to race is the dyno.:rolleyes:

Hey man I apologize for the mix up. I did find your car and you definitely have done a lot of work and it looks great. I also found the instrument cluster page you mentioned and thats what I'll do also. Once again sorry for the mix-up!

[mustangboy]

No biggie that red and black one is a SWEET car. I would never be emabarrased to have it mistaken for mine.

[fordfan]

That looks great how did you attach the panel when you were done? Did you cut the stock cluster and use it or did you make brackets?

I made a template out of lexan first then I traced it onto a piece of 1/8" aluminum I used all the factory mounting spots except for one it has to be set back about 3/4" but it doesn`t move at all. I have it apart right now I`ll try to get pics of it in the dash on how it bolts up

[fordfan]

BTW, Kenny your guage cluster looks kick ass!! You always do nice work. One day if I ever get sick of hearing the beautiful music of the big block I let you put a custom system in the car.

Thanks for the compliment, and as for the stereo just let me know and we can see what we can do. :bigthumb

[fordfan]

Here are a couple pictures from when I was making it. I`ll get some pics of the back too

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1145/1214324250_ba9ec36708.jpg?v=0
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1009/1214325416_f91cba1ee6.jpg?v=0

[may93]

Did you cut up the original cluster for the project?

[fordfan]

No I traced it onto the lexan cut i out then kept at it until I got it to fit into theblack trim piece